A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
You know the saying that once you are really interested in something you begin to see it everywhere? Well, after the post the other day in which I identified our priority educational goals for the summer- meaningful engagement with nature and books- suddenly I've become aware of how frequently these two elements pop up in daily life, even unintentionally. I think when one is naturally drawn to something, one subconsciously seeks it out. Yesterday we had to run an errand in the charming small town of Lakeview, so while in "civilization" we took the opportunity to explore a bit and discovered yet another "little free library" by the public dock (as well as a large amount of nymphaeaceae). I make no apologies for taking as many books as I like from these treasure troves, as I in turn make a point to stock the ones in Mecosta every summer, so I'm just passing it on. Yesterday's catch included Gifts from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (who I only just learned about the other day through Calendar Class research), Pigs in Clover (gifted to someone in 1935!), and Weslandia, about a surburban boy who creates his own micronation in his backyard. Each book is a world unto itself, so we have just added three new worlds to our own.
Liturgical: Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Those live whom the LORD protects;
yours is the life of my spirit.
You have given me health and life.
R. You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
Bishop Barron's reflections today.
Sanctoral: St. Aurea (d. 856), Roman Catholic Martyr of Spain. She was born in Cordova, Spain, in the ninth century to Muslim parents. She was also the sister of Ss. Aldolphus and John, who were martyred at Cordova. Aurea became a Christian after her husband died, and took the veil at a monastery in Cuteclara, Spain, where she remained for more than twenty years. She was ultimately denounced as a Christian by her parents, and received a martyr’s crown by beheading in 856.
Human: Dramatic death of author, journalist, and "Garibaldini" Margaret Fuller – 1850; Lady Jane Grey was replaced by Mary I of England as Queen of England after having the title for only nine days– 1553; Bloomers (long, loose, trousers) were introduced to delegates of the first Women’s Right’s Convention in Seneca Falls, New York– 1848
The Writer's Almanac edition for today.
Natural: Eric Sloane's The Seasons of America Past-- this book just arrived in the mail today and I'm looking now at the entry for July. I was introduced to Sloane's work by some back-to-the-land homesteaders when we bought an off-the-grid property from them in northern Michigan and have been amazed and enchanted by his work ever since. Turns out Andrew Wyeth was also a fan, which is high praise indeed. He was one of those very rare Renaissance men, who was passionate about chronicling in art and descriptive words all that was being lost in America to modernity and technology. He is very much like Tasha Tudor in this regard, and her book A Time to Keep about her own rural childhood traditions from month to month.
Italian Word of the Day: Divertente (fun / amusing / entertaining)
Quote:
"I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned
With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned."
-an excerpt from the poem "Dirge without Music" by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Comments