Pondered In My Heart

Shakespeare Summer

Hear my name and tremble! Thou villain!

It's 10:30 pm on a Thursday night and I've just come downstairs from putting the two littles to sleep. It was hard to get them to settle as we overheard frequent outbursts of shouting and laughter and I kept wondering what on earth was such a hoot down there. And now I know - it's my five older children having an impromptu Shakespeare reading.

  

They've all taken parts and are doing a very dramatic rendition of one of their favorite scenes from Cymbeline. They proceed to draft Michael and me to join in, and then switch gears from swords and battles to dreamy summer love and Cupid's potions. We do our best at Pyramus and Thisbe, the play within the play, including my most masterful performance of Wall. (ha)

We are having a Shakespeare summer, though it's been as impromptu as that reading I mentioned. We started out with high hopes of going out to see the world famous Front Lawn Players in May for their performance of As You Like It, so we naturally read the play. It turned out we couldn't get up to Long Island for either show due to other obligations, but our appetites for Shakespeare were set off nevertheless.

From there we moved on to Cymbeline, as a free outdoor performance was available as part of a local festival. The children enjoyed the show so much they insisted we go back and see it again for the final performance.

We've since read Cymbeline again, along with Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, and we're currently on Twelfth Night. I read the plays out loud during our daily tea time, and the rest just happens. When I can't find my big girls and I go knocking on closed bedroom doors, I invariably open the door and find them each with a hefty tome 'doing scenes'. Or they'll be sprawled on the couches in the living room, each with her own copy of the collected works, reading in parts. They pore over the pictures in the enormous illustrated edition I've had since high school, playing at guess the character and laughing uproariously at some of the unlikely depictions. The guys amuse each other with quotes and quips sprinkled throughout their day. The younger girls dress up and act out scenes; even the little ones like to be 'show people' and do their part. They particularly enjoy being Celia and Rosalind, and it's quite charming to hear Eliza telling Kateri, I pray thee Rosalind, sweet my coz, be merry! Mary Rose walks through the grocery reciting her Phebe lines she taught herself for fun. Josiah naturally runs to put on the Mendelssohn while we're reading. And on and on it goes - you know what homeschool kids are like. Shakespeare is really unlike any other author - the language and the characters and the plots just naturally draw us in and we get swallowed up whole by the delightfulness of it all.

It's been lots of fun to just sit back and watch them run with it, soaking it in and savoring it all. We have the Charles and Mary Lamb book which really has lovely retellings, but they want none of it. They complain if I try to read it out loud for a bit of clarification - they apparently just want the real thing. Jonathan did go to the library to get The Quest for Shakespeare which he promptly devoured as well as Lear to go with it. Josiah has also enjoyed an online course in Macbeth, and it's handy tthe classes are recorded for later listening by the rest of the family.

As for the real thing, we did get to see a recording of the Front Lawn Players' performance of As You Like It and those kids are the real thing! They did an outstanding job of putting on the full length unabridged play and the children's performances were superb. What a wonderful experience for all of those involved! We also watched an old black and white movie version (1936) of As You Like it starring a very young Laurence Olivier and the charming Elisabeth Bergner. We all greatly enjoyed it, laughing and laughing at the old fashioned costumes and filming techniques and overly theatrical acting - we found it highly entertaining and we watched it twice before returning it to the library. Good stuff.

And finally if you're looking for more Shakespeare resources, the spring issue of Mater et Magistra is entirely devoted to Shakespeare. I picked up a copy at the FCL conference last weekend but I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet - it looks chock full of wonderful ideas. I've also heard tell that Elizabeth has posted some Shakespeare lesson plans as well, but I haven't gotten to peruse them yet either. For now, I'm just reading the plays as long as they keep asking for them. That's fine with me as of course, All the world's a stage...

Wordless Wednesday: Littlest Angel

My Own Master Communicator

We all know how 'communication' is so important in a marriage. Danielle recently reminded us the language of long-married couples is a bit different than that of star-struck romantic newlyweds, and sometimes very few words are actually needed for great communication. At other times 'mature marrieds' do still need and desire words, but we also know that there is nothing wrong with making that need known.  For example, yesterday my major accomplishment in the big summer cleaning and organizing department was the office supply cupboard. I took everything out and arranged it neatly, giving it a complete overhaul and even labeling all the shelves. Monday nights are super busy here and I didn't get to show Michael what I'd done, so this morning I told him 'you need to ooh and aah over my clean office cupboard.'  He was in a hurry getting ready for work and simply answered, 'I already did'.

I had no idea what he was talking about until I came downstairs after he'd left and saw this on the cupboard door:

 

It's so nice that we understand each other. :-)

He's Back

Just a note to say Josiah is back from his blogging break. If you want to know what teenage boys do all day you can pop over and see his latest artwork, and learn how creative thinking helps you out even as an altar boy. 

