Leila Marie Lawler's Blog, page 21
December 26, 2020
Christmas Cheer
I said I wouldn’t post but I have two little sweet bits for you to enjoy so I am popping in just to say:
Have a listen to this beautiful — truly lovely — musical setting of G. K. Chesterton’s Christmas Carol. I would love one day to be part of a choir that sings it!
Here are the words of the poem:
A Christmas Carol by G. K. Chesterton
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.)
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast,
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world’s desire.)
The Christ-child stood on Mary’s knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down.
G.K. Chesterton
And secondly, for your coloring pleasure, here is a Christmas Season Liturgical Calendar that I’m sure all will enjoy, from Jeremiah and Michaela Harrison at Liturgy of the Home.
Bonus thoughts: Two defenses of Santa Claus (not sketchy Mall Santa, though): Ten Reasons to Believe In Santa Claus and The Ethics of Jolly Old Elfland.
A blessed and merry Christmas to all!
The post Christmas Cheer appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
December 19, 2020
Merry Christmas to you all
I will probably not check in here for a while now, so I will leave you with the Presepio with Babe and Wise Men (but no camel, alas… I found this Nativity set amongst my mother’s things at her studio; I’m sure she thrifted it from somewhere… you get what you get!).
I wish you an especially blessed and merry Christmas!
Every Liturgical Season is to be lived not merely as a memory but as a reality more real than the daily time that sometimes seems to restrict our vision to the earthly horizon.
This Advent and Christmas-tide are no different. We are meant to enter in and to abide in the heavenly realm for the time that is given. To dwell in the Kingdom that we are told is within.
Givenness is a mysterious thing that can’t be proven or arrived at by thought: it must simply be received. We find givenness in certain irreducible realities: man and woman; time; conscience; existence itself. Woe to us if we rebel, for then we will truly have nothing and will find ourselves staring into the abyss.
We have no higher calling than to accept the gifts given and offer thanks, praise, and adoration; in return, He makes us His sons and daughters, giving us a divine heritage.
What humility is required, to be a child before the Child! The Incarnation, the mystery par excellence, celebrated every year, but also profoundly, this year and now, draws us. Submit, rejoice, arise.
The “going inward” that Christmas represents is calling me too. I am putting the finishing touches on my manuscript (no mean feat as it’s three volumes of approximately one zillion pages each — I realize I’ve been saying for quite a while now that I’m working on it, but… I am!).
My fingers are itching with the knitting that is also calling out to me. I’ve finished up a good number of socks and mittens and a hat (and I think I’m getting better!)
I will try to post more on IG but maybe even less here.
I hate to be away! But away I must, for the nonce.
Merry Christmas!
bits & pieces
John Henry Newman, whose theology is of the most austere and encompassing kind, reaching back to the Church Fathers and Scripture for grounding, on conscience. Be attentive! Wisdom: Conscience.
Middle English O Antiphons, quite the excursion into an ancient form of this liturgical trope.
With American children now firmly plunked in front of screens, it’s time to get a broader vision of how education happened in the past. I have written about this here and am including my thoughts in my book; this article validates what I say, that education (including for slaves) was more widespread and of better quality than we think and than, in most cases probably, what we have today.
People are talking about Rod Dreher’s new book, Live Not by Lies. The title is taken from Solzhenitsyn’s essay — well worth reading. I haven’t read Rod’s book. But if you really want to know more about Solzhenitsyn’s thought and how we can apply it to our own situation in order to avoid tyranny, I suggest you read a different author: Dan Mahoney. Dan has delved into every aspect of the great Russian thinker’s work and life. He is the premier scholar on the topic as well as a clear observer of current political and philosophical trends. As a committed Catholic with theological insight, he understands the errors we labor under. I recommend his books The Other Solzhenitsyn, The Solzhenitsyn Reader, and The Idol of Our Age: How the Religion of Humanity Subverts Christianity.
Here is an excellent interview with Dan Mahoney on many topics relating to Solzhenitsyn and the Gulag Archipelago and how they could be prophetic for our situation today.
Some encouragement for the dyslexic child. Sometimes the pressure to learn to read needs to be removed. (Sometimes it’s a matter of checking vision too — I’ve written about that here.)
A Covid protocol from the Eastern Virginia Medical School. Note the recommendations for Vitamin D and Ivermectin.
from the archives
My series on how to nurture your child’s moral life — and it starts now at Christmas, with childlike wonder!
