{bits & pieces}
The weekly “little of this, little of that” feature here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
We got home (exhausted) last Saturday from a visit with John’s family and, as you know, Advent began on Sunday. I had to try and change gears fast. Although I did manage to have candles lined up for the advent wreath, I’m afraid that’s as far as I’ve gotten. I haven’t had a chance yet to get out and scrounge around for some nice greenery. City problems/Apartment life problems.
I did come across this thrifted candle… and though I’ve never been really into the “central candle” notion nor have I ever considered buying a candle second-hand, it seemed to work. Now I have something to warm up my rather sparse “wreath” — and it serves the added purpose of keeping a flame burning before and after it’s time to have the purple one lit. I may or may not have a 1.5 year old around who is, these days, living for the moment when we can light the “canel!” “canel!” So it helps to have a slower-burning option to rely upon.
One of these days I’m going to dress my ring properly, I promise!
On to this week’s links!
You know me and how I feel about this:
A piece from the WaPo that is just chock-full of common sense on the topic of children and play, and particularly how it relates to education and children’s health.
From the article: “As we age, if we don’t stay active, we become more prone to falls. The problem? We are seeing this already in little children! Children are spending less time outdoors than ever before, and this is changing the development of their muscles and senses. They are becoming a generation of “unsafe” children — reports of clumsiness and falls are on the rise in schools…. Lets face it, keeping children sedentary for most of their waking hours is causing harm.”
Miscellaneous nuggets for the nerds among us:
The other night, as I was driving home from meeting with the lovely ladies in my local St. Gregory’s Pocket to determine our reading list for our “PocketBook Club” in the coming months, I heard a radio program about this hundreds-of-years-old map being recently discovered and restored in Scotland. It was fun to see the video giving a closer look at the restoration process.
Along similar lines, it seems that there’s a new glimpse a the old tricks used by English Catholics to hide such priests as St. Edmund Campion during the persecution. (Sidenote: the Artist and I are big fans of the name “Throckmorton” since learning about that family in Edmund Campion by Evelyn Waugh)
As long as we’re talking about venerable Brits, here’s a short essay in which G. K. Chesterton waxes eloquent about cheese.
Short reads on freedom and conscience that are truly edifying:
I am sure you will appreciate this transcript of a short speech by Armando Valladares, 2016 recipient of the Canterbury Medal, the award given by the Becket Fund. Valladares’ experiences, which he only references, as a tortured prisoner under Castro’s regime, are relevant in light of the dictator’s recent death. An object lesson in the power of words.
A short and fascinating look at the life of Daniel Rudd, a slave who was Baptized Catholic and grew up to be an apologist for the Faith as well as an abolitionist and a leader among African-American Catholics. I had no idea!
For a little intellectual workout:
A good little primer on the three “givens” of rational thought, with the fallacy of the third way highlighted. There is nothing in between something being wrong and something being right: No Third Way: the Fundamentals of Rationality.
From the Art of Manliness: a podcast discussion with Fr. James Schall which Auntie Leila says is like listening to the wisest old grandfather… with a special little love note to moms thrown in. On the Joys and Travails of Thinking.
In the liturgical year:
Today we celebrate St. Francis Xavier!
We are about to enter the second week of Advent. Have you gotten your wreath going, your nativity scenes out (we hope you’re waiting until Christmas to put Jesus in the manger!), trimmed up the house a bit? As you’ve seen, I’m a little behind on some of these things. I appreciate that mom’s efforts can “grow” as the season continues… I’m choosing to play my slow-moving progress simply as a means of building the family’s anticipation towards Christmas. By week four things should actually look very advent-y around here!
Don’t forget about the St. Andrew’s Novena, ongoing up through Christmas!
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