The Mountain In December

I waited most of December to have a change in the way the Mountain looked.....but we had mostly sunny weather for about seven weeks.....so no new snow on the beautiful mountain. 

Until two days ago.

We took photos while driving to Mass on Christmas.....of The Mountain......it was lovely with those clouds........the car was moving & I only had my cell phone camera (shame, shame, shame on me!  I knew I should have brought the good camera...but I talked myself out of it.) 

This is the opposite side of The Mountain from what we usually view.

The following two pictures were taken on Christmas Eve....



The next three photos were taken on New Year's Eve.......

......the first time we saw the newly whitened Mountain after the clouds lifted.....

........taken from the site of my future gazebo......

....and just in time to bring a change to our December photo option....

Christmas Season and New Year blessings to you,

                                Chari

....who has another ten-day forecast of mostly sunshine..........poor ski park has yet to open here........pray for snow!!!

Bible in a Year

My daughter has put together a plan for reading the Bible straight through in a year. 

Here is the plan. Basically, it means reading about 4 chapters a day. 

I think I will join in.  She is starting on January 1.   How about you?  

Nowhere is there anything more full or more express on the subject of the Savior of the world than is to be found in the whole range of the Bible. As St. Jerome says, "To be ignorant of the Scripture is not to know Christ." In its pages His Image stands out, living and breathing; diffusing everywhere around consolation in trouble, encouragement to virtue and attraction to the love of God.   Pope Leo XIII, Providentissimmus Deus

Merry Christmas!

 ‘You have also lingered, bent your knee, adored the Lord God, venerated His Mother and greeted Joseph, the holy old man, with reverence. Therefore, kiss the feet of the baby Jesus, who lies in the manger, and pray that the Holy Virgin will allow you to hold Him. Take Him between your arms, hold Him and see His lovable face, kiss it with reverence and rejoice with Him. You can do this because He has come to bring salvation to sinners and He has humbly conversed with them, finally giving Himself as food’. St Bonaventure, quoted at Catholic Culture. 

Here are some pretty vintage Christmas cards by Margaret W Tarrant.  

 

 

 Merry Christmas to all,

from the Ryans and the Bryans!  

All the Ryans together for the first time in a year!

Contemplating Jesus in the Womb

Motherly Care, by Haynes King, 1834-1904

I have been reading an essay called Sedeo, Ergo Sum: Reflections on Certitude by a Catholic philosopher called Charles De Koninck. The article is very good, but I won't ask you to go and read it just two days before Christmas.  I will just tell you that it is about the power of our humbler senses, the sense of touch, especially, and also of taste.   Since the senses of sight and hearing are more directly intellectual and abtract, we sometimes forget how our more personal senses are indispensable. 

He writes, speaking of the story of Christ resurrected and how St Thomas the Apostle demanded to touch before believing that Jesus was truly resurrected:

The attitude of St. Thomas the Apostle is not an example to be imitated, yet in it we recognize a familiar experience: whenever we wish to be very certain about the reality of a thing, of the existence of a sen­sible object, we want to verify it by touch. And it is especially for this reason that touch is called the sense of certitude, while sight is the sense of distinction, of clarity, and of representation. Where the brute fact of physical existence is concerned, sight, notwithstanding its accuracy of discernment and its certitude of distinction, yields less assurance than touch. The words “phantom” or “ghost” usually stand for things visual yet unreal, intangible, and we compare them to the kind of repre­sentations we have in our dreams.

 Now why am I thinking of this, especially at this time of year?  It is because I am thinking of pregnancy and waiting for a Baby to be born.

I found this meditation called "Praying with Jesus in the Womb" and reading it along with the De Koninck article made me think of how a baby, pre-birth, is radically immersed in touch.   If his eyes see at all, they see only the small universe of his mother's womb.  But most of his information comes from his sense of touch, of surrounding.   And to his mother, though she may see the swelling of her body, the primary sensory evidence of his existence comes from feeling, from touch.

