Diana the Huntress

Diana the Huntress

I first met Diana at the Louvre a few years ago. The statue is breathtaking in person. Diana was the goddess of the hunt in Roman mythology. Many masterpieces, in art and poetry, have been inspired by this figure representing strength, beauty, athletic grace, and hunting skill.

Once again, I was reading one of my favorite picture books, Isabelle and the Angel, to Levi. A blurred image of the Diana the Huntress statue gazed up at me. In the book, Isabelle the pig is a little afraid of the statue. It makes her feel small.

Isabelle and the Angel is a beautiful book with strong, rich colors. Isabelle loves to make pretty paintings with pink cake and strawberry jam. She also loves to visit 'the Museum' where she sits in a red velvet chair. The Louvre is not mentioned by name, but the telltale glass pyramid is situated in front of the museum, and the Mona Lisa hangs upon a wall.

From the editorial reviews at Amazon.com:

Originally published in France as Solange et l'ange, this is a simple story of the power of beauty and the transformative quality of love. But Thierry Magnier puts his finger on a range of subtle emotions that sometimes flit through our hearts too fast for us to hold on to: Feeling small when a breathtaking statue looms large and lovely, for example. Or feeling inexplicably blue because you like someone so much it's overwhelming. Georg Hallensleben's gorgeous paintings reflect, interact with, and enhance the story's quiet strength and childlike perspectives. We've seen his stunning artwork before in ">And If the Moon Could Talk, and, like Isabelle, wecould gaze at it for hours on end. This wonderful book has heart and soul, truth and beauty. It belongs on the special shelf. (Preschool to age 6) --Karin Snelson

I heartily agree. It belongs on the special shelf.

Bits and Pieces

More wandering around blogs...

MFS at Mental Multivitamin talks about choosing to find joy in life:

Life is often hard, but it becomes waaaay more difficult when I focus on all that can and has made it hard...

And my choice when confronted with life's difficulty is to remind myself of its possibility. Writing about the books that we're reading or the music that we're playing or the birds that we're seeing, the museums we're visiting or the Shakespeare we're enjoying or the discoveries we're making, in fact, chronicling the reading, thinking, learning, and just doing that defines this family is rather like a long-needled immunization against the soul-sucking nature of some aspects of the quotidian (e.g., the unceasing need to wash dishes, fold socks, provide meals, and even, some days, work) as well as some of the more difficult problems life can assign (e.g., automobile accidents and work deadlines and budget concerns).

Again, I find myself appreciating the way MFS views life.
_________________________________________

On a completely unrelated note, I found an interesting article on Teachers Unions and Teaching Quality posted over at Education and Homeschool News briefly discussing performance pay for teachers.

The teachers’ unions contend that the profession is self-selecting — that is, underqualified teachers leave the classroom before reaching tenure. But Reeder points to a North Carolina study that concluded: Teachers who left the profession early actually scored higher on teacher licensure exams than teachers who stayed in teaching. And a Harvard University College of Education study concluded: “Teachers with high IQs were more likely to leave teaching at the end of each year of service than those with low scores.”

Following their link, I read Performance-Pay for Teachers: Designing a System that Students Deserve. "This first-of-its-kind report written by a diverse group of expert teachers from across the United States proposes radical changes in the way teachers have been traditionally compensated."

Hmmm.
_________________________________________



And, again unrelated, some time ago my friend, Heather, at Becoming posted a link to this excellent article by Micheal Flaherty, the president of Walden Media. In it, Flaherty quotes C. S. Lewis:

Those who say that children must not be frightened may mean two things. They may mean (1) that we must not do anything likely to give the child those haunting, disabling, pathological fears against which ordinary courage is helpless: in fact, phobias. His mind must, if possible, be kept clear of things he can’t bear to think of. Or they may mean (2) that we must try to keep out of his mind the knowledge that he is born into a world of death, violence, wounds, adventure, heroism and cowardice, good and evil. If they mean the first I agree with them: but not if they mean the second. The second would indeed be to give children a false impression and feed them on escapism in the bad sense. There is something ludicrous in the idea of so educating a generation which is born to the…atomic bomb. Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are making their destiny not brighter but darker.

