Leila Marie Lawler's Blog, page 15
August 13, 2022
Chatty
My house these days feels very “before” all over. Do you know what I mean? I’m a bit horrified of taking any pictures.
Of course there was the intense heat for weeks (remember, we don’t have AC! Normally that’s fine and we can even take a week-long heat wave but this one was something else, let me tell you).
That wiped me out. I could barely function. I was like a shadow, a melting, sweating, roasting shadow of my former self.
And we’re currently re-doing the porch steps and railings, and pondering a kitchen rehab, which of course means too much time looking at pictures and pinning things and talking to people…
But of course, normal putterings still go on… thought I’d chitchat with you about some of them!
My husband suddenly figured out what he would do with some random boards of good, solid wood we had lying around — cherry from our yard (most of which went into our dining room table) and rock maple from some long-ago benches.
He worked like a madman, cutting and gluing and recutting and re-gluing — it’s like making a scrap quilt, but with wood — and made me an end-grain cutting board!
I really love it! It’s heavy and just beautiful. My pictures can’t really do it justice, but as time goes on you will see it here and there. It’s truly lovely.
On a lighter whim, I collected fennel pollen, as I read that it makes a lovely seasoning. You just tap the pollen out of the flower heads onto some parchment paper.
I made Basbousa, which is a traditional Egyptian cakey, cookie, honey-soaked semolina kind of dessert, and sprinkled it on there. I will hold off on sharing a recipe for the Basbousa, because I tinkered quite a bit with the one I was using and definitely need to test it. I love how Arabic desserts are all variations on “butter + sugar + some pastry + soak in sweet syrup, what could go wrong”!
I don’t know if we tasted the pollen, to be honest. The information is that the fennel pollen is strong and to use it sparingly, but maybe I needed a heavier hand. I will try again with something else… I have a tab open with Smitten Kitchen shortbread, and that might be different! I was just holding off making it until the Basbousa is eaten, since I plan to make Deb’s recipe with the optional semolina (or maybe farina) and how many sweets of that kind should two people have around tempting them, anyway?
Perhaps I was so gutted by the heat because I kept baking, but I can’t help that. One overwhelming day I put my dough in early to try to beat the worst of it, and decided to test whether it makes a difference to bake in a Dutch oven or on baking trays with a pan of boiling water on the other shelf.
Here you have two loaves (circled in red), baked the latter way, and two the former. (I didn’t dust the pan ones with flour, and they are all slightly different sizes due to my different size bannetons, but otherwise they are the same.)
Here’s the crumb (again, slightly different-sized loaves):
My conclusion?
I think they were very similar!
And I dehydrated garlic to make powder! You can see the method here in my Instagram highlight.
I will put the full comparison of the loaves in my IG stories as well later on!
I have a new podcast up on the Restoration of Christian Culture site: The Summa Domestica: A Homeschool Retreat for Mothers and Fathers. I go over the contents of Volume Two, offering a sort of mini-retreat to set goals and ponder vision!
I meant to end my talk with this passage that is actually the last one in that book, but I will tell you now:
In the sanctuary fo the home, we can teach the child the way he should go, with all the love, affection, and firm authority that suit the task perfectly. Have hope and be of good cheer in the beautiful enterprise of educating your children.
I would love for you to give a listen and share!
bits & piecesThe baby formula shortage continues. Please share my post about the importance of breastfeeding and encouraging others to breastfeed (it includes a recipe for formula for those who truly can’t). I have shared this podcast before, that I did with Eric Sammons on the subject, but it’s still relevant.
There is a lot of misinformation out there, including among experts, about breastfeeding — and a lot of it leads to failure to breastfeed and sometimes to the baby’s failure to thrive. This site is informative and this article is worth reading, about human milk fortifiers and preemies.
Some of us who were formed as conservatives before the age of clickbait, when reading essays in journals was a thing, not to mention whole books, would love to encourage others to delve into the seminal works. The arguments today are the same ones that were addressed so trenchantly by the giants of the movement. It’s heartbreaking to see people ill equipped to spot and refute the same fallacies — and to observe the culture embracing them all over again. This article revisits one of the greats, Brent Bozell, and offers a bit of a reading list.
A detailed review of mask evidence (spoiler: they still don’t work). I’m only saying lest we all succumb to the inevitable, again….
In my book, The Summa Domestica (as well as in a series here on the blog), I write at length about the moral education of children. I think we ourselves and our children can benefit from this review: 9 Ways You Might Be Sharing in the Sins of Others. A younger child just needs your gentle guidance in your own words as the situation warrants. An older one could read this article for himself.
from the archivesHere is that moral education series (all linked within) here on the blog. It’s also a section in my book!
Here’s an “after” to make up for my current “my life is all befores” attitude: the dining room after Bridget painted it!
liturgical living
Hat tip to Peter Kwasniewski for this quintessential Fr. Schall essay, a bit longer than most, on that saint and some profitable musings on education.
follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
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July 30, 2022
Emergency Summer Reading: The Gift of Modesty
Having spent a lovely day at a crowded beach, I just want to re-up my little short reading of A Return to Modesty by Wendy Shalit (all the posts are linked in this last one).
I have the feeling that many mothers are theoretically all in favor of modesty, or perhaps are somewhat conflicted; many fathers don’t really give it a thought (and that is odd to me).
But in reality they just let their kids do what other kids are doing. In conversation they deplore the current state of provocative fashion, but they find themselves incapable of doing anything about it. But I’m here to urge you to change that.
Unfortunately, the envelope has been pushed so far that there is really nowhere to go — and nothing, and I mean nothing, is hidden — and this is by no means a new situation! Decades of string bikinis seem to have settled the matter. I mean, I’m in my 60s and they seem ancient to me. But human nature doesn’t change, and what is immodest will continue to be immodest, even if grandmas have forgotten to blush.
In matters of fashion, we all have a tendency to pose and check our looks out, in that one pose. But when you are moving around, you bend, you twist, you slump, you, in short, do not maintain that pose.
When the article of clothing is extremely, terminally skimpy, you, or more importantly your lovely, innocent, sweet daughter, is, simply put, exposed.
