1. Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge Several friends had recommended Green Dolphin Street to me, but it took a while to get around to it. Now I wonder what I was waiting for. I had it out from the library and by the time I was halfway through I’d bought a copy to keep. […]
Gus Finds God: Picture Book Review
“Late have I loved thee, Oh Beauty, ever ancient, ever new: late have I loved thee! For behold, you called to me, and broke upon my deafness. You sent forth your beams and shone upon me and chased away my blindness. You breathed your fragrance upon me, and I drew breath and now pant for […]
Learning Notes Week of July 9
Monday July 9 Benedict’s 9th birthday. Called it a school holiday and the kids spent most of the day taking turns reading Ben’s new books. Ben went out to breakfast with his Bettinelli grandparents, who also took him on a shopping trip where he got some toys and clothes. Bella drew fancy ladies in beautiful […]
Exorcising the Demons of Writer’s Block
I don’t know why it is, but in the last few weeks my writing energy has totally dried up. It felt like I was on a great roll there for a while. Now I’ve got plenty of blog posts I want to write, a pile of books to review…. and as soon as the kids […]
Learning Notes Week of July 2
Monday July 2 Anthony: math, copywork, read about St Junipero Serra Ben: math, copywork Sophie: math, copywork Bella: math, copywork, Latin, read As You Like It. Afternoon stories: Seabird, Son of Charlemagne, Story of the World, St Benedict, daily lectionary readings. Bedtime: The Neverending Story. Tuesday July 3 Bella and Sophie did math and copywork […]
A Deadly Desert or an Apple Tree
Earlier this year I gave Sophie a copy of The Neverending Story for her birthday. She promptly devoured it and Bella did likewise. Now I’m reading it to the younger three– and Sophie is listening in and enjoying hearing it read by me. (Bella sometimes listens in but often goes off to read her own […]
Learning Notes Week of June 25
On Sunday after Mass we went to the cub scouts crossing over ceremony where the boys moved up to their new ranks. Monday June 25 Ben: math, copywork, Explode the Code Anthony: math, copywork, Child’s History Sophie: math, copywork, dictation, French, Child’s Geography Bella: math, copywork, dictation, Latin Stories: Lamb’s As You Like It, Seabird, […]
Reading Notes May 2018
1. Cold Days by Jim Butcher Number 14 in the Dresden Files series. In which Harry becomes the Winter Knight and learns some big things and doesn’t get killed. Finally some more Demonreach payoff. And more big answers about fairies. I really liked what went down in this book in terms of the world building […]
Our Better Angels: Rhetoric and Human Dignity
Just a few things I’ve stumbled across in recent weeks, I’m not sure if it really makes sense to stick them all together. But I keep thinking about human dignity and about how the way we speak can tear down or build up the dignity of other people. In my mind at least these three […]
World’s End Picnic, June 2018
Last Friday (June 15) we went for a hike and picnic lunch at one of my favorite favorite places. I wrote up a reflection at the end of the day. Might as well share it with some photos. I love going on hikes like this, always wonder why I don’t do it more often. But […]