Books Read in the Past Two Weeks

Books read for the first time are marked with a #

"St. Francis of Assisi" #

by G. K. Chesterton

{Sunday book} 

"The Imitation of Mary #

In Four Books"

by Alexander De Rouville 

Revised and Edited by Matthew J. O'Connell

[devotional reading, Catholic]

(one chapter a day; more on Sunday)

"Welcome, Stranger"

"Pick a New Dream"

by Lenora Mattingly Weber

[YA fiction]

"Little Grey Gown" #

by Mabel Leigh Hunt

[children's fiction]

(openlibrary.org loan)

"The Home Has A Heart"

by Thyra Ferre Bjorn

[non-fiction; Christian (Protestant) themes, recipes, 

anecdotes]

(December chapter only)

"The Chalet School In Exile"
"The Chalet School at War"

{Original title: "The Chalet School Goes To It"}

by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer

"The Chalet School And Robin"
{fill-in}
by Caroline German
"The Highland Twins at The Chalet School"

"Lavender Laughs in the Chalet School"
by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
(children's fiction, Chalet School series)

"Wallace"

"Mary Erskine"
{carrying over into next week}

by Jacob Abbott
[children's fiction, Franconia series]
(free Google e-book)

"The Cloister Walk"
by Kathleen Norris
(non-fiction, autobiographical, Catholic themes [Protestant author]) 

{Two uses of the "F" word (in quoted conversations,

and NOT in any monastic settings.)}

(I could have done without the "F" word, but this

is still a lovely book.)
{carrying over into next week}

Fan Fiction Published in the Past Two Weeks

 Revealed Relationships 
Chapter 4 is now available

Egg
An "As The World Turns" nanofiction/sillyfic

Unconstitutional
A "West Wing" fic.

Writer and Character
An "Another World" story
in which I poke fun at one
of my recurring themes.

It Was NOT My Fault This Time
A "Josie in Trouble" story
written by Josie herself!

At It Again!

Every little (or not so little!) while, I get ambitious and decide to do some studying.  Not that

it is NECESSARY, but simply to keep my mind just that much more occupied.  Well, as the

title of this post says, I'm at it again!

So what am I studying at this time?

Social Studies/History

American Colonial period

English Grammar

(always a favorite subject of mine)

See this post

Math

Elementary Algebra

Science and Nature

Botany

Foreign Languages

French

(I studied French in high school,

but I'd like to refresh my memory

and then advance.)

Latin

(classical Latin)

English Literature

"Pride and Prejudice"

(a complete list of the books

I'm using may be found at the

end of my book list.)

I know that this seems like a long list, but I'm being

careful not to overdo it.  I'm spreading my studies

out over the course of each day, and allowing

myself long breaks between subjects.

Throwback Thursday

I am a Catholic, 24/7, awake or asleep. Whatever I do, I do as a Catholic. Of course, not all activities are in themselves Catholic per se. Eating, for example, is not predominately Catholic; it is a universal, and universally necessary activity.  Making the Sign of the Cross and saying the "Bless us, O Lord" prayer before eating, and the "We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits" prayer after is Catholic.
Reading, in itself, is not Catholic. Reading the Holy Bible [I prefer the Revised Standard Version], books by or about Saints, or any Catholic devotional and/or instructional book is Catholic.

 Watching TV is another activity not Catholic in and of itself, unless the programming is Catholic, for example, everything on EWTN. Saying a few Hail Mary's or some other prayer while I fast-forward through the commercials and/or scenes I don't care to watch on the secular programs [and thank God for tapes, DVRs, and fast-forward!]is Catholic.
Just one or two more examples.        

Being on my computer is not particularly Catholic; visiting Catholic websites is.
Singing, just plain singing, is not especially Catholic. Singing something like "Hail, Holy Queen", however.... aw, you know!
In other words, whatever I do, I do as a Catholic, but there are certain things I do specifically because I am a Catholic.
If I have to separate something in my life from the fact that I am a Catholic, then
that thing does not belong in my life.

Originally posted on July 22nd, 201o

St. Nicholas (Repost)

I find it wonderfully appropriate that we celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas, known and loved by so many children as "Santa Claus", during Advent. It is as if the saint were telling us, "Remember why I come with presents on Christmas. It is to celebrate the birth of Our Lord."

Throwback Thursday

This post was originally published on December 30, 2010.

December Birdsong

Sometimes, when I hear a bird singing in December, I
repeat to myself this poem by Oliver Herford.

I Heard a Bird Sing

I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.
"We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,"
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December.

The Exact Number

Statistics cannot keep up the exact number of babies who have been aborted over the years.
I can, however, give you one unchanging statistic.  I can tell you the EXACT number of

babies who CHOSE to be aborted.

ZERO!