Do you know our LMLD Library Project? Here for example I discuss Anne of Green Gables.
liturgical year
Day Three of the O Antiphons; tomorrow is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. This year we are being given a beautiful chance to live our Advent without the distraction of premature Christmas celebrations and office parties (which often aren’t all that celebratory anyway).
It follows that we are also given the opportunity to go deeper into our Christmas revels. It just takes a little planning, and trust me, your children will love going on little trips with “just us” and in enjoying time for playing games and reading chapter books as a family during the time after Christmas Day itself.
follow us everywhere!
I want to alert you especially to Rosie’s “photo a day” project on IG that is drawing to a close (unless she decides to do it again!). It’s really delightful!
Stay abreast of the posts when they happen:
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram. Sukie’s Instagram. Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
If you want politics, rants, and takes on what is going on in the Church:
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow — my posts are public — sometimes I share articles here that don’t make it into {bits & pieces})
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest. Bridget’s Pinterest.
The post Merry Christmas to you all appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
December 5, 2020
A little gift-giving guide
I know I benefit from seeing others’ ideas for gifts, so without further ado, I offer a few ideas of my own. I do participate in the Amazon affiliate program, so those links do result in a small commission when you use them. My opinions are always my own. The other links are not sponsored — just things I love!
For your little ones, music! I can’t recommend Cecilia and Emma Black’s Singsong Pennywhistle enough, and they have a new album, Barnyard Dance! Your children will learn traditional tunes and you will actually enjoy the process!
We love Upton Tea. Their service is impeccable, their shipping fast, and their teas pure (even the flavored ones — no cloying artificial additives) and of high quality. Our favorites that we’ve ordered again and again: Rose Congou, Lavender Earl Grey, River Shannon blend, and for breakfast, the Scottish Breakfast Blend, which I like as much as or more than Barry’s. The Chief loves green tea and his favorite is Special Grade Temple of Heaven Gunpowder Green. I looked high and low for Rooibus and really enjoy theirs. The packets and tins can be personalized, which is really fun and makes giving different varieties to a family easy to accomplish.
My friend Pascale has a beautiful shop, Pease Porridge Press, with all the old children’s books your heart could desire. Your purchase is lovingly wrapped, meaning you can send directly from her to your recipient.
John Folley (aka The Artist) has a beautiful book out: A Child’s Christmas ABC Book: Angels in the Air Arrayed. It has all the makings of a classic.
I really love these slippers. Here are my criteria: they must be made of wool including on the interior, have good arch support, an open back, and a non-slip sole — but still be flexible. Slippers that cost more lack one of these elements — I prefer these. Order a size that is less than the usual one; at first they will really seem too tight, but they quickly shape around the foot. I usually wear an 8 and I get a 7. If I hadn’t read the reviews I would have sent them back. Now they fit perfectly (as did my previous pair).
This electric kettle has the nicest heft to it, costs a reasonable amount, has the least contact of water to plastic elements, holds a lot of water, works fast, and lasts long. I’ve been to all the stores and looked at all the kettles. This is the one I have used for years. (I will say that they all have the same dubious little pin at the bottom, so none will last forever. I’m on my second one, and the first was replaced for me by the company quickly when it failed after a year.)
This site is pricey, but I found this cotton herringbone throw (I was given a gift certificate) and I really love it. I got the cinnamon — it’s a nice light burnt orange that reads as neutral in my oddball bedroom. Free shipping too!
My friend Leila Miller recommends the Beany Malone series for adolescent girls — found here along with many other great selections of classic children’s literature.
I hope this helps with your shopping!
On to our links!
bits & pieces
Robert Reilly is always worth reading (another gift idea — one of his books!). Here he puts Mozart into context, the context of miracle: Mere Mortals Eavesdropping: The Greatness of Mozart. “Mozart is our musical Eden. Somehow, in his musical ability, he escaped the stamp of original sin and sings with purity of the first days. Aaron Copland expressed it this way: ‘Mozart… tapped once against the source from which all music flows, expressing himself with a spontaneity and refinement and breathtaking rightness that has never since been duplicated.’ But as a fallen man in every other way, Mozart also expresses the depth of loss. This is the sadness of his perfection.”
Roger Scruton on Home and the economy and something more.