Even after the baby is born and can see and hear and smell, his primary sense is initially of touch and taste.   His mother relates to him by touch.   She wraps him in blankets, or swaddling clothes, and holds him in her arms, surrounding him with touch.    In the story of the Nativity, Our Mother places the Infant in a manger, which has seemed odd to me as a mother because cribs are not necessary for newborns.

But there are other reasons -- the Manger has been thought of in Eucharistic terms, and certainly Mary didn't put Him there so she could go tidy up or go back to her job, but because He belonged in the center of the world, and she belonged in the circle around Him.   She wasn't relegating Him to the perimeter of her circle, but putting herself in a subsidiary place around His circle, even if as a Mother she was in a very particular way the primary element in His circle. 

The meditation goes on: 

As we conclude this contemplation of Jesus in the womb, we pause for a moment to reflect upon his heart, which developed, just like our hearts did, but which became not only the organ which pumped blood to invigorate the rest of his body, but which became the very image of his self-sacrificing love. In the West, we speak of the heart as the center of our emotions and feelings and the source of our loving. This little heart became a heart big enough to love sinners, the sick, the marginal. This heart was “on fire” with compassion and mercy. The heart of Jesus, which began beating in the womb of Mary, was eventually the sacred heart which was pierced with a lance on the cross and which, in the eyes of faith of John the Apostle and Evangelist, poured out the blood and water of the sacramental life of the Church which sustains us now. Into that wound in his side, the Risen Lord invited Thomas to put his hand and to believe. He told us that we are blessed who have not seen with our eyes, yet believe.

De Koninck, in his article, makes the point that art and science and politics and many other things go wrong when sight becomes the key or only element, and touch is ignored.    Many of the great heresies also came from minimizing touch and the real, physical nature of the Incarnation.    As Our Lady prepared to give birth to her Infant, she was surely aware of the physical reality of her infant, "knitted in the womb" like all of us, even though as yet unseen.     As mothers we can participate in that understanding in a very deep way; and as Catholics, we can "taste and see the goodness of the Lord" as we receive Him in the Holy Eucharist on Christmas.  We are so blessed to "not have seen with our eyes, yet believe."

Vintage Tale: The Abbot's Ghost, a Christmas Story

Before Louisa May Alcott became known for Little Women and other works of the kind, she wrote several Gothic novellas under the pseudonym AM Barnard.  This long short story, or short novel, is one of those.  If you are looking for something light and fast-paced and somewhat seasonal to read, this might be a good pick.

The story centers around Maurice Traherne, a young man badly injured in a tragic accident, who was mysteriously disinherited by his uncle just before the latter died.   No one knows why, and everyone pities him for his fall from rich eligible bachelor to poverty-stricken cripple.

In a Christmas gathering at his aunt's house, several key people come together, both from his past and present, and the story goes from there with several revelations and interesting events, and in the style of romance, resolves fortuitously in the end.

This is basically a romance with some elements of gothic mystery (the ghost from the title, and a lady with a mysterious and not entirely savory past) and was a fun read.   If ancient curses and unquiet spirits and hints of disreputable pasts aren't a problem, the story might be enjoyable for a teenager.   The main characters are properly noble, and the people with shadier backgrounds end up properly repentant.  It probably wouldn't be too interesting to boys or younger children since the plot mostly concerns romance and mysteries of past days.

There is a mild religious flavor -- and as previously mentioned, virtue and sacrifice triumph over selfishness and temptation in the end.  

The Abbot's Ghost (free on Amazon for Kindle)
The Abbot's Ghost (Librivox -- links to audio version and other versions)

An excerpt from the story:  

"You know it was supposed that old Sir Jasper, being a bachelor, would leave his fortune to his two nephews. But he was an oddity, and as the title must go to young Jasper by right, the old man said Maurice should have the money. He was poor, young Jasper rich, and it seemed but just, though Madame Mère was very angry when she learned how the will was made."

"But Maurice didn't get the fortune. How was that?"

"There was some mystery there which I shall discover in time. All went smoothly till that unlucky yachting trip, when the cousins were wrecked. Maurice saved Jasper's life, and almost lost his own in so doing. I fancy he wishes he had, rather than remain the poor cripple he is. Exposure, exertion, and neglect afterward brought on paralysis of the lower limbs, and there he is—a fine, talented, spirited fellow tied to that cursed chair like a decrepit old man."

