I discovered a toad in the yard the other day (a tribute to all the rain we've been getting lately as we're almost a block from the nearest river) and the kids took a great liking to him. Gus captured him from the vicinity of the lawn mower (I'm so glad I saw him hopping around) and brought him to Terri's garden (which we promptly flooded for his enjoyment).
He stayed there all night and was "invited" to swim in the kiddie pool the next day. He absolutely loved this and we were completely captivated by his athletic prowess. We found a nice little log (complete with tasty bugs) to float in the kiddie pool and he was in froggie heaven.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Praise for Homer's Iliad
I'm working on reviews of two books: Homer's Iliad and a study guide for it (it's sort of nice to have to spend time re-reading the Iliad after almost twenty years). Inspired by a quote about the Iliad in Chesterton's The Everlasting Man, I decided to collect some quotes from Catholic tradition about the importance of this book and, by extension the study of the classics of antiquity.
Cardinal Newman says that we should "know what you know and what you do not know". I know that I don't know enough to have the appreciation for The Iliad that I should, but I know that it is an absolute giant in the "common experience" of mankind and has been warmly embraced by Catholic tradition. So much so that it is referenced many times in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia, including a number of references in homilies and writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church.
Here is the quote from The Everlasting Man (from the chapter "The Antiquity of Civilization":
The following quote was preceded by a history showing how Homer's works have had a pre-eminence in classical studies for, literally, millenia. I noticed in a number of writings by and about Cardinal Newman (gotta love the ease of searching for such things with the Internet) that The Iliad had a substantial influence on his own writings and thinking.
Cardinal Newman says that we should "know what you know and what you do not know". I know that I don't know enough to have the appreciation for The Iliad that I should, but I know that it is an absolute giant in the "common experience" of mankind and has been warmly embraced by Catholic tradition. So much so that it is referenced many times in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia, including a number of references in homilies and writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church.
Here is the quote from The Everlasting Man (from the chapter "The Antiquity of Civilization":
Somewhere along the Ionian coast opposite Crete and the islands was a town of some sort, probably of the sort that we should call a village or hamlet with a wall. It was called Ilion but it came to be called Troy, and the name will never perish from the earth. A poet who may have been a beggar and a ballad-monger, who may have been unable to read and write, and was described by tradition as blind, composed a poem about the Greeks going to war with this town to recover the most beautiful woman in the world. That the most beautiful woman in the world lived in that one little town sounds like a legend; that the most beautiful poem in the world was written by somebody who knew of nothing larger than such little towns is a historical fact. It is said that the poem came at the end of the period; that the primitive culture brought it forth in its decay; in which case one would like to have seen that culture in its prime. But anyhow it is true that this, which is our first poem, might very well be our last poem too. It might well be the last word as well as the first word spoken by man about his mortal lot, as seen by merely mortal vision. If the world becomes pagan and perishes, the last man left alive would do well to quote the Iliad and die.
The following quote was preceded by a history showing how Homer's works have had a pre-eminence in classical studies for, literally, millenia. I noticed in a number of writings by and about Cardinal Newman (gotta love the ease of searching for such things with the Internet) that The Iliad had a substantial influence on his own writings and thinking.
I pass thus cursorily over the series of informations which history gives us on the subject, merely with a view of recalling to your memory, Gentlemen, and impressing upon you the fact, that the literature of Greece, continued into, and enriched by, the literature of Rome, together with the studies which it involves, has been the instrument of education, and the food of civilization, from the first times of the world down to this day;—and now we are in a condition to answer the question which thereupon arises, when we turn to consider, by way of contrast, the teaching which is characteristic of Universities. How has it come to pass that, although the genius of Universities is so different from that of the schools which preceded them, nevertheless the course of study pursued in those {262} schools was not superseded in the middle ages by those more brilliant sciences which Universities introduced? It might have seemed as if Scholastic Theology, Law, and Medicine would have thrown the Seven Liberal Arts into the shade, but in the event they failed to do so. I consider the reason to be, that the authority and function of the monastic and secular schools, as supplying to the young the means of education, lay deeper than in any appointment of Charlemagne, who was their nominal founder, and were based in the special character of that civilization which is so intimately associated with Christianity, that it may even be called the soil out of which Christianity grew. The medieval sciences, great as is their dignity and utility, were never intended to supersede that more real and proper cultivation of the mind which is effected by the study of the liberal Arts; and, when certain of these sciences did in fact go out of their province and did attempt to prejudice the traditional course of education, the encroachment was in matter of fact resisted. There were those in the middle age, as John of Salisbury, who vigorously protested against the extravagances and usurpations which ever attend the introduction of any great good whatever, and which attended the rise of the peculiar sciences of which Universities were the seat; and, though there were times when the old traditions seemed to be on the point of failing, somehow it has happened that they have never failed; for the instinct of Civilization and the common sense of Society prevailed, and the danger passed away, and the studies which seemed to be going out gained their ancient place, and were acknowledged, as before, to be the best instruments of mental cultivation, and the best guarantees for intellectual progress. (John Henry Cardinal Newman, Christianity and Letters)More on the importance of Greek thought in traditional Catholic education:
Two other movements form the climax of the Church's activity during the Middle Ages. The development of Scholasticism meant the revival of Greek philosophy, and in particular of Aristotle; but it also meant that philosophy was now to serve the cause of Christian truth. Men of faith and learning like Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas, far from dreading or scorning the products of Greek thought, sought to make them the rational basis of belief. A synthesis was thus effected between the highest speculation of the pagan world and the teachings of theology. Scholasticism, moreover, was a distinct advance in the work of education; it was an intellectual training in method, in systematic thought, in severe logical reasoning, and in accuracy of statement. But taken as a whole, it furnished a great object-lesson, the purport of which was that, for the keenest intellect, the findings of reason and the truths of Revelation could be harmonized. Having used the subtilities of Greek thought to sharpen the student's mind, the Church thereupon presented to him her dogmas without the least fear of contradiction. She thus united in a consistent whole whatever was best in pagan science and culture with the doctrine entrusted to her by Christ. If education be rightly defined as "the transmission of our intellectual and spiritual inheritance" (Butler), this definition is fully exemplified in the work of the Church during the Middle Ages.