A really beautiful meditation on Advent, the longing of Jews and Gentiles alike: Come, Lord Jesus
It seems likely that a lot of us will get Covid. Some common supplements that might help mitigate the severity.
Great longer essay about Julian of Norwich, who is often misunderstood as some sort of universalist, when she embraces the deepest truths of faith. “Julian presents to us the mystical complement to the intellectual insight of St. Augustine and St. Thomas. She shows us (through what was shown to her) that God has painted creation with a place for the darkness of sin.”
What whales do when they sleep.
The little-known story of the incredible martyrdom of Silesian priests 75 years ago, offered by scholar and LMLD friend, Brownen McShea.
from the archives
Quiet moments with Christmas books. (Be alert, by the way, for all the books and calendars that say that the Blessed Virgin was engaged to Joseph. She was betrothed, which in Jewish times didn’t mean what engaged means now, and in fact was the first step to marriage. See here for a thorough explanation. I just say betrothed and if possible change the text with a pen!)
The satisfaction of frugality: creamed this-or-that soup.
liturgical living
St. Sabas — I hear he tamed a lion!
follow us everywhere!
Stay abreast of the posts when they happen:
I just share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram.
If you want politics, rants, and takes on what is going on in the Church:
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow — my posts are public — sometimes I share articles here that don’t make it into {bits & pieces})
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest. Bridget’s Pinterest.
And the others on IG: Rosie’s Instagram. Sukie’s Instagram. Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
The post A little gift-giving guide appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
November 28, 2020
{bits & pieces}
If you won the giveaway of A Child’s Christmas ABC Book: Angels in the Air Arrayed (affiliate link) an email will be wending its way to you!
Lots of things to do this weekend, including lots of Christmas knitting, but I do have some links for you!
bits & pieces
A provocative article: Why You’re Wrong about Sacred Art, by Daniel Matsui.
If you liked the mittens I posted on IG, this is the pattern: Minky Mittens.
I also like this vintage mitten pattern — it’s fairly straightforward and has all the sizes.
An interesting post on garden beehives through the ages.
My theory is that we can’t have good stories or even comedy without a sense of the transcendent and the conviction that behind everything, there is the Good. We have to confront this fact about our time and what it means for our culture: “The poverty of … postmodernism-passing-for-irony is that it is enslaved to its own fear of being banal. It refuses to take the world seriously without understanding the seriousness of that pose.” Matthew Morgan, Laughter and Tears: Is Life a Comedy or a Tragedy?
Remembering C. S. Lewis. “For Lewis, the great tragedy of the 20th century was the loss of confidence in objective moral norms and an objective sense of truth. In his essay ‘The Poison of Subjectivism’ (1943), Lewis stated bluntly, ‘Unless we return to a crude and nursery-like belief in objective values, we perish.'”
from the archives
The danger of using affection as a disciplinary tool
Some Christmas books we’ve loved in our home
liturgical living
A virtual tour of the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent
follow us everywhere!
Stay abreast of the posts when they happen:
I just share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram.
If you want politics, rants, and takes on what is going on in the Church:
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow — my posts are public — sometimes I share articles here that don’t make it into {bits & pieces})
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest. Bridget’s Pinterest.
And the others on IG: Rosie’s Instagram. Sukie’s Instagram. Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
The post {bits & pieces} appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
November 21, 2020
A Child’s Christmas ABC Book Giveaway!
Today I have a fantastic giveaway of a signed copy of this book, just in time for Christmas!
This book is beautiful in every way. The verses, the artwork, the font, the printing… I love it all. I’m so proud of my son-in-law, John Folley, for illustrating it! But even if he weren’t family, I would be highly enthusiastic about the book and happy to offer it!
A Child’s Christmas ABC Book: Angels in the Air Arrayed (affiliate link) has that detail of decoration to delight all ages — the design reminds me of traditional stained glass or other religious art, where there is something new to be discovered and hidden symbols to be pondered.
My test for children’s books is how they sound when read aloud, and this one definitely passes. The poetry is inspired. The alphabet theme is cleverly carried out with the delicacy that the subject requires.
I know that this book will be loved for years by the whole family.
We are giving away a signed copy to one of our readers, so leave a comment and next week we will choose the winner!
bits & pieces
The author of the Christmas book wrote this post about how to foster talent and a love of art with your children.
I just had to share this toddler Little Oratory! If you go here you will see that it’s installed next to the family prayer corner.
