January 2017 Daybook

Outside my window... dark, cool and soon to be raining again

I am wearing... Jeans, a purple top, and red socks

I am thankful for... Everyone being well and contented, dinner with my family, no one particularly needing me at the moment.

I am thinking about... Not too much, and that is lovely.

Learning all the time... reading. My second grader and my kindergartener are learning to read. That is also lovely.

From the kitchen... Well, we ate out tonight, and we've been having leftovers that I put in the freezer after our kind friends brought meals a few weeks ago when Jenny Wren was in the hospital. I did make a delicious cranberry cake the other day, with the recipe shared by Matushka Emma. It was so yummy!

I am creating... slowly working away at an afghan I've been crocheting here and there for a couple of years. Also a little book to hold icons for my goddaughter. And coloring with Bluejay in his kestrel coloring book.

I am working on... peace and gentle discipline in the home. It's working!

I am going...  to help make piroshki at church tomorrow, maybe. 

I am hoping... for the peacefulness and routine to continue for a little while. It was a rough first few weeks of the year. For Jenny Wren to be excited about speech therapy. I think she's gonna love it.

I am reading... hmmm. I have my fingers in a number of books lately. Snuff by Terry Pratchett, God's Path to Sanity by Dee Pennock and rereading Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge.

I am praying... daily prayers and scripture readings.

I am hearing... the children getting ready for bed; my husband requesting the occasional help as he tidies up the school/playroom/garage (it's all one room!).

One of my favorite things... daybooks :-) this makes me cheery.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Church, homeschooling, a dentist appointment for Bluejay and a visit to the orthopedic specialist for Bluejay as well. He took a fall on his bike and it turns out he broke a bone in his left arm near the wrist! So he's in a splint until we can get it appropriately treated, as early as possible next week. The doctor 

Some picture thought I am sharing with you...

  

Jenny Wren very very happy to be home after five days in the hospital!

Bluejay and Chickadee doing pull-ups. We did not know at the time he had a broken arm!

Waiting for the wrist/arm prognosis

This is probably a very poor quality video, but it shows our little cutie practicing her new, fabulous walking skills!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

What I'm Reading - February through May

I finished The Mountain of Silence by Kyriacos C. Markides and really enjoyed it. I got much more spiritual encouragment and advice than I had anticipated from my initial perusal of this book. Highly recommend.  

After sharing my January reading blog post with my darling husband, he got me For the Life of the World and Everyday Saints for Valentine's day.  I had to make myself not touch Everyday Saints until I'd finished The Mountain of Silence. Then I devoured it. It was every bit as wonderful as I'd heard. I missed it for weeks when I was done. I have also started For the Life of the World, which is incredible. I am reading it very slowly, because I feel like I really need to pay attention to each paragraph. The depth of truth in this book is stunning and yet subtle. It requires me to pay attention. I'm only a few chapters in so far.

In the interim I read Hannah Coulter, which was very good, as is everything by Wendell Berry, but not, I would have to say, my favorite of his. This one had a greater focus on the reality and brevity of life.  A bit sad.  I also read Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. It was a bit slower reading at first, at least in comparison to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but definitely entertaining, and picked up quickly toward the end.
My sister-in-law lent me another Terry Pratchett book, Going Postal. It was the best one I've read yet, lots of fun. As soon as I finished, I requested a few more from the library. So now I have Men at Arms and Guards, Guards! waiting for me.  
I just finished re-reading In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden. A very good book and this time (having recently read Everyday Saints), I noted many of the similarities between Orthodox monasticism and Roman Catholic monasticism, at least of the Benedictine variety. The only thing that struck me as odd was the reference to the crucifix with the broken knees. What about the scripture "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken" (John 19:36)?

I still want to pick up a copy of Brideshead Revisited. And I found a book of short stories by Jessamyn West at our local used bookstore and have read a few so far - I loved Cress Delahanty as a girl and was excited to see that she had a greater repertoire.

Also, I should note that the main reason I'm able to keep up with reading after Jenny Wren's birth is the amount of time I spend hooked up to that blessed breast pump.

What I'm Reading - January Edition

One of my goals I noted in my beginning of the year daybooks for the past few years was to keep a record of what I read. So, here is a start~

January:

I finished The Brothers Karamazov (this remarkable translation)!! This was a re-read for me, although I only vaguely remember the ending from when I read it last. Such an incredible book. No character in here is a caricature. I do not doubt it will continue to be amongst just about every list of the greatest novels ever written. My dad gave this version to me last year for my birthday.

I devoured Among Others by Jo Walton, a Christmas gift from my lovely sister-in-law.  It was delightful, refreshing, had a lovely depth while still being an easy book to read. I couldn't put it down.

Started The Mountain of Silence by Kyriacos C. Markides. I am enjoying this more and more as I get deeper into it. I wish I'd been better at keeping a pencil handy to notate in this one.  About half-way through now.

