Some backyard science  going on here me thinks... testing the ph of the soil in preparation for planting tomatoes and their companions...good preperation  for his chemistry module next year when homeschoolin' starts.

The Major

“We loved this guy who was in his own world. He never quite understood what was going on, but always added his own interpretation of it.” — John Cleese.

Feast of St. Clare of Assisi

Feast of St. Clare of Assisi

St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi began a radically new movement for the Church of the 1200's and their spirit vibrantly illumines the world of our day.

St. Clare (1194-1253), a young woman from a wealthy family in Assisi, was inspired by Francis as she saw and heard of his radical way of life that was stirring up the status quo and causing talk and ridicule from the townspeople. She secretly met with Francis and told him of her desire to join him. On Palm Sunday night, she escaped from a side door in her home and ran to meet Francis and his small band of brothers at the chapel of the Portiuncula of St. Mary of the Angels. There, Francis cut her hair, clothed her with a rough fabric, and welcomed her to a life of poverty and simplicity. Soon after, Francis arranged for Clare and the other women who immediately followed her example, to live at San Damiano, the original church he repaired.

Thus began the story of a man and a woman on fire with the call to poverty, and whose only desire was to follow the radical call they were given by God.

He Christ is the splendor of eternal glory, "the brightness of eternal light, and the mirror without cloud."

Behold, I say, the birth of this mirror. Behold Christ's poverty even as he was laid in the manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes. What wondrous humility, what marvelous poverty! The King of angels, the Lord of heaven and earth resting in a manger! Look more deeply into the mirror and meditate on his humility, or simply on his poverty. Behold the many labors and sufferings he endured to redeem the human race. Then, in the depths of this very mirror, ponder his unspeakable love which caused him to suffer on the wood of the cross and to endure the most shameful kind of death. The mirror himself, from his position on the cross, warned passers-by to weigh carefully this act, as he said: "All of you who pass by this way, behold and see if there is any sorrow like mine." Let us answer his cries and lamentations with one voice and one spirit: "I will be mindful and remember, and my soul will be consumed within me."

from a letter to Agnes of Prague by St. Clare

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi





gifts of nature in our garden on this feast of the Poor Man of Assisi

"If you now yearn to know how that happens (mystical communion with God), ask grace, not doctrine; desire, not the intellect; the groaning of prayer, not the study of the letter; the spouse, not the teacher; God, not man; darkness not clarity; not light but the fire that inflames everything and transport to God with strong unctions and ardent affections. ... We enter therefore into darkness, we silence worries, the passions and illusions; we pass with Christ Crucified from this world to the Father, so that, after having seen him, we say with Philip: 'that is enough for me'." - St. Bonaventure 

What do children with no television do? They play chess of course...on the chess board their dad paved into the backyard. Looks like someone's lined up for a four move checkmate!!! Wooden chess pieces would have been so lovely, the prices were prohibitive but you never know what the future holds. I'm thinking of a weekly or fortnightly gathering of local homeschoolers for a game of outdoor chess. This  would be a nice opportunity for my son to meet other children and to share our good fortune at having this beautiful gift. 

I strive to awaken the deep spirituality and awareness of God as a presence deep within his soul of my little son. A very gradual process. Today's society does so much to extinguish this precious flame. A rich prayer life and knowledge of holy people ancient and modern is a good start I feel. He will be preparing for his sacraments next year. I made a little booklet for him to learn the basics of his faith. Why was rote learning ditched altogether in schools ? In conjunction with rich and full explanations of what your trying to understand it can be a helpful tool. Every few day he asks if we can "do another question" and he tries to quote the previous one by heart. I used some books off the shelf to make his booklet. One had beautiful drawngs of ancient mosaics and explanations of the symbolism they contain. I used this one on the cover. The word catechism can have connotations of simplisity or childishness however I felt a certain awakening as I read through these books as if on the verge of finding an answer to something I have  been wondering about....

"[The birds] nibble a twig here, peck at a seed there, they find protection in a hole or a burrow, and they are grateful to God. Not so us men. The birds are always singing praises to the Lord. They begin their song early, at three o'clock in the morning, and don't stop until nine. At nine they calm down a bit - it's only then that they go looking for food to feed their young. Then they start singing again. Nobody tells them to sing - they just do. And what about us? We're always frowning, always pouting; we don't feel like singing or doing anything else. We should follow the example of the birds. They're always joyful whereas we're always bothered by something. What is it that bothers us? Nothing, really...Isn't that right?"

- Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives, p.131