(from the entry on "Education" in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia)
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
The Gardening Pays Off
One of our goals was to attract butterflies and that seems to be working. One of my kids took this picture, which I really like. (I still have to find out who took it). Bernie and Gus are the most prolific photographers, so I'm guessing it's one of them.
Timeline Idea
I thought this was a neat idea for a timeline - I found it on Ankara Academy's photostream on Flickr (I know she has a blog too, but I can't remember what it's called). Click on the photo for a close up (she has another view of the timeline in her photostream as well).
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton
As I mentioned in a comment on the American Chesterton Society Blog, I've been rather slowly plodding my way through The Everlasting Man. As a matter of fact, I've finished three other Chesterton books since I first started this one, but I'm finally making some real progress.
It's an interesting book and I really like it, but I find that I lose the thread of thought more easily with this one than with Heretics or Orthodoxy, for example. So I was excited to hear on the ACS Blog that an Annoted Edition is in the works (though I certainly hope it doesn't take me THAT long to finish my first read-through!). I'm beginning to suspect that by the time I finish my first read through, I'll have actually read the book about three times. :)
In any case, there are a few parts so far that I found interesting and/or funny that I want to take note of here...
I would have to quote a lot here to show what he's explaining here. He gives a lot of examples from history, but I found the concept really interesting and I want to go back and take another peek at it later.
------------------------------------------------
I especially loved the last sentence.
---------------------------------------------
I have to admit that I had to read this following quote twice before I got the joke (I missed something the first time through). As a matter of fact, it gets better every time I read it. :)
The funny thing about getting "bogged down" in this book is that it doesn't really feel like a negative thing to have to plod through slowly. There are so many wonderful nuggets like this last one that I want to read and re-read and dwell on and turn back to...
It's an interesting book and I really like it, but I find that I lose the thread of thought more easily with this one than with Heretics or Orthodoxy, for example. So I was excited to hear on the ACS Blog that an Annoted Edition is in the works (though I certainly hope it doesn't take me THAT long to finish my first read-through!). I'm beginning to suspect that by the time I finish my first read through, I'll have actually read the book about three times. :)
In any case, there are a few parts so far that I found interesting and/or funny that I want to take note of here...
There is unfortunately one fallacy here into which it is very easy for men to fall, even those who are most intelligent and perhaps especially those who are most imaginative. It is the fallacy of supposing that because an idea is greater in the sense of larger, therefore it is greater in the sense of more fundamental and fixed and certain (page 69 in the Dodd & Mead edition, 1949)
I would have to quote a lot here to show what he's explaining here. He gives a lot of examples from history, but I found the concept really interesting and I want to go back and take another peek at it later.
------------------------------------------------
Real research is more and more exalting the ancient civilisation ofEurope and especially of what we may still vaguely call the Greeks. It must be understood in the sense that there were Greeks before the Greeks, as in so many of their mythologies there were gods before the gods. The island of Crete was the centre of civilisation now called Minoan, after the Minoas who lingered in ancient legend and whose labyrinth was actually discovered by modern archeology. This elaborate European society, with its harbours and its drainage and its domestic machinery, seems to have gone down before some invasion of its northern neighbours, who made or inherited the Hellas we know in history. But that earlier period did not pass till it had given to the world gifts so great that the world has ever since been striving in vain to repay them, if only by plagiarism. (page 78)
I especially loved the last sentence.
---------------------------------------------
I have to admit that I had to read this following quote twice before I got the joke (I missed something the first time through). As a matter of fact, it gets better every time I read it. :)
I was once escorted over the Roman foundations of an ancient British city by a professor, who said something that seems to me a satire on a good many other professors. Possibly the professor saw the joke, though he maintained an iron gravity, and may or may not have realised that it was a joke against a great deal of what is called comparative religion. I pointed out a sculpture of the head of the sun with the usual halo of rays, but with the difference that the face in the disc, instead of being boyish like Apollo, was bearded like Neptune or Jupiter. 'Yes,' he said with a certain delicate exactitude, 'that is supposed to represent the local god Sul. The best authorities identify Sul with Minerva; but this has been held to show that the identification is not complete.'
That is what we call a powerful understatement. The modern world is madder than any satires on it; long ago Mr. Belloc made his burlesque don say that a bust of Ariadne had been proved by modern research to be a Silenus. But that is not better than the real appearance of Minerva as the Bearded Woman of Mr. Barnum. Only both of them are very like many identifications by 'the best authorities' on comparitive religion; and when Catholic creeds are identified with various wild myths, I do not laugh or curse or misbehave myself; I confine myself decorously to saying that the identification is not complete. (page 82-83)
The funny thing about getting "bogged down" in this book is that it doesn't really feel like a negative thing to have to plod through slowly. There are so many wonderful nuggets like this last one that I want to read and re-read and dwell on and turn back to...
Movie list for American History - early high school
This is a list (still in progress) I'm working on for the high schoolers in our co-op to supplement a Catholic history textbook. Some I still need to preview as I haven't seen them in awhile. Until I can add review notes, consider that some parental discretion may be required. I'm also working on an extensive book list.
National Geographic - Lewis and Clark - the Great Journey West
One Man's Hero
Gettysburg
Ken Burn's Civil War Series
The Magnificent Seven
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Molokai
The Miracle Worker
I Remember Mama
Cheaper by the Dozen
The Spirit of St. Louis
Pride of the Yankees
Cinderella Man
To Kill a Mockingbird
Jesse Owens Story
The Glenn Miller Story
National Geographic - The Battle for Midway
The Sands of Iwo Jima
October Sky
Hoosiers
Driving Miss Daisy
Nova: To the Moon
Apollo 13
Additional suggestions would be most welcome.