Flaherty goes on to describe the vision of Walden Media, which has produced Holes, Because of Winn Dixie, Bridge to Terabithia, Amazing Grace, Charlotte's Web, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe:

We wanted to create a company dedicated to recapturing imagination, rekindling curiosity, and demonstrating the rewards of knowledge and virtue. All of our films would be based on great books, great people, and great historical events. They would be made by the best talent in entertainment and they would all be linked to educational materials developed by some of the best talent in education. We were taking Henry David Thoreau’s famous advice—to march to the beat of a different drummer—to Hollywood, which is why we decided to name our company after Thoreau’s most famous book, Walden.

The article in its entirety is worth reading!

Around the World

I find myself attracted to people who are curious about the world, about the people in it, about places they have never been. Their conversations inspire me to be more alive, more curious and adventuresome. Of all people in the world, those who have an investment in eternal things ought also to give wide attention to temporal things--to be on the cutting edge of life. No one can ever know everything, but good stewardship of our years ought to mean we push ourselves beyond the smallness of our life into the largeness of the world God created.

--Gladys Hunt in Honey for a Woman's Heart

I have always been interested in world geography. As a child visiting my grandparents' house, I remember gazing at my grandfather's globe for what seemed an eternity; reading the names of the countries, wondering who lived there, imagining what it would be like to travel to each place.

My bookshelves are beginning to sag under the weight of books, homeschool resources, and curriculum purchased the last few years. The one thing I can never turn down is a book or game or anything about world geography. Last year I purchased an audio CD of geography songs and would play it every day. About two weeks into this kick, Levi said, "Not the British Isles, again!" in the most exasperated voice he could muster. Maybe he just didn't like my singing. The songs were infectious. My sister, Holly, decided to purchase the CD for her kids. A month or two later my sisters, mother, and I went on a girls' trip. Holly and I were trying to remember the words to all of the songs, much to Shannon's dismay. Couldn't we be grown-ups for one weekend?

World geography is only a small piece of the 'curiosity about the world' picture, but it is the one I am going to address here and for now. Stay tuned. (I can see you're on the edge of your seat. Grin.) Until then, following are a few links to some of my favorite geography resources:

Geography Songs (Not exactly beautiful music, but the songs are catchy and upbeat. A great way to learn the names of all of the countries, United States, continents, oceans, and even planets.)

The Global Puzzle (A fun and challenging puzzle of the whole world with pieces in the shape of each country.)

Children Just Like Me (Excellent, large, hardcover book showing pictures of children from different countries. Each two-page spread shows details of their life such as the food they eat, a picture of their school, their house, family, pets, and their parents' occupations.)

Little Round the World Cookbook (Internet-linked, and has lots of great information!)

The International Cookbook for Kids (Delicious recipes from China, Italy, Mexico, and France.)

Famous Landmarks Bingo (Instead of calling out 'B-9,' how about "Great Barrier Reef!'?)

Little Einsteins (Available on the Disney channel and DVD, my kids love this show. It covers musical terminology (such as moderato, crescendo, pianissimo...), classical music composers, fine art, and geography.

Map Placemats (Educational placemats are handy for learning while eating, but we've also found that the sturdy maps are just the right size for toting around...at the desk, on the couch, or in the car.)

Tender Loving Care

In my internet wanderings, I recently came across this post from the archives at Thoughts of Home. I have always been fascinated by personality and learning styles, so I was anxious to follow her link to the Parenting article What Style of Mom are You to find out how accurately I would be pegged. Choke, sputter... they know me. (Disclaimer: the article was kind enough to avoid any mention of the weaknesses each personality type was likely to possess.)

The tender-loving-care mother (ISFJ)
Gentle and kind, the ISFJ mom provides her kids with lots of affection and the comfort of daily routine. She is sensitive to their feelings, offering closeness and support. The ISFJ has a strong sense of duty and consistently puts her kids' needs first. She delights in taking care of the little things that matter to a child, making each one feel special. Aiming for a smooth-running, attractive home, she tends to the practical and domestic. She believes strongly in family traditions.
Stay-sane tip: Try to cultivate your own interests, and put your needs first every so often. Your baby may appreciate your unwavering attention, but in a few years, she'll need more independence.