Speaking of accounts on IG, do follow this one run by my friend Pascale. She always has wonderful children’s books, and her wrapping and presentation are indeed all you could want for gift-giving.
You can find all of John Henry Newman’s Plain and Parochial Sermons here. Newman’s prose is dense and his thought is not the easy-going feel-good “turn to God with all your heart” fare we are used to. But once you begin to follow the workings of his mind, your spiritual life will deepen. And then you’ll be willing to fork over the big bucks for this volume! (affiliate link) It would make a great gift for that thoughtful person in your life, just a suggestion!
A nice article about Fr. Rutler, by Sean Fitzpatrick.
How the Latin Mass reinforces, rather than erodes, the glorious differences between the sexes, by Peter Kwasniewski
Blessed Columba Marmion, a worthy spiritual guide
Some interesting links related to shutdowns and so on:
France declares war on the Mass
The elites’ Davos founder favorite’s vision of the future when things get “reset” and “built back better” (their words, not mine)
The only way to know whether hospitals are overwhelmed is to compare the situation to what it was before — this is a tweet thread that has been put into one file, but contains the information you might not find elsewhere
A talk given by Michael Yeadon, an impeccably credentialed scientist formerly vice president of Pfizer, on his view of what is going on with the UK’s approach to Covid, immunity, treatments, and political ramifications (there and everywhere else). I hope you will watch it.
Important information with links, about the Moderna vaccine against Covid
This interview with Yuri Bezmenov, defector from the USSR, was made in 1984. In it he explains how the stages of a Communist takeover progress. I urge you to make time to watch it. This article sums up the points, but there is no substitute for listening to him directly.
The code for the note-taking Bible from Ignatius Press expires today!
from the archives
This post is from Lent but relates to Columba Marmion, above, and how to choose spiritual reading (hint: not from someone peddling “devotionals” but from the saints)
Crown cake for Christ the King
I actually now use basting spray on my quilts, so just scroll down til you get to my priceless musings on being creative!
liturgical year
follow us everywhere!
Stay abreast of the posts when they happen:
I just share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram.
If you want politics, rants, and takes on what is going on in the Church:
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow — my posts are public — sometimes I share articles here that don’t make it into {bits & pieces})
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest. Bridget’s Pinterest.
And the others on IG: Rosie’s Instagram. Sukie’s Instagram. Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
The post A Child’s Christmas ABC Book Giveaway! appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
November 14, 2020
A handsome note-taking Bible with your {bits & pieces}
This post will be an entry in the “read this, not that” category for sure! So, please bear with me as I embark on a long introduction to the journaling/note-taking Bible I’m hoping will help you with your holiday shopping…
what not to get
I find it beyond frustrating that finding an appropriate Bible is so difficult for the English speaker. Besides the normal difficulties attending the task of translation (heightened by the responsibility of rendering Sacred Scripture into the vernacular with all the criteria of accuracy and appropriate diction), we are continually harassed by the political motives of those behind the effort.
Not too long ago I received promotional material from The Catholic Bible Press for their new series of devotional Bibles. Despite their appealingly luxe presentation, the Bibles offered there are not what I would endorse. Nor would I endorse the journaling Bible offered by Blessed is She, which is in the even worse New American Bible (NAB) translation.
You see, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) has the fatal flaw of using so-called inclusive language. The attempt to remove “gender-specific” pronouns (or even references to sex such as the word man or brother) changes the meaning of what is said — and not unrelatedly, also flattens the language, rendering it clunky, unmemorable, and uninspiring.
Let me give you a few examples in which the NRSV is compared with the Revised Standard Version (RSV):
1 Corinthians 13:1 —
NRSV: If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or clanging cymbal.
RSV: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
Psalm 8:4 —
NRSV: What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
RSV: What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him?
Matthew 4:19 —
NRSV: Follow me, and I will make you fish for people. (This one is particularly silly!)
RSV: Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
You can see that under the guise of making the language more modern (chiefly removing the thees and thous), the translation sneaks in a political agenda (feminism) and in the process, removes the very elements that recall the passage to our minds and make it meaningful. In the case of the Old Testament, this effort has another effect, which is to eliminate the typology and Christology of the passage — that is, that which offers witness to the believer that the coming of Jesus Christ was prepared from time immemorial and fulfills even implicit prophecy.
I remember Fr. Joseph Fessio, who was responsible for bringing back the RSV and widely distributing it at Ignatius Press, telling me that all you had to do was open up to the very first Psalm to know if you were the victim of this deception.