It’s of no use to say that people (men, boys) ought to avert their eyes. That girl, your daughter, is bending over to get a drink out of the cooler and there is a beach full of males over whom you have no control, right behind her, getting a show. A show of your daughter’s precious body.
As I said in the title, this is an emergency. It simply doesn’t matter what other people are doing — doesn’t matter that all the girls in her class are wearing tiny bathing suits (and, not coincidentally, spending time and money on whatever is necessary to mitigate what is being seen underneath and around; hardly a fitting expenditure in any dimension, whether monetary or otherwise — and it’s very strange to think that a girl of 14 or 15 is becoming absorbed in such matters). Maybe think about whether her class and her friends are the best for her, if modesty, if being different, is out of the question. And know that in many communities, many lovely young women are discovering the joys of dressing in an attractive, yet modest way!
The truth is that covering up reasonably is amazingly freeing. Wendy Shalit’s book makes that point admirably. You don’t have to choose between posing and exposing. You don’t have to worry about bikini lines or spend money and time on attending to them — or, well, any of it. You can move without consciousness of self other than that you have confidence.
Don’t we want our daughters to have this gift?
It will take a little… endurance of the ensuing response — which I call attitude. The aftermath won’t be fun. Men are much better at this sort of endurance than women, so my suggestion is to announce the change and then let him enforce. One will also have to change one’s own beach wear… which will not be a bad thing at all, if my observations serve me well.
Also, teach your daughters to have awareness of their surroundings and.. what is the word… plié? dip at the knees — rather than bend over when reaching down in a short skirt, much less a bikini.
Read the book. Women and girls gain nothing but a sort of slavery by being immodest. We gain freedom by being modest. The day, a couple of decades ago, that I discovered that swimsuit can have a little skirt on it was a glorious day of liberty! (Same for all athletic wear!)
Have your teenage daughter bend over wearing her current swimsuit in front of your husband — make him observe. I think then you will have all the support you need. I hope so. This really is a hill to die on.
Relatedly, teach your young boys and encourage your husband to teach them, gently and delicately, to have the habit of what used to be called “guarding the eyes” — simply looking away when presented with immodesty. They can also practice looking at a girl’s face and into her eyes rather than at her body. We can acknowledge that women today are sadly mistaken and girls are not protected (“I feel sorry for them — no one has taught them how free they could be”), and that a boy can do his part by simply looking elsewhere.
I welcome any resources you might wish to leave in the comments for shopping opportunities! Let’s share the information and help each other!
bits & piecesSome nice recommendations for reference books for the family library
The city without divorce
Why all Christians should care about the fate of the Latin Mass
And non-Christians too, many of whom signed what is now called The Agatha Christie Indult. More: The Mystery of the Agatha Christie Indult
An excellent article: Abortion and the Reformation of Male Strength. It’s Pope Pius XI who explored, in his encyclical Casti Connubii, the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church that a woman is queen of her home and lowers herself by competing with men. I wrote about this nearly forgotten but central truth in my book, God Has No Grandchildren. (affiliate link — and if you have read this book, would you be so kind as to leave a review for me there on Amazon, so that others can find it? Thank you!)from the archivesNo, really, let’s read A Return to Modesty
Practically the whole of the task of raising children can be summed up by saying we are trying to give them self control and situational awareness. If you want teenagers who respect your judgement, you need to be willing to make your eight-year-old wait a few minutes for lunch and obey you when you tell him to stop drumming on the table. (Nevertheless, even mindless teenagers are desperately seeking guidance. They will resist, they will wail. Remain firm and give them what they need while you still can.)
Remember, the archives of this blog are edited, collected, and expanded in the three volumes (with ribbon bookmarks! and index! and illustrations by Deirdre!) of The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life! The paperback versions should be coming out soon; meanwhile you can order from Amazon (affiliate link) or from this little shop: Montessori Munchkin!
A few readers have kindly told me that they are using volume 2, Education, as a homeschool retreat in preparation for the coming school year. That could be a wonderful undertaking for a few friends or the homeschooling group, for August, to get a renewed purpose and a vision. If you are feeling a bit panicky, I believe you will find some calm in the chapters. In that volume, I provide an overview for goals and a roadmap for each subject, as well as offering criteria for choosing books and curriculum. See what you think! And if you have read the books, please do leave a review on Amazon so others can find it! Thank you!
liturgical living
St. Peter Chrysologus (“the man of golden speech”).
follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
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July 23, 2022
The best zucchini bread recipe
[Imagine here a photo of giant zukes in a laundry basket — the photo simply will not load for me, waah]
Zucchini overload, take it as read! But seriously, this is the recipe I go to for zucchini “bread” (cake really, but no one is complaining) — I don’t use any other. It’s from Auntie Sue.
The big zukes I slice and grill — I probably will post/already have posted on Instagram about that. It’s simple — even the biggest ones that you forgot about under those giant leaves can be sliced, tossed with a little oil, and grilled. There is some in the freezer as we speak for delectable roasted vegetable lasagna in the winter.
And of course save your harvest by grating extra when you make this recipe for bread and putting it in the freezer in 2-cup quantities (I use quart-sized freezer ziplocs), ready to be pulled out for new batches later. No draining, just chucking into this easy recipe that is a one-bowl, no fuss wonder.
I confess, as I see now that I am transcribing rather than glancing at the recipe, that I mindlessly put a bit more than four cups of grated zucchini in this batch without doubling the rest of the ingredients, and used my truly extreme chickens’ eggs, each of which is worth two of the normal large ones you buy, and ended up adding more flour because yes, it all seemed a bit drippy, but it was fine. I suppose these errors are what account for the slightly more open crumb at the top of those slices, but in the end it’s only more tender and moist than in its normal perfection.
No matter what, this recipe is going to yield a universally beloved snacking cake and amply justify having planted all that squash.**
NB: The vanilla and cinnamon are non-negotiable in my opinion – -they are the flavorings that give the bread its irresistible flavor; but the nuts can be omitted.