Nurture by Nature: How to Raise Happy, Healthy, Responsible Children Through the Insights of Personality Type was my first exposure to the Myers-Briggs personality styles. Divided into sixteen distinctly different types, the Myers-Briggs seems like a window into a person's mind and spirit. Knowing why my son acts the way he does and why my husband and I seem to see things from completely different points of view has been extremely helpful in my family's relationships.

The article above links a very simple personality style 'test,' but if you're interested in answering a few more questions check out this free online test. Another great personality style website based on the Myers-Briggs is The Personality Page which has great descriptions of the sixteen personality types.

MotherStyles: Using Personality Types to Learn to Parent From Your Strengths sounds like an interesting book that I may need to add to my shelves. I would also recommend Personality Plus for Parents by Florence Littauer, The Way They Learn and Every Child Can Succeed by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias, and Dreamers, Discoverers, & Dynamos (if you happen to have one of those) by Lucy Jo Palladino, Ph.D.

Rather than using our personality types as excuses, it is important to use the information to be aware--highlighting our strengths and continually striving to improve upon our weaknesses.

If you happen to take the personality test, or already know your Myers-Briggs type, I'd love for you to leave a comment. What style of mom are you, and did they get it right?

Firstborn

Motherhood

I desire to be a mother--

if only to give food to the craving activity of my soul...

Maternity is an enterprise in which

I have opened an enormous stake...

Motherhood will develop my energy, enlarge my heart,

and compensate me for all things by infinite joys!

--Honore de Balzac, Memoirs of Two Young Married Women (1894)


And so our mothers and grandmothers have,

more often than not anonymously,

handed on the creative spark,

the seed of the flower they themselves never hoped to see

-- or like a sealed letter they could not plainly read.

--Alice Walker


There is no way to be a perfect mother,

and a million ways to be a good one.

--Jill Churchill


A mother's happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future

but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories.

--Honore de Balzac

Ben and Me

Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos is a clever 'biography' of Benjamin Franklin that captured the attention of my son. Written from a mouse's point of view, the story contains many interesting facts about the statesman. Peppered with Ben's maxims, inventions, and idiosyncrasies, this book is a great introduction to his life. Amos, the mouse, makes the story quirky and enjoyable for the younger audience. Levi and I have started memorizing a few of Ben Franklin's sayings such as:

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.

Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.

But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

And my personal favorite (one that gets used often in our house):

Well done is better than well said.

It is amazing how often his maxims apply to our lives!

We again wrote a selection of new words found in the pages of Ben and Me with the definitions found in the children's dictionary.

succor: help, relief

maxim: a short saying expressing a general truth or rule of conduct

laborer: worker

recollect: remember

contrive: plan, or form or make in some skillful or clever way

inclement: stormy

secluded: hidden from sight

ludicrous: funny because of being ridiculous

odious: causing hatred or strong dislike

aristocrat: a person of the upper class, richer and more powerful than the rest of a society

banished: to drive away

Light

Georges de La Tour (1593-1652)

The Penitent Magdalen (c 1640)

Oil on Canvas

From the Web Gallery of Art:

"An artist of great brilliance and originality, Georges de La Tour was from the duchy of Lorraine in northeastern France. Early in his career he gained knowledge of contemporary Caravaggesque painting with its emphasis on realism and dramatic effects of light and dark. This picture shows Mary Magdalen in a dark room at the dramatic moment of her conversion, her features lit by a candle flame that imparts a hauntingly spiritual quality to the work. The elaborate silver mirror, the pearls on the table, and the jewels on the floor symbolize luxury, which she has cast aside. In their place she clasps a skull, a common symbol of mortality."

The Penitent Magdalen first caught my eye while reading Museum ABC (L is for LIGHT) when Levi was just a year old. Something about it caught my attention. Believe it or not, it wasn't the skull on her lap as I didn't notice that right away. The painting was etched in my memory. Museum ABC features paintings on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so imagine my surprise when we came upon this painting suddenly while visiting the Louvre museum in Paris just months later. I stopped short and gazed up at it. Considering the sheer volume of art housed at the Louvre (much of which we missed), it is amazing that I had the priviledge of seeing this masterpiece.

