The regular “little of this, little of that” feature from Like Mother, Like Daughter!
We have a great giveaway for TWO of you for this month of May! De Montfort Music has done it again — they have produced a beautiful CD (or download) of chant in honor of Mary: BENEDICTA: Marian Chant from Norcia
— which is so appropriate for us to give away now in May, Our Lady's month.
Some of you had commented that as much as you loved the Benedictine Sisters of Mary CD, you would love to have men chanting.
Well, wish granted! In this CD, The Benedictine Monks of Norcia sing songs dedicated to the life of Mary. BENEDICTA (Blessed) has some pieces chanted by the entire group, some by smaller ensembles, others by soloists, making a vast range of sound and color in the recording. Check out the video above to get a feel for this devotional offering. It's an amazing glimpse into their life of prayer, dedicated to God.
Go to the end of the post for details on how to win.
The pear trees are blooming… so sweet.
Actually they smell weird. But they look sweet.
They need to be pruned.
Can you come over here and do that for me?
And mow?
And start the garden?
Don't forget that the discount on those beautiful beeswax baptismal candles ends Tuesday! Go here for the code.
On to our links!
- Your tiny house fix. Fair warning, it's also an Anthropologie promo, so adorableness/spendy overload.
- We always have good conversations in the comments. Dear Kelsey brought up something on this post in which I shared Deirdre's birthday dinner, and others have emailed me about: food choices, guilt, priorities. What to do? I did respond to her there, but I also wanted to share this interview with Joel Salatin, a guy whose take on all of this I really respect. An important point he makes: “Now that the high prices have attracted unscrupulous growers who enter the movement for the money, people realize that no system can regulate integrity.” No system can regulate integrity. This insight applies to many other areas of life, by the way. Nothing can replace common sense and a clear commitment to your own priorities, or you can end up driving yourself crazy or getting hurt. The fact is that people will maximize their profits, even in the most altruistic of causes. It's up to you to resist as necessary.
- From the New Yorker: The Problem with Easy Technology. “We must take seriously our biological need to be challenged, or face the danger of evolving into creatures whose lives are more productive but also less satisfying.” I would say “our spiritual need to be challenged and to be creative” — it's not that all of this is evolutionary, whatever that might mean. But a good read.
- Are you on Instagram? Maybe check out this Tom's promotion to give a needy child shoes?
- Also in that post of mine, dear Annalisa lamented not knowing how to get started with quilting. Here are my recommendations: 1. Make a Pinterest board and post on it as many quilts as you can find that make your heart go pit-a-pat. Examine them carefully. Wait a while. Look at this board of Rosie's. How about this one of Sukie's? Also check out “related pins.” 2. You can look at my Quilt Inspiration board, which includes different tutorials as well, including this collection which I find very well done. 3. Delete the pins on your board that you now realize are not that great. 4. When you can't stand it anymore, choose a super simple very small baby quilt or even pot holder to start with and get quilting!
- I rarely click on those “heart-string” blog posts, let alone re-post them. You know me, not super emotive. But this one is different. Meriah has a child with Down Syndrome whom she was told had zero chance of survival, and she writes beautifully about her. She poses the supernatural question “Tell Me Why?”. We need to learn to let go of control, because it is limiting our joy. Read this one.
- The Church as Culture: Robert Louis Wilkin writes about what really makes a society come alive. We wrote about this in our book, The Little Oratory, from another perspective. The main point: Living your life through the liturgical year transforms the world.
Happy continuing Easter celebration!
To win one of two CDs, enter your comment here on this post. If you go to the sidebar and sign up to receive our posts by email, enter another comment!
Mary Alice Phillips says
That is such a beautiful and uplifting CD! I would love to win it and share it with my children. I want to shape a love for chant and a love for the Blessed Mother in their hearts.
Will Bloomfield says
The Monks of Norcia are great! I look forward to hearing them chant.
Donna Marie says
I love Chant! There is nothing quite like the transformative power of playing that softly in the background while we are about our work.
Donna Marie says
Of course I am signed up to receive posts by email. I enjoy them, thank you!
Tori says
The farming article was so interesting! I totally support the local, common sense practices like he talks about. My budget doesn’t, though. I’ve set that aside for the future if it allows for changes. I do wonder how that would work for those of us in the desert. Phoenix isn’t exactly known for its green pastures.
