Home School Days, wherein I rant

What to do when your first grader is NOT an early reader? What to do when readiness is slow to arrive? What do you do when well-meaning friends and family fuss because it looks like this child is going to be behind? You take a deep breath and evaluate. Learning style of teacher and pupil.  It is a constant question–what curriculum do I use? I used Seton for a very long time. It was not the first curriculum I tried back in the day more than twenty years ago when I first embarked on home schooling. I tried Kolbe (classical) … Continue reading

Snarky Comments

Snarky Comments need not apply. Our moderators won’t post them. Now, if you actually have something to say that might contribute to a discussion of such ideas as those attitudes of the Saints who treat all events in their lives as having the will of God in them, and thus leading to their really laid back acceptance of difficulties and utter trust in God, then your comment is likely to be posted. Insulting comments won’t be posted either. Comments coming from persons whose name link goes nowhere will not be posted–even if they are good ones. Disagreement gets posted if … Continue reading

Getting distracted vs. blocked

I’ve been blogging on the virtues inherent in “tidying up” which includes the goals of getting rid of clutter and excess.  When these goals are not being met, there are reasons. Sometimes we get blocked from the plans we make, sometimes we get distracted. Most of my plans are somewhat dependent on my husband’s work progressing and leaving me spaces to transform-that would be blocked. Sometimes I get distracted by tools I think I need but could probably work around–that is distraction. So, here I sit, still not doing much in the way of images for my blog and I … Continue reading

Everyday Beauty VI: Revisiting my office

I am now thinking about the effects of beauty on my workspace. At this moment, my workspace is a mess. I have a number of things I love on this desk. However, it is difficult to enjoy them fully when the space is so cluttered. I “see” my office without the paper clutter. I see my office with shelves. I see the cupboards with bins in them that make pulling out what I need easier. As it stands now I have to struggle to get to what I need. If there were bins, then I could pull whatever bins I … Continue reading

Ordinary Beauty VI: health

Our culture does not value beauty beyond its relationship to function or earning power. Girls are taught to pursue careers and earn good money; they are taught to develop a career before they consider marriage and family. Men seek wives who can add a solid second paycheck; men used to seek wives who had the skills to create a beautiful home for a family. There was a time when the beauty created by home makers was valued. Girls were taught the skills and could expect to have those skills valued.  Those days are long gone. Our culture glorifies the career … Continue reading

Everyday Beauty II

People in our culture are starving for beauty.  I remember when Trudy Krise, a wonderful woman, would bring her deserts to class for the snack.  Those days we had standing room only! People stood around the table exclaiming over the beauty of her deserts. They were indeed a work of art, and what is more, they tasted BETTER than they looked! People are so starved for beauty that knowing her art would be at the next class was all it took to get standing room only. Why the popularity of the Extraordinary form of the Mass? We often call it … Continue reading

Visualizing A Tidy Home II–The Entry

Continuing with visualizing my home as directed to in the book THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP by Marie Kondo, I am thinking only of the front entry, the first view visitors have of my home, and my first sight each time I return home. Right now, the front door bumps up against some things my husband has stored there. When the things that do not belong here first arrived, it was supposed to be temporary. I can do with anything temporarily. I have, sadly, had to face the fact that what I consider temporary and what my husband considers … Continue reading

Book of Jotham by Arthur Powers

The Book of Jotham by Arthur Powers is a powerfully written little book which I recommend with enthusiasm. I found it deeply moving, intense, and even jolting.  I cried off and on as I read it, want to read it again, and am recommending that EVERYONE who knows me, and anyone who reads this post run right out and get a copy and read it that same day! Historical fiction is rarely this alive, present, full of energy.  Do read it! The title character, Jotham, is a special needs person. There isn’t any sickly sweet idealization here. The physical realities … Continue reading

I needed to share…

I was browsing and ran across this wonderful blog post shared by “A Woman’s Place…” It was just so touching.  I cannot imagine life without my children.  I sit here typing this short post with one hand because the other arm is holding the Little Tiger who is cuddly this morning.  I feel very blessed this morning. Enjoy the post. … Continue reading

Unintended Heresies

Catholic Teaching is a beautifully simple thing even in its complexity.  Every word has meaning, every phrase is the result of centuries of thinking and prayer and the fruit of MANY discussions and the decisions of ecumenical councils.  It is a rock on which to build one’s house.  Solid in the storms that come because it is the Truth about God. I have a favorite Marian hymn which I sing with a single word changed from the original.  Why would I do this?  I make the one word change in this fine song because as it is worded it reflects … Continue reading