While seeing this painting at the Louve was a surprise, it didn't match my astonishment less than a year later when I was watching The Little Mermaid. Ariel was singing the song 'Part of Your World' and suddenly The Penitent Magdalen appeared in her treasure collection.

Look at this stuff. Isn't it neat?

Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?

Wouldn't you think I'm the girl

The girl who has everything?

Look at this trove

Treasures untold

How many wonders can one cavern hold?

Looking around here you think

Sure, she's got everything

I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty

I've got whozits and whatzits galore

You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty!

But who cares? No big deal

I want more...

I'm ready to know what the people know

Ask 'em my questions and get some answers

What's a fire and why does it - what's the word?

Burn?

It is truly amazing the connections that can be made in this life when your eyes are open.

Life in Decades

Reflecting upon my past and looking forward to my future, I am excited about life and its possibilities. It seems that my life is, or could possibly be, divided neatly into phases by decades.

My 20s: Getting Established. I found my dream guy, we got married, he settled into a career, I opened a home/garden/gift shop with my sisters and mother, Russ and I purchased our first decent vehicles, bought a house, and had our first child.

My 30s: Growing Pains. Our family increases by two more members. The house is getting too small. Pregnancy, nursing, potty training, the 'terrible two's.' Russ needs a job closer to home with better benefits. Russ gets a new job; we move. My days are full, tending to the most basic needs of three children. My nights hold little sleep. Vacations aren't much of a vacation.

But nothing is more amazing than watching three little lives develop, watching three little babies become their own person. Baby toes and baby giggles. Toothy grins. Bear hugs and 'Lub you, too, mommy,' from the two-year-old. Learning, reading, and discovering with a five-year-old who thinks the world is an amazing place.

I have quite a few years left in this decade. They will be full of more of the same. Our house will quickly feel tighter. There will be less breathing room. We'll be adding on in a few years. By the time I leave my 30s, I will be done with pregnancy, nursing, potty training, and the 'terrible two's.' I'll have three sons (aged 7, 9, and 12) that can bathe themselves, dress themselves, fix themselves a snack, participate in chores, read quietly in their beds at night, and hopefully not need 24 hour-hands-on supervision. I'll no longer be watching Thomas the Tank Engine and reading ABC books over and over and over again. I'll be able to get 8 hours of sleep a night. Am I expecting too much?

My 40s: Family Matters.

"There are two things to aim at in life; first to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second."-Logan Pearsall Smith, essayist (1865-1946)

I look forward to my 40s with excitement and anticipation. Our days will be full of learning together, reading together, and discovering together. Game nights, movie nights, music lessons, travel. Discussions about life and ideas. Cooking together. Building together. I also hope to carve out some time for myself to recharge and renew. Date nights with Russ will be high on the priority list. Hopefully we will have many of our home projects completed and be able to keep maintenance hours to a minimum. We are also working toward greater financial stability.

I fully expect to be delighted by the men my sons become. They will be 17, 19, and 22 when I leave my 40s behind.

My 50s (and beyond): The Good Life. I pray for good health for myself and Russ that we may enjoy a new sort of life with our kids on their own. We will enjoy the greater flexibility of our time and energy, filling our days with things that make us feel rich in a true sense. I want to continue to learn and think and grow. Perhaps I will enter into a new profession. I may discover a passion grow from out of our homeschool studies. Maybe college is in my future. I could spend the next 20 years on a new career! The possibilities are endless, but Russ tells me we will do a great deal of travel if nothing else. Grin.

I hope I strive, in every phase of my life, to be the person I was put here on earth to be.

To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dickens

In London, he had expected neither to walk on pavements of gold, nor to lie on beds of roses; if he had had any such exalted expectation, he would not have prospered. He had expected labour, and he found it, and did it and made the best of it. In this, his prosperity consisted.

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Let's Get Real Monday

One Day

Over at i have to say..., Randi hosts Let's Get Real Monday. Today's theme is 'One Day.' One day in our lives, in pictures and/or words. I thought I'd participate this time around.