Auntie Sue’s Zucchini Bread
Makes two loaves (you can also make zucchini muffins of course — just bake for 18 minutes, depending on the muffin cup size, until springy and puffed)
Preheat oven to 350℉.
Spray or grease well two loaf pans of a normal size†
Mix all together in a bowl, giving the first 3 ingredients a stir to blend before adding the oil:
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup oil (I use peanut oil*)
2 cups grated zucchini
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups flour (I used my freshly milled winter white wheat flour and it’s perfect)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup nuts (pecans would be good)
coarse sugar for sprinkling on the batter before baking for that appealing crusty-glazed top
Divide between your two prepared loaf pans.
† I have also made this in two 9″ cake pans, lined with waxed paper, and when cooled, frosted with a rich cream cheese frosting such as you would use for carrot cake. And that is a heavenly way to gussy it up!
Bake for 45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and the top has puffed up and even cracked a bit.
Turn out onto a cooling rack. Enjoy!
*My plan is to feed the excess produce, even after all the projected storage, to the chickens. With feed at the prices it is now, and rising, I think doing this will also justify having over-planted!
**I really only use animal fats, olive oil, coconut oil, and peanut oil (that I buy in small quantities to avoid having it go rancid) in my cooking. You can read about how bad seed oils are for you. What are your thoughts about this? Something is up with how unhealthy we Americans are in general…
bits & piecesTell your children the stories of the saints:The martyrdom of the most beautiful woman in Europe.
I like this decorating blog, though it’s hard to read (she is working on changing her platform and maybe it will be better). Lots of design information, especially about paint. I would add, about blue paint, the topic of this particular post: remember that when you turn the lights on (as you almost always will in the dining room, say), the yellow of the light will render the paint… green. Blue + yellow = green, that’s just how it works. So examine your chip or swatch in the light you will actually be using (and make it incandescent, not LED, light, so that you can be happy and not strangely depressed and discontented with your lot).
Educating children is a primary goal of marriage (wrapped up in their begetting and inextricable from it). And what is the primary goal of education? Bishop Conley, who studied with my hero John Senior, has a good essay on this topic.
There should be zero controversy about being informed on a medical decision. No labels should ever be slapped on someone seeking to know more about a treatment, especially an invasive one (for instance, a shot). In fact, it ought to shock and warn us if we are told we should not question such things. This website has a lot of information on vaccines, much of which is taken from the material supplied by the manufacturer. Poke around and see what you think.
from the archivesRegarding Beauty and Saving the Neighborhood and all, I have been brainstorming how to make a shrine (ie have The Chief make it) and how to get a weatherproof icon for it. A friend sent this promotion from Legacy Icons. “Free icon with purchase of wooden shrine.” I haven’t looked into it yet, but thought I’d link it here so we can figure it out together — the offer is good until the end of July. Looks like you have to get to the checkout to get the free icon…
From Deirdre: Is it scary to start a St. Gregory Pocket?
You can look up at the menu bar to see our posts about what and where they are! And here’s a good idea to meet up with people: go to the geographical Facebook page for your area and simply ask, “Are there any members here who go to [name your church]/read the blog Like Mother, Like Daughter/are interested in a traditional-minded mothers’ group near [name your town]/are homeschooling using Charlotte Mason principles” and so on. People will reach out to you and you can get the beginnings of your Pocket that way.
And dear reader Katie’s family is military and will be heading for Warner Robins, GA soon. She is interested in meeting like-minded LMLD readers in hopes of starting a Pocket! If you are near there, please contact me! We can get it going.
Notice that I don’t have any St. Greg’s swag, membership, fees, or dues. I’m not monetizing this. It’s simply a template for people to use the internet to form offline, real-life friendships in hopes of building that larger community that will be there for the children when they desperately need peers whose families have standards. It’s for making friends in the community who will be there not only for the bookclub, but for taking care of kids during doctor’s appointments, bringing meals, and getting the husbands together too.
liturgical livingfollow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
The post The best zucchini bread recipe appeared first on .
July 16, 2022
How to hang laundry out on the line
On these lovely July days I am enjoying hanging out the laundry so much. Here is a chore that fits well into what we were discussing last week. It seems almost incredible that anyone would hang all the laundry outside in this day and age! Is it a waste of time? Don’t we have a machine for this?
The paradox is that if the keeper of the home, the wife, the… housewife (to use a word that I love for its shock value)… hasn’t scheduled every moment in a bid for efficiency*, what seems like a useless chore becomes a real pleasure. Getting away from the hum of the house, doing a repetitive task out where the birds are singing and you can enjoy the sun on the leaves and the dew on the grass, well, it’s not so bad! In fact, the job satisfaction, as I once heard an Indian gentleman say in an interview on NPR, is extremely very high!
*You know I love efficiency — my father was an engineer and I am all about not wasting movements and so on. But there is a true efficiency of doing the task in an orderly and rational fashion and a false efficiency that doesn’t take into account a universal openness to unknowns, hard to measure, and it’s this latter type that I am challenging.
And of course, there’s saving money and sanitizing your clothing in the sun. I though I would give you my how-tos, even though my mother would have laughed at the idea of a post about this! Just hang it, she’d say! But it’s fun to talk about such things anyway…
Set up your line:
In my previous house I had a line that went from my covered back porch landing out to the edge of the garage, and it was on pulleys. That was great. I could stand there even in a light shower (knowing it would clear up shortly), with my pins in a hanging bag on a hook under the low roof and my basket on the floor of the porch.
Even my little kids would perch on the railing and pin the clothes up! Deirdre thought it was magical and cried tears of anguish when we moved. “How can we leave the clothesline?” I know, baby…
I don’t have a picture of that setup, unfortunately. Maybe she can draw one some day!
My yard here where we put the line is downhill from the house; it’s the one spot that is handy to the door, in the sun, and not near trees or where kids throw balls, but it’s pretty wet underfoot in the spring.
Well, it used to be quite handy, when the laundry was in the mudroom; now my machines are way upstairs on the other side of the house, and I briefly considered a pulley line out of the window up there. However, the line would then be in the shade.