 ...

"The old man must have been demented. What in heaven's name did he mean by leaving Maurice helpless and penniless after all his devotion to Jasper? Had he done anything to offend the old party?"

"No one knows; Maurice hasn't the least idea of the cause of this sudden whim, and the old man would give no reason for it. He died soon after, and the instant Jasper came to the title and estate he brought his cousin home, and treats him like a brother. Jasper is a noble fellow, with all his faults, and this act of justice increases my respect for him," said the major heartily.

We are officially Versatile Bloggers!

Erin at Seven Little Australians and Counting awarded us with a Versatile Blogger Award!

Thank you so very much, Erin!  

Here are the rules:

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them.
• Tell your readers 7 things about yourself.
• Give this award to 15 recently discovered bloggers.
• Contact those bloggers and let them in on the news.

Since there are two of us running the blog we thought it might be fun to list 7 random things we have found that we both have in common:  There are way more than seven, but these are some we came up with:

1. We both grew up in families that moved a lot, so we attended many different schools.  Chari's travels were mostly in California, while Willa's family moved from Boston to Maryland  to Oklahoma to Arizona to Alaska to Switzerland. 
2. We were both first-borns of three in our families.   Chari was the oldest of three girls and Willa was the only daughter with two younger brothers. 
3. We both gave ourselves a "living books" education without even knowing what that was.   We read as much literature as we could get our hands on -- as CS Lewis said of his own reading boyhood, "some books suitable for children and some most decidedly not."  We both did nature study, kept copybooks, and loved the fine arts.  Consequently when we first discovered Charlotte Mason education, we both "recognized" it as what we had wanted for ourselves when we were growing up.   
4. We married in the same year.... 1985.  
5. We both married Catholics, and we both converted to Catholicism -- Chari before she married, and Willa a few years afterwards. 
6. We both went to Ireland and at very close to the same time!   Chari was pregnant with her oldest, now 23, and Willa's second-born, also 23, was just a few weeks old when she went.  
7. Both of us had children born with rare and unexpected medical conditions.   For that reason, when Aidan was transported to UCSF hospital in California for his liver transplant, in 1999, Willa and Aidan almost overlapped with Chari and her daughter, who had just left the hospital after heart surgery.  

All these things happened before we actually met in person. 

Now for the 15 recently discovered bloggers.  Since Chari and Willa are longtime bloggers who have just started this particular blog, we are still in the process of collecting our TUAR reading list.  We both have favorite blogs and have many favorites in common, but haven't really gotten together on what blogs represent our shared  identity.  Here are a few and hopefully we will add more over time either in this post or in future ones. 

1.  In House: A Homemaking Journal.    Michele is co-designer of Mater Amabilis and also runs Family Centered Press.  We have known Michele online since even before we met each other.   This blog is about simple things to do with homemaking and is so refreshing to the spirit to read.   
2. Sparrow Tree Square:  Thoughts on Literature, Learning and Life.  By a grown homeschooler who started an online seasonal literature anthology when she was only a teenager.   The archives are available if you look at the links on the blog.   Very sweet, and very literature-based. 
3. Moments with Mother Culture.  Karen Andreola's blog.    She doesn't post often but when she does it is nice to read.
4. My Summer Notebook.  This is a beautiful blog by Susan who formerly blogged at High Desert Home.   Unfortunately, she is not going to be posting on either blog anymore, but we are still linking to it, because it is a treasure trove of wisdom.  She has homeschooled several children who are now grown and having children of their own.  
5. The Catholic Young Woman.   Willa's daughter's blog.   She has several contributors and the posts are targeted towards yes, young Catholic women from teens to young adults.   
6. Love Notes for Teens.    A Year of Encouragement from Mom.  By our friend Angie.  