One Day

2:35 AM Luke wakes up crying. I cover him up and tell him to go back to sleep.
4:45 AM Leif wakes up crying. I bring him back to bed with me to nurse.
5:00 AM Leif is still awake. I pray he goes back to sleep in his bed.
5:10 AM I get back up. Bring Leif back to bed. Nurse him longer this time.
5:30 AM I think he’s asleep now. Put him back in his bed.

Luke climbs in bed with us at 7:50. Decide to get out of bed since church starts at 9. Put kids on couch with dry cold cereal. Down a granola bar and hop in shower. Russ gets ready in 3 minutes and gets the kids dressed. (Luckily I ironed their church clothes yesterday and set them out, otherwise who knows what they would have been wearing.)

Russ puts the kids in the truck while I grab the last minute stuff. We get to church on time (for once).

Levi and Luke go to their Sunday school classes. Leif makes it through worship service and then decides to compete with the visiting speaker. Russ heads out to walk with him. We’d put him in the nursery if we didn’t think the whole family would be sick by Wednesday.

After church the truck mysteriously steers itself to the local donut shop. Not sure how that happened. Levi and Luke take 20 seconds to down their rainbow-sprinkled donuts. On the way home I mention that I have a massive headache. Russ (realizing that when momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy) swings through the corner store drive-through and gets me a 32 oz. Dr. Pepper. The amount of sugar consumed by this family on this morning would give a whole army a lovely high.

Russ does something to the TV (with Luke’s help, of course) while I feed Leif a yogurt. The boys get their grubbies on, and I put Leif down for a nap.

I head out to see what the big boys are up to while Leif settles down to sleep.

Yep. He fell asleep.

The big boys are outside, baby asleep…I head to the couch for a nap. Okay, not really. I put in a load of laundry. Empty the dishwasher. Clean up the remains of last night’s fiesta. Pick up the church clothes strewn all over the house. Straighten up from the morning’s getting ready whirlwind. Maybe I’ll get to read last month’s Better Homes and Gardens. Nope.

Luke managed to get soaking wet (again). Strip his clothes. Get dry clothes on. Feed him a tortilla with cheese and some juice. We sit in the rocking chair in the bedroom with his blanket and Fox in Socks. I tuck him in bed for a nap after putting on some quiet music and turning the fan on. Leif starts screaming. I head into our room where he was napping and pick him up. I’m thinking he didn’t like the fajitas, salsa, and dulce de leche icecream as much as I did last night. We snuggle, and he starts to fall back asleep. I lay him down, and he starts wailing. I decide to give him a little bit of time to go back to sleep while I switch the laundry.

Russ is wondering where lunch is. I head back to get Leif who is not anywhere close to being asleep and put him in the high chair with a cracker while I get lunch for Russ and Levi.

I decide to check on Luke to make sure he went to sleep. Ha! I lay him back down and bribe him with Go Diego, Go! if he’ll take his nap. (Bad mommy!)

I scramble to heat up leftover fajitas for the boys and take it out to the back porch (Russ was up on the roof with the hose…they’re both soaking wet now.) Leif is getting fussy, so I grab a jar of baby food and feed him. Apparently I will just be snitching the salsa for lunch today.

I go back to check on Luke. He decided on quiet play time instead of Go Diego, Go!

Naked (in the middle of potty training) almost-3-year-old covers himself in band-aids. More laundry. Messy diaper and bath for 8 month old...



Russ decides to borrow a pressure washer from my parents. My mom invites Levi to spend the afternoon, but he’s soaked. They come home. Levi gets changed into dry clothes and goes to play up in the playroom. I grab Leif who is army-crawling all over the dirty floor and getting into everything. (Gotta get those gates up!) I nurse him while Levi and Luke start fighting upstairs. Luckily ‘Bambi’ shows up to take Levi away.


They don’t get away fast enough. Tired Luke goes running after them, crying and trying to get his boots on. I grab him and set him down in front of the TV. I know I promised Go Diego, Go! if he went to sleep (he didn’t) so I figure I’m not giving in if I put on Little Einstein instead. Right? Russ is on the roof again. Leif goes down for nap #2. I pray he stays asleep for a long time.

