Five Cities That Ruled the World

Thomas Nelson Publishing

In picking out books from Thomas
Nelson Publishers to review, I saw
this one and loved its cover. In the
homeschool world, the author is
well know. Douglas Wilson's ( check
out his son N.D. Wilson's new
children's fiction) book is an excellent
historical overview of each city's legacy.
Here is in one reading why the cities are
loved. That love flows out into culture as
we think of " Sidewalks of New York"
or Shelley's "Ozymandius" ( which my
literature students memorize) or " London
Bridge is Falling Down." History is linear.
It is going somewhere. Wilson quotes David
Hegeman : " Culturative history is God's unfolding
purpose for man, in which mankind plays
a chief role in the development of the earth from
garden-paradise to the glorious city of God."

I would use this book as I have with
"How Should We Then Live" by Francis
Schaeffer for a worldview and historical
learning tool. I loved the maps and the cover.
That is important to me for a book to feel
good and have aesthetic qualities.
George Grant put this book on his
10 Best of Non-Fiction in 2009.
I would definitely recommend this to the
traveller: Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London,
and New York.

Snow forecast does reschedule

Thankfully I can go on this
third time of scheduling
Lauren Winner. It is now
a few Saturdays from today.

"The inflections of community are important because they get at the very meanings of marriage. Marriage is a gift God gives the church. He does not simply give it to the married people of the church, but to the whole church, just as marriage is designed not only for the benefit of the married couple. It is designed to tell a story to the entire church, a story about God’s own love and fidelity to us"
— Lauren Winner

How to Forecast the Weather

Another farmer poet ( the other
one being Wendell Berry), Ted
Kooser, recent US Poet Laureate
has written a poem about
forecasting the weather. I thought
of this poem as I wrote the next
blog about waiting on the weather.
Listen here to him reading.
You know how special it is to
hear a poet read their own work.
Imagine hearing Shakespeare
or Donne or Keats reading theirs.
Imagine that beauty. Use it in
Nature Notebooks or copy books
if you homeschool.


From Ted:
There's a lot of folklore about the weather. I made this poem out of snatches of folklore that I've picked up over the years.


HOW TO FORECAST THE WEATHER

Rain always follow the cattle
sniffing the air and huddling
in fields with their heads to the lee.
You will know that the weather is changing
when your sheep leave the pasture
too slowly, and your dogs lie about
and look tired; when the cat
turns her back to the fire,
washing her face, and the pigs
wallow in litter; cocks will be crowing
at unusual hours, flapping their wings;
hens will chant; when your ducks
and your geese are too noisy,
and the pigeons are washing themselves;
when the peacocks squall loudly
from the tops of the trees,
when the guinea fowl grates;
when sparrows chip loudly
and fuss in the roadway, and when swallows
fly low, skimming the earth;
when the carrion crow
croaks to himself, and wild fowl
dip and wash, and when moles
throw up hills with great fervor;
when toads creep out in numbers;
when frogs croak; when bats
enter the houses; when birds
begin to seek shelter,
and the robin approaches your house;
when the swan flies at the wind,
and your bees leave the hive;
when ants carry their eggs to and fro,
and flies bite, and the earthworm
is seen on the surface of things.

Waiting on the weather

Scripture says to
wait.



Psalm 27:4
Wait on the Lord.
Be strong and let
your heart take
courage. Yes,
wait for the Lord.

Maybe in the waiting
is the faith that we all need to see God.
Ann Voscamp talks about that faith today.

Lauren Winner teache sat Duke University.
That is not far away from here. She
was sick the first Saturday she was to come to teach
a Writer's Workshop. Will the Lord again have
it moved to another Saturday? Wait for the Lord
this Psalm of King David says.

NOW on day before the postponed date:
snow in the forecast. Real
SNOW.

Funny her other book: Real Sex : The Truth
of Chastity has that word in it too: Real.
It is what faith helps us to live, real lives.
So waiting to see with the sun peeking
through clouds, if she will come for
tomorrow's workshop.
Excellent memoir , by the way.

This is where I was this morning

Breakfast ( not) at Tiffany's

(blue sweater in the back of one of the photos)

Thanks for Julia!

We celebrated
back in May
with Brad
at his graduation.
Last night we celebrated
his first day at the
Police Academy.
I think my husband is jealous of the
adventure that is in store for this son.
Quite a rigorous training in the next months.


Then we celebrated last night with Tournedos
Saute aux Champignons ( Steak with mushrooms
and wine ). ...Yes, Julia Child. Yes, excellent.
As I got to the meat section on my day of
Gratitude , I was so thankful to find the
steaks marked down. We made brussels sprouts,
Emma's mashed potatoes and ice cream.
All were too stuffed to have dessert. That
is a good sign of a good dinner with these
guys well over 6 feet ......and thanks to
Julia!

Bon Appetit!

Mulititude Monday

Queen Victoria and Prince
Albert


On Friday, there seemed to be a presence of
beauty as we ate a bowl of soup at the Habitat
Store. There among the rows of books was a
Kings and Queens book of England. That was
God's doing for my friend. For me, there was
a hardback of "Girl Meets God" by Lauren
Winner. I'm going to a Writer's Workshop she
is teaching at our church this Saturday . I had
a pile of paperbacks for my daughter-in-law's
classroom. 8th grade English class. Good ones
that are Newberry and Caldicott winners ,
even a Jane Austen.

Then to top it off, I told the cashier that I was
going to hear this author as I pointed to
"Girl Meets God." Well, to my surprise and
delight to a perfect stranger, she said, " I
am too! A friend had her at Duke and another
friend teaches at Covenant Day School."
Now, isn't that amazing. Who could not
believe when such things happen as we go
along our days. I have a story for Lauren too,
about the book!

I am full of gratitude, full of praise for the Lord
giving beauty in the details. Total grace.
I did nothing but see His hand in his good gifts
that He gives. Then to the stunning movie
"Young Victoria" .....and the strengthening of
what beauty brings to the soul.

Today, also, is the start of the Police Academy
by our second son. Lots of prayer for this day.
To this we are thankful. To this we will celebrate
tonight. Maybe a Julia Child!