More to come later,

Willa & Chari

Penitence and the Confession of Devotion

This Advent, I was looking up resources on what is called the "Confession of Devotion"and found a good article on Confession by Father John Hardon.    Though it is directed towards religious, it seems to include a lot that is useful for laymen, as well.    I am quoting this section from Value of Self-Direction (scroll down in the article) which reminds me quite a bit of some of Charlotte Mason's teachings on habits.   She says, "change your thoughts."  Father Hardon expands on a similar concept in light of Catholic philosophical thinking about the will.

By regularly recalling the kind of thoughts I wish to control and planning on a positive method of controlling them, I give myself the best assurance of success. The reason is that thoughts are more elusive than overt actions; the power of the will over them is described by Aristotle as diplomatic instead of despotic. I cannot say to my mind, “Don’t think of this,” as I would to my hand, “Don’t touch that,” and hope for immediate response. I need to substitute another thought--complex for the undesirable one and hope that the latter will be driven into the subconscious. Through the examination of conscience I foresee what actions can be substituted for the usual ones, with consequently different thoughts evoked in the mind. I may have found that certain reading--perhaps innocuous in itself--brings on a train of thought that will cause me trouble with carnal images or difficulties about the faith. The foresight gained by examination will recommend changes in my reading habits, with corresponding freedom from disturbance in the mind. I can even use my examination to plan on what kind of thoughts to substitute for the bad ones; how I should maintain myself in peace when the disturbances arise; and how to divert my attention to what is attractive, but harmless, and away from what is attractive but potentially sinful.

He goes on to talk about Benjamin Franklin's habit of improving himself in various virtues by marking in a notebook whenever he failed to practice a given virtue.   This in turn is very similar to St Ignatius's advice for a Particular Examen to focus on and rid oneself of one's main faults.

Here is another painting by Georges de la Tour.  It is called "The Penitent Magdalen."   He painted four works on the subject of the Magdalene.     Even though some of the commentaries I read said that the mirror was a symbol of vanity, it seems to me that the candle-light reflected in the mirror might show her looking at her interior self in a new way -- examining her conscience in the new light of grace.. 

I found some really good advice about confession from one of our family's dear patrons, St Francis de Sales.   He shows how confession of venial sin shouldn't become a sterile habit without real intention of reforming, but should be a way of discerning and improving.   He points out that though confession is the remedy for serious mortal sin,  the Sacrament can bestow grace and remit temporal penalties for sin, so it is strongly recommended even for those who do not have a mortal sin to confess.

Fourth Sunday in Advent: A Song For you!

For this Fourth Sunday in Advent, I offer my favorite Advent hymn:

Maria Walks Amid the Thorn

     Even though this is a video of a school chorus, I think they have done a very good rendition.  I am imnpressed. Listen closely to the beautiful words.  See the words in your mind.  I think it is having the pictures in my imagination, inspired by the lovely words, that makes me love this song so. 

      And another chorus.........
    

      The following video is another arrangement.  I had not heard this one before.  I prefer the others, but this one is still lovely.  I am impressed by their strength in spite of their small numbers.  

From this website:

German: Anonymous, Maria durch ein'n Dornwald ging, from at least the 16th Century

Translator: Henry S. Drinker
According to Maria Augusta Trapp, Around the Year with the Trapp Family (New York: Pantheon, 1955), identifies this as a traditional Advent hymn.

     The lovely and haunting lyrics:

1. Maria walks amid the thorn,
Kyrie eleison.
Maria walks amid the thorn,
Which seven years no leaf has born.
Jesus and Maria.
 
2. What 'neath her heart doth Mary bear?
Kyrie eleison.
A little child doth Mary bear,
Beneath her heart He nestles there.
Jesus and Maria.

3. And as the two are passing near,
Kyrie eleison,
Lo! roses on the thorns appear,
Lo! roses on the thorns appear.
Jesus and Maria.

Advent Blessings to you and yours this season,

                  Chari & Willa

Give Jewelry Give-Away!

Go over to Elizabeth's blog, In the Heart of My Home and leave a comment to enter into the give-away.....


....but before you leave a comment there....go to the Give Jewelry website and take a look around.  This is a very clever way to help others in the world....to bring some small relief to those who suffer....