Turns out, though, that it’s not the hardship you would think to carry the basket down. However, the wetness underfoot does limit my line-drying season. Otherwise it’s a good spot.
So do what you can. Obviously the closer to where the wet clothes emerge, the better. But don’t be daunted by a little distance — you can deduct it from your upper-arm exercises and steps later, if you keep track of such things, which I certainly do not!
If all you have is a balcony, a folding rack can work, or a line stretched from one side to the other. Keep the area swept and free of spider webs. An umbrella clothesline can work in a small yard and holds more than you think. The main thing is to have it relatively clean under your feet and in the breezy sunshine. Try not to be walking through mud or weeds to your line, because you won’t be up to facing the task if it’s not pleasant.
I advise you to put up enough line for several loads of washing if you have the room. You want to get that washer going early in the morning and be able to hang your clothes out by noon so things dry all in the one day. If you have to wait on things to dry before you can hang more, you’ll be frustrated.
With all the laundry I was doing (seven kids and the household that goes along with that size family), I knew I wanted a lot of line! I have achieved the ideal setup as far as that goes (thanks to my husband of course!): The poles are 20 feet apart. They are 6 feet high (and at least two feet into the ground, in cement, although in the spring even the footings lean in the rush of water from the hill. I try to remember to push them in place before the ground dries out again but I don’t always, so they may appear wonky some years!
The lines are 2 feet apart from each other. The crossbars are 8 feet long, so the outside lines are one foot in. This gives me 80 feet of line! Usually enough!
Hang the clothes:
I prefer spring clothespins; you can get them at the hardware store. I like having them in a clothespin bag or in my apron pocket, bringing them in every time — that way they last longer and don’t get moldy. You can leave them out on the line and just replace them more often. On a porch or balcony they will last longer. I need to open the new pack I got in the spring!
Change your clothesline when it gets dirty. Clothesline is not expensive and a new one in the new season is a refreshing lift.
If your neighbors or visitors can see the line and you’d like some modest privacy, hang the undies and so on behind the shirts and towels, out of direct view.
I use one pin per small undergarment, two for underwear t-shirts. Hang shirts by the lower hem so you don’t get awkward stretch marks on the shoulders. Hang pants, shorts, and skirts by the waistband so the hem isn’t distorted.
Don’t stretch the garment along the line — that way you have more room on your line and the item doesn’t get pulled out. The exception is dish towels and napkins, which dry neater pulled to their full width (but not under tension, so that when you fold them they aren’t pulled out on one edge, and will fold neatly).
If you are running out of room or clothespins, you can use one clothespin to secure two items — two dishcloths together or shirts sharing a pin on each edge with the next one, for instance. And put the ends of shirts closer to each other — they can hang down and will dry just fine.
Heavy mats can be doubled over the line, or their weight will cause them to pull out of the pins, especially if a strong breeze comes up. Big sheets and blankets can be pinned across two rows with four or six pins, hanging down between but not touching the ground.
Long ago I posted about one time when my friend’s dryer was broken and she came over to hang her things. Her children did the chore for her and the littler kids pinned small garments to the bottoms of the bigger items that the taller kids had hung normally! It was pretty cute. And worked just fine.
I can get extremely OCD while hanging clothes, and have to remind myself that it’s not that important! I end up fussing about whether dishtowels are arranged by kind together and socks as well… too silly.
Take them in:
I leave my basket out in the path between the asparagus beds. Be aware that the basket will kill the grass under it in the hot sun, even after just an hour or two! Somehow it doesn’t kill the weeds on that path, though…
Before getting the clothes down, I shake the basket out so as not to import stray spiders and so on.
Take your clothes down, throw them into the basket, and voilà! Your laundry is ready to fold!
FAQs
Stiff towels? Doesn’t bother me! I don’t like wimpy, soft, one-tick-above-damp towels. I am always happy when I pull out a line-dried towel! That said, you can give them a fluff in the dryer if you really need to.
Bird poop? Because you’ve located your line away from trees, this rarely happens. If it does, you can spot clean easily or just re-wash. But I can count on one hand the times this has happened, really.
Rain? I try to time the drying to avoid the rain, obviously. Sometimes it rains, and you know what? The sun comes out and the things dry! They are on a clothesline! Worst case, you have to put them in the dryer for a little while, or hang inside. Oh well!
Bugs? Give the things a snap as you throw them into the basket.
Fading? I like to have an inside rack no matter what. The things that would fade outside will fade in the dryer too.
Pollen? In some seasons, the trees are spewing pollen and that can be a problem for those with allergies. I do the sheets in the dryer when the pollen is high. But usually it’s not a problem. I wonder, too, if more exposure builds immunity? I don’t know. But normally we don’t worry about it. I will say that when the pollen is bad, it’s a good idea to wipe the clothesline down with a damp towel so you don’t get a yellow line on your clothes!
I hope you have a chance to hang your laundry out! If you do, what are your tips?
Remember, most things in life are learned by doing!
bits & pieces
Of course, hanging laundry is part of daily life. Not being over-scheduled allows the woman to be free to meet the unusual and sometimes difficult aspects of life that are not so peaceful — but a peaceful existence requires that someone be available, and with a loving heart. I appreciated this reflection from Lucille Foley on her journey to the hidden life of home, the woman’s secret weapon.I personally played Für Elise to death back in the day, and normally cringe whenever I hear it these days. I don’t know how piano teachers get through the Für Elise stage… but here’s a version that makes it all better again! Beethoven meets Flamenco
I will never eat fake meat. Meat is good for you and for the environment! (When raised properly of course.)
The Pious Mind of a Sacred Musician
Don’t be fooled by “nice” — a good warning from Leila Miller.
from the archives
A young child can do laundryMy upstairs laundry room
liturgical living
Our Lady of Mount Carmel — I should have saved that documentary I posted last week for today, but you can watch it now!
follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
The post How to hang laundry out on the line appeared first on .
July 9, 2022
A pep talk about time
My pep talk is below, but first I have to tell you: I have made a huge mistake.
In the past, I have pretty much failed at zucchini, which I know is like saying you failed at falling down, but there it is.
