Archive | December 2005

Friday’s Center of the Blogosphere

Dec16

Good Reasons for Avoiding Prayer: Steve Riddle at Flos Carmeli has a million of them. Funny, they’re some of the same excuses I use. No, not funny.

Dawn Treader on The Briliance of C.S. Lewis. Both Dawn Treader and I were Lewis fans way before Lewis was cool.

Now I really hope the powers that be translate this book into a proper movie. Ramona Rocks! HT: Book Moot

Then there’s Jane Austen. Is she a Christian writer? Anne’s Cafe has some thoughts on just how “Christian” Austen’s novels are.

Jolyblogger speculates on the death of the book. Methinks reports of such a death are somewhat premature.

Mr. Walker and I agree on Little Drummer Boy.

Melissa Wiley in the Bonny Glen tells the secret of how she feeds the book habit without going broke. HINT: Books first, clothes and vacations later.

Debra (As I See It Now) gives out a whole slew of early Christmas gifts. Enjoy, and read some of Debra’s other posts while you’re there. She’s an inspiration.

Kate at The Little Bookroom gives me (and you) the scoop on some of her favorite books I asked about.

And Dani Torres lists her ten favorite books of 2005. I’ve only read two of the ten–yes, the old ones. Housekeeping and Never Let Me Go are both on The List, however.

OOOh! Take a look at M-MV’s cape and walking stick. Gorgeous. (Read the story about dreams deferred, too.)

To This Great Stage of Fools: Born December 16th

Dec16

Take 4 pounds of full ripe apples, and peel and core them. Meanwhile put into a pan 2 pints of sweet cider, and boil until it reduces by half. Put the apples, chopped small, to the cider. Cook slowly stirring frequently, until the fruit is tender, as you can crush beneath the back of a spoon. Then work the apple through a sieve, and return to the pan adding 1lb beaten (granulated) sugar and spices as following, 1 teaspoon clove well ground, 2 teaspoons cinnamon well ground, 1 saltspoon allspice well ground. Cook over low fire for about hour, stirring until mixture thickens and turns a rich brown. Pour the butter into into small clean jars, and cover with clarified butter when cold. Seal and keep for three months before using. By this time the butter will have turned almost black, and have a most delicious flavour.

Jane Austen’s Christmas by Maria Hubert, published by Sutton Publishing 1996.

Jane Austen herself was born on December 16, 1775. I’m celebrating with a re-reading of Pride and Prejudice. What’s your favorite Austen novel?

Best Team/Homeschool Blog

Dec15

Lots of good blogs and bloggers in this category. I love to read whatever Amanda and Jonathan have to say at Wittingshire, but I have my eye on them for another category in the Homeschool Blog Awards.

Carla and Peggy at Women of Simplicity have weekly tips on keeping house (my downfall) and lots of posts on keeping a Christ-centered Christmas right now.

The Harris twins, Alex and Brett, run a fine blog at The Rebelution, and it’s a good place to keep up with the younger generation of “rebelutionary” homeschoolers.

Gentle Christian Mothers looks like an encouraging place for mothers who “listen to their God-given mothering instincts and strive to respond to and meet the needs of their children with a servant’s heart.”

I’m going to send a note to my friend Martha about Scout Blog, a weblog for Christian homeschool Scout families. She’s got five boy scouts in the family, and I think they’d find some good stuff there.

However, in the midst of all this good company, my top choice in this category is ChoosingHome Blog. Holly, Molly, Lydia, Ann, and Jenna are all great writers and fantastic home-makers. Read Molly on arguing with a two year old or Lydia on finding time to write, and I think you’ll agree that these five ladies deserve an award.

Only in France

Dec15

Eldest Daughter is in France for the school year, and she doesn’t appreciate jokes and such about the French. But I ask you, who can resist? It’s like telling Aggie jokes in Texas–or Norwegian/Olaf jokes in the Upper Midwest.

Richard John Neuhaus has a collection of observations on the French here (scroll down). If you’ve given up French-bashing for Advent, don’t go there, but for a cheap laugh . . .