More laundry. I clean up the lunch mess. Meal plan. Grocery list. Clean out fridge. More dishes. Put on Zoboomafoo for Luke. (Bad mom!) I give him celery, a carrot, and watered down juice to make myself feel better. Actually, Luke doesn’t watch much of either show…to busy getting into things.

I sit down to clean up/organize a little bit in the school room. Maybe get Levi’s school work together for the week. Leif starts screaming. Less than an hour. !@$#%$@! I go in to see if I can get him back to sleep. (Just for kicks, ya know.) Oh. My. Word. It worked. I put in another load of laundry.

Zoboomafoo is over, so I decide to head up to the playroom with Luke to clean up. Multiple phone calls, four very strange girls knocking at the front door, a potty accident (and 4th change of clothes) later, the playroom is clean enough.

I leave Luke upstairs playing with blocks and head back to the school room to clean and organize when I remember that I really needed to transplant my basil seedlings. Got that done just as Leif is waking up. Two hours. Much better.

I manage to get a couple of worksheets copied while Russ gets cleaned up. We go to Costco and spend waaaay too much money. I buy books (of course). Russ decides to buy a pressure washer. He wants one with some real power. The boys get hot dogs. We pick up Levi on our way home.

I unload, put away, feed Leif avocado, fold and put away laundry, make a couple phone calls, order a book from Amazon… while Levi and Luke play computer games in dad’s office. Russ gets out his new pressure washer and starts in on the front porch. He comes in the house soaking wet with a huge smile on his face. ‘Now that’s power,’ he says.

Russ wants me to come out and ‘oooh and ahhh’ over the clean porch and roof. Nice.
I finally get the boys from the shop. Luke needs a bath. Luckily he was missing his pants. One less thing to wash. I make the boys a bedtime snack. We brush teeth and get them in jammies.

I read our children’s devotion book and a couple pages of Ben and Me while nursing Leif. Levi reads a few sight words flash cards. I put Leif in his bed, tuck the bigger boys in and leave them listening to The Horse and His Boy on CD. All of them are asleep within 5 minutes. Maybe that’s because it is already 9 PM. Even when I have wonderful intentions of getting them down early, it never seems to happen.

Russ finally comes in and gets cleaned up. I clean up the kitchen (again), run the dishwasher, close the curtains, straighten up. Russ heads out to fix a client’s computer. (Yes, he keeps odd hours.) I play on the computer--returning emails, blogging.

It's 11 PM. That seems to be the magic hour. Unfortunately I can't ever seem to get to bed before that. Hopefully Russ will get home soon and get a full night's sleep. Pray that the kids decide to sleep all night!!!

Thanks for spending the day with us!

Fiesta!

Honey for a Reader's Soul

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)

My mother purchased Honey for a Child's Heart 26 years ago at the recommendation of my second grade teacher. Over the years she scoured used book stores and other book sales for any book recommended by Gladys Hunt. My very childhood was shaped in some way by her thoughts on books and reading. Gladys Hunt has done it again with her excellent book, Honey for a Woman's Heart.

I had put off reading Honey for a Woman's Heart somehow expecting a list of 'female-type religious novels.' I should have know better. Gladys Hunt has an extensive reading repertoire, including classics, great nineteenth-century novels, twentieth-century classics, short stories, mysteries, historical novels, science fiction, fantasy, westerns, nonfiction, and more. She even writes about the often lower standard of fiction published by Christian publishers, due partly to 'readers' fear of stories.'

Chapters include thoughts on the joy of reading, reasons to read, what makes a good story, and sharing books with others. Gladys Hunt devotes six chapters to book recommendations: literature and the classics, genre fiction, nonfiction, poetry, the Bible, and spiritual growth books.

While Honey for a Child's Heart devotes half of the book to a book list with very short comments or explanations by the author, Honey for a Woman's Heart is smattered with boxes inset on the pages containing recommendations by other readers. Gladys Hunt recommends many titles in the conversational style of her book. She includes an alphabetical index of both authors and book titles, which is a very helpful resource.

Why Read?