But this year I have these two giant plants that are already a success, plus the zucchini-ish volunteer that I have carefully trellised due to lack of faith in myself.
It’s early July and I already have a glut.
Having given thought to preservation methods for this watery vegetable that might not be too appealing in many forms later on, I decided I would first roast the ones I had picked (probably already about 3 lbs) for freezing. I love a vegetable lasagna layered with roasted zukes and eggplant. Later I will shred some and put that by for zucchini bread.
However, I spent too much time while they were in the 450° oven looking up how to preserve them and… they burnt to a crisp.
They burned so thoroughly that I had to stick the pan outside last night lest all our smoke detectors go off!
I don’t know how I didn’t notice that this was happening. I’m so out of it and also allergies have me all stuffed up!
Sigh (but can we admire the many blooms on my heretofore sparse hydrangea?). I’m sure I’ll have another chance though!
Okay, time for this quick pep talk. I hope you are having a wonderful summer and enjoying yourselves! I hope you are letting your children splash about in the water, make mud pies, play baseball, and generally get physically worn out and mentally recharged. If you live in the antipodes and it’s mid-winter or if you are one of my Arizona friends huddling in the AC, sorry. I am still hoping you are enjoying something!
This is my pep talk, and I don’t know how to make it sound like what it is — the key to a life that isn’t frantic — and not a truism that you can brush aside and go on with methods that might be contributing to general angst.
Here it is: Schedule less in your day and in your life generally.
Most of the things will schedule themselves (doctors’ appointments, social events, baptisms, and so on). The man of the family definitely has most of his time scheduled for him. He is beholden to an outside force. Even if he works for himself, he has to provide a living.
To have a peaceful family and a life oriented to the good, we need time — unscheduled time. The woman of the house needs to fend off the urge to make use of every hour and minute.
That means that often she will be somewhat haunted by the thought that others are judging her for not being enterprising!
Think about it — in order to be available to take up the slack, meet an emergency, or even be mentally and physically present for an unforeseen opportunity (say, with a child who is discovering a feature of the world fairly common to every adult, but magical to him at the moment), the mother will by definition require time that is unscheduled. She has to live within this tension of being at rest in order to leap into action. If she doesn’t accept the potential for tension (at least as a perceived by others and thus a matter for self-judgment that she might succumb to), she will not be available. To a certain extent in our society, to be calm we have to accept that we will always feel the pressure to do otherwise; hence, the tension.
There is even more to protecting the wife’s time. I have noticed that the one thing that makes most women accept feminism (even if we can’t really define the ideology) is, if we listen closely to what they say, that they really don’t think women should have to do housework. Housework seems like the worst drudgery, the worst fate, avoiding which would justify doing any other sort of work, even work that is objectively far more tedious and limiting than sweeping a floor or even, gasp, cleaning a bathroom.
Yet housework loses all its horrors and even becomes a pleasure if we don’t have to rush through it. Making best use of our time can mean using it fully for the task at hand and no more, not, as we so often interpret it, being so efficient that we regard failing to rush as a sort of defect.
It’s true that mopping a floor with a couple of toddlers running about can be frustrating. But one of the factors that makes it almost intolerable is the sense that we don’t have time for it, that there are pressing matters we have to get to. Without this pressure, even housework with young children can be, dare I say, fulfilling. It can even give us mental room in which to contemplate much higher thoughts; it can even be a means of prayer. We just need time in which to do it.
Certainly, the family has no room for pursuing creative ideas and activities if the normal pattern is to be busy with the world’s demands. You’ve heard it before, but it’s worth thinking about again as a real challenge: just because everyone is doing something, doesn’t mean our family has to do it!
This is why I insist that basing family survival on two incomes is not a good idea. When both parents have outside commitments and time that is spoken for, there is no wiggle room, no cushion, no buffer. They think they are providing more security, but the choices are made on the basis of everything going right. That means that any disruption is perceived as an attack instead of how life actually is.
The need for everything to go perfectly well, since the buffers are removed, underlies what I have talked about as “baby resistance” — the idea and really fear that another child will create untenable disturbances (for instance, some time when mom feels sick and can do little). Yet children are the blessing of marriage and a great gift to all. The ups and downs, even if the downs are sometimes catastrophic, can be managed where the family has chosen to leave breathing room.
Deliberately choosing catastrophe? What am I saying? But catastrophe is part of life. We can’t control illness, accident, even death. We can only control our attitude towards these things and our arrangement of our choices to meet with serenity (or at least not utter panic) what we know we cannot avoid. If instead we accept the world’s idea of busy-ness, avoiding the vulnerability of leaving our time open, we miss out on the joys, small and large, of life lived differently.
Husband and wife should view time as a gift and prioritize keeping it as free as they can, especially the wife’s time. Even for those who have made the decision to have the wife home, the danger is therefore to think of her time as available for scheduling.
Choose not to do more. Guard the time.
bits & piecesI have a new, very short (15 minutes!) podcast on the topic of beauty saving the neighborhood!
Melody Lyons had posted about her miscarriage and how she dealt with it. A discussion ensued on my FB page about the collective memory we have lost. Some resources in case of miscarriage that we should bookmark and share with the pastor of our church and our mothers’ networks: Management of miscarriage; practical spiritual help. (A priest at the Abbey near us suggests ordering a headstone from a company that provides them for pets as much more affordable than the alternative.)
A bit of a rough podcast, but we need to wake up to the dangers of transitioning, so called, especially for children.
A beautiful documentary about the Carmelites of Fairfield, PA; their life and the specific challenge they face from those who wish to eliminate their charism of being hidden and living simply with God. I found that watching it helped me to think more about the value of the housewife deciding not to rush through her chores. Why do we despise our little tasks?
I kind of like this funny guy, and here he listens to a 16th century song.
A new, monumental altarpiece!
from the archivesThe other day a new friend came by to pick up some sourdough starter from me, and we were chatting about this and that. She mentioned that she loves The Summa Domestica (so sweet of her to tell me!) and has given it as a gift to several of her friends, especially one friend who suffers from UTIs, because I have a chapter in the appendix with this post. I said that this is good to know, because my (totally darling) editor had asked me if I really thought this particular post should go in the book; it seems so different from the others. Oh yes, I said — and my new friend nodded her head vigorously — UTIs and mastitis are two issues women have that feel very defeating and make motherhood so hard. Trying my best to keep the collective memory!