Instead of “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly” (referencing a man, Jesus Christ, as well as being a passage that everyone can identify with, since everyone knows that generically, man means man and woman), the NRSV has “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,” which changes everything, waving vaguely at others in the distance, probably not us, who should not go astray. And is awkward to boot.
In not offending modern sensibilities, the NRSV (and let’s not even talk about the NAB) ends up making everything sound as if it all occurred in the context of 20th-century first-world affluence, but with an ignorance that requires everything being explained in a vaguely technical way. Thus we have “members of the Church” instead of “brother” — however, who’s to say? — and “minor” instead of “child.” And you see that it’s already somewhat out of date, as it’s now the 21st century as we speak…
Whether this is just shortsightedness or some sort of job-protection effort (since of course “updating” has to be revisited by the experts, to itself be updated), I don’t know. But it’s not ultimately good for our sense of the universality of God’s Word:
Matthew 25:1
NRSV: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
RSV: …ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
“Maidens” might seem archaic if we think about it too hard, but “bridesmaids” is technical and particular. A maiden describes a woman; a bridesmaid describes a woman fulfilling a temporary role. There is a case to be made that deliberate archaism paradoxically creates timelessness. (affiliate link)
get this instead!
Anyway, the good news is that Ignatius Press always has beautiful versions of the RSV for sale. Fr. Fessio, its founder, has seen to that.
And if you are looking for a gift this coming Christmas for your favorite avid note-taking or journaling friend (or even for yourself!), Ignatius has a new offering, a Catholic RSV Bible that can fill that role.
And we at LMLD are offering you a discount on this Bible in time for your gift-giving! If you buy from Ignatius, you get 30% off your volume with this discount code: LEILA30
The code is good from today to 11/21.
If you are looking for a journaling Bible, this one is the one I would recommend. It’s austere in a good way, free of limiting embellishment, so it will be suitable for everyone, male and female (heh).
Note that the red cover is a sleeve that comes off the actual book and the book itself is black, not blue as it appears in this photo.
The feel is substantial, with its stiffer cover and sturdy elastic. Inside the pages are of course thin, to fit a whole Bible into a volume that you can slip into your bag to take to Adoration and so on, but sturdy — a pen will not rip them. The print is small, again, to keep the size down to what can easily be carried, I think. I like the marginal note taking area, and the footnotes are minimal but apt. (The lines are pretty faint in this photo that I grabbed from their site, but in real life they are darker.)
One little touch that Fr. Fessio instituted early on is to keep ISBN numbers off the covers of his books where possible. So this Bible is really timeless in more ways than one!
And it has maps!
bits & pieces
Pigeon Creates Beautiful Nest After Secretly Stockpiling Poppies from War Memorial
A law degree is one of the worst investments — this is not a polemical piece, but simply makes an observation based on outcomes.
A reader left this recipe in the comments of another post — I made these soul cakes and they are very nice! (I used dried cranberries as I was currant-less.) The children love being told to say a prayer for the dearly departed when they take one. (As always, I don’t necessarily endorse other things on the sites I link to!)
I have shared my friend Peter Kwasniewski’s work here before, and of course we have had a lot of discussions about liturgy — and beauty — on LMLD. You might appreciate this article in which he identifies The Four Qualities of Liturgy: Validity, Licitness, Fittingness, and Authenticity
David Clayton: Why Sacred Art is Necessary to the Faith — I always love hearing David talk about this subject!
A must-read on the topic I have amateurishly attempted above is the late Fr. Paul Mankowski SJ’s The Necessary Failure of Inclusive Language Translations: A Linguistic Elucidation . Fr. Mankowski was a world expert in Biblical languages. When he left the Biblicum in Rome they had to replace him with three professors. We have been led to believe that it’s only fair to replace certain pronouns and even words with non-male ones, but this is a snare and a delusion that affects the way we look at faith itself — even how we look at God and of course, ourselves.
from the archives
Thanksgiving, it is less than two weeks away! Time to revisit my tour de force Thanksgiving prep post!
One year I did a sort of “live IG Thanksgiving prep” series– you can follow it here.
liturgical living
Remember to buy your Advent candles and Advent calendars! (affiliate links)
Because of the cray-cray year, calls will be heard across the land to just go ahead and start Christmas now! But hear my call: Advent must be lived. We can’t get to the joy of Christmas, a reality, not a feeling, without the journey of preparation and yes, purgation that is Advent. Live your Advent. It will be upon us in so short a time. As the woman of the house, your task is to undertake the preparation (yes, for the preparation).
follow us everywhere!