National Geographic - Lewis and Clark - the Great Journey West
One Man's Hero
Gettysburg
Ken Burn's Civil War Series
The Magnificent Seven
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Molokai
The Miracle Worker
I Remember Mama
Cheaper by the Dozen
The Spirit of St. Louis
Pride of the Yankees
Cinderella Man
To Kill a Mockingbird
Jesse Owens Story
The Glenn Miller Story
National Geographic - The Battle for Midway
The Sands of Iwo Jima
October Sky
Hoosiers
Driving Miss Daisy
Nova: To the Moon
Apollo 13
Additional suggestions would be most welcome.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Temporary Comment Moderation
I'm temporarily moderating all comments (they are e-mailed to me and I approve them before they're posted) since I'm getting some annoying spam in spite of the word verification. Sorry for the inconvenience.
The Kitchen Madonna
Not only is it a wonderful story by Rumer Godden, but now there's an intriguing new website called the Kitchen Madonna about food and life.
hat tip Danielle Bean
hat tip Danielle Bean
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Never a Dull Moment
Electroblogster's on a business trip.
Ria's on retreat.
This morning we enjoyed our first zucchini out of Gus' garden (which was fried in butter just moments after it was picked - and thoroughly enjoyed by all - even though it was about six inches long, an inch and a half wide and divided between six people .... sure to be the first of many, though). This is really our first productive vegetable garden (we made one noble attempt at our old house, but it didn't turn out very well) so the kids are really excited. I'm really enjoying their enthusiasm.
Kate is sporting a beautiful bright pink long arm cast as of this afternoon. She and Bernie had to pop into my room numerous times tonight (as I attempted to get Frank to sleep) to ascertain, with absolute certitude, the number of bones that were broken (the answer is two).
The kids thought it was all pretty exciting. Kate's wrist didn't hurt much after the first 20 or 30 minutes (from which time, however, it was clear that we should check it out - even though she seemed better soon after). She was beaming by the time we got to the doctor's office (the Motrin also helped). We ended up with all kinds of kid-pleasing fast food (boy were we hungry) on the way from our regular doctor's office to the clinic with the orthopedic guy (Bernie, Terri and Gus had a lovely little Quizno's picnic on the floor of the waiting room) . AND since I promised frozen custard if Kate was good at the doctor's (she was angelic), we had to pick up a tub on the way home. AND since Kate's supposed to take it easy for a few days, we dropped by the library and let her pick out a bunch of movies. AND, as the bone doctor teased, he would break his arm any day for a cast that pretty. :)
Ria's on retreat.
This morning we enjoyed our first zucchini out of Gus' garden (which was fried in butter just moments after it was picked - and thoroughly enjoyed by all - even though it was about six inches long, an inch and a half wide and divided between six people .... sure to be the first of many, though). This is really our first productive vegetable garden (we made one noble attempt at our old house, but it didn't turn out very well) so the kids are really excited. I'm really enjoying their enthusiasm.
Kate is sporting a beautiful bright pink long arm cast as of this afternoon. She and Bernie had to pop into my room numerous times tonight (as I attempted to get Frank to sleep) to ascertain, with absolute certitude, the number of bones that were broken (the answer is two).
The kids thought it was all pretty exciting. Kate's wrist didn't hurt much after the first 20 or 30 minutes (from which time, however, it was clear that we should check it out - even though she seemed better soon after). She was beaming by the time we got to the doctor's office (the Motrin also helped). We ended up with all kinds of kid-pleasing fast food (boy were we hungry) on the way from our regular doctor's office to the clinic with the orthopedic guy (Bernie, Terri and Gus had a lovely little Quizno's picnic on the floor of the waiting room) . AND since I promised frozen custard if Kate was good at the doctor's (she was angelic), we had to pick up a tub on the way home. AND since Kate's supposed to take it easy for a few days, we dropped by the library and let her pick out a bunch of movies. AND, as the bone doctor teased, he would break his arm any day for a cast that pretty. :)
Holy Hill a Basilica!
Archbishop Dolan announced last year that he would request this status for our own dear Holy Hill, but it's nice to hear that it came through. Hat tip - Stella Borealis.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Overheard
Terri came running downstairs well after bedtime tonight breathlessly announcing that Kate thought that Mommy knew everything! She and Bernie and Gus burst into laughter at this hilarious concept.
Sigh. My kids are way too smart for me. :)
Sigh. My kids are way too smart for me. :)
Monday, July 17, 2006
Great great grandparents
I really like this old photo of my great-great grandparents. They're dressed in third-order Carmelite garb. They came to the U.S. from the Portuguese Azores (I'll let you look it up on a map).
The Phantom Tollbooth
We finished The Phantom Tollbooth on Saturday and it was even more delightful than I remembered it. The children loved it too. :)
The Phantom Tollbooth was a book I discovered on my family's bookshelves when I was very young and devoured over and over again. It's an adventure in good thinking. Well, at least it's an adventure in the Kingdom of Wisdom which has been turned upside-down by the banishment of Rhyme and Reason. The book has a point, but it doesn't come off as preachy - it's much more creative and far more entertaining than that. And who wouldn't laugh at all the abstract things that come to life in the story - the Island of Conclusions (yes, you have to jump to get there), the Gross Exaggeration, the Threadbare Excuse...
Here are just two favorite spots I bookmarked along the way (I don't want to spoil the story afterall)...
The Phantom Tollbooth was a book I discovered on my family's bookshelves when I was very young and devoured over and over again. It's an adventure in good thinking. Well, at least it's an adventure in the Kingdom of Wisdom which has been turned upside-down by the banishment of Rhyme and Reason. The book has a point, but it doesn't come off as preachy - it's much more creative and far more entertaining than that. And who wouldn't laugh at all the abstract things that come to life in the story - the Island of Conclusions (yes, you have to jump to get there), the Gross Exaggeration, the Threadbare Excuse...