I think what I would add to the discussion is not to forget that our main concern should be with our children’s souls and eternity. It is so easy to get caught up in guilt over earthly things. But my children aren’t starving, and I’m doing the best I can with what I have. Improve what you can, then let it go.
abby hummel says
Yes, focus on eternity with regards to your family! I think Matthew chapter 6 is such wisdom for these discussions. Is not life, eternal life, more important than food? Science is continually demonstrating that the “organic” label doesn’t mean anything is more nutritious, and Jesus himself said, “Do not worry about food or what you will eat — look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them.” So, grow what you can if you want. Shop where you want, and shop in a way that fits in your budget, procuring food that has been grown/raised in ways you think are ethical as you can afford to, and then…. do not worry about your life, or what you eat or drink, and seek first the kingdom.
Kelsey says
Oh man, I’d love this CD.
Lillian Bielinski says
I spent a week in Norcia and hearing these brothers sing is a glimpse into Heaven!!!
Teresa says
I’d love to win!
Teresa says
And I just signed up for email posts.
Sarah C says
I love beautiful music. My sister said once that she loved that my house came with a soundtrack. I thought that was a wonderful complement. 🙂
Sarah C says
I love getting your e-mails! <3
Carly Orris says
Thanks for the chance to win!
Erica says
I would love the CD, but where can I get their beer?
Melissa says
I love men chanting. My husband and I would really enjoy this CD! The baby may someday too.
Monica k says
Music is one of my favorite ways to bring the liturgical year into our home. Thank you for these music reviews! (And I hope I win a CD)
Monica k says
I am already signed up to receive your emails as well. Thank you!
Katie says
Agreed, pear trees do smell weird. Barely excused by their pretty blossoms. “Fragrance” = yuck.
Kelsey says
I agree! I think it’s a shame, really, as they are pretty. But seriously, they smell like someone needs to clean out the sock drawer…
Claudia D says
Would love to win the CD. Our family loves chanting!
Happy Easter season!
Heather says
l love the Monks of Norcia and I’m sure this CD would be gold!
Heather says
I’ve just subscribed to your email list! 🙂
Rachel says
Oooh! What lovely music. We would love a copy at our house.
Rachel says
subscribed to email list, too!
Laura Jeanne says
This sounds lovely – enter me for the CD, please and thank you. 🙂
Angela says
Oh goodness. Yes please, I’d love to win! Also, I’d love to hear more from you about eating well on a budget…we are on one income in one of the most expensive areas of the country, and I feel major anxiety about how much money we should be spending on food. I don’t always buy organic, but I do feel compelled to buy high quality meats. Farmers markets are NOT cheaper here: trendy, over priced. I make almost everything from scratch, we do not eat processed foods, etc, and yet, we spend a lot on food for 4. Should we be eating bare bones “beans and rice” type stuff? Ugh. Groceries make me anxious!
Leila says
Angela, do check out my “dinner every day” series — in the menu bar you will find all the posts, pretty much. You can be thrifty and eat well, as long as you don’t get sucked into the “organic” trap.
Theresa Anne says
Please throw my name in the hat for the CD. Thank you!
Stephanie says
I would love to be entered for the CD!
Stephanie says
I have also been signed up for your emails for awhile now.
Mary M says
This sounds like a CD that I would enjoy listening to many times.
Cassidy says
My husband just spent the weekend in Norcia – lucky dog! Wouldn’t I love to present him with this CD for our anniversary coming up. Thanks all!
Lisa says
Thank you for your book and your blog. I have set up my little oratory and find my decor increasingly filled with sacred art. I am not Catholic (yet) but I am Christian again. Yay! Living the liturgical year indeed changed my world and my hope is that it touches the world around me.
I enjoy your words, humorous and wise as well as the homey creativity.
Thank you to you and your girls.
Mrs. B. says
Lisa, you sound like you’re along a pretty interesting journey! Thank you for your beautiful comment!
Lisa says
Interesting, indeed! Thank you, Mrs. B.
Amy Mitchell says
I love chant. I TURN UP THE VOLUME AND CLEAN!
Mrs. B. says
It is such a cliche, but doesn’t that chant sound heavenly, literally? One just knows it in his bones that Heaven will sound more like that than Marty Haugen…
The comment left by Angela above could have been written by me: I laugh when I read the “tip” about farmers’ markets, what a joke… Now if I was still in Italy, that would be different: I grew up following my mother shopping at open markets that were more affordable than stores but had comparable goods. But where I am now it looks more like the latest fad for puritanical foodies… Like Angela, I spend a lot on food, even though I cook a lot, and I don’t buy extravagant things. I think it would be better if I cooked more snack things for the kids, though, because now that I think about it, I buy a lot of those… and I should work more on my own bread, and find a recipe that the whole family enjoys, because we buy a ton of bread. I think Trader Joe’s is a very good place where one can find better food at very acceptable prices, even though some things are still not within my budget.