Stay abreast of the posts when they happen:
I just share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram.
If you want politics, rants, and takes on what is going on in the Church:
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow — my posts are public — sometimes I share articles here that don’t make it into {bits & pieces})
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest. Bridget’s Pinterest.
And the others on IG: Rosie’s Instagram. Sukie’s Instagram. Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
The post A handsome note-taking Bible with your {bits & pieces} appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
November 7, 2020
We made a dress
My granddaughter is making her First Holy Communion tomorrow, and Deirdre and I collaborated on her dress — I thought you would like to see it! I actually ordered the fabric in between taking Habou her broths and drinks and was able to start sewing two weeks ago.
It’s really hard to take good pictures of such a thing, but bear with me!
I made the bodice first so that Deirdre could embroider it.**
Isn’t the embroidery sweet? She echoed the lace on the veil and added a few little white beads (it’s the same veil I wore for my wedding and my daughters wore for their First Holy Communions, and they and Natasha wore it for their weddings).
**A few sewing notes in case you are interested: The fabric is dotted swiss and I ordered it on Amazon. (affiliate link) The pattern is McCalls 4948 (affiliate link) — I had made Bridget an Alice in Wonderland costume many years ago that has gotten a lot of mileage in the dress-ups chest; we knew it would fit and thought that this style is special but still little-girlish.
We decided on the square neck, so I sort of merged the neck of the pinafore with the bodice as I was cutting it out. It’s lined so you just cut both pieces the same and you’re good.
Since the fabric is so sheer, the front of the bodice actually has two linings, one to back it for stability and then another to be assembled with the back linings. I also added a lining for the skirt; it’s gathered but isn’t quite as full as the skirt, and I attached it at the waistband after assembling the dress. I just used pieces of muslin I had in my stash for the lining.
And finally, I added a little shoulder pad, basically a scrunchy made from the dress fabric of which I had so little left over that you would be horrified — WHAT was I thinking when I ordered the yardage, and WHY am I this way — so that the pouffy sleeves would pouf. The fabric is so soft that it threatens to just subside.
bits & pieces
I know that it now seems to many people that it’s impossible to raise children without screens/computers/zooms/phones — but consider: every generation before this one has done it! Once you make the decision, the rest falls into place. Anyway, this article revisiting Neil Postman’s observations is worth a read.
The education industry in all its forms (including homeschooling) gets its fuel from the anxiety that we have to do it all — that children have to be given all the knowledge or we’ve failed. Not so. You cannot teach every great book, but so what?
A composer who is new to me, Jan Josef Ignác Brentner (1689-1742), and a wonderful ensemble performing his Vesperae cum ordinariis psalmis. A few minutes of delight.
A good-enough marriage.
In a day and age of theological confusion about the Real Presence in the Eucharist, let’s read up a bit.
from the archives
You can learn to pray the Rosary as a family.
Martinmas! (I have linked before, but do listen to Michael Ward’s speech at Hillsdale — I think that the older children would really benefit from it in preparation for this feast! If you listen you will understand why I say this in relation to St. Martin!). His speech begins at the 36 minute mark.
liturgical living
If you go here, you will see Catholic Culture’s liturgical calendar for November, and you will be able to access the many resources they have in their archives for liturgical living.
follow us everywhere!
Stay abreast of the posts when they happen:
I just share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram.
If you want politics, rants, and takes on what is going on in the Church:
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow — my posts are public — sometimes I share articles here that don’t make it into {bits & pieces})
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest. Bridget’s Pinterest.
And the others on IG: Rosie’s Instagram. Sukie’s Instagram. Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
The post We made a dress appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
October 31, 2020
{bits & pieces}
Well that was sudden.
Yesterday evening, after a full day of snow:
This morning:
We really need to rake leaves and plant garlic, not shovel snow! But God’s ways are not our ways!
bits & pieces
Last week we celebrated the commemoration of Bl. Emperor Karl I of Austria. He and his wife Zita are amazing figures of fidelity and dignity whom all Christians could learn from and emulate. Here is an article about them and a bit about their position in history. One can find films online of various weddings in the family and they are magnificent, but not to be missed is this clip of Zita’s funeral. And here is another article from the perspective of Bl. Karl’s great-grandson, who, not to namedrop, has slept on LMLD’s own Joseph’s apartment floor back in the day, and married an LMLD friend, Katie!