Reading is a sage way to bump up against life. Reading may be an escape, but it is not escape from my own life and problems. It is escape from the narrow boundaries of being only me. Reading in some wonderful way helps me find out who I am. When she was a young girl Patricia MacLachlan's mother urged her to "read a book and find out who you are." And it is true that in some way reading defines me as it refines me. Reading enlarges my vision of the world; it helps me understand someone who is different from me. It makes me bigger on the inside. We tend to see the world from our own perspective; it is good to see it from the eyes of others. Good literature helps me understand who I am in relation to what others experience. Far from being an escape from reality, good literature is a window into reality.

I read to feel life.

I would highly recommend Honey for a Woman's Heart for anyone who loves reading, needs a gentle push in that direction, or would like a diverse selection of excellent books to put on their to-read list. My list was just extended by about 50 books. I need a vacation!

At the Seaside

William Merritt Chase (1849-1916)

At the Seaside (1892)

Oil on Canvas

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Life is very short... but I would like to live four times and if I could, I would set out to do no other things than I am seeking now to do. --William Merritt Chase

At the Seaside is one of the masterpieces featured in Museum ABC. (U is for Umbrella.) I love the bright reds, yellows, and blues. It feels as if the clouds were ready to float over me.

My first exposure to the American painter, William Merritt Chase, was the painting Idle Hours. My younger sister was taking a high school art class and discovered she was talented at making copies of other paintings (particularly Impressionist water colors). She made a wonderful copy of Idle Hours which I framed and displayed for some time after. Now seeing Chase's painting brings an immediate smile to my face.

Looking back at the few Fine Art Friday offerings I've made, I notice a distinct theme. Idleness and Relaxation. Hmm. I wonder why these paintings are appealing to me at this phase of life. Maybe next week I'll step out of my comfort zone.

Letters with Luke

Levi received Museum ABC for his first birthday, and it soon became a favorite. He knew all of his letters by sight by the time he turned two. When he was three the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD was recommended on the homeschooling board that I frequent. Within a few days he knew every letter sound. That sure made beginning reading lessons go more smoothly.

Luke didn't enjoy read-aloud time when he was younger. No time to sit still! Now he begs for me to read to him, and he loves ABC books--especially Museum ABC. He also loves to watch the Letter Factory. Now he knows all of his letters and sounds. Somehow, though, something is failing to translate. On the page with the letter B there are four beautiful pieces of artwork featuring boats. That is fairly straightforward. B says /b/ /b/ boat, right? Luke makes his own translations on other pages:


O says /ah/ /ah/ .... Cow! (Pictures are of Oxen.)

S says /s/ /s/....Moon! (Stars, of course.)

W says /w/ /w/...Bridge. (One of the paintings of windows must resemble a bridge. Who knows?)

At least he is getting the letters and their sounds correct!

Baklava Reinvented and More

Do you like Baklava? Have you ever had homemade Baklava? Have you ever tried to make it? Yes, well, it isn't the easiest thing in my repertoire (although one of the tastiest), and I think it has just been replaced with Greek Walnut Pie. All things considered, this was a cinch and oh so heavenly! This recipe came from the Best of the Pillsbury Bake-Off Desserts. I never can turn down a dessert cookbook.

Greek Walnut Pie

1 box (15 oz) refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box (This is the first time I have ever used store bought pie crusts, but I figured I would have purchased phylo dough for the real thing. The point is....this is supposed to be easy! Grin.)
2 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted, cooled
3/4 cup honey
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:
1/2 pint (1 cup) heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 325 F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using sprayed pie plate.

In the medium bowl, mix walnuts, brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Pour and evenly spread 1/4 cup of the cooled melted butter over bottom of pie crust. Spread walnut mixture evenly over butter. Drizzle another 1/4 cup butter over nut mixture.

Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut large slits in several places in top crust. Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup butter evenly over top crust.

Bake 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. About 5 minutes before removing pie from oven, in 1-quart saucepan, cook honey and lemon juice over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture has a watery consistency.

Remove pie from oven; place on wire rack. Slowly pour hot honey mixture evenly over top of hot pie, making sure it seeps into slits in top crust. Cool at least 3 hours before serving.

Just before serving, in a small bowl, beat topping ingredients with electric mixer on high speed about 2 minutes or until soft peaks form. (I added a little cinnamon to mine.) Spoon topping onto individual servings of pie.

