The weekly “little of this, little of that” feature from Like Mother, Like Daughter!
{Remember to enter the giveaway of the Everyday Catholic's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours by leaving a comment on that post (not this one) — we will close the giveway on Monday!}
I got a very exciting package in the mail yesterday. Some of you wanted a dozen red roses to turn up at your doorstep?
I wanted eggshells.
I couldn't get over how cute this packaging was.
Yes, eggshells.
It's time for some Pysanky to start happening around here again! Time for me to get on top of some very, very overdue gifts…
This week's links!
Have you ordered your copy of The Little Oratory yet? I mean, no pressure. You know.
Auntie Leila tells me you might like to see another few peeks of the illustrations. If so, I can see about getting on that…
We haven't featured the good Professor Esolen here for a little while, so I have a couple offerings from him:
- It's Time to Build Schools, from the Ground Up. This is a brief critique of Common Core but, more importantly, an example of what real education should and can look like. It's actually very exciting and inspiring!
- Temptation Mysticism, which is a bit of a more challenging read. I recommend reading the further clarification that Esolen makes in the comments section.
In honor of Valentine's Day Weekend, some lovely love-related items:
- You just have to read a bit about Pope Francis' encouragement to engaged couples this week. All of it is of such a quality that I find I can't choose a quotation to pull!
- Humorous: if (teen-y-pop) love songs were written like worship songs.
Miscellany:
- Auntie Leila enjoyed In Defense of Creationists: “On the other hand, I've always found those Christians who hold to six-day accounts of man's origin difficult to refute and even more difficult to despise. There is a certain strength and flexibility to their tautology. Further, even though they're wrong on the science, they are right about the things that really matter to the human heart and to human civilization.”
- In the spirit of the Olympics (which The Artist and I are sadly missing out on, basically, since we're not TV people), you might enjoy this little clip of a Chicago hockey player showing off some handling skills.
- If you're up for a long read, perhaps you'd like to dive into The Perfections of Jane Austen by Eva Brann? Full disclosure: I have not completed reading this biographical article myself.
From the Archives:
- It seems to me that there are a lot of babies being born or due any minute (how about you? Do you sense this trend as well, or is it just me?). February seems like a great time to have a baby, because this month really needs the pick-me-up of something awesome like a birth. Anyway, I thought that Ask Auntie Leila: Five Steps to Feeling Pretty After the Baby might be apropos for some.
- And in case anyone is catching a bug, it's helpful to be on top of Bland Diet options for nursing back to health.
Don't forget about the Seven Sundays of St. Joseph devotion! Tomorrow will be the Third Sunday and it's not too late to jump on the bandwagon if you missed the first two!
Like us on Facebook, where you will be advised of posts, including some from the archives that you might have missed.
Auntie Leila’s Pinterest.
Rosie’s Pinterest.
Sukie’s Pinterest.
Deirdre’s Pinterest.
Habou’s Pinterest.
Auntie Leila’s Ravelry
Alice says
Deirdre, have you ordered eggshells for pysanky before? Do you have a recommended source?
Not, of course, that I expect I’ll be getting many pysanky done this year, as I’ll have a ten-week-old when Lent starts and I’m supposed to have a dissertation to write…
Dixie says
Alice, I am in my second pregnancy while writing a dissertation (defending this Fall!!).
I just want to encourage you and say that it can be done! But only if you take your and your baby’s (and your husband’s) needs seriously!
The biggest lesson I learned during the first pregnancy and 0-6 mos period was that it is okay to take the time off needed during this very demanding period…you really will get back to that dissertation if it’s something that’s important for you to do (as I assume you have discerned that it is)! Don’t burn yourself out trying to do to much “work” while you have a newborn; it is normal and understandable and necessary to completely focus on self-care and baby-care for many weeks. If you can fit some scribbling in here or there, fine, but DON’T WORRY if you can’t. You will find the time soon IF you take the time now to rest and nurse and nourish. I.e., for me, avoiding burnout and rebuilding strength was key; and then all of a sudden I found I actually HAD the energy to write for a couple of hours here or there, and then even more, without overextending either myself or my family.
I suggest making doing just a couple of pysanky (preferably while eating cookies) a priority…as Auntie Leila says, making something beautiful, however small or slowly, does us all good 🙂
Congratulations on your baby!!
Deirdre says
Hi Alice! This was my first time ordering the eggshells. I bought them from Bracken Ridge Ranch (http://brackenridgeranch.com/site/Blown-Craft-Eggs/) and my experience was great. The service was pleasant, eggs arrived timely and intact, and they even threw in a couple of “bonus bantams” with my order (so cute)! It wasn’t too pricey, either.
I hope you get around to some sooner or later! It’s been way too long for me!
Jennifer H says
“even though they’re wrong on the science…” This sad fact is the truth. Creationists must face some tough questions. Does reality actually match their heartfelt beliefs? See http://www.biblicalchronologist.org for honest science and ground-breaking answers! This man should have been the third person in the debate between Nye and Ham.
Caitlin says
I am so attracted to the idea of making pysanky, but I haven’t taken the plunge. Mostly because I’m not terribly artistic, nor terribly patient, but it seems so lovely. Also, when can I do that with a two year old around? It would probably take me the entirety of Lent to produce one (assuming that I could find a safe place to store all of my materials between craft sessions!)
NY Mom says
Re: Caitlin’s comment: Try this – start with a single egg and fairly simple design and limit yourself to doing one color each evening after the little ones are tucked in bed. I found it to be a calming exercise at the end of a day raising children. Make a cup of tea and put on some tranquil music – singing nuns, monks, chants, some Chopin, whatever. For your first attempts, think process, not goal. Use an old towel as your work surface so your egg doesn’t roll off the table.
The Ukrainian Gift Shop (you can google it) has a good array of tools, books, ideas to get you started. Use an old cardboard box to store everything. Lent is the prefect time to devote to this!