nothing quite like a real book

I won't deny the convenience of a Kindle. Particularly when traveling..

But I'm a romantic at heart, and I'm in love with real books. Kindles can't beat the real thing - the way paper warps as it ages, dust covers, the smell, the texture of excellent binding, the sound books make when you slam them shut, etc



Reading (good) books makes us human.
And real books can be shared with our children, and our children's children; a tool of hope for future generations. And that is why real books always win.

At least in my book :)

B

the love of learning, the sequestered nooks, and all the sweet serenity of books

Now that we have 3 bedrooms, we finally get an official home library.

A room full of our many, many books.  Where sunlight streams in.  Where cats can snooze, climb and get into mischief.  With a couch you can read on for hours at a time.  And the most lovely, ornate Indian rug passed down from a grandmother (pictures to come).

One of our prize possessions is an original printing of Atlas Shrugged, a treasure we discovered while unpacking boxes and boxes of books that had been cooped up in storage.  It's an incredible find (no matter how you feel about the author).  It smells so nice and old too.

 Here's where we've been wasting hours at a time as we search for inspiration (very aptly named).

I'd just die if I could walk into this room every morning.

It feels good to let our 100's of books finally breathe.  We want the printed word to be an indelible part of our home's identity--we are thrilled to finally have the square footage.

T&B

for our children

A lot of things have me thinking about our future children.  I'm not one to moon over the topic of popping out babies, but my husband has rubbed off on me; I find myself wanting to be prepared and not just flying by the seat of my pants as I'm typically prone.

(I should clarify when saying I don't 'moon over popping out babies'.   I can't wait to have children and raise them with my godly husband.  It's today's sentimentality over 'having the perfect baby in the perfect hospital room with the perfect little going-home outfit while the perfect mini-van holds our perfect car seat that safely carries our perfect baby all the way to our perfect little house in the suburbs' that makes me nauseous. Buuuuut, this is a subject for another time.  Back to the topic at hand.)

While life will always have new lessons, where truth and philosophy are ever more reconciled, I'm learning as much as possible.  Right here, right now.

So, to quickly recap what's brought our future children to my mind:

*The afore 'blogged about' Climacus Conference.  Wonderful speakers and topics.  Also, I really enjoyed the attending families who brought their children.  There's a sweetness in listening to a lecture entitled "Inheriting Twentieth-Century Christian Humanism" while watching small children amuse themselves while wandering about.

*Louisville, KY.  My hometown hosted the conference.  It was a delight to travel down south.  I've never yet found a city with the same mix of delightful southerness, quirky small businesses, west-coast cool, family friendly vibe and beautiful neighborhoods (including downtown lofts, historic houses and country estates).  Throw in a strong pinch of local art and music and you have my favorite city.  We could raise a family there...

*Eighth Day Books -my new favorite book supplier- had a marvelous selection at the conference.  I snatched this book up the moment I saw it (and then waited patiently in line to purchase it, because I am a good citizen).

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child

The book is both beautiful and frightening, funny and deadly serious.  It addresses many issues that have gripped the mid-west suburbs.

*And finally, Touchstone Magazine.  I received my first paper-copy of the magazine at the conference and will officially subscribe to it this week.  I've been keeping up with their online publications for a while, but now  need to start collecting hard copies.  I like the feel of paper in my hands.

*Oh and also, read this article:'The Romance of Domesticity".  The author, Nathan Schlueter, is a beloved professor at Hillsdale College. 

Here's to raising our future generation in the fear of the Lord with the determination to lead the 'Good Life'.

B

Frodo, fairies and faith

 1. We've had Tolkien's Lord of the Rings on our minds (as we've been rereading The Hobbit and the trilogy AND trying to figure out when the extended version films are being released on BluRay)


2. The Imaginative Conservative blog is a conglomerate of essays by some wonderfully true conservative thinkers (Dr Brad Birzer esp).  A fantastic piece was recently posted and has since given us reason for much meditation.  St. Augustine and (hopefully, someday "St.") J.R.R. Tolkien is the name of the piece...we highly recommend taking the time to thoroughly read it--it has our world-view beautifully condensed.


3. We finally got around to watching this gem and our only disappointment is that it took us so long to find.  We've watched it 3 times in 3 days and are contemplating a 4th tonight.


Here's the trailer:



The movie retells (fantastically, in the typical Irish blending of myth, fairy and truth) the making of the Book of Kells.  This is an actual book, handwritten by Celtic monks, containing the four gospels.  The illustrations are truly illuminated.