You can also find out how we came to have the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph back on our family altar. I have these old statues that had fallen (quite literally) into disrepair. A vintage look is one thing, but these were in such bad shape that I felt it wasn't appropriate to display them. Josiah has fixed all that and word of his talents is spreading. When we had our June First Friday homeschool gathering here, I opened the door to find one of the little girls bearing a statue of St. Therese. She was so excited, Look! I brought St. Therese! she said as she handed it to me, and her sisters chimed in as well, She brought St. Therese! She brought St. Therese! I was racking my brain trying to figure out the connection between St. Therese and the Sacred Heart, but it turned out St. Therese was for Josiah to work on. It is such a blessing when a child uses his talents and abilities for the glory of God (and it warms a mother's heart at the same time too)!

Happy Feast Day, Kateri!

Today is the feast of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.

Here is a prayer for her canonization: LET US PRAY

O God, who, among the many marvels of Your Grace in the New World, did cause to blossom on the banks of the Mohawk and of the St. Lawrence, the pure and tender Lily, Kateri Tekakwitha, grant we beseech You, the favor we beg through her intercession, that this Young Lover of Jesus and of His Cross may soon be counted among the Saints of Holy Mother Church, and that our hearts may be enkindled with a stronger desire to imitate her innocence and faith. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

My Kateri was named after Blessed Kateri (you can read about why she is named after Blessed Kateri in this post.) Our priest gave a very nice sermon about the life of Blessed Kateri, highlighting some of the many difficulties she faced during her short life. She was persecuted for her faith, but her spirit of joy and peace was pervasive, and others noted how her face changed and looked beautiful when she was in prayer and it was a blessing to be near her. Father told of how she loved to spend time in prayer and would stay for hours in the chapel. He also told of how she liked to make crosses out of sticks and hang them on trees in the woods as a witness to her Savior. So in honor of the feast today my big girls made these rustic crosses.

 

I think they look cool, and they can't look that different from the ones Blessed Kateri must have made. The girls are going to hang them in the trees both in the woods and in our yard.

 

I have to also tell you that my Miss Kateri is still as spirited as she's always been. After Mass I took her by the hand and brought her over to greet Father J. as he is new and doesn't know our names. I tried to explain how it was her feast day and I told her to tell Father her name.

And she solemnly replied, "Gwendolyn." (Yesterday she was Princess Imogen.)

And then of course when we laughed and corrected her and said her name was really Kateri she dissolved into tears and cried her eyes out in embarrassment and dismay.

That's my girl. :-)

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, pray for us!

Missal Bags and Prayer Books

 

I made these little tote bags for my little girls to carry their missals and prayer books to church. The little ones like having missals at Mass so they can be like everyone else - I got Kateri an old second hand missal and Eliza just has a Sunday missal, but they are both very pleased with them. Kateri has just started trying to follow along with the Mass, sitting next to her sister and comparing pictures to see if she is on the right page.

 

I had made myself this big tote bag for my 'stuff' using the One Yard, One Hour Tote Bag Pattern at Lazy Girl Designs. I really like this pattern; there's something very appealing about having the bag and lining all one piece and also using an even yard of fabric - makes it all seem neat and tidy like to me. I also appreciate how the handles are added last and so it's impossible to mess them up or put them on wrong, unlike some other bags (you don't have to ask me how I know, but it involves making tote bags  for my daughters one Christmas at like three in the morning). 

 

I made two mini versions of the bag for my girls, following the same technique, with a finished size of about 7 1/2" x 11".  I added rick rack to sweeten them up and also the crocheted flowers so they could tell them apart. Kateri picked out the fabric from the Easter clearance items and it seemed quite appropriate for a church bag.

 

Each girl has her own missal and prayer books in her bag, along with a treasured holy card or two. Our two long time favorite prayer books for the littlest ones are My Prayer Book, sized just right for little hands, and My Jesus and I.

 

The sweet illustrations with their soft hues are so lovely and each one is a lesson in itself. I don't know how many copies of these we have worn to shreds over the years, they are so well-loved. They are also quite inexpensive and nice to keep on hand for little baby gifts, and so presently my little girls each have their own brand new copies.  We read through the books and talk about the pictures at home so they can learn from these beautiful books and then enjoy looking at the pictures quietly at Mass.

Another idea for prayer books is to mount various holy cards and pictures onto colored paper and then slip them into those mini photo albums. Little ones can use these for learning the family's favorite saints, adding 'pray for us' after each one for a little litany. It's also fun for older children to help the younger ones make these books - they can do the writing and assist the little ones with stickers and other embellishments.

Small Successes - July 9

"It's important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph."