Here are just two favorite spots I bookmarked along the way (I don't want to spoil the story afterall)...
"And remember also," added the Princess of Sweet Rhyme, "that many places you would like to see are just off the map and many things you want to know are just out of sight or a little beyond your reach. But someday you'll reach them all, for what you learn today, for no reason at all, will help you discover all the wonderful secrets of tomorrow."
"That's why," said Azaz, "there was one very important thing about your quest that we couldn't discuss until you returned."
"I remember," said Milo eagerly. "Tell me now."
"It was impossible," said the king...
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Friday, July 14, 2006
Terri describes The Phantom Tollbooth
(I just had to capture this)
"I love the Phantom Tollbooth. It's hilarious. They sell words and they grow on trees and where they sell them is called the Word Market. And in the doldrums, if you aren't thinking, you stop moving. If you're thinking really hard you start to move again."
Can't capture the giggles. Sigh.
"I love the Phantom Tollbooth. It's hilarious. They sell words and they grow on trees and where they sell them is called the Word Market. And in the doldrums, if you aren't thinking, you stop moving. If you're thinking really hard you start to move again."
Can't capture the giggles. Sigh.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Links - Blogs that Link Here
(and other sites too). I appreciate it if you drop me a comment if I've missed your site. I'm not always good at keeping up on this and I think the blogger switch might have eaten some of my links (there was a suspicious alphabetical gap between C and L).
Bliss on the Hill
The Butterfly Net
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
Catastrophic Pontifications
Catholic Blogs
Catholic Homeschool Blogs Directory
Catholic Homeschoolers of Wisconsin
Chesterteens
Classic Catholic
Echoes of Creation
Electroblogster
A Father's Academy
Flying Stars
Godsbody
A Gypsy Caravan
Here in the Bonny Glen
HildaVanStockum.com
I Came, I Saw, I Contemplated
Karen Edmisten
Lawless Way of Life
LiberParma
Life in a Nutshell
Lilting House
Liturgical Year
Maureen Wittmann
Minnesota Mom
Munchkins on the Path
The Provincial E-mails
Redeem the Time
Saint Francis Academy
Small Treasures
Stella Borealis
This Red Rock
Thursday Night Gumbo
Trinity Prep School
Waltzing Matilda
Bliss on the Hill
The Butterfly Net
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
Catastrophic Pontifications
Catholic Blogs
Catholic Homeschool Blogs Directory
Catholic Homeschoolers of Wisconsin
Chesterteens
Classic Catholic
Echoes of Creation
Electroblogster
A Father's Academy
Flying Stars
Godsbody
A Gypsy Caravan
Here in the Bonny Glen
HildaVanStockum.com
I Came, I Saw, I Contemplated
Karen Edmisten
Lawless Way of Life
LiberParma
Life in a Nutshell
Lilting House
Liturgical Year
Maureen Wittmann
Minnesota Mom
Munchkins on the Path
The Provincial E-mails
Redeem the Time
Saint Francis Academy
Small Treasures
Stella Borealis
This Red Rock
Thursday Night Gumbo
Trinity Prep School
Waltzing Matilda
Update on Regina Doman and family
Danielle Bean has more info here
Note: Regina writes under her maiden name, Doman, the family name is Schmiedicke
More at FOXNews hat-tip Nancy Brown
Note: Regina writes under her maiden name, Doman, the family name is Schmiedicke
More at FOXNews hat-tip Nancy Brown
A Message About Stem Cell Legislation
This is from a good friend of mine (Ria's godmother, as a matter of fact), and I thought I'd pass it along...
Dear Friends,
The House passed H.R. 810 in 2005. This bill lifts the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, whether or not embryos are destroyed. The Senate intends to vote on this bill (in the Senate it is S. 471) mid-July. All bill information is available at thomas.loc.gov.
PLEASE contact your senators and let them know that you do NOT support this bill.
1. Find your senator's phone number in Washington, D.C.: www.senate.gov/contact
2. Call and ask the person who answers the phone to let your senator know that you do NOT support Senate Bill 471, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005. You are asking he/she vote NO because this bill supports the destruction of human life.
3. You're done! Estimated time: 3 minutes (unless they put you on hold).
I have had polyarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since I was 9 years old, many years now. This disease is one that supporters of embryonic stem cell research claim they will be able to cure. A good end, however, does not justify unjust means. I am one of many arthritis patients who do not support embryonic stem cell research -- Congress needs to hear this message, and to hear that there are many of their constituents who do not support it.
There are two other stem cell research bills that are supposed to be voted on as well. The first would "prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of tissue from fetuses gestated for research purposes." It is S. 3504, the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act of 2006, introduced in June 2006 by Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Rick Santorum (R-PA).
The second is S. 2754, the Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Act, introduced by Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA). This bill would amend the Public Health Service Act and require stem cell research using stem cells not derived from a human embryo. A brave new world, indeed, all of which detracts from the exciting research going on with adult stem cells.
Please call, especially about S. 471, it will only take a few minutes of your time. Our legislators hear frequently from those who support embryonic stem cell research. They need to also hear from those of us who do NOT support research that destroys human embryos.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." --Edmund Burke
Thank you so much,
Alietia Caughron, Ph.D.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Book Den has the best explanation/summary of The Phantom Tollbooth that I've ever seen. (hat tip Candlestring via G.K.C.'s Favourite).