My favorite bracelet if the silver with blue topaz.  What's yours?

Leave a comment here if you check them out!

God bless you in this last week of Advent,

         Chari & Willa

Grandma's House Christmas 2011

     Every year my Uncle Steve designs a decorative front for my Grandma's house.  Grandma and I think 2011 is his best year yet.  It is very sweet.

     Thought I would share.......it is long, at over five minutes....just take a few minutes peek. 

    Blessings from the Northern Californina coast,

                  Chari

The Heavenly Music of Anna Maria Mendieta

     A few days ago, as I was packing and cleaning my house before leaving for the coast, I was listening to one of my favorite Christmas CDs.  I listened to it for days.  The music is absolutely celestial.  I am sure that my favorite song on the CD is Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.  Simply........heavenly.  I probably should admit it may be my all-time favorite piece of music.......ever.
     And that is when I realized........I must share this music.......with all of you!!!

     I am honored to introduce to you.........

Anna Maria Mendieta 

     Anna Maria is a fine musician, an internationally acclaimed harpist, who has played at The Kennedy Center as well as for the Royalty of Spain.  She is also a devout Catholic who was only one of two Americans to play in the orchestra for the Pope for World Youth Day in Spain last August.  The other was her nephew Walter. 

    A biography for Anna Maria is here. 
   You can find Anna Maria's music for sale on her website. 

     I was listening to this CD:


                                                          

      With these songs......

Angels We Have Heard On High
Carol Of The Bells
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Coventry Carol
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Adeste Fideles
Silent Night
Gesu Bambino
Ave Maria
Lo, How A Rose
Pachelbel's "Canon"
Away In A Manger
Bring A Torch, Jeannette Isabella
A Ceremony of Carols (Interlude)
Amazing Grace

     It is a perfect addition to your Christmas CD collection!  It is soothing enough to have the children listen as they drift off to sleep.

     Anna Maria has three other CDs for sale.  I have one of those, too.

     The tunes of Broadway fill up this CD.

Angels We Hav 

     My first thought when I saw that there were Broadway tunes on harp was:  how could that be entertaining???  I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this music.  I find myself humming along to all of the tunes.  And there is such a nice variety, too!  I enjoy this CD very much. 

Cats - Memory
Sound of Music - Sound of Music
Les Miserables - On My Own
West Side Story - Tonight
Evita - Don't Cry for Me Argentina
Man Of La Mancha - Dulinea
Porgy & Bess - Summertime
Fiddler On The Roof - Sunrise, Sunset
Sunset Blvd. - With One Look
Jekyll & Hyde - No One Knows Who I am
Phantom Of The Opera - All I Ask of You
Miss Saigon - I Still Believe

 

    

     When Anna Maria plays, I know she ultimately is playing for the glory of God.  I know this because I know Anna Maria.  She just happens to be the sister of my other best friend.  I have had the opportunity of seeing Anna Maria play live several times.  The CDs were an autographed gift from her one year for Christmas. 

     If you live anywhere near the Bay Area or Sacramento area of California, there are plenty of opportunities to see Anna Maria live.  She is the principal harpist for the Sacramento Philharmonic.  She also plays for weddings, parties or for anything else for which one would want a harpist.

     Anna Maria is not only an amazing harpist, she is an accomplished Tango dancer.  She has been bringing Tango music to the harp........an unexpected, but wonderful idea!  And, she is a member of a special ensemble called Tango de Cielo . Her father generously treated my kids and I to tickets to a performance of this talented group.  The musicians playing with Anna Maria were excellent.  You can see a video at the link just above.

This reads on the website:

Leading you through the tight turns, dips and smokey cafes of Argentina, concert harpist Anna Maria Mendieta's exciting new project is a fresh and innovative presentation of the passionate and sensuous music of the Argentine Tango.  Bringing together for the first time in tango history: harp, string quartet, percussion and dance -- we invite you to experience this wholly captivating and rhythmically intoxicating music in a way never before presented!

