"When we had our children, our ideas changed somewhat. Thenceforward we lived only for them; they made all our happiness and we would never have found it save in them. In fact, nothing any longer cost us anything; the world was no longer a burden to us. As for me, my children were my great compensation, so that I wished to have many in order to bring them up for Heaven" -- Saint Zelie Martin, mother of St. Therese of Lisieux, canonized October 18, 2015 along with her husband St. Louis Martin.

Saturday, November 17, 2018

All Saints' Day

I've pretty much fallen off of the blogging bandwagon, but since I'm avoiding my work, I thought I'd pop on here and catch up!  I love November!  It begins with one of my favorite feasts: All Saint's Day!

Years and years ago, we began a tradition: an All Saint's day party where the kids come dressed as their favorite saint.  They get to say who they are and tell us something about their patron.


We used to hold our parties in one of our homes and play games in our basements and have snacks at our tables.

And then we had many children.  And we met more friends.lol  So now we reserve our parish gym.
Sts. Rose and Faustina
We play carnival style games that the older kids now run for us.
St. Bridget of Ireland

Sts. Martin and Teresa of Calcutta



St. Patrick


Sts. Benedict (holding his robe), George, and JuanDiego

St Nicholas, Sharbel, and Pier Georgio (sans costume)

It's one of my favorite celebrations with my young homeschoolers.  And when we are finished, we come home and make halloween costumes for trick-or-treating. 


I pretty much refuse to buy costumes, so my kids get creative making their own.  I think they turn out better anyway!  We weren't able to coordinate family outfits this year, but I was satisfied with "cute"!

I'm going to quit here and pick up where I left off again [hopefully!] soon!

Monday, October 22, 2018

An Artist's Home

I have told you that my father is a poet.  He celebrated his 70th year by completing a new edition of his poems in his book On the Beaches of the Inner Sea (self published, but let me know if you desire a copy).

I was bemusedly perusing his old-to-me-by-now collection of poems, rhymes I had grown up loving, as well as ones that were new to me.  I came upon a sweet poem, titled simply "Nan".  I am not sure how excellent it's quality would be deemed by an astute purveyor of poetry.  As a child I probably didn't enjoy it so well because, well, I was a child, and I preferred "The Flying Machine" or "The Fungus".  But now, I read "Nan", and I find it profoundly sweet and beautiful.  In "Nan", my father is watching my mother do an old handicraft called "paper toll".  He writes:

Your face, so straightforward, so intent
Is what I love
Your whole body hunched
In an effort to create something pretty-
You, the creator of beauty
Are the object of it

We were all raised to believe my mother was not an artist, certainly not the artist my father was.  She said she couldn't draw.  My Dad painted with acrylic.  My Mom never wrote a thank you note without  a dictionary at hand.  My Dad was a poet.

But in this poem I discovered something that I suspect we always knew.  My Mom created beauty in tangible, physical ways.  She really never put much stock in her talents, such as knitting fishermen knit sweaters and, now for her grandchildren, hats and bunnies!

(Remember the baby shower last June?)
(My mom specializes her bunnies for the grandchildren and actually takes orders from the mothers as to the color of the bunny and sweater!  I've seen at least one personalized with a name embroidered on the sweater).

 She certainly never gave herself credit for the cross-stitched Christmas stockings that still hang every year at the fireplace.

Oh yes, she did write that book of hers.  A cook book!  Because for her, cooking was art.  (And you can certainly be jealous of we who were served at her table!)

Today, I had a too rare opportunity to visit my sister, the one we all know as "the artist" in the family. Funny how we get our labels.  



But as I walked these grounds, it dawned upon me, that my sister and her husband are also artists.  They create beauty.  The credit for the outdoors goes to my brother-in-law.




 My fine Godson showing "Little Red Riding Hood" to me, and explaining that "Cinnamon", the other "Road Island Red" has a smaller wattle, which is how they tell them apart.





 Have you ever fetched an egg, warm from the nesting box?  I haven't, but my now some of my children have!







I came home thinking to myself that I might just have to blog about today's beauty.  I was going to track down St. Paul and St. Augustine.  I promise you.  And tonight, as I searched for the poem about my mother, I read this, another of my father's poems:

Beauty

 The world: starting from movement, becoming, contingency
And the world's order and beauty
One can come to a knowledge of God
As the origin and end of the universe


As St. Paul says of the Gentiles:
'For what can be known about God
Is plain to them, because God has shown it to them
Ever since the creation of the world

His invisible nature, namely
His eternal power and deity
Has been clearly perceived
In the things that have been made'



And St. Augustine issues this challenge
'Question the beauty of the earth
Question the beauty of the sea
Question the beauty of the air

Distending and diffusing itself
Questioning the beauty of the sky
Question all these realities'
All respond:

'See we are beautiful'.
Their beauty is a profession
These beauties are subject to change
Who made them if not the Beautiful One

Who is not subject to change?"

(quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed., p. 15, #32)



 A farm is supposed to be sweetly rural, sweetly rustic.  There should be hoses at the back door to, well, hose off.  There should be boots.  A chicken certainly doesn't hurt.


The credit for this beauty is still my brother-in-law's, even the beautiful pots (well, my niece above is equal parts Mama and Daddy credit).


After a long, lingering hello to the yard, I stepped indoors to visit with my sisters.  I didn't get past the entryway.


There was a deep, (pewter?!) holy water font at the door.  It is exquisite, and fits so quietly in with the hooks, boots, and Water Hog rug that befits a farmhouse's back door.

                         

Just a little afternoon get together, mind you, no birthdays, no occasion.  I step up the back steps and find this display to greet me.

I wish my camera had captured the light better.  It wasn't dark or dim.
 Turning my head to the right, I see slippers, and brightly colored aprons hanging by the kitchen entry.




And down the hall, two beautiful sisters, but there's more, because I have two sister-in-laws (who we just call "sisters") as well as a baby, twins, and a two-month-old angel that I like to call my Goddaughter. all beyond the line of vision.

I sneak past and give hugs.



 Actually, I just start taking pictures.  Today, I need to capture the beauty I see.








 We get a tour of the newly renovated "attic".


Attic.  Right.


My sister is actually an interior designer (are you surprised?) so she gets credit for the pretty home.  However, I would be remiss if I failed to mention that my brother-in-law and his boys laid the floor up here.  I have a picture of them, all sweating, doing just that...but I'm not sure I have their permission to share it publicly!




 Back downstairs, I snap a final picture of the felt garland strung above the table.  Then my phone died.

 Are you glad?  Because there was beauty everywhere.  It could have made for a very. long. post.

In an effort to create something pretty, he said,
You, the creator of beauty
Are the object of it.

I know this post needs to end.  It's my thank you note to my sister who stayed up until 1 a.m. cleaning for us.  She shouldn't have, and she knows that, but she wanted to anyway.  Because she is an artist.  And she is beautiful.

The poem, written of my mother, concludes:

I have realized all along
That when you sing your happy song
So many beautiful aspects
Like multicolored prismatical rays
Shining through a cloud
Come shining through your life

With the innocence and kindness
Of a little girl
Intertwined with the strength and wisdom
Of a woman
There can be little doubt
Whose eternal side you are on

I will only add, "like mother, like daughter", my sweet sister!  I love you!!

(Thank you, Dad for permitting me to use your poetry for this post.   I hope it's ok!)




Saturday, October 6, 2018

Saturday Morning Post

Happy belated Feast of St. Francis!  I thought I'd take the opportunity to put some fluffy kitty pictures up for your enjoyment (if you enjoy fluffy kitties).  

Here's Wilma in the morning, when she is all energetic and likes to play.  We took off her collar (that has a flower and bell on it) and let her bat at it like a cat toy:




And here she is in our schoolroom.  I was dictating a spelling list to Galadriel when I noticed our little friend asleep in one of her favorite places, the bookshelf!


If you think critical thoughts of the disorder of the shelving, I will stop posting pictures for you so that you can continue to imagine my home is in a state of perfect tidiness. :)


 Looks like Eowyn's looking for a good read.



 Nope! Just found her friend.


Not to be partial to the feline of the household, I should let you see Reina in action.


She happens to be loved by the toddlers around here lately.  Here she is with my niece, who most definitely takes after her Aunt as a dog-lover.


And tackled by Sam, also a big Reina fan.  He's a little more enthusiastic in showing his love.


We were so excited to be able to visit the first class relics of St. Sharbel, a Lebanese saint with a great devotion to the Eucharist.  He is known for healings obtained through his intercession.


And lastly, some pictures of Sam doing one of his favorite things, deer watching through our back windows in the mornings when he first wakes up.





Sam just turned 27 months on the 4th of October.  No, I don't celebrate his monthly birthdays at this point.  But he's my youngest, so I know.  Two years old!!




I hope I filled your tank with lots of sweetness and cuteness today!  It's the best I've got!  Fluffy pets and chubby toddlers!

Happy Saturday!