1. I am winning the war against the Japanese beetles that have invaded my yard, and I'm trying mightily to avoid the Sevin. Handpicking is working well and if you see me wandering in my yard with my red Solo cup full of suds, know it's not ale or even root beer but just soapy beetlejuice. I go outside a couple of times a day and hit all their favorite spots - the raspberries, the pussywillows, the crepe myrtle, the astilbes, the zinnias (oh, my poor zinnias). Every day there are fewer beetles. I am winning. (As this post is supposed to be about successes we will not discuss the groundhog who is actually living in my vegetable garden.)

2. I am making slow but steady progress in cleaning out and organizing all of the drawers and cupboards in my kitchen. Today we even tackled one of the drawers which could be considered a minor Junk Drawer with all of its doodads and thingamabobs that you don't know what to do with because even though you have no idea what they actually are they Look Important so you can't throw them out. I also discarded oodles of old syringes found in said drawer (fear not - they're oral syringes).

3. My daughters went outside to play and left me inside with all of the taffy they made and I didn't eat it all.

Stop by Faith and Family to check out all the other Small Successes and Terrific Triumphs! Go, Moms, go!

Lessons From the Cherry Orchard

We had such a good time on our strawberry picking outing in June that we planned to return to the same farm for more picking. (Did you read Elizabeth's  inspiring and informative article about these memorable family times in the fruit field?) And so last week we actually went cherry picking twice. After the first batch of 39 pounds was cooked or tucked away in the freezer for winter cobblers and all the pie was eaten we realized we wanted more pie. So we went back and picked just a few more - another 18 pounds. Here are some pictures and things we learned along the cherry way.

Cherry orchards are beautiful, idyllic places to be on a hot summer day.

 

 Cherry trees are nice if you are wearing brown pants and want to camouflage yourself as a tree.

 

Picking cherries is easier than picking strawberries as you don't have to bend down.

 

Even though they are certainly not blueberries, you still have to say ker-plink, ker-plank, ker-plunk with every cherry you drop in the bowl. You also have to run through the orchard and hide now and then to make sure there aren't any bears, large or small.

 

Even rangers like to pick cherries as long as Farmer Maggot isn't around.

 

You might find some lovely surprises in the cherry trees,

 

as well as some most unusual nests.

 

Picking cherries makes you happy.

 

Sometimes you have to stretch up really high to reach the cherries.

 

Sometimes you don't actually get to pick cherries when you go cherry picking, but you have the privilege of holding down the branches so a little person can carefully do the job.

 

Sometimes you just have to go off chasing the little one when she decides it's time to 'fly like a birdie'.

 

We don't cry over spilled cherries - we just laugh and pick them all up.

 

Lots and lots of cherries make a pretty sight.

 

If you were foolish enough to wash your hair right before cherry picking a kind ranger may lend you his cloak to keep the gnats from swarming around your flowery smelling head.

 

But beware - he'll most certainly take your picture if you try to dash about in the field making your cloak fly.

 

It takes a long time to pit 39 pounds of cherries.

But taking turns is nice and a handy dandy cherry pitter is worth every penny.

 

Lattice topped pies certainly look beautiful but the best tasting pie is with French crumb topping made with lots of butter and just a bit of almond extract. Not that we are opinionated or anything - that's just the general consensus here. Deciding on whipped cream or ice cream is up to you. :-)

There are also a few more ideas for using sour cherries over on my cooking blog.

Love in the Little Things

After Mass the other day Father used his long hooked pole to fetch the dried out crown of baby's breath off of the statue of Our Lady, and on a whim he plunked the little wreath on Kateri's head. He muttered something about it looked like it belonged there on top of her mass of curls.

It made her day.

She went home and drew this self-portrait, including her crown of flowers. Look at this happy, happy picture- 

She beamed as she wore her crown all day. Look, Daddy, Father gave me a crown! The next morning when she woke up the first words out of her mouth were to ask who the priest would be that day. When I told her it was Father P. she rolled over to wake up her sister saying, Wake up, Eliza! Wake up! It's going to be Father P! That was over a week ago, but this morning on the way to Mass she again asked who the priest would be, and again she gushed her approval, Father P! He's the best priest! I'm sure dear Father P. has no idea what affection his little gesture has inspired.

I think he's made a friend for life.

Happy Fourth of July!

 

We've had an incredibly busy two days. Yesterday started with Mass at 7:30 after which we came home and made pancakes, drove an hour to a field trip at a farm, after that decided to drive around the local historic sites, drove back to town and went cherry picking, stopped for milk, came home and pitted the sixteen pounds of cherries and made six pies finishing at about never mind what time at night. Today we started with Mass after which the girls tidied the whole house including the cherried kitchen, did laundry and made bread while the menfolk mowed and fertilized the lawn. Then it was off to a lovely picnic including football, volleyball, sword fighting, lots of good food and good friends and fellowship and finishing up with a rosary at dusk. Whew. The picture is of Kateri but that's how we all feel. It's been a wonderful, memorable two days but now it's really time to get some rest!

Hope your Fourth was a terrific one!