Dorothy Sayers on the other deadly sins.
Excellent article: Gay “marriage” is just as wrong as abortion. Actually, I have argued that it’s worse:
Roe allows a woman to seek an abortion, which is a terrible assault on the principle that all human life is sacred.
Obergefell places the child directly under the control of the state. The family is no longer the guardian of the child under law, even if the long arm of the law has not yet reached into your sphere to make you — force you — to acknowledge that fact.
Roe struck at the heart of the child, leaving his life up to the mother. Obergefell strikes at the heart of the child too, leaving his life totally under the control of the state, no matter what his mother wants. It makes trafficking in human flesh totally legal, and there is no reason in law that this will be restricted to the unborn.
I warned of this outcome at least 10 years ago.
David Clayton on the necessity of sacred art to the Faith.
Delightful little article about visiting the Swallows and Amazons island as an adult. The only thing to console us for not reading S&A is reading about S&A! (affiliate link)
If you love the Great British Baking Show (which full disclosure I have not kept up on as to the latest seasons), you will enjoy this heartfelt plea to stop Paul Hollywood with a five-point plan of action
from the archives
The Feast of St. Martin is coming!
A fairly wide-ranging post from the past that includes some encouragement for praying for the holy suffering souls in November… and cleaning the gasket in your dishwasher? Why so random, Auntie Leila? Also, wow, my garden is nowhere in that state right now…
liturgical living
The eve of the feast of All Saints (commonly known as Halloween)
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Stay abreast of the posts when they happen:
I just share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram.
If you want politics, rants, and takes on what is going on in the Church:
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow — my posts are public — sometimes I share articles here that don’t make it into {bits & pieces})
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest. Bridget’s Pinterest.
And the others on IG: Rosie’s Instagram. Sukie’s Instagram. Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
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October 24, 2020
Squash harvest
If you won the Christmas card giveaway, an email is on its way to you!
Put the promo code LMLD10 in the special notes in the order form or just say that LMLD sent you!
Your order for the cards MUST be received by Oct. 31 for you to receive them in time for Christmas — these are artisan cards and they take time!
This was nearly the whole squash harvest (I found a couple more after I took the picture), and I am pretty sure it will meet our squash needs this winter, which is gratifying!
The ones that don’t look quite like butternut squash are Sucrine du Berry, a variety from France that has a deep flavor that’s sweet and hearty.
We grew the pumpkins too! My grandson planted the seeds, and despite both of us grandparents taking swipes at the resulting vine with the mower (unintentionally of course), we got two. Hey, two is better than none!
Normally I would cook the squash whole, but some of these are so big that they will have to be cut up. But truly, it’s much easier to cut and peel the squash after it’s baked! And the flesh when baked is nicely caramelized and non-watery, so I do recommend this method, even if you have to quarter it first.
With the small ones (that look tiny there but are actually the usual size) I would bake first and then scrape out the seeds, but this works too.
This one was four pounds, which is four times the normal ones you probably find in the store! The biggest one in the photo is nine pounds! I know because my grandchildren had a good time weighing them.
All you need when you cook the squash this way is butter and salt. It’s so good.
The leftovers make a delicious soup (you can also just reheat to serve again). I posted about the sort of thing I make here. Instead of quinoa I used beans and leftover polenta. Everything (except the sausage that I dice) gets pureed and the soup tastes wonderful.
This time I also had beet greens I wanted to use, but I didn’t want to add them to the soup lest the color end up revolting. So I cooked those in oil and reduced with balsamic vinegar, adding some salt. It’s a nice garnish for a hearty dish!
bits & pieces
Brambly Hedge coloring pages, need I say more
“What makes a ghostly tale worth reading? Or writing? Certainly the supernatural has attracted writers of genius or high talent: Defoe, Scott, Coleridge, Stevenson, Hoffmann, Maupassant, Kipling, Hawthorne, Poe, Henry James… The genre has in it something worth attempting.” Russell Kirk on ghost stories.