For a break from the more intense reading, I picked up some Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad, passed on to me by another sister-in-law, which was great fun. In each pregnancy I've found I get to a point where I need more of the fun and lightweight reading, and this fit the bill nicely, not intense at all, not dumb, not annoying. After finishing this one, I decided I needed more of this fare for the next few months, so will be picking up more Pratchett, some Douglas Adams, and a few others along that line.

Also on the to-read list right now: I would really love to finally read For the Life of the World, by Fr. Alexander Schmemann.  I have heard many wonderful things about this book, and recently saw an incredible CBS documentary on Fr. Alexander's life and impact, which made me cry. In the spiritual reading category as well, I've been dying to get my hands on a copy of Everyday Saints.

In the literature/novels category, I just ordered Hannah Coulter, for my next installment of Wendell Berry reading, and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, to get a little deeper into the world of Douglas Adams.  I guess I have a taste for fantasy/sci fi these days!  I think reading Among Others may have something to do with it.

And last but not least, I am curious to read Brideshead Revisited, it's popped up in several reading lists of interest to me lately. There wasn't a copy at my favorite used bookstore I visited this weekend, but hopefully I can get to the library sometime soon.

So that's the January update... let's see how far I get this year, with baby number four arriving soon, and homeschooling, and working and trying to fit in a little crocheting and all.

Important Children's Books

I've seen many lists lately of good books for children.  Most of them have some of the books my siblings and I grew up loving, and that were very important for the foundations of a love of literature, but most miss some of what I consider the essentials.  So, I'm starting my own list.  Thus far it is VERY roughly categorized by "age" or rather readiness.  I am not including a lot of books that I think are decent, or even quite good, but rather the ones that I think are the most important, in terms of a good literary foundation, and perhaps a few that are nostalgically important to me.  I plan to continue to add to this, and when I have time, even put in links to the books.  

For Little Ones:

Little Golden Books

• The Friendly Book
• Scuffy the Tugboat
• Busy Timmy
• The Tawny Scrawny Lion
• The Saggy Baggy Elephant
• Pretty much anything illustrated by Eloise Wilkin

The Maggie B

The Little Moon Theater

Make Way for Ducklings

One Morning in Maine

Blueberries for Sal

The Frances books

Molly Brett books

Good Night Moon

The Runaway Bunny

Mother Goose

A Children's Garden of Versus by Robert Louis Stevenson

Frog and Toad series

The Seamstress of Salsburg

Winnie the Pooh and other A.A. Milne

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Ready for a little bit more:

The Brambly Hedge series

Thornton W. Burgess

• Old Mother West Wind and many many others

The Chronicles of Narnia

Mary Poppins series

The Little House of the Prairie - Laura Ingalls Wilder (except for The First Four Years)

The Wind in the Willows

Bambi

Pippi Longstocking

Peter Pan

Getting bigger:

George McDonald

Frances Hodgeson Burnett

• The Secret Garden
• 
  

Anne of Green Gables series

Louisa May Alcott

• Little Women and others

The King of Ireland's Son

The Sword in the Stone

The REAL Grimms Fairy Tales

Heidi (and sequels)

Caddie Woodlawn

Corrie Ten Boom

The Black Stallion

Black Beauty

The Incredible Journey

National Velvet

Linnets and Valerians

Tolkien- The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

The Jungle Book (Kipling)

Fidelity

I just finished a book and I cannot help myself, I have to proclaim from the rooftops how wonderful it was.  

Copyrighted material

Wendell Berry is one of those unequaled American writers, I want everyone to read at least one of these stories.  Fidelity, however, was the one which made me want to run out and tell all my friends to read.  Berry does not just write about nature, agriculture and our connection with the land, he writes about our connectedness with one another. Who else can communicate love between people, real, serious, meaningful love, that transcends romance, in such a truthful and real way?

Ok, I'm done gushing.  I'm just going to say again, please go pick up this book.

New Baby Daybook!

Outside my window... The birds are coming to the three bird feeders we have set up, I enjoy watching them so much.  There are baby clothes drying in the sun on the makeshift line my husband rigged up for me.

I am wearing... First trimester maternity jeans, gentle on my no-longer-pregnant tummy, a brown and red peasant top and a grey sweatshirt.

I am thankful for... The amazing birth of this dear new baby, the moments of intensity and the memories of the support I had from my precious husband and dear midwives, right here in my own home and bedroom.

I am thinking about... Resting and going slow.

Learning all the time... I am learning to be a mother to three little ones and not physically over-do things at the same time (also known as obeying my husband, these days).

From the kitchen... Right now, this means: from our wonderful church family.  We have received meal after meal from our friends at church, who set up a meal train for us.  This has meant so much, especially after this birth, when Aaron has been taking care of us in every way, but has been relieved from having to cook, which isn't an area where he's particularly at home.  And the meals have been DELICIOUS. I can't say enough how grateful we are.