Men Without Chests… and all sorts of virtues we withhold from our children and then lament that they have no self control.
liturgical living
follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
The post A pep talk about time appeared first on .
July 2, 2022
I’m back, with wedding photos, garden, and Dobbs!
I said there would be a hiatus, and the trouble with those is that it’s hard to come back! For one thing, the dumb platform is so hi-tech and they’ve improved things so much that getting a picture up here is like swapping out discs back in the 90s. Dial-up was faster. Not sure how upgrades can be so very… thwarting, but there it is.
For another, over the weeks I’ve thought about so many topics and answered so many questions via email that I have more to say than can be popped into a snappy blog post, especially one where I have to add these important photos:
I’m working with cell phone pictures here, not my own!
This is our Will, our sixth child, third boy, marrying his sweet Jaime:
Here, these are sharper:
Isn’t that wonderful?
We couldn’t be happier to welcome dear Jaime and to rejoice with Will, almost the baby of the family — now a married man!
Besides wedding joy and an extended family vacation in Maine (totally not pictured), I have been spending all day every day in the garden — it’s officially an obsession, one that also has an element of a race against time and impending heat.
Here in New England it’s a mad rush from “it could snow in May” to “that was the Solstice, mate” — from hope for all the green growing possibilities to a philosophical resignation for this year’s realities.
I’m quite pleased with my decision to use my propane torch on the weeds in these bricks. My hands are now officially too arthritic to go through the work of pulling them, not to mention kneeling out there in the heat. I mean, I bought the torch to attack the weeds. But I was reluctant to use it here because I didn’t want to kill the moss along with the crabgrass. I think it’s going to be okay.
One of the events during my blog hiatus was the Supreme Court Dobbs decision — I must say something about it! I am almost frozen in disbelief that Roe and Casey were overturned. My whole adult life has been spent in what I thought was a quixotic, hopeless effort to achieve this aim — from, of course, the position of someone who could do very little.
For those who want not only to raise children in a healthy environment but, in some way however small, effect change in the sorry situation out in the world, this ruling is a great opportunity and gift, so much more than we ever hoped for. I will try briefly to explain why.
For too long, our attention and energy has been sucked away in federal matters, including the biennial election cycles, as we focused on the desperate need to fight for the unborn. But when we think about the principle of subsidiarity — and indeed the multi-layered system of government that our land has been blessed with — we realize that the further away from home decisions are made, the less we are able to influence them.
The reasoning of the Dobbs case in returning the matter to the states helps us make better use of our time. For some of us (not the Lawlers, alas, here in Massachusetts), this means being relieved of the urgent necessity to be active in this particular case. Since there are many other urgent political fights, activity can be directed towards them.
For others, extreme and unbridled abortion laws now kick into effect, and those definitely need to be fought. Incumbent politicians need to lose when new and better ones take their place. Laws need to be made to protect the unborn. But all that mental effort, all the campaigning and working for bills, all of becomes much more effective, the closer to home it gets. We can make so much more of a difference in a state race than a federal one. We can be heard when the forum is in our city or town. The state house is not that far away from us, wherever we live.
And that should be heartening. It’s always a good thing to be reminded of the paradox that the littler a sphere is, the more we should be devoted to it. In many ways, I think a lot of us have been overwhelmed by the seemingly exponential growth of the power of evil in our society. Wrong ideas and terrible actions, aggressive symbols and deafening noise loom over us.
We should never lose sight of the goodness that comes of living well — of marrying, loving our spouse with a cheerful heart, having children, making a beautiful — if humble — home, making a place in our home to remind us to pray, singing songs together, having friends over for a bonfire, and in general enjoying the good things God has given us, with gratitude.
That gratitude radiates outwards to the land. Without this inner life of peace and rest, we cannot be effective in the world. Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking that when bad things are going on, it’s somehow sinful to be happy.
I think the benefit, the providential meaning, of this particular ruling for those of us who have been absorbed in the battle for so long, is to restrict the scope of our activism back to where it ought to be: in our neighborhood, town, and state. It’s a first step to recovering our place. Resist the entrenched institutions that want to keep hold of your attention out in the furthest level, the one that you can do little about. Embrace the opportunity to come back where you belong — home.
bits & piecesJohn Cuddeback on making time for the little things so we can raise our children like The Little Prince.The arguments against abortion are in natural law, but Scripture testifies also. (Contrary to what some say!)One fight that needs to happen: stop the mutilation of our children’s bodiesThe Magic of the Altar RailI had a conversation with Eric Sammons about the baby formula shortage — and the deeper reasons our country is so dependent on formula in the first place.I have a new podcast of my own on The Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture, but it hasn’t been released yet. It will be short and sweet — a reprise of my “Beauty Will Save the Neighborhood” post, which I just had to do as I noticed yard signs going from vague to outright scary. I will update this post with the information and then perhaps you can share it with someone who isn’t into blogs!One of the best short responses to Dobbs, by Suzan Sammons: Covid Jabs Revealed Hidden Pro-life HeroesAnother, taking on the wishy-washy Christians who argue illogically, by Leila Miller: It was Never about Just Hearts and MindsLet’s be honest: Peter Hitchens: Our selfish dismantling of marriage has left children in a lonely Dickensian hellI’m making bacon. I’ll tell you how it works — you tell me how yours works! This project sent e down a ridiculous rabbit hole involving me dehydrating celery so I could make powder of it and use that instead of pink salt (both powder and salt are unavailable in my area and I needed one of them STAT).from the archivesMath goals for your youngster (an example of what became a chapter in my book!)But never mind, do give your children an old-fashioned summer! (Also a chapter in my book!)liturgical living
Roman martyrs — and in the Traditional Roman calendar, The Visitation.
follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
The post I’m back, with wedding photos, garden, and Dobbs! appeared first on .