I have to admit that I haven't yet enjoyed this as an adult, though many details stick with me from multitudinous childhood readings. John (who never read it as a child) has read it aloud to our children and several of them have read it themselves too. Now I realize how very important it is for me to pull it out again for myself. :)
I have to admit that I haven't yet enjoyed this as an adult, though many details stick with me from multitudinous childhood readings. John (who never read it as a child) has read it aloud to our children and several of them have read it themselves too. Now I realize how very important it is for me to pull it out again for myself. :)
Well-Loved Children's Stories on Location
This is a new Flickr group. Please contribute if you have a photo (or three) from visiting the site of children's stories, the home of children's authors, etc. Please only submit your own photos or ones you have permission to share. Thanks!!!
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Speaking of Viewmasters...
In searching for a picture of The Incredibles Viewmaster Gift Set, I discovered a site that carries all kinds of neat viewmaster reels of REAL things (no pun intended, heehee) like Lourdes, King Tut, American in Space, California Missions and Historic England. What fun! Be sure to check out "International", "Space", "Animals", and "Special Subjects".
Golden Viewmaster
We've been home almost a week now, but I'm still relishing our celebrations for my parents' 50th anniversary. So I have to share a funny little story...
I've been collecting the family photos for awhile from all over (and then divvying out the originals at parties after we have them safely scanned, stored and shared). One of my brothers sent a small box of odds and end photos just a few months ago that he found as he was shipping my parents' their last boxes after their more recent move. This box had a single custom-made Viewmaster reel with four or five photos from my parents' wedding (in 3D of course). I thought it would be fun to have that out at the party and so I went in search of a viewer at the store. First stop Target.
Personally, I'm a viewmaster fan, but I enjoy them especially for photos of real things. The Map Guy got an outer space set for a birthday one year; we have dinosaurs, insects and gorillas too. Every time I look for more of these reels, I'm disappointed to only find cartoon character ones. But this time I couldn't even find a standard viewer. They have some sort of flat ones now that I couldn't make heads or tails of; the only other choice was a viewmaster projector which wouldn't have quite the right effect.
A few days later I ran into Walmart to check out their selection. A lot of the same stuff as Target, but then it jumped out at me - the Incredibles Viewmaster gift set. Hmmm. This could be a lot of fun (and right up my family's alley).
We managed to carefully slice open the packaging and insert the wedding viewmaster reel. This way when you picked up the box and peeked into the viewer (without opening the package) you would be in for a surprise.
Well, there are a few others things I should have done, but it was a fun surprise anyway. I was going to wrap it up in elegant wedding paper, but things got a little busy (for example 13 people in a 15 passenger van for a 10 hour drive!). I presented them with the "Incredibles Viewmaster Gift Set" and invited them to take a look. Laughter and surprise ensued as the box went from person to person and they finally opened it up to switch from picture to picture (that was the first time I saw them in 3D too, since we didn't open the box). It turns out that my parents didn't even remember owning this viewmaster reel, so it was a fun surprise.
A few of my brothers had started joking about false advertising on the box when I responded that I didn't know what they were talking about and read this from the box: "It's an incredible story about an incredible family of undercover superheroes."
I think that's just about right. :)
I've been collecting the family photos for awhile from all over (and then divvying out the originals at parties after we have them safely scanned, stored and shared). One of my brothers sent a small box of odds and end photos just a few months ago that he found as he was shipping my parents' their last boxes after their more recent move. This box had a single custom-made Viewmaster reel with four or five photos from my parents' wedding (in 3D of course). I thought it would be fun to have that out at the party and so I went in search of a viewer at the store. First stop Target.
Personally, I'm a viewmaster fan, but I enjoy them especially for photos of real things. The Map Guy got an outer space set for a birthday one year; we have dinosaurs, insects and gorillas too. Every time I look for more of these reels, I'm disappointed to only find cartoon character ones. But this time I couldn't even find a standard viewer. They have some sort of flat ones now that I couldn't make heads or tails of; the only other choice was a viewmaster projector which wouldn't have quite the right effect.
A few days later I ran into Walmart to check out their selection. A lot of the same stuff as Target, but then it jumped out at me - the Incredibles Viewmaster gift set. Hmmm. This could be a lot of fun (and right up my family's alley).
We managed to carefully slice open the packaging and insert the wedding viewmaster reel. This way when you picked up the box and peeked into the viewer (without opening the package) you would be in for a surprise.
Well, there are a few others things I should have done, but it was a fun surprise anyway. I was going to wrap it up in elegant wedding paper, but things got a little busy (for example 13 people in a 15 passenger van for a 10 hour drive!). I presented them with the "Incredibles Viewmaster Gift Set" and invited them to take a look. Laughter and surprise ensued as the box went from person to person and they finally opened it up to switch from picture to picture (that was the first time I saw them in 3D too, since we didn't open the box). It turns out that my parents didn't even remember owning this viewmaster reel, so it was a fun surprise.
A few of my brothers had started joking about false advertising on the box when I responded that I didn't know what they were talking about and read this from the box: "It's an incredible story about an incredible family of undercover superheroes."
I think that's just about right. :)
Sunday, July 09, 2006
"It was odd...this fury to deface..."
I'm reading Graham Green's The Power and the Glory right now. It's about the religious persecutions in Mexico, set in the 1930s. (As an aside, from what I've read so far, I'm inclined not to recommend this even for upper high school students, even though it's a worthwhile book for adults.)
The author paints a slow, subtle picture of life for the ordinary people in Mexico during this time. Here is a minute sample:
Amidst this desolation, the main character, a hunted priest with a sinful, haunting past, comes across the old cemetary where his parents are buried, a cemetary now broken with vandalism and desecration:
It's a common theme throughout history. Keep fighting against the thing you simply can't escape. One modern example is the insistence on using B.C.E. (Before the Common Era) and C.E.(Common Era) in place of B.C. and A.D. I know people get really angry about these things, but to me it's sadly laughable. Yes, it is an attempt to take God out of the picture, but instead it almost highlights further the centrality of the Incarnation. They can't really rid the calendar of this recognition even if they try to hide it in a thin veneer. All they're really doing is giving different names to a system, ingrained in our culture, steeped in Christianity, that perpetually bows to the Word made flesh.