Fabulous!

And, because we can't live on dessert alone (although I'm sure I'd enjoy trying), here is another recipe recently added to our favorites from The International Cookbook for Kids. Even my picky-eater boys love it!

Ginger Beef with Green Beans

10 ounces fresh green beans

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 pound beef tenderloin

4 tablespoons peanut oil

1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Marinade:

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

1 green onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Wash the green beans and string them. Cut into 2-inch sections.

Crush, peel, and finely chop the garlic. (Or you can cheat and use jarred spice like I did.)

Mix 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar with the garlic and pour over the beans. Set aside.

Cut the beef into thin slices. Stack the slices on top of each other a few at a time and cut them into strips. Place them in a glass bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the marinade. Pour over the beef strips and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use, about 20 minutes.

Heat a wok (I just used a frying pan) on medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil. After 15 seconds, add the green beans, peanuts, and salt. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Removed the beans to a warm plate.

Reheat the wok and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Heat for 30 seconds. Add the marinated beef, a little at a time, until all the beef and marinade are added. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.

Return the green beans to the wok. Add the soy sauce and stir-fry for another minute.

Serve hot with rice.

May Day

The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.

- Edwin Way Teale

Meal Plan Monday

I actually stuck to my meal plan fairly well last week. Let's see if I can do as well this week!

Monday: Ginger Beef with Peanuts and Green Beans served over Rice. (One of my favorites!)

Tuesday: Tuna Melts (On English Muffins) with Sweet Potato Fries (Mmmm), Veggies and Fruit.

Wednesday: Soup and Cornbread

Thursday: Ham Stromboli and Green Salad

Friday: Sloppy Joes, Carrot Sticks, and Fruit

Saturday: Cinco de Mayo Fiesta! Fajitas, Salsa Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, Tortilla Chips, Dulce de Leche Ice Cream, Mexican Celebration Cookies and Mexican Flag Cookies (from our Spanish lessons).

Sunday: Pizza

The Ginger Beef recipe and a couple of the Spanish recipes are from The International Cookbook for Kids, a wonderful collection of recipes from Italy, China, Mexico, and France.

The Saturdays

Levi and I savored this entertaining book about the four Melendy siblings. The children live in New York City with their father and their housekeeper, Cuffy. Mona is thirteen, Rush is twelve, and Miranda (always called Randy) is ten-and-a-half. Oliver is the baby at just six years old. The book was originally published in 1941. The Saturdays is the first of the four books Elizabeth Enright wrote about the Melendy children and tells the story of their Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club (I.S.A.A.C.).

I was once again amazed at the independence, responsibility, resourcefulness, creativity, camaraderie, and knowledge displayed by children of this era. While I am completely aware that this is a fictional novel, the times have definitely changed. The three older children all ventured out into the city, one at a time. Randy (the artist and dancer) went to an art show, Rush (the musician) took in an opera, and Mona (an aspiring actress) had her hair done by a hairdresser with a villainous smile. She compared him to Iago, and I am happy to say that I actually caught that Shakespearean reference thanks to my educational efforts this year.

The Saturdays made me want to relive my childhood, and Enright captures the essence of what I want for my own children. I hope we will have a chance to read the following three books in the future.

The writing is superb. We enjoyed stretching our vocabulary. Levi and I referred often to his children's dictionary and started making a list of our favorite new words:

indignation: anger caused by something unfair

inquire: to ask

conceal: to hide or keep secret

forlorn: sad and lonely

disheveled: messed up, untidy

appalled: shocked or overcome with horror

averted: turned away

zeal: eager desire to get something done (enthusiasm)

excursion: pleasurable outing

sheepish: embarrassed and guilty

lugubrious: mournful, dismal, or gloomy (this word wasn't found in the children's dictionary--we had to break out the big guns for this one)

outlandish: very strange or unusual

debris: the junk or pieces left from something broken down or destroyed

ominous: being a sign of evil or trouble to come

Our list could have been much longer, but we never would have gotten any reading done!

_______________________________________________

Semicolon hosts the Saturday Review of Books today. Feel free to read the reviews or join in with your own.