May 7, 2022
A probable hiatus
Things are getting busy around here. I’m headed to Chicago next week to speak (come have lunch with me!), then RI for a parish visit where Phil and I will talk and host a Q&A (come have a chat!).
And then we are entering Wedding Zone — our Will is getting married! We are of course super excited!
And not only will he be taking The Big Step with his lovely Jaime, but of course the family will be gathered from the four winds, which I’m greatly looking forward to!
So I will not be here much for about a month. You could poke around the archives and catch up with the many fascinating links I have posted, most of which are not time-restricted. In fact, sometimes I’ll be looking for something and come across an older bits & pieces post and be quite taken with the engrossing, riveting, and thoughtful articles I’ve put here! I’ll think — “Well, that was quite interesting!” Maybe you will as well.
I will see you later. Don’t forget to buy books and follow us in all the places (listed below). Think about what you’d like to talk about when I come back! I almost have too many ideas to choose one!
bits & piecesI am a little obsessed with Antiques Roadshow, and of course finding an actual Roman bust at Goodwill would be an adventure!
Listen to this little gem of a hymn.(It will be a prelude at Will’s wedding!)
Sister Maria Bernadette of the Cross — the story of a 20th-century Polish nun who trod the quiet road of sacrifice for love of Christ.
Down with revisionism! A few years ago my dear husband surprised me with tickets to a Mozart opera in Boston. The actual music was sublime; the production was awful, an assault on reason. You cannot make Don Giovanni into a feminist rant.
I was interviewed by Stephanie Burke from Spiritual Direction on Hidden Graces: Rediscovering God’s Design for Women.We didn’t get to all the questions — when I look at them, I definitely want to answer them! Maybe I will have a chance to soon.
from the archivesCovering my thrifted deck furniture, back in 2016. This week I put those same cushions back out in the sunny weather! Going strong for 6 years!
A good reading list for summer! Books Every Boy Should Hazard (a rare guest post!)
What is the LMLD Library Project?
follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
The post A probable hiatus appeared first on .
April 30, 2022
What to Teach Schoolchildren
It’s remarkable how far we’ve gone down the road of insanity. While people are debating whether it’s cruel or reasonable to ban “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity… in kindergarten through grade 3” in Florida, I am over here thinking about what the young child actually needs to learn at school and did learn, until minds got lost.
I put what I wanted to say about sex education in this article (too long; didn’t read version: Parents decide and are owed support). It should be abundantly clear to anyone and everyone that any adult who is not the child’s parent who wants to speak to that child about intimate matters is not up to any good, and the child should be diligently protected at all costs from such a person. Parents need to know that there is no time to lose and the child should be removed instantly from such harm.
The whole thing, though, begs the question, as I say, of what the child ought to be learning, never mind what he shouldn’t learn! And the flip side of the sex-education-in-school question is another one that comes up often amongst earnest, well meaning types: How can we prepare adults for marriage, seeing as that institution is not working out for so many?
The answer, so readily proffered, that also frustrates me no end takes the form of some sort of crash course on marital relations (“better marriage prep/Pre-Cana”), to be inflicted on the couple before they are allowed to proceed. (I’m not opposed, naturally, to the priest sitting down with the couple and reminding them of a few things and helping them prepare for the Sacrament.)
Both questions — what to teach a young child and what to teach an adult about to get married — are answered in the same way. Preparation for marriage begins in childhood, and has little to do with the biological mechanics (for lack of a better word) of the sexual act, which, as I say in my article, are easily taught in about fifteen minutes (by the parent).
As I pointed out in my podcast, the young child is just learning about the world around him. From five to eight, the goal is to help him learn to read, but naturally, he has to read something, and the traditional approach has been to tell stories on different imaginative levels about daily life and his role in it.
I remember as a child that our little readers were full of stories of mother taking care of the baby while sister and brother do chores and father going to work and visits to the park to feed the ducks and trips to the store to buy needed items. There were pictures of a station wagon’s roof piled high with suitcases as the family goes on vacation (camping or something equally simple and relatable). Grandmother and Grandfather hold the child’s hand on a walk… and so on.
These stories taught us the needed tools of reading (“decoding” in the infelicitous modern parlance) while also helping us to make sense of what are, to a typical seven-year-old, the somewhat random occurrences of everyday life.
In the wisdom of those dedicated to educating young people, even children who were experiencing disruptions (and I was certainly one of these) would be given the vision of a normal, healthy, wholesome pattern — and that vision would be healing. Even as I type the words “normal” “healthy” and “wholesome” I am aware of how incendiary (“triggering”) they are. Today, all materials directed at children, including literature, are consciously aimed at their worst experiences, not that anyone could ever catalog, much less address, all of what those could be; but I can honestly say that without the stories in my school books and the implicit approval of my teachers, I would have had a hard time climbing out of my troubles.
We were also completely unaware of our teachers’ private lives. They never discussed any aspect, undoubtedly as a result of an unspoken code aimed at protecting our innocence. Even my first-grade teacher whose belly seemed to expand overnight (I suppose there was an intervening holiday) never mentioned the reason for her impending departure. I did ask her if she was pregnant — I was precocious — and she answered affirmatively yet with an embarrassed air. Today this embarrassment is mocked, but as I think about it, I believe it arose from a delicate sense of not wanting any proximity to a topic reserved for parent and child. Obviously she was aware of the facts of life and seemed happy enough to be leaving us, tragic though her loss was to us.
Along with the handing on of myths, fairy tales, and Bible stories, these depictions of family life offer, with implicit adult stamp of approval, the child a way to make sense of his world and prepare him for his ultimate (earthly) goal, which is making his own family some day. Even those who forego family to choose a religious vocation do so with a sense of its honor and fittingness, you know.
The couple who arrive at marriage prep without having had this sort of remote preparation in childhood will be as impervious to multiple-choice questionnaires about sex, money, and children and Theology of the Body lectures as the paved road is to water. It will all just wash over them and run into the gullies of oblivion. At that point, only the hard way of experience and suffering will teach them what they need to know to be happy.