The author paints a slow, subtle picture of life for the ordinary people in Mexico during this time. Here is a minute sample:
One of the oddest things about the world these days was that there were no clocks - you could go a year without hearing one strike. They went with the churches, and you were left with the grey slow dawns and the precipitate nights as the only measurements of time.
Amidst this desolation, the main character, a hunted priest with a sinful, haunting past, comes across the old cemetary where his parents are buried, a cemetary now broken with vandalism and desecration:
The wall of the burial-ground had fallen in: one or two crosses had been smashed by enthusiasts: an angel had lost one of its stone wings, and what grave-stones were left undamaged leant at an acute angle in the long marshy grass. One image of the Mother of God had lost ears and arms and stood like a pagan Venus over the grave of some rich, forgotten timber merchant. It was odd - this fury to deface, because, of course, you could never deface enough. If God had been like a toad, you could have rid the globe of toads, but when God was like yourself, it was no good being content with stone figures - you had to kill yourself among the graves.
It's a common theme throughout history. Keep fighting against the thing you simply can't escape. One modern example is the insistence on using B.C.E. (Before the Common Era) and C.E.(Common Era) in place of B.C. and A.D. I know people get really angry about these things, but to me it's sadly laughable. Yes, it is an attempt to take God out of the picture, but instead it almost highlights further the centrality of the Incarnation. They can't really rid the calendar of this recognition even if they try to hide it in a thin veneer. All they're really doing is giving different names to a system, ingrained in our culture, steeped in Christianity, that perpetually bows to the Word made flesh.
Please Pray...
for my friend and beloved Catholic author Regina Doman, her husband Andrew (our long time web hosting provider at love2learn) and their family. Their four year old son Joshua Michael died in a car accident yesterday.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
A thought on Church Music
My sister and brother-in-law sing with the St. Ann Chapel Choir. The choir specializes in Gregorian Chant and Renaissance Polyphony (John and I were privileged to have them sing for our wedding and I sang with them in the summertime during my college years).
I've always found it interesting that a number of non-Catholics sing in the choir and attend the Masses the choir sings at because they love the music so much - the same music that was promulgated as the norm by Vatican II but is rejected by vast quantities of Catholic Church music directors in our day and age. I just can't imagine non Catholics joining Catholic choirs to sing Haugen and Haas. Can you?
I've always found it interesting that a number of non-Catholics sing in the choir and attend the Masses the choir sings at because they love the music so much - the same music that was promulgated as the norm by Vatican II but is rejected by vast quantities of Catholic Church music directors in our day and age. I just can't imagine non Catholics joining Catholic choirs to sing Haugen and Haas. Can you?
Caddie Woodlawn's House
This is a great place to visit if you find yourself in western Wisconsin (not too far from Minneapolis). I particularly liked this picture of my boys working the water pump. (Click on the photo and go to the Caddie Woodlawn set to see more).
Don't miss the wonderful books:
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink and
Magical Melons a.k.a. Caddie Woodlawn's Family
Don't miss the wonderful books:
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink and
Magical Melons a.k.a. Caddie Woodlawn's Family
Holy Hill
The kids and I took a lovely hike up the huge east tower at the Holy Hill Shrine with some friends yesterday. I happened to have the camera with me on this absolutely beautiful day and the views were gorgeous. If you click on the photo and go to the Holy Hill set, you'll find a few more photos as well.
The Carmelite priests and brothers will be celebrating their 100th anniversary at Holy Hill next week on, what else, the great feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. You can read about the history of Holy Hill here, but I couldn't find out how tall the towers are. I did find a reference in an article that said there are 178 steps to climb to the top of the observation tower.
The Carmelite priests and brothers will be celebrating their 100th anniversary at Holy Hill next week on, what else, the great feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. You can read about the history of Holy Hill here, but I couldn't find out how tall the towers are. I did find a reference in an article that said there are 178 steps to climb to the top of the observation tower.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Little House in the Big Woods
Frank and Kate enjoy a sunny afternoon in the Big Woods of Wisconsin (not quite as big as they used to be, but still a lovely rural area surrounded by farmland).
The little house we visited, built on the actual location of the real house, is a replica built in 1976.
The little house we visited, built on the actual location of the real house, is a replica built in 1976.
Visiting Laura Ingalls' Lake Pepin
What a beautiful lake - and they do let you bring home rocks in your pocket, just like Laura. :)
Lake Pepin is really a large bulge (3 miles wide) in the Mississippi River.
Lake Pepin is really a large bulge (3 miles wide) in the Mississippi River.
Also from Mirror Lake
This lion drinking fountain delighted the kids - especially Frank. The lion's paws are just big enough to provide a boost.
Finally, a photo
While driving around to look for a bathroom in the wilds of western Wisconsin, we found this picturesque lake. It was only 30 or 40 minutes from Lake Pepin (where we had spent a leisurely hour or so), but it was so beautiful (and we were deliberately unhurried) that we enjoyed a long break there as well.
Links - Other
- Cambridge Latin
- Cardinal Kung
- Catholic Answers
- Catholic Ed. Res. Center
- Church of the Masses
- Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex
- Curt Jester
- Danielle Bean
- Dappled Things
- DarwinCatholic
- Decent Films
- Dr. Ray
- Education Wonks
- Farm School
- Feminine-Genius
- Godspy
- Higher Up and Further In
- Jimmy Akin
- Latin Centered Curriculum
- LibriVox
- Life Legal
- Mark Shea
- Mungo's Mathoms
- New Advent Blog
- North Western Winds
- Nouvelle Theologie
- Open Book
- Opinion Journal
- Benedict XVI Fan Club
- Population Research Institute
- Shrine of the Holy Whapping
- Singing in the Reign
- Small Pax Guild
- Trivium Academy
- The Vatican
- WebElements
Links - Fellow TAC Alums
- Suzie Andres
- Angela Baird
- Fr. John Berg
- Blessed Among Men
- Catholic Textbooks
- Cozy Tea-Blue House
- Pia de Solenni
- Godsbody
- Hillside Education
- Sean Kelsey
- LaserMonks
- Life in a Nutshell
- Loyola
- Minerals.cc
- Fr. Mark Moriarty
- Mother of Divine Grace School (Laura Berquist)
- ProLife Pages
- Sicut Cervus
- Wash for Life
- Thomas Aquinas College
Links - Friends
This page is somewhat hopelessly out-of-date.