I am creating... Lots and lots of milk :-).  I also have a crocheted blanket almost done for Chickadee, but I haven't been able to pick it up since Sparrow was born.  Yes - I picked a name for him!  It was almost Robin, since he is so sweet and cozy and friendly, but Sparrow won out for me.

I am working on... Resting, reading, being peaceful.  I have only three more days with Aaron home full time, and need to treasure every moment of it.  I am also working on having faith that my three children and I will figure out how to manage each day, meals, nursing and everything else, when he does go back to work.   

I am going... Nowhere.  We plan to stay at home as much as possible throughout my forty days.  We only have two more days of preschool, and other than that, nothing planned until Sparrows baptism.

8 Day Naming Blessing - our wonderful priest came to our home to do this.

I am hoping... I feel like everything I've hoped for is here.  What else is there to hope for right now, with a new baby in my arms and such a sweet family taking care of me?

I am reading... I just finished Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica.  Whew boy, I can't say enough good things about this book.  I will be picking it up again and again, if only I can stop lending it to people. :-)  I am also reading Fidelity: Five Stories by Wendell Berry.  He is a beautiful writer.  I loved the first story.  And, on my list of books to acquire: Everyday Saints and Other Stories.

I am praying for... Sweet little Sparrow.  My husband.  My extended family.  Matushka Anna.

I am hearing... Chickadee and Grandpa, playing with measuring spoons in the living room. 

One of my favorite things... Newborn babies!  And an amazing husband who does everything possible to take care of the rest of life's responsibilities for a few weeks.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Cuddling Sparrow, learning to keep the toddlers busy while nursing a baby. Last day of preschool for Bluejay.  My baby shower on Saturday (this is the first "after" baby shower I've had!  Kind of excited to bring the wee one with me).

A few more picture thoughts I am sharing with you... 

I wanted to add a few pictures of Aaron with his new son, he is always behind the camera, but I know we got a few good ones.  They must not be downloaded yet... next time.   

Join the fun at the Simple Woman's Daybook

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Six Random Thoughts

1. God Bless the Garbage Men.  Every Monday is garbage day, and it is a wonderful blessing in this house.  Not because we have very much garbage.  We usually only half fill up our small size bin.  It's because the garbage men and the garbage trucks make Bluejay and Chickadee SO HAPPY.  Nothing can pull us out of a funk like the arrival of the garbage truck. Often we run outside to see the first one.  The garbage man waves, and toots his horn for us.  And there are THREE different trucks that come throughout the day, one for garbage, one for recycling and one for clean green, so we never miss them all. Monday is a great day, thanks to the garbage men.

2. Comfort food.  I tend to cook the same "types" of meals all the time.  I am most comfortable with pasta.  If we need to eat vegetables or are fasting, I make some sort of vegetable medley over pasta.  If we need protein, I make some sort of sausage or meat sauce over pasta.  Sometimes I vary it with vegetables or meat over rice or polenta.  I almost always make a salad.  Boy am I creative.  Anyway, my husband really likes traditional American comfort food.  (I've noticed that this kind of comfort food generally has a "cream" component, whether it's cream of mushroom soup or anything that starts out as a roux or just a nice dollop of cream, especially sour cream). Last night I wanted to make something he would really like, so I did chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn, with, of course, gravy.  And not even a salad in sight.  It was a big hit.  Aaron loved it. I loved it too.  But, I was sweating after all the boiling and frying (there were three pots boiling on the stove in addition to the frying pan full of hot oil, and the oven was on to keep the finished chicken pieces warm).  Also, there was a LOT of butter and oil that went into that meal.  And this is coming from someone who loves butter so much she puts it on her croissants.  So I need to find a nice balance between comfort food and clogged arteries.

3. Restraint.  There was a Friends marathon on TV the other night.  I only watched two episodes!  That is restraint, my friends.  Especially since we're getting rid of TV again this week (we signed up for cable to watch the Olympics).  Why do I love Friends so much?

4. Bacon in the oven! There probably shouldn't be multiple food related points in each post.  But seriously, bacon cooked in the oven? Is one of the best ideas ever.

5. Time away from the kids.  My husband has been trying to give me an evening away from the kids each week.  This is a new thing, and very much needed.  To reciprocate, I told him to stay home the other evening while I took the babes over to a friend's house for dinner.  He used his time away to pick up the house.  I could not possibly be more grateful.  Thank you thank you to my most favorite person.

6. A.S. Byatt.  I mentioned that I'd started a new book, in my last post.  It is Possession.  So far, it is VERY good.  Best book I've read in a long time.  I am a slow reader these days, so bear with me, but if it's decent through to the end, I'll be sure to let you know.  Oh, and it's a "romance" in the literary sense of the term.