A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
Dirt! There is something surprisingly therapeutic about getting covered in it. My mother obviously does not agree. ;) She is a New York City girl to the core, despite the fact that she has been a resident of rural Michigan for the majority of her life. I am grateful she chose to raise her children in the country, and that my Dad was a tree planting enthusiast, so that we could develop a relationship with and appreciation for nature. In an effort to give my children the same gift, we are diving into gardening using Homeschool Gardening as our guide and inspiration. Author Sheila Carroll wisely suggested we start small, and that the girls begin by creating a fairy garden, something they have occasionally done on their own for years. Another guide I am turning to this summer to get the most out of the gardening experience is Inheriting Paradise by Vigen Guroian. This is the same author I mentioned earlier this summer when discussing the new edition of his classic book, Tending the Heart of Virtue. Between these two books on the importance and purpose of gardening and reading aloud with children, Guroian gets to the heart of the two branches of education- the common arts and the liberal arts. These two categories of education are what originally inspired me to come up with the "four cycles of life" curriculum for our homeschool, and I am grateful to have these guides to renew and refocus our paths back to nature and books this summer.
Liturgical: Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike."
Bishop Barron's reflections today.
Sanctoral: St. Alexis of Rome, +early 5th c.
Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiegne (d. 1794) also referred to as "Blessed Teresian Martyrs of Compiègne." These sixteen Carmelite nuns are the first recognized martyrs of the French Revolution. They were guillotined on July 17, 1794 at the Place du Trone Renverse (modern Place de la Nation) in Paris, France.
Human: 1585 English secret service discovers Anthony Babington's plot to murder plot Queen Elizabeth I; 1762 Catherine II becomes Tsarina of Russia following the murder of Peter III; 1814 Matthew Flinders publishes "A Voyage to Terra Australis", detailing his circumnavigation of Australia, first to name the continent Australia. He dies a day later; 1898 Spanish–American War: Spaniards surrender to US forces at Santiago de Cuba; 1917 Royal Proclamation by King George V changes name of British Royal family from German Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor; 1918 The Romanov royal family and several of their retainers are executed by a Bolshevik firing squad in the basement of Ipatiev House, in Yekaterinburg, Siberia; 1936 Spanish generals Francisco Franco and Emilio Mola lead a right-wing uprising, starting the Spanish Civil War; 1945 Potsdam Conference: Harry Truman, Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill hold 1st post-World War II meeting; 1998 Russia buries Tsar Nicholas II and family, 80 years after they died.
The Writer's Almanac edition for today.
Natural: 1959-- Paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey discovers partial skull of a new species of early human ancestor, Zinjanthropus boisei or 'Zinj' (now called Paranthropus boisei), who lived in Africa almost 2 million years ago; 2018-- Oldest evidence of bread, made from wild grains, discovered by archaeologists in 14,000 year-old dig in the Black Desert, Jordan
"Beyond the tangible yield of healthier soil and abundant harvests, this form of gardening invites many benefits from fostering local wildlife like butterflies to enhancing your wellbeing. Studies have shown that engaging regularly with your garden boosts serotonin and vitamin D levels, significantly reducing stress and decreasing the risk of chronic diseases." -Sheila Carroll, from her book Organic Raised Bed Gardening
Italian Word of the Day: Pensare (to think)
Quote: A Poem and A Painting- "From Your Daughters", in memoriam for Stratford Caldecott +2014
Today, to mark the day on which he passed to life eternal a decade ago, his family is sharing this rare (and beautiful) video of Stratford speaking on "Death and the Soul in Tolkien's Middle Earth."
Comments