- 4 Real Learning
- ACS Blog
- Ana's Journal
- Bonny Glen
- Catastrophic Pontifications
- Derham Family
- Enbrethiliel
- Every Waking Hour
- Family-Centered
- Flying Stars
- G.K.C's Favourite
- Hedge School
- House of Literature
- I Came, I Saw, I Contemplated
- Karen Edmisten
- Letters to Daddy
- Maureen Wittmann
- Mercy Academy
- Minnesota Mom
- My Secret is Mine
- Real Learning
- Regina Doman
- St. Athanasius Academy
- Stand in the Trenches
- TAC
- The Bookworm
- Thrifty Homeschooler
Pardon Our Dust
I'm working on simplifying all the info in the sidebar by batching a lot of it into posts and providing a special link to those posts. Might look slightly messy for the rest of the day.
Oh yes, and I'm also learning to use flickr so that I can share those promised photos. Perhaps by the end of the day.
Oh yes, and I'm also learning to use flickr so that I can share those promised photos. Perhaps by the end of the day.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Taking the Long Road Home (Pictures Coming)
On the way to northern Minnesota, where we celebrated our family reunion, our nearly full 15 passenger van (we had lots of relatives caravaning with us) took a slight detour to Caddie Woodlawn's house near Menomonie Wisconsin. It's quite an impressive, though simple, site, with the original house and a log cabin that Woodlawns (really the Woodhouses) built for a needy family. A few outbuildings and an historical marker fill out the site. It's my second time to visit, but it seemed even more amazing and beautiful than on my first visit.
This inspired a more relaxed (and lengthy) drive home with our somewhat smaller group (still had a niece and nephew with us for the ride). We decided to head south on more rural roads (and found a wonderful cheese shop that had fresh, not-yet-refrigerated, muenster cheese curds, yum!) and a few hours out of the way to visit the "Little House Wayside" near Pepin, Wisconsin. This is the actual site of the book Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
We've talked about visiting for years, but had never yet made it. Honestly I think the rumors I had heard made my expectations a little high. The house on the site is a replica, but it was quite a beautiful spot and just being there was exciting. It's still quite a rural area, surrounded by farms and forests and it's a gorgeous area. Just the drive was a treat. We had originally planned on visiting the Little House Wayside and nothing else, but decided to head into the town of Pepin to see if there was anything else to enjoy on our detour. We did enjoy the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historical Society Museum and Gift Shop where we asked if there was anything else we should see. I'm particularly glad I asked since wading in the waters of Lake Pepin was the highlight of our detour. It has a beautiful, if somewhat rocky (surprise, surprise to those who have read the book) beach and the view around the lake is pristine (unlike many lakes near us that are surrounded with houses and cabins). It was gorgeous and the lifeguards gave us permission to bring home a few rocks and shells as well! :)
This detour kept us on unfamiliar, rural roads for quite awhile before we made it back to the Interstate. We took pictures of one area of farmland with rolling hills that looked like the Shire. As it turned out, our next bathroom break brought us to another picturesque little lake with a gorgeous view that added to our enjoyment of making our drive home a fun day rather than a rush home.
We didn't get back home until about 11:30 pm, but it was a beautiful day full of memories, peace and beauty. I'll be adding some of our pictures to this post later today and will share some info on a few neat resources we found at the Little House gift shop in a later post.
This inspired a more relaxed (and lengthy) drive home with our somewhat smaller group (still had a niece and nephew with us for the ride). We decided to head south on more rural roads (and found a wonderful cheese shop that had fresh, not-yet-refrigerated, muenster cheese curds, yum!) and a few hours out of the way to visit the "Little House Wayside" near Pepin, Wisconsin. This is the actual site of the book Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
We've talked about visiting for years, but had never yet made it. Honestly I think the rumors I had heard made my expectations a little high. The house on the site is a replica, but it was quite a beautiful spot and just being there was exciting. It's still quite a rural area, surrounded by farms and forests and it's a gorgeous area. Just the drive was a treat. We had originally planned on visiting the Little House Wayside and nothing else, but decided to head into the town of Pepin to see if there was anything else to enjoy on our detour. We did enjoy the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historical Society Museum and Gift Shop where we asked if there was anything else we should see. I'm particularly glad I asked since wading in the waters of Lake Pepin was the highlight of our detour. It has a beautiful, if somewhat rocky (surprise, surprise to those who have read the book) beach and the view around the lake is pristine (unlike many lakes near us that are surrounded with houses and cabins). It was gorgeous and the lifeguards gave us permission to bring home a few rocks and shells as well! :)
This detour kept us on unfamiliar, rural roads for quite awhile before we made it back to the Interstate. We took pictures of one area of farmland with rolling hills that looked like the Shire. As it turned out, our next bathroom break brought us to another picturesque little lake with a gorgeous view that added to our enjoyment of making our drive home a fun day rather than a rush home.
We didn't get back home until about 11:30 pm, but it was a beautiful day full of memories, peace and beauty. I'll be adding some of our pictures to this post later today and will share some info on a few neat resources we found at the Little House gift shop in a later post.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Blogging from a Secret Location (heehee)
I've been very much enjoying this time with my family. The big celebration was terrific and most of the family has left (well in fact, all my brothers had to head back home; the girls and families are here for a little longer). In a way it's delightful to see how everyone stays up too late talking (and needs a nap the next day) because we're so anxious to spend precious time together.