So make no mistake. Those who seek to change the curriculum at school to fit their particular ideology simply cannot accept the way things were done (not recently, by the way, but quite a while ago). They cannot accept childhood education that is permeated with realities ordered to family life and innocent of adult details.
By the way, I have a whole section in The Summa Domestica (affiliate link — and the price is pretty good!) about teaching the moral life to children, and it includes musings such as these. We can’t be content with being against certain (undeniably horrifying) trends. We have to be able to recover the beautiful old ways of guiding children to like and dislike what they ought, so that they are prepared to live as rational (that is, fully human) persons, not at the mercy of mere appetite, but integrated and with the best chance of happiness that we can offer.
bits & piecesSome upcoming events in case you are near and interested!
Phil and I will be in Tiverton, RI in two weeks — join us if you are able!
I will be doing a webinar with Stephanie Burke on Monday evening — should be a good event!
My friend Michael Foley on why Catholics eat fish on Friday (well, go meatless at least!) — yes, every Friday all year unless it’s a super special feast (“Solemnity”).
Hollywood’s Golden Age of Censorship
An oldie but a goodie from Joseph Pearce on The End of Education
from the archivesI posted in my IG stories about the demise of my thrifted (gifted, really) curtains in my bedroom. (I washed them and they fell apart, waahh… ) This post has the paint colors and my gratitude for having a son who did all the work!
In case you have any leftover ham stashed away: A how-to for “ham and cheese and spinach pie” which we all love!
liturgical living
follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
The post What to Teach Schoolchildren appeared first on .
April 23, 2022
Book Drama
Easter greetings! Christ is Risen! Risen indeed!
If you’ve been here for a while, you know that I try to avoid drama. The online world is full of people trying to sell things and they use drama to do it. I have a book to sell but I’m not trying to monetize it by whipping up any sort of frenzy. I just had a few things to say and offer it in book form to be helpful. Obviously the work that went into it (especially from the publisher’s point of view — most of what I have said is right here for free) should be compensated, but I am not in the business of ratcheting up interest to sell things.
That’s why I don’t go on and on about my personal life, my conversion, my spiritual journey, my hopes and fears, and so on. I say what I think might be helpful… I don’t want to manipulate our relationship, the relationship of writer and reader. I am afraid even of the times that I share something and it becomes a sort of whirlwind of well, drama!
I think I am a sharer by nature (I will quickly tell you exactly at what thrift store I got the dress you admire and how little it cost me — I am excited to discuss all the aspects of the horse manure and wood chips that will go in the garden — I can’t wait to find out if you already know a certain method for handling dough), but I hate the idea that the fun or sometimes anguish of any information is instrumentalized in any way.
All of which to say, I have to update you on the issues with The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life (affiliate link), my three-volume set. There is drama and it’s been frustrating. But it’s all good — I’m trying to be detached and to accept whatever is handed to me.
The first printing sold out, which is amazing! As you may remember, the volumes went to press last August but didn’t actually begin to be available until right before Christmas, which was disappointing; the whole idea was to have it on hand for the gift-giving season. I don’t know — it was stuck somewhere in transit.
Nevertheless, it sold very well (and Sophia did the utmost to get orders fulfilled, paying for priority shipment for those orders that came in at Christmas time). And then came the problems with the next printing! The paper used for the first printing is no longer available, don’t ask me why.
But you see, it has the slipcase, and if the paper changes, the slipcase no longer fits. And the manufacturer of that box had a fire? Or something. And some of the box places went out of business during the pandemic lockdowns, which hit the printing industry hard… and the one that can produce a box to fit the new size won’t be able to until… November.
Which means missing the wedding season too…
I happen to think that if people want this set, they will buy it. I’m not in any rush. But at the same time, decisions have to be made!
Print it in paperback, with no box? It would then be available by July, and it would be less expensive too.
Print it in hardcover, with no box? At least it would still be presentation-worthy, for gift giving, which is what you, our readers, have said over the years you would love to be able to do. You said that you knew people who needed to know what we have to say here, and wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to give them a book, as a gift? Then it would be ready in August.
Wait for the box so that the hardcover copies will have their proper place? That means, as I say, November.
So that is the update. A lot of it has to do with production issues brought on by economic disruption and many are experiencing the same problems. We’ve heard from many others who are experiencing delays and roadblocks in getting out their books. We’re trying to figure out what to do — maybe all three of these options! What do you think?
Meanwhile, although it has sold out at Sophia, it is still available on Amazon. And the price is pretty good at this moment too!
Thanks for sticking with me on all this. And do share the blog with a friend. I think there are many out there who want to know how to recover the collective memory, who are ready to live differently. There are many women who want to do the glorious work of making the home, but don’t know how to and are not sure why it’s up to them to do it.
Thank you for reading, for being here. It’s our connection that matters most to me.
bits & piecesThe National Catholic Register has an interview with me about the Summa.
I love this essay by Sean Fitzpatrick about Easter and the Eighth Day, a concept that David Clayton introduced me to as we were writing The Little Oratory. “Reclaiming such ideas like the Eighth Day is no small part in the requisite work for the restoration of Christian culture. To that glorious end, we look to the Eighth Day—a poetic device that, like all true poetry, symbolically breaks the boundaries of the material world and expresses something intangible yet essential. When the Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ spread over the world, it came with a marvelous piece of poetry.”
Christopher Dawson on The Hole in Your Culture
The Pillaging and Plundering of the English Monasteries by Joseph Pearce
from the archivesPlanning a wedding? Don’t forget Deirdre’s posts — so helpful! This one is about the registry
Take practical steps to make your family stronger
liturgical living
Still celebrating The Eighth Day — Easter!
follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
The post Book Drama appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
April 16, 2022
A blessed Easter to you!
From an ancient homily for Holy Saturday
Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.
He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.
For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.
See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.
I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.
Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.
H/T to The Seat of Wisdom blog.follow us everywhere!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. In the current situation, if we can’t meet here, it would be good for us to be connected by email!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest (you can still get a lot of inspiration here! and say a prayer for her!). Bridget’s Pinterest.
The post A blessed Easter to you! appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
