Wordless Wednesday; Easter in the time of Corona

Happy Easter Wednesday!!

Open Book ~ April '20

As I have for the last few years I chose to give-up fiction for Lent again and found a few treasures.

Live Big ~ Love Bigger by Kathryn Whitaker is a wonderful tell it like it is memoir. Whitaker shares about her faith journey and how in the early days of her marriage she and her husband set about creating a home culture based in service and seeking God's will. She is honest about mistakes made and how the premature birth of her youngest son rocked her world.  It is a wonderful visit with a Catholic mom of many where she shares what she has learned along way in the hope of making your journey a bit better; best enjoyed with a glass of Dr Pepper perhaps.

Holy Women by Pope Benedict is lovely little book based on a series of talks Pope Benedict gave in 2010-11.  The seventeen women profiled was a nice balance of saints I knew and others I was 'meeting' for the first time.  Each chapter is part biography and part reflection of the saints contribution to Church history; and I felt like I learned from each one.

Holy Women was a late addition to my Lenten plans when I decided to join an online book club, but it paired beautifully with a book I was already planning on reading.

Accidental Theologians by Elizabeth Dreyer is a fascinating look at the four women named Doctors of the Church.  Dreyer does a wonderful job of sharing each women's faith journey and their understanding of matters of faith, both as it applied in their time and in ours. Dreyer also explores how the definition of scholarly theology used to determine eligibility to be considered worthy of the title was broaden to include those who given the customs of the times would never be given the opportunity to attend university but whose contributions have profoundly added to our understanding of theology.

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book!

Quick Takes #287: Ma Bailey's 3 Room Schoolhouse

1. Greetings from my corner of world where I am mostly successfully maintaining social distance except from my little and medium loves to whom I'm teaching about the distance their dear introverted mother needs on occasion.
2. One week in remote learning is largely going well; though I am still taking a wary deep breath each morning as I log-in to find my orders for the day.  As in their teachers create the plan, and I to the best of my ability execute. Mostly this week has been a lesson in when they can work independently versus when I really need to sit with them.
3. Hopefully next week goes even smoother; the weather continues to allow for outside time. Hopefully we begin to know if we are in fact 'flattening the curve', and what the timeline looks for the next few weeks.
4. The world outside my window is starting to show signs of spring.  Our daffodils are in bloom, as is our forsythia. Trees all around are beginning to blossom and the smell in the air is beginning to change. About half of our yard was torn up for the addition construction leaving ample area for mud but hopefully soon grass seed.
5. On the topic of the addition; I owe you a really post on this but... it is complete!! We now have a working bathroom!!  There is still a lot painting still to do, not to mention putting the rooms disrupted by the construction back in order but the biggest hurdle crossed.  
6. Philadelphia along with many other dioceses has closed Mass to the general population so we will be watching one that is being streamed. But to be honest I am struggling to wrap my brain around what Tridium and Easter will be like, hoping if we start now by those important days I will have something in place here in our domestic church for my little family.  
7. As with many of you, there are good days and tough days.  The uncertainty is tough but prayer is constant; and be assured of mine.

Please head over to Kelly's for more 7QT's!

Quick Takes #286: Some things about Elisabeth as a tween

   This has been the most wonderful year; she is the most perfect combination of elegant and goofy.

She re-discovered a love for gymnastics as well as exploring different types of music. 

All about Art and Math. Stuffies forever ~ llamas and corgis especially!!

1. Very creative; she loves sketching and will sometimes spend her recess time drawing things for other students including her sister's 1st grade classmates.  We have added a couple small cork boards to her room for mini creations.
2. She is becoming more adventurous with food and while she definitely still has her favorites now eats a wide range of things. Current favorites include Chai in the morning, corndogs for dinner and Mochi for dessert.  Bonne Mamy introduced her to iced green tea much to great effect.  
3. She still loves Wings of Fire but is reading other series (in part to prepare for Reading Olympics).  Mostly in the page or online she loves dragons, Minecraft, and art.
4. Stuffies: She continues to add her collection and while she has passed several forward I occasionally wonder how there is space for her in her loft bed; especially after she claimed a body pillow her dad had been gifted as her own.
5. The school she attends continues to eighth grade but many students did leave to attend other local middle schools. Those remaining seem committed to helping everyone have a great year. While her bestie is likely still her twin cousin; there have been a lot of texting about classes and music this year.  She decided to perform a solo at the school 's Variety Show to great support from her classmates. 
6. As she enters her last year as a tween, I'm so curious to see where it takes her. I'm aware that hormones will eventually add an unpredictability and angst to moods, until then I'm enjoying these days of learning, laughing and watching as she grows and matures.