I have some very knowledgeable relatives who have been helping me with ideas for good books for our high school plans and I wanted to jot them down here so I don't lose track.
First, a list of books about books to check out (some of these are intended for adults, but seem to have many appropriate suggestions for teens too - besides, I think it's good for the adults to take advantage and do some of their own reading too!)
The first two are published by Ignatius Press, not sure if they're still in print:
Another Sort of Learning: Selected Contrary Essays on How Finally to Acquire an Education While Still in College or Anywhere Else: Containing Some Belated Advice about How to Employ Your Leisure Time When Ultimate Questions Remain Perplexing in Spite of Your Highest Earned Academic Degree, Together with Sundry Book Lists Nowhere Else in Captivity to be Found by James Schall
[I think this might win the prize for best subtitle ever]
Christian Classics Revisited by James J. Thompson Jr.
[This is a collection of essays from New Oxford Review on wonderful books. The essays are very readable and might serve as a useful "prelection" for teens tackling these titles.]
This also reminds me that I want to take another look at Catholic Authors: Crown Edition (Neumann Press)
Here are some specific titles that were mentioned in conversation this weekend - in no particular order...
Compendium Catechism of the Catholic Church
Emily Dickinson
Mark Twain, esp. Joan of Arc
two poetry collections from Ignatius Press (one edited by Joseph Pearce) - I can't remember the titles and haven't looked them up yet
Chesterton, of course (esp. The Everlasting Man, Heretics and Orthodoxy)
Hilaire Belloc
John Steinbeck - Tortilla Flats and The Red Pony
Dickens, of course
Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
short stories of Flannery O'Connor
A Map of Life by Frank Sheed
Short History of the Church by Philip Hughes
Mythology by Edith Hamilton
The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis
Kristin Lavransdatter
Edmund Campion by Evelyn Waugh
I'm starting to put together a potential religion overview for the four years. I'm also hoping to include a well-chosen encyclical each year.
Year One: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part I: The Profession of Faith
A Map of Life by Frank Sheed
Year Two: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part II: Celebration of the Christian Mystery
The Old Testament
Year Three: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part III: Life in Christ
The Holy Gospels
Year Four: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part IV: Christian Prayer
Acts of the Apostles, Epistles and Book of Revelation
I have some very knowledgeable relatives who have been helping me with ideas for good books for our high school plans and I wanted to jot them down here so I don't lose track.
First, a list of books about books to check out (some of these are intended for adults, but seem to have many appropriate suggestions for teens too - besides, I think it's good for the adults to take advantage and do some of their own reading too!)
The first two are published by Ignatius Press, not sure if they're still in print:
Another Sort of Learning: Selected Contrary Essays on How Finally to Acquire an Education While Still in College or Anywhere Else: Containing Some Belated Advice about How to Employ Your Leisure Time When Ultimate Questions Remain Perplexing in Spite of Your Highest Earned Academic Degree, Together with Sundry Book Lists Nowhere Else in Captivity to be Found by James Schall
[I think this might win the prize for best subtitle ever]
Christian Classics Revisited by James J. Thompson Jr.
[This is a collection of essays from New Oxford Review on wonderful books. The essays are very readable and might serve as a useful "prelection" for teens tackling these titles.]
This also reminds me that I want to take another look at Catholic Authors: Crown Edition (Neumann Press)
Here are some specific titles that were mentioned in conversation this weekend - in no particular order...
Compendium Catechism of the Catholic Church
Emily Dickinson
Mark Twain, esp. Joan of Arc
two poetry collections from Ignatius Press (one edited by Joseph Pearce) - I can't remember the titles and haven't looked them up yet
Chesterton, of course (esp. The Everlasting Man, Heretics and Orthodoxy)
Hilaire Belloc
John Steinbeck - Tortilla Flats and The Red Pony
Dickens, of course
Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
short stories of Flannery O'Connor
A Map of Life by Frank Sheed
Short History of the Church by Philip Hughes
Mythology by Edith Hamilton
The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis
Kristin Lavransdatter
Edmund Campion by Evelyn Waugh
I'm starting to put together a potential religion overview for the four years. I'm also hoping to include a well-chosen encyclical each year.
Year One: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part I: The Profession of Faith
A Map of Life by Frank Sheed
Year Two: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part II: Celebration of the Christian Mystery
The Old Testament
Year Three: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part III: Life in Christ
The Holy Gospels
Year Four: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part IV: Christian Prayer
Acts of the Apostles, Epistles and Book of Revelation
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Projects, Writings and Workshops
Projects of All Sorts:
love2learn.net (9 years old)
Love2learn Blog (2 year old)
Reading Your Way Through History (5 years old)
Unity of Truth (2 year old)
Well-Loved Children's Stories on Location (Flickr Pool)
Architecture for Kids
I Contribute to These:
Conference Workshops:
Celebrate the Faith 2005 Conference and Book Fair, Milwaukee, WI
2006 Minnesota Catholic Homeschool Conference [purchase audio][workshop notes]
2007 Celebrate the Faith Conference, Milwaukee, WI
Other "Hats":
ChesterTeens Moderator
Secretary, Friends of the Hartland Library
love2learn.net (9 years old)
Love2learn Blog (2 year old)
Reading Your Way Through History (5 years old)
Unity of Truth (2 year old)
Well-Loved Children's Stories on Location (Flickr Pool)
Architecture for Kids
I Contribute to These:
Conference Workshops:
Celebrate the Faith 2005 Conference and Book Fair, Milwaukee, WI
2006 Minnesota Catholic Homeschool Conference [purchase audio][workshop notes]
2007 Celebrate the Faith Conference, Milwaukee, WI
Other "Hats":
ChesterTeens Moderator
Secretary, Friends of the Hartland Library
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)