His Half of the Parenting

 I have an awesome dad who more than carried his weight in parenting my sister and I. Whether it was laundry or dinner or amazing adventures, Dad had it covered. Other kids talked about their fathers being distant and uninterested in them. I couldn’t relate. I grew up to find that dads like mine are rare and precious indeed which is why I’m so happy to introduce you to Mason Smith.

Mason is a YouTuber who proudly displays his heroic efforts to make joy for his family. If you had a dad like mine, wanted a dad like mine or you are a dad like mine you will love this channel. You might even find yourself tearing up. Enjoy

https://youtube.com/@dadsocial?si=HyoDKU6t7n_eih_W

Rule Breakers

 Clapping and crying are two indicators that I’ve fallen in love with a movie. Rule Breakers qualified generously. The story of the Afghanistan Girls Robotic Club will hit anyone hard, but as a woman the repression they were fighting is unimaginable. It made me question what I’ve done with my freedom here as a woman. If you want to be stirred in your soul, get yourself to the nearest showing and take all the young women you can round up. This movie will never be Wonder Woman, but it could do more good.

Visionary

 

I sea you.

You see me.

eye sore

Irritants

Live in infamy.

Necessary Evil

Violence is inhuman.

Bless your heart.

My Feng Shui Friend

 https://youtube.com/shorts/Y9Ddt8o0Ksk?si=TAvhYq7MSlZge9Gi

“And now you know!” Cliff ends his shorts about Feng Shui this citrusy sign off. What do we know? How to fix bad furniture layouts with Feng Shui. I don’t know how I feel about Feng Shui, but Cliff always makes things better no matter how small or strange the room.  And he’s fun to watch. If you’ve got a problem room give Cliff a listen. If you just need a mood boost Cliff’s infectious energy will brighten your day.

Christmas Book Haul

 This isn’t my complete book haul. Some of it will be arriving later or I’ll use gift cards later. These are the books here on time.

https://www.amazon.com/Illuminations-Hildegard-Bingen-Matthew-Fox/dp/1879181975/ref=asc_df_1879181975?mcid=63f553a45cc63e8d94c528b4489e2198&hvocijid=13193360303217113315-1879181975-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-

20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13193360303217113315&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016901&hvtargid=pla-2281435178298&psc=1

Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen

I’ve been interested in Hildegard of Bingen for a long time. This is a collection of the drawings of her visions. I’m not sure what I think of the author/publisher, but it’s the only collection of these images I’ve found. They are fascinating at first flip through.

https://www.amazon.com/value-humility-Mother-Teresa-ValueTales/dp/071728316X

The Value of Humility

Value Tales had a powerful influence on me as a child. Highlighting heroes from every community, they held forth a standard for everyone. I don’t remember Mother Teresa being part of the collection at my local library, but I ran my finger down the list of titles and I read almost all of them. I liked them so much I have collected them for my children. Mother Teresa was expensive to collect. At eighty dollars I had to accept there were going to be important gaps in my collection. Looking for ways to meaningfully spend my Christmas money I found the Mother Teresa Value Tale on an old list. This time it was only eighteen. I snapped it up, and then cried my way through it for lots of reasons.

https://www.bookfinder.com/isbn/9780201043037/

Workjobs

This was another book on the old list. Written by Mary Barratta-Lorton it is full of activities children can do on their own. It is Montessori-esque. I love how everything can be made from recycled materials. As a former homeschool mom I know that the more of these activities you have the happier class will be.

https://www.amazon.com/Fairytale-Baking-Delicious-Inspired-Classic/dp/1510751815/ref=asc_df_1510751815?mcid=95812856f6913581868db2d52f08d539&hvocijid=5835487333394455045-1510751815-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5835487333394455045&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016901&hvtargid=pla-2281435178098&psc=1

Fairytale Baking

A bit of a disappointment I’m afraid. I was imagining the little book of fairytales I grew up with and then having a simple treat I could make with my grandchildren after we read each story. This is not that. This is four seemingly random fairytales followed by lots of also seemingly random, very fancy, desserts. Fairytales speak of childhood, and there is none of that here. I doubt my ability to reproduce a good chunk of the recipes, especially not with children around. More fairytales, simpler recipes, more childlike, and I think it could be good. 

Interesting Beginnings

 A plea to the worthy scholars that prepare important texts for the rest of us to read, make the introduction at least as interesting as the material you are framing. I’ve started dreading reading the introductions. If I put a list of the books made boring by their introduction you would be surprised as many times the text itself is a great pleasure to read. There are exceptions. Some scholars make it seem as though the book were written yesterday, and that it is a popular best-seller. I love those moments, but they are rare. I have to read the introductions because I want to understand my texts more deeply than a straight reading would offer, but lately I’ve wondered if it wouldn’t be better if I read the introduction after the text.