And in further news from France, Sesame Street Goes to France.

“We had the feeling that it was a little bit too sweet, too nice,” said Michelin, the France 5 programming director. “We need some irony. It’s very difficult to evaluate, but we have the feeling that in France we can be a little edgier.”

O.K. One more outrageous story from France: Man’s “blind date” turns out to be his own mother! I find this hard to believe.

Jejune, Self-Absorbed and Lifeless?

Dec15

Richard Wheeler, an author of Western fiction who has a new blog, quotes Jonathan Yardley of the Washington Post and then writes: “I have come to the same conclusion, and now avoid “literary” fiction as much as possible, preferring to read the better popular and genre fiction, which is filled with life and grace and power. I suppose every sort of fiction is published because there is a readership for it, and certainly there is a huge market for the literary species of fiction. In fact there is a symbiotic relationship. Jejune, self-absorbed and lifeless novels are read by jejune, self-absorbed and lifeless readers.”

Agree or disagree? Read the entire post.

Writing for Children

Dec15

“Writing ‘juveniles’ certainly modified my habits of composition. Thus: (a) It imposed a strict limit on vocabulary. (b) Excluded erotic love. (c) Cut down reflective and analytical passages. (d) Led me to produce chapters of nearly equal length for convenience in reading aloud.” –C.S. Lewis

Are these The Rules? What rules would you observe in writing for children? What (unwritten) rules on writing for children would you like to see dropped, if any? How is children’s literature different from adult literature?

Christmas, 1823

Dec15

He was on the point of retreating when his eye fell upon the fireplace–one of those vast tavern chimneys where there is always so little fire when there is any fire at all, and which are so cold to look at. There was no fire in this one, there was not even ashes; but there was something which attracted the stranger’s gaze, nevertheless. It was two tiny children’s shoes, coquettish in shape and unequal in size. The traveller recalled the graceful and immemorial custom in accordance with which children place their shoes in the chimney on Christmas eve, there to await in the darkness some sparkling gift from their good fairy. Eponine and Azelma had taken care not to omit this, and each of them had set one of her shoes on the hearth.

The traveller bent over them.

The fairy, that is to say, their mother, had already paid her visit, and in each he saw a brand-new and shining ten-sou piece.

The man straightened himself up, and was on the point of withdrawing, when far in, in the darkest corner of the hearth, he caught sight of another object. He looked at it, and recognized a wooden shoe, a frightful shoe of the coarsest description, half dilapidated and all covered with ashes and dried mud. It was Cosette’s sabot. Cosette, with that touching trust of childhood, which can always be deceived yet never discouraged, had placed her shoe on the hearth-stone also.

Hope in a child who has never known anything but despair is a sweet and touching thing.

There was nothing in this wooden shoe.

The stranger fumbled in his waistcoat, bent over and placed a louis d’or in Cosette’s shoe.

Then he regained his own chamber with the stealthy tread of a wolf.
From Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Christmas is an expensive time. Just to buy presents and a Christmas tree and all the special ingredients for Christmas treats and tickets to all the Christmas entertainments for our family of eleven is a budget-breaking endeavor. But find something in your budget to give away, to reward that “hope in a child who has never know anything but despair.” Here are a few suggestions:

Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree Project
Mennonite Central Committee Giving Projects
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief
Or click on the kettle on the side bar to contribute to the Salvation Army. They do good work all year round, and my kettle goal is $100.00. Please consider giving generously in honor of our Saviour’s birth.

Best Homeschool Family Blog

Dec14

I checked out the nominees for Best Homeschool Family Blog this afternoon, and there are some really good blogs on the list. I already read The Common Room, where “a homeschooling family chats about politics, poetry, literature, leadership (when the headmaster has time), music, the problems of having nine family members and one bathroom, animals, vegetables, minerals, cabbages, and kings, and whatever else strikes our fancy.” Good stuff.