Girl, 8, pulls a 1,500-year-old sword from a lake in Sweden
The iconography of St. Teresa of Avila depicts her wearing a biretta — and what this means
Morbid safetyism, by economist and mother of many, Catherine Ruth Pakaluk
from the archives
What to do when your four-year-old goes bonkers
Is it too much to put another bits & pieces here, a sort of link post within a link post? Sorry… A Beatitude
liturgical year
follow us everywhere!
Stay abreast of the posts when they happen:
I just share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram.
If you want politics, rants, and takes on what is going on in the Church:
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow — my posts are public — sometimes I share articles here that don’t make it into {bits & pieces})
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest. Bridget’s Pinterest.
And the others on IG: Rosie’s Instagram. Sukie’s Instagram. Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.Habou’s Instagram.
The post Squash harvest appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
October 17, 2020
Christmas card giveaway!
First, please accept my heart’s gratitude for all your messages of consolation, appreciation, and most of all, prayers for the passing of my Mom, our dear Habou.
It means a lot and I read every comment. Last week was, of course, hectic in many ways and full of decisions, comings and goings, and intense feelings. But I wanted to say “thank you!” — Know that we have put you and your intentions in all in our Rosaries and we treasure every word you offered us. May God bless you all!
Now is the time to start thinking… Are you looking for high-quality, letterpress Christmas cards?
Deirdre’s husband John Folley has produced this lovely card and it’s available now!
And we are doing a giveaway! Win a package of 20 cards with their envelopes!
We think sending Christmas cards is totally worth the time and expense:
“… the medium is the message, and the message we received in all those postal greetings was loud and clear: Christ is made Man as a little baby; Mary is His pure and beautiful Mother, warm and loving; Joseph is His quiet protector and ours; Angels rejoice!; the Star shines down on us; the Wise Men are coming with their mysterious gifts… ” (Read the whole thing: Deirdre’s 5 reasons to send traditional Christmas cards.)
We also believe in the power of beauty to transform the world.
If you want to go ahead and order your cards, go to John’s site. Note that the cards can be customized for your business or institution (or family!).
To win, simply enter your comment here! Next week we will choose a winner of twenty lovely letterpress cards with this beautiful image of the Madonna and Child!
{bits & pieces}
I recommend this account on Instagram for inspiration for educating children: Charlotte Mason Educational Center (CMEC). There’s nothing like a good visual to inspire you!
Because, even on the parish level, “some Catholic opponents of capital punishment appeal to these developments as proof that all Catholics are now obligated to favor its abolition – that there can no longer be the “legitimate diversity of opinion” spoken of by then-Cardinal Ratzinger,” and because some consider jettisoning the death penalty to be a reasonable concession to achieve the important goal of protecting the lives of the unborn, I offer this article: Three Questions for Opponents of Capital Punishment.
The white-throated sparrow changed its song: A modified dialect of male song began in a local population in western Canada and, in two decades, traveled to birds more than 1,800 miles away.
Have you ever preserved herbs in salt? I mean to try this.
Hadley Arkes examines Justice Neil Gorsuch’s troubling ruling in the Bostock case.
Morbid Safetyism — a discussion that has to happen, by Catherine Ruth Pakaluk
Every year on its anniversary, the defenders of the bombings in Japan speak up. Fr. Pokorsky explains why they are wrong.
Hopefully when you click here you can see a gif of how a bridge was built in medieval times… and here you see how the pilons were driven into the water.
A delightful little essay by A. A. Milne on the state of his library organization.
When I’ve written about teaching history, I’ve cautioned against the embedded assumption in many texts that we are ever progressing towards enlightenment. This ideology is sometimes called “The Whig Interpretation of History” (after a book by that name — affiliate link); sometimes just Progressivism; often not named. Protestant authors subscribe to this view (or they wouldn’t be Protestant!); Susan Wise Bauer’s Story of the World teaches it. Anyway, this essay by James Matthew Wilson offers some interesting thoughts on the subject.
from the archives
The Reasonably Clean House
Getting your house ready for colder weather
Mothering the 13-year-old boy
liturgical year
follow us everywhere!
Stay abreast of the posts when they happen:
I just share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram.
If you want politics, rants, and takes on what is going on in the Church:
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow — my posts are public — sometimes I share articles here that don’t make it into {bits & pieces})
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest. Bridget’s Pinterest.
And the others on IG: Rosie’s Instagram. Sukie’s Instagram. Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.Habou’s Instagram.
The post Christmas card giveaway! appeared first on Like Mother Like Daughter.
