...on which green vegetables we will be eating this winter! We all love Brussels Sprouts and we are so pleased with the continuing nice weather, perfect for their fall development. We ate them all weekend and put away four gallons bags in the freezer. Husband and Number Four say they have brought in one-third so far. I steam them and then add a simple butter/garlic sauce.
Mild flavor, tender, delicious!
Saints Brendan the Navigator, Teresa of Calcutta, Teresa of the Andes and Margaret of Scotland! Don't you just love our diverse, centuries-rich Church?
We will work on our new paper saints for this year later today. Our paper saints are even appearing on our calligraphy work...
As the weather transitions us into the inside-the-house season, I make progress in my next workbook. I'm past the halfway point into Light of The Nations Part 1.
Our diocese has published a wonderful novena, we printed it and started today. It is excellent! Here is the link.
Husband bought nice small format sketchpads for them from Ireland, and the girls have been asking for daily little lessons in calligraphy--I added watercolor exercise since the paper is so suitable.
My dear sister Nina is still in Kent, England on a month-long retreat at the Abbey of Minster, built 1500 years ago! She sent us a surprise package with wonderful gifts from the Abbey's gift shop: a Monastery tea towel, note cards with photographs of the nun who is a renowned sculptress, and of course fine European chocolates. Thank you dear Nina!
We had a guest artist today helping at co-op and the kids worked on creative mosaic frames under her guidance! Thank you Mrs. S.!
I didn't know I would enjoy it so much. The hour flew... I could have talked more... it was soo much fun. I spoke of my dear aunt who inspired me as a child with her annual children's plays, about the importance of recognizing the people who inspire us, and how we may be inspiring others unknowingly. (She is pictured here, with my father, her only sibling, in a recent picture. They have always been the best of friends.)
I just received these from Number Two! She has been awarded a grant from Learning Beyond the Classrooms to visit Casablanca, where she is hosted by her friend Caco's family. I don't have much information on the photos and I included a map. She did visit Marrakesch which is 2 1/2 hours away. 
After a few minor... hmmm... interruptions, I am finishing up my PowerPoint and getting excited for tonight!
The first one, The Road the Bethlehem by Elizabeth Laird, is from the ancient Christian traditions in Ethiopia. The pictures are exactly like the ones Husband brought from his two trips to that country! Next is a fable-
like tale from India, Cloud-Tea Monkeys by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham, and beautifully illustrated. The last one, Biblioburro, a True Story from Colombia by Jeannette Winter, tells of a still-current story of a man who volunteers to bring culture to remote places in Colombia. All delightful and telling us about the richness and the universal values of goodness, beauty and justice in far away cultures...
My little sister and adored-aunt Nina took a break from her monastic retreat in Kent, England, to rent a car and tour Kent: Leeds Castle was one of her destinations yesterday. She also visited Charles Dickens' house, Gads Hill Place.
We continue with our History of Sacred Art, and we read about Illuminated initials--I used Dover Illuminated Alphabet as a springboard for the kids to work on their own, this was my sample of a crayon resist project.
... hosted by Faith & Family!
Like I promised, here is a second post on using my workbook with a group of students. Chapter Three took us through the story of Juan Diego and the California missions. I sent them the CHC link for a Guadalupe How-to-Draw and also found this simple California Mission how-to-draw. (I have wonderful artists in the class).
She has always enjoyed drawing, and lately her figures have become so nice. I am always afraid these will get lost as most of them are in surprising blank spaces (eg inside workbook covers). Posting them here can preserve them for later years. By the way the "kitty stroller", she says, is based on a real one she saw the other day.
With the eventful weekend, the squash remained on the dining table. It's going to the cellar today. We have so much to be thankful for.
I didn't get to blog this until today because of my unscheduled vacation at the hospital. ;-)
Interesting to note is the pre-surgery Number Five, in her navy blue classical league t-shirt, helping to pick beans, less than 12 hours before she was in the operating room.
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