I also read The Beehive, “the ruminations, ramblings and rabbit trails of an eclectic, opinionated, and outrageously happy Christian homeschooling family of five.” Queen Shenaynay loves Henry V and C.S. Lewis and Wodehouse and Jane Austen and Tolkien and . . . She’s a kindred spirit.

I discovered as couple of new (to me) blogs that I plan to re-visit soon:

Quirky Nomads: “The story of a family that said, “If the Republicans get any worse, we’re moving to Canada.” And then? They really did.” I think the Republicans are getting worse, too, but probably not for the same reasons that Sage thinks so. Nevertheless, I thought her story of being cornered by two marketing drones was funny.

School at Home, out of Tennessee, seems to have lots of good content: lesson plans, book lists, activities, and links. I liked the post on the Candy Cane Lesson Plan and may go back and do some of it in the next few days.

Large Family Logistics has a lot of information on pregnancy and childbirth, but I’m past that now. If you’re there, LFL looks like a good place to read.

So I found several great blogs in this category, but I stuck with my first inclination which was to vote for The Beehive. Kindred spirits should stick together.
Click on the book picture to check out the nominated blogs and go vote.

Tomorrow: Best Team/Group Homeschool Blog

A Christmas Gift to My Readers

Dec13

Or maybe it will be turn out to be a New Year’s gift. Anyway, here’s the deal. Choose one of the books on the list below. Email me (sherry DOT early AT gmail DOT com) your name and address (I promise I won’t use the addresses for anything else; I don’t know how to sell them anyway. Oh, U.S. addresses only; I can’t afford foreign postage. I know that because Eldest Daughter is in France right now.) I will send you one book of your choice–at my expense–if you will promise to read the book and then pass it on to someone else. See the idea at Pass the Book.. These are extra copies I have or books that I’m just ready to pass on to someone else. Some are excellent; others are good to read once. They’re mostly paperbacks, mostly used, in good condition. Many of the titles are children’s literature, but do not let that fact deter you from reading them. Some of the best writers around are writing for children. Take your pick, and thanks for reading.

In the Face of Danger (The Orphan Train Adventures) by Joan Lowery Nixon
The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer TAKEN
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren (3)
Streams to the River, River to the Sea by Scott O’Dell
Shadow of the Moon by M.M. Kaye
Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
Dicey’s Song by Cynthia Voigt (2)
Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt
The Runner by Cynthia Voigt
Soccer Sleuth by Dick Bohrer
Charlie Skedaddle by Patricia Beatty
George Washington Carver by Anne Terry White
The Cybil War by Betsy Byars
God’s Little Devotional Book for Women
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry by Mildred Taylor
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott TAKEN
A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Van Auken TAKEN
And Now Miguel by Joseph Krumgold (3)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (4)
Then There Were Five by Elizabeth Enright
Joni by Joni Eareckson
Love’s Enduring Promise by Janette Oke
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke
The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Elsie Dinsmore by Martha Finley TAKEN

If the book you receive becomes a favorite and you can’t bear to give it up, that’s O.K. But then again, if it’s a favorite, you may want to buy a new copy and still pass the used one on. Happy Reading!

Picture courtesy of flickr.com.

An Encouraging Visit

Dec13

I was feeling rather old and grouchy and uninspired tonight–as if I’d landed in the wrong story and didn’t know how to do my part nor how to direct the other actors (urchins) nor what to do with myself at all. So I took a quick trip to Mitford, and I must say I’m feeling much better. Engineer Husband gave me the book Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon last Christmas, but I saved it for this year. It was a good decision. I needed to spend some time with Father Tim and Cynthia and Hope at Happy Endings bookstore. Life may not really be like Mitford, but I can dream and escape there for a little while–and come back renewed. And here’s a dose of Father Tim’s philosophy for your day:

Call him a stick-in-the-mud, a dinosaur, a fusty throwback, but indeed, jumping into the fray the day after Halloween was akin to hitting and holding, high C for a couple of months, while a bit of patience saved Christmas for Christmas morning and kept the holy days fresh and new.