Back in January when we were finally putting the kitchen together, I was deep in work-avoidance re: the wood stove.
The darn thing had taken such a beating.
Mainly from various rounds of dust from the demo and plastering, even though it had been taped off…
It was rusted in places — we had such a wet summer, oy — and looked sad, sad, sad.
I had so many things to organize, just putting the kitchen back together again, but I also wanted to start a fire and stay warm! But I wasn't enthusiastic about this hunk of ugliness in my beautiful new kitchen.
Well, this is your reminder to take a good look at the shabby, annoyingly dismal things in your life and go on YouTube to see what others have done. Iron in particular, be it a pan, a decoration, or a stove, is readily spruced up! There were a lot of thoughts about it, and in the end I got the idea it's not that complicated.
I vacuumed everything (including the bricks). I used sandpaper and steel wool to rub off the rust. I then wiped everything down with wet paper towels and then dry ones. This is the BEFORE:
Then I used stove blacking all over. It's really not hard! I went to the hardware store and got a tube. I did my best to get the whole stove, then rubbed it down again.
The whole process took maybe an hour. I really was not looking forward to it. These days (particularly in winter), I have so little motivation for such things!
But now it's done! (I cleaned up the little random cast iron things around the stove as well; trivets, that old iron whatever that thing is called that has some function I'm ignorant of, the poker and other tools. It didn't even stink things up. It was all very satisfying!
bits & pieces
- Last weekend we were in St. Louis, giving talks at St. Francis de Sales Parish. (Above is a random door, somewhat hidden in the back, leading to the basement hall. Can you imagine the casual beauty?) I hope to post the talks soon. Phil's was insightful, and we managed to dovetail our subjects pretty well. Here is an essay about the parish and its beauty, by Denise Trull, who worships there: An Exquiste Charity. And I had the pleasure of meeting her! Our hosts were wonderful and the turnout was fantastic! Thanks so much to Patricia Calhoun and Canon Benjamin Coggeshall for inviting us!
- An important short essay about men needing to fight evil: Beowulf and the thumos of Catholic manhood. I don't know about the translation of Beowulf, but I am quite certain the author is correct about why so many attempts to address manhood today fall short.
- I think the horse is already out of the barn; the natural family was abolished, as a matter of law, when so-called same-sex marriage was inflicted on us, but it takes a while for such a fundamental change to take hold. Michael Brendan Dougherty: In defense of the natural family: If we're not careful, the state could make itself the ultimate arbiter of what constitutes a family
- This post, written before the vote, offers a good overview of the principles behind the contested clauses of the Irish constitution. I would not call them any kind of progressive!
- The Chief and I were married in the Princeton University Chapel (long story). It's huge — all our guests fit into the choir stalls! The nave was quite empty. David Clayton writes about a Sarum Use Vespers service held there recently. “I have never seen a more complete harmony of words, music, art and architecture in my life. The music by 16th-century English composers Thomas Tallis and Robert White was sung magnificently by Gabriel Crouch and Gallicantus, an early music group. The Magnificat, by White, can be heard at the 39-minute mark.” I remember the peace I experienced when I went to Evensong (very simply prayed, but with Anglican chant) there as a teenager, before I was a Christian.
- Need some inspiration? Here is a good essay on the subject by Roseanne T. Sullivan: Portraying Infinite Love in 2 Dimensions: How can artists best show God's love in images of Christ's Sacred Heart?
from the archives
- I'm really sad to think families don't sit down to dinner together. You have to bond over all those years, even if it seems futile, or when you want to be friends, you'll find you don't have the knack of it. Here are Seven Strategies for Dinner with the Barbarians
liturgical living
In my planner, I have written down from last year that this coming week I should make some Easter treats and put them in the freezer: Babka, cinnamon rolls, whatever I think we will want but not have time for, what with choir schedules and making beds for guests and so on. It's not too soon to start Easter egg decoration if you do Pysanki, or make a bright garland, or, well, basically, look ahead! It's not long now…
follow us everywhere! share us with your friends!
Here is my affiliate link to my Amazon page — the only affiliate thing that goes on here on LMLD, which is why the page loads quickly and you don’t have to keep closing pop-ups etc! Thank you for opening it and shopping if you are so minded. If not, don’t worry one bit!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available from Sophia Press! Also in paperback now! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them has moved over to Substack! — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing! The old one is still up if you want to look at the comments on past posts. It will take me a while to get things organized, but you'll be patient, I know!
My podcast, The Home Truths Society, can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
Stay abreast of the posts here at LMLD, when they happen:
Consider subscribing to this blog by email. We would love to pop into your inbox! The subscription box is on this page on the sidebar!
We share pretty pictures: Auntie Leila’s Instagram, Rosie’s Instagram, Deirdre’s Instagram. Bridget’s Instagram.
Auntie Leila’s Facebook (you can just follow)
The boards of the others: Rosie’s Pinterest. Sukie’s Pinterest. Deirdre’s Pinterest. Habou’s Pinterest
SS says
I thought you might find this artisan interesting.
Meet a metalworker restoring Victorian iron ranges at his Somerset workshop
https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/olly-osborne-iron-range-restorer
Leila says
That is interesting! There is a fellow near me here in Central MA who does this as well. He is very enthusiastic and helpful — his restorations are gorgeous!