Finally, I had no idea about pear trees… Thank you for the giveaway and the links, Leila, I’ll savor them throughout the week!
Ona says
oh so uplifting! id love to win, thank you for this opportunity.
Ruth Anne says
thanks for sharing the links for the quilting… Something I’ve been wanting to start, but didn’t quite know where to begin.
Margaret says
Would love to win.
Connie says
I would enjoy listening to this music. The video was interesting too.
Connie says
Signed up for email.
Lisa says
Wow – I’m sure this is beautiful. Thanks for highlighting it.
Julie says
Looks like a great cd. I’ll probably buy it if I don’t win.
Julie says
I signed up!
Lauren says
Hi, I would love the CD. The chanting is very peaceful I LOVE your beautiful spring flowers. We do not really have Spring where I live and I used to revel in the Spring flowers and blossoms when I lived in France.
Betsy M says
Love your links this week and thanks for the chance to win!
Betsy M says
Subscribed via e-mail.
Sarah E. says
That CD sounds great! Thanks for a chance to win one!
April L. says
I would love to quilt someday! But where does one start if one does not even know how to sew on a button, or mend a torn seam? And what if one has no local friends or family members who sew?
Mrs. B. says
I’m just like you, April! I want to learn to knit, and I don’t know where to turn… Leila has suggested looking for good video tutorials online, which is better than books you may find at the library – this is a good suggestion for quilting as well. Also, you may find a class, if you can afford it. Sometimes fabric stores have classes, or the county may offer crafty classes. I even found that a lady who owns a sewing machine store where I live organizes classes in her store! Good luck to you!
Leila says
April L., do check out the tutorials. They include basic sewing instructions. And start with a POTHOLDER — or doll quilt… something simple 🙂
Ashley says
It’s amazing how different gardening is in the NE versus the Deep South. We planted our garden back in March – we have to beat the heat and humidity if we want anything to grow!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Theresa says
I’d love to win the CD which will save me buying it!
Theresa says
And I just subscribed! Thanks!
Maria says
Thanks for the chance to win such a wonderful treat!
Catie H says
Would LOVE one of these cds. My husband even moreso since we’ve been listening to so much of the (beautiful) female vocals of the benedictine nuns. I think he’s ready for some male voices. 🙂
Thank you!
Evelyn says
Fantastic giveaway!! Come on rafflecopter!
Shannon says
Looks like a wonderful cd!
Stephanie says
I like how the community signed a petition to have the monks back. They wanted them. I love it. Please count me in on the giveaway!
Candice says
It’s left me with a very warm feeling to think that 4000 people, in a town of 5000 petitioned for the monks to return to their town. I’ll have to find out more about this story. Thank you for introducing me to their music.
Annalisa says
Beautiful singing. And thanks for the tips on getting started with quilting. Pinterest board started.
Carolyn says
What a lovely video! Would love to add that album to my collection. We have so enjoyed the nuns.
Kathy says
Beautiful music! Thanks for hosting the giveaway.
Janette says
Can’t wait for this CD to come out. Would love to win it 🙂
Rebecca says
I would praise God for some new music to listen to in our van with the children to and fro.
rebecca says
Would love this CD! Thanks for exposing us to so much Beauty.
Ruth Anne says
Forgot to comment again with this the other day, but am already subscribed to the email list, yours are some of my favorites to receive!
Cheryl M says
Oh, please enter me!! I would love this cd!! Thanks!
Anna says
I’m such a sucker for chant. Maybe that’s what happens when your mom is a medievalist? I would love this cd 🙂
Anna says
I’m also already on the email list 🙂
Carolyn Svellinger says
Hi Leila! Thanks so much for this giveaway- the YouTube vid was beautiful and I can’t wait for the CD to come out!
Carolyn Svellinger says
I also subscribed to your posts 🙂
Joy says
Thank you for the chance!
Joy says
Signed up for email, thanks again Leila!
Patty says
Oh I’d love to win this!
ashley.elise says
We love listening to chant in our house and would love to have this CD! 🙂
Melissa says
I love Gregorian chant. So beautiful. I hope I win! 🙂
Amy says
My husband and I visited Norcia in college and sang/chanted there. I’d love to have a CD of the monks doing the chanting!
Anne says
I didn’t know they made CDs there. Cool!
Elise says
This music would be wonderful to have on repeat here- thank you!
Elise says
{Just subscribed to email updates… 🙂 }
Annelise Jerge says
Thanks for the giveaway! :DD