So our week was full of points 1 + 2 + 3. Which leads us to these rough conclusions (rough because we hope to be sharpening these thoughts for the rest of our lives).

Our world has obviously been broken since the fall.  However we fear that, even in our short 20+ years, it has grown more mechanized and cruel (with world wars and genocides filling the 20th century).  Technology is increasing our capacity for evil.  Despite living in an evermore globalized society we are becoming more removed and more anonymous.  It is in this society that we have grown detached from the atrocities happening all around us:  senseless massacres, 50 million US abortions  factory farming, dog fighting etc etc etc.  'We are the hollow men, we are the stuffed men.'   

Fight it.  Pore over the Book of Kell's illustrations.  Wonder at the beauty and detail given to the Word so many years ago.  

Watch the movie.  Notice that nature has a face (Aisling).  Quite a pagan concept.  'Modern' man had done its best to debunk this concept, defining nature in terms of laws and psychology and utility.  We have relinquished our heritage as heirs and guardians of Mystery, and coldly proclaimed ourselves to be its conquerors.  

With that in mind, we resonate with C.S. Lewis (from aforementioned Imaginative Conservative's article):

"I sometimes wonder whether we shall not have to re-convert men to real Paganism as a preliminary to converting them to Christianity."  

Read some Tolkien (or CS Lewis fiction).  Marvel in the majesty of myth and the mystery of creation within the pages.  Sit in the sunshine that streams through cold winter windows.  Watch the seasons change.  Live a simple, honest and hearty life.  Love your neighbor and feed the sheep.  

We'll raise a pint to that.

Come Lord Jesus

T & B

what's for dinner

Tonight's menu was born of several inspirations.

#1 Whenever I've a spare moment, I run down the road to the library and browse the cooking section.  Don't think the variety/quality of my literature cramped, because it's not; it's just that I find new recipes and foods therapeutic, adventuresome and (dare I say it) invigorating.  I love Nigella Lawson in part because she's British and has great variety, but mostly because she eats like a horse and cooks like the fat southern grandmother I never had.  Anywho, a picture in her book How to be a Domestic Goddess instantly caught my eye (don't bother mocking the title...my husband has that covered). Feast your eyes on:

Sooooo, we all  love  should love onions (after all, who can resist their transformational flavors AND their ability to ward off the common cold?!?).  Seriously...I judge you if you can't take the plunge.  After seeing the photo and reading how easy it was to make, I decided to keep this recipe close at hand.  Onion pie for dinner.

Step #2 of inspiration:  We found the most epic of finds at a thrift store 2 weeks ago: a vintage tweed sport-coat for the husband.  For $4.  That fits him like a glove.  

Now, while my husband is NOT as pre-pubescent as this gem of a male model, the jacket does fit him in a similar manner.  It's complete with suede elbow patches.  Be still my beating heart.

#3.  You may be asking how a tweed sport-coat goes with onion pie.  Read on.

After reading James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small this summer/fall (and every other sequel that followed), it was with great delight that we discovered the BBC television adaptation.  We've been watching it regularly as part of our evening routine.  There is no word to describe the perfection of this television show (esp with Robert Hardy at the helm)...not even 'delightful'.  Perhaps 'scrumtrulescent' alle SNL's 'Inside Actor's Studio'.  Perhaps.

We love having our four cats, one dog and six birds while watching this program.  We also love that it's the dead of winter weather out here in Chicago, with wind chills significantly below zero.  The Yorkshire farmers--in the books and the television show--live every year in similar conditions.  They battle the elements, maintaining their animal stock and livelihood, whilst remaining salt-of-the-earth-folk.  

Bringing it all full circle: they eat heartily and dress in thick woolen tweed.  As did we tonight.

Dinner was quite delicious.  Warmed us from the inside out.

Although that may have been because we were covered in purring cats and kittens.

We love having company.  The front door is always open.

B

   

sweet and good

Husband is home from his trip.  It's sweet to end a busy day by being together.
In our bed, there's a cat at the top of each pillow and a third squashed in the middle.  We are surrounded by purr and fur.
The dog is in her crate by the bedside (she's a miraculous Lazarus).  She had a death sentence on Sunday and is now back to full blooming life.
We'll finish our tea and read a chapter from our lovely book.  Then we'll hunker down and fall asleep, safe and warm from the windstorm outside.

(Kurt Halsey)

It's good to be here, good to have it now.  We look forward to the good tomorrow brings.
All we have is Christ.