    

    You can also find Anna Maria on Facebook. At least go her page and click "like"!  :)

    Willa & I want to use our blog to support Catholics in business.  Please share this page about Anna Maria Mendieta so more people can support her. She is a wonderful person and an amazing musiciam whose music is angelic.

Advent Blessings,

                Chari

TUAR Tea Room

Chari rambled a little about what was going on in her life and I thought I would do the same.   We still haven't come together on a perfect title for our occasional random tidbits of life.  Oh, now there's a new title to add to Chari's list of possible titles  -- TUAR TIdbits!  Too much?  You don't think??

For now, I am going with TUAR Tea Room, because it lets me post a cute Mary Cassatt picture:

Picture yourself sitting in our little imaginary tea room and being caught up on the details of our daily lives.   Those ladies don't look quite like Chari and me, but we can pretend.  Don't you like that deep teal blue that is carried from teacups up to bonnet?   That color and the dark cape are in contrast to the  pastel hues and make me wonder what they are conversing about!

Before I go on, a quick blogging note    Our friend  Erin at Seven Little Australians and Counting has given us a Versatile Blogger Award!  Thank you, Erin!   We are very honored!  We are working on our post in between our various travels and other goings-on.  

Chari mentioned how much had been happening in our respective lives since we started this blog a month and a half ago.  Yes, indeed!    My family took one trip down to Disney, and two trips up to Oregon to visit our boys.   We just got back from the second one on Sunday.   In there was also Thanksgiving with daughter home from college with friend, and a bout of walking pneumonia for me and other viral nasties with the boys.

In other words, just normal life when homeschooling a crew of kids!  There always seems to be something, doesn't there?  


Here's a scene from our visit up to our sons in Oregon.   This is about as far as you can get from the femininity of  the above tea scene, isn't it?  Except that it shows good conversation can take place anywhere.

They were eating BBQ beef sandwiches, which means that standing up in the kitchen is probably a good idea since the living room floor is carpeted with beige.

Here is another masculine scene -- this time, the boys playing Paddy's Creationary game. 

A day or so after these pictures were taken, some of us were in a vehicular mishap which I told about here.    Everyone safe (thank you, guardian angels), car not very happy and may have to be pastured out.  


This last Saturday,  my husband Kevin and oldest son Liam went to see the finals of the division playoff between Sheldon (Sean's school) and Lake Oswego.    Unfortunately, our team lost, but just getting to the finals is pretty cool.

While they were at the game, which was played out in Portland OR, I and my little boys Paddy and Aidan got to go to OMSI with my brother and his family.    What a great place.

Paddy trying to build an arched bridge

Aidan loved the marble gravitational simulation. 

So that is the partial story of the last week of our lives.  As usual, much else went on that would take up too much time and space to write about!

  Now that I'm back at home again I would like to get back to more regular blogging -- in between unpacking and laundry and making coffee for my husband, who is helping final a computer game with the company he works for.   Our coffee pot broke, though the machine still works, so coffee making is more intensive than usual since I have to hold the cups under the filter apparatus to get the coffee. 

Until later,


Willa

Mucho Mushrooms in the Redwoods

     We had a great day in the Redwoods today.  I took over 300 pictures........which is almost silly considering I have been in these same places so many times in the last two decades.....but I always do it anyway.  The places we visit are always in flux.....plus, we often visit at different times of the year, so there are new things to see, new perspectives to view.......



     .........including so many mushrooms I had never seen before!


     Those who know me well.....like my kids......know I love to photograph fungi.  I am weird that way.  And I am always forgetting that clever mushroom identification guide!


     I took too many photos to share all of them on the blog.......so I thought I would at least separate the mushroom pics.  I will put the rest on Snapfish and share with a link in a later post.

     I tried to identify the mushrooms with online identification guides, but I could only ID one of them.  The guides seem too incomplete for help.  I will have to pull out my own favorite guide.

     In the meantime, here are my pretty and pretty interesting fungi.......

Guess which one is my favorite..........which one is yours?

           Gotta get to sleep for more coastal adventure tomorrow!  Haha, tomorrow's adventure involves thrift stores and Old Towne.....but we hope to make it to a beach somehow!

     Blessings,

                     Chari