Please head over to Kelly's for more 7QT's!

Open Book ~ March'20

Marilla of Avonlea by Sarah McCoy is a wonderful look at Marilla Cuthbert's backstory. McCoy takes on the daunting task of telling the romance of Marilla and John Blythe; and does it well.  We also see how her and Rachel's friendship grew and developed; as well as an interesting subplot about lives of former slaves who sought freedom in Canada by way of the Underground Railroad.  While McCoy does not have Montgomery's skill at describing landscape I found her conversation and character development to be solid and very much in the Montgomery tradition.

Then for fun. I reread Anne of Avonlea, just to remind myself of details of Anne's life as she passed from girlhood to adulthood and found it to be every bit as wonderful as I remember.

Wives of War by Soraya Lane tells the story of three British nurses serving in France in the days and weeks after the invasion at Normandy.  While in places the writing was more about telling than showing I truly enjoyed the story's focus on the character's friendship, how they supported each other through the stresses of long hours, and poor conditions.  While there are definitely romance storylines the emphasis of the book is the important role nursing played in caring for the wounded and how they leaned on each other while doing this important work.

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book.

Leap Day 2020

Four years ago for Leap Day I wrote a post to mark the moment ~ and here we are at another Leap Day and another snapshot memory post.

Lisbeth is days away from being 12; crazy about corgis by day and dragons by night.  A wonderful student, she recently performed a solo in the Variety Show. Minecraft and drawing are her favorite things to do with free-time, with Wings of Fire her go-to book series. Gymnastics and Math are faves sport and subject wise.  Has taken a break from biking to school for the winter but enjoys biking when the weather allows to meet up with friends at the local Rita.  Currently wants to be a math teacher career-wise.

Liam is 9 1/2; a foodie who loves Pokemon, BattleClaw, and BeyBlades.  Has a good circle of friends to make 3rd grade a bit more fun though would prefer a bit less handwriting. Still loves to run whenever possible, played soccer in the fall and is considering Little League for the spring.  As a Bear Cub he had fun competing in the Pine Box Derby and is looking forward to earning is pocket knife card.  Recently big into Duck Tales and Looney Tunes; treasuring the times when he and Dad can watch some videos together. Currently wants to be a carpenter (specifically cabinet builder) when he grows up.

Caitie is 7; having fun in first grade learning to spell all the words and read all the books.  Enjoying her ballet/tap class, she is also contemplating learning to ride her bike without training wheels this spring.  Loves painting, drawing and playing with Kinetic sand.  As a co-owner of a new iPad when it is her turn to watch she likes Youtube kids and short clips from a wide variety of shows from old favorites to new finds.  Career plans in flux, but largely focused around art and animals.

We have been in this house for a 5 1/2 years and are in the midst of construction of an addition adding a much needed first floor bathroom. While growing tired of the dust and confusion, am looking forward to an added bathroom hopefully before too long.

Happy Leap Day 2020!!

Open Book ~ Feb'20

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is the story of Count Alexander Rostov who in 1922 was placed on 'house arrest' in the Hotel Metropolis.  The book tells the story of the next forty years of his life and the changing tides in Moscow.  While a bit slow to start as the author is world-building; it is the most lovely story of community and unexpectedly a life well lived.

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain is based on the life of Beryl Markham an English child raised in Kenya early in the twentieth century.  A real life trail blazer who broke barriers, first becoming a top horse trainer and later a pilot.  While choppy in places I really enjoyed the author's take on this fascinating time and place; including people familiar to anyone who has read or seen 'Out of Africa'.  

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book!