Thoughtful Thursday: The Fisherman-Painter

"If one lives in Galloway, one either fishes or paints. 'Either' is perhaps misleading, for most of the painters are fishers also in their spare time. To be neither of these things is considered odd and almost eccentric. Fish is the standard topic of conversation in the pub and the post-office, in the garage and the street, with every sort of person, from the man who arrives for the season with three Hardy rods and a Rolls-Royce, to the man who leads a curious, contemplative life, watching the salmon-nets on the Dee. Weather, which in other parts of the kingdom is gauged by the standards of the farmer, the gardener, and the week-ender, is considered in Galloway in terms of fish and paint. The fisherman-painter has the best of the bargain as far as the weather goes, for the weather that is too bright for the trout deluges his hills and his sea with floods of radiant colors; the rain that interrupts picture-making puts water into the rivers and lochs and sends him hopefully forth with rod and creel; while on cold, dull days, when there is neither purple on the hills nor fly on the river, he can join a friendly party in a cosy bar and exchange information about Cardinals and March Browns, and practice making intricate knots in gut."

~ Dorothy Sayers, opening paragraph of "The Five Red Herrings"

It's time to bring back this weekly series! I will try to post a quote from a book I am currently reading every week. Feel free to let me know your thoughts about this quote in the comment section.

A thoughtful quote can be the bridge that leads us farther
along the path of understanding ourselves and world.

Read More

Wednesday Wanderings

Today's Wednesday Wanderings are brought to you by one of my other blogs, Life is the Teacher! All the links today are focused on education. Please hop on over and let me know your thoughts about these interesting articles!

Read More

This Moment: Peeking Over the Edge

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. ~ Amanda

If you're inspired to do the same, come share your moment with me in the comment section!

Linking up with Soule Mama on this sunny Friday after our lovely camping trip!

Read More

Making, Doing, and Planning

Thriller! (photo by Dan K. on Jenn M.'s camera)

Ugh.

Beginnings of the third Baby Surprise Jacket! These colors are gorgeous.

Very excited to dive into L'Engle's ponderings.

Seriously, go rent this movie now. Or buy it. You won't regret it!

All ready for cold weather!

Waltzing with the Bug and a gentleman! (picture by Christina R.-G.)

She was shy.

Practicing:: the Thriller dance for our flashmob group. Only a few weeks until our first performance!

Wishing:: that the dishes forever piling up in the kitchen sink would wash themselves instead of seeming to multiply whenever I walk by...

Beginning:: a third Baby Surprise jacket for Harmony. The yarn was a thoughtful gift from my sister for my birthday. Harmony's springtime jacket still fits her, but barely, so this new yarn came at a perfect time!

Reading:: Madeleine L'Engle's "The Irrational Season", book three of The Crosswicks Journals. I fell in love with the first book, "A Circle of Quiet", so I'm prepared to enjoy this one too!

Loving:: Chris's birthday gift for me: The Secret World of Arrietty!!! I am in love with the soundtrack. You should definitely drop everything and go watch this amazing Miyazaki movie. If you liked "Brave", then you'll adore Arrietty even more!

Finishing:: a pair of hand warmers for myself. I was test-knitting a new-to-me pattern, because I'd rather wear the finished product with uneven thumb holes than foist them off to somebody else! Now that I know how to knit them correctly, I'm sure one or two more pairs will be knitted for Christmas gifts eventually.

Remembering:: how to do English Country dancing, since we hadn't danced this style for several years until last Monday night. Then I participated in a surprise flashdance in a local park this weekend. Super fun! Harmony very much enjoyed the waltz for three ; )

Observing:: this little lady who has been visiting the woods behind our apartment building. 

Planning:: how to use our precious few days off work together! We're hoping to camp in a state park at least one of those nights. I haven't been camping in years, but we would love to get away for Harmony's first time camping! Now we just have to figure out how to set up this borrowed tent. Pictures (hopefully) to come later!

Hearing:: the amazing music of the Green Children's brand new CD... over and over and over! A sweet birthday gift from a navy friend who thoughtfully pre-ordered the CD so that it would come autographed by the band. Eeeeeek!!!

Singing:: the Itsy-Bitsy Spider all day long because somebody adorable is learning how to do the hand signals.

Watching:: past seasons of Project Runway. My sister got me into it because she loves fashion and design. What can I say, it's an addicting show. I can't JUST watch t.v. though, because I get too restless, so t.v. time has now become knitting or drawing time as well.

Anticipating:: studying the book of Romans with a lovely group of women, the return of my ensemble group, the season of autumn, more music-related opportunities, and more!

Since we'll be out and about in nature for the next few days, I won't be posting the Wednesday Wanderings this week. See you on Friday for This Moment!

Read More

This Moment: the Morning Offering

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. ~ Amanda

If you're inspired to do the same, come share your moment with me in the comment section!

Linking up with Soule Mama on this feed-the-birds-and-chipmunks Friday!

Read More

Wednesday Wanderings

Today's parenting links are, for the most part, slightly controversial, so read ahead at your own risk! I will say that I do not agree with everything written in the articles, but still found part or all of each article interesting and worth the read. It's good to have to your own views challenged occasionally. How else will we grow?

She looked so sweet an innocent that I thought parenting would be easy.
Joke's on me!

While it's true that modern life means that children often miss out on the pleasures of a good book, I disagree with the author's final conclusion, that MORE technology is the answer.

The question of discipline: to spank, or not to spank? This is one of the most highly debated topics in the mommy wars. One author believes that you don't need to use physical punishment to raise decent children. What do YOU think?

Another super controversial topic: "crying it out", or letting the baby cry itself to sleep. Here is a doctor who writes about the effects of following this method.

Would you agree that this is the number one secret for working well with your own children? I was a bit surprised, but I do understand where the author is coming from!

"How to talk to your daughter about her body, step one: don't talk to your daughter about her body, except to tell her how it works." Strong words to start this article!

It's easy to look at another mom and think, "she's got it all together! She's the perfect mom, and I am so UNPERFECT because I don't bake my own bread/nurse my baby until he's five/live on a homestead in Montana/have ten children/always have a clean house/operate three different Etsy shops/live in a solar powered home." Rest at ease, mama: being a mother is enough. For the record, I loved this entire article : )

Heard yet of the CTFD Parenting Method? When I read about it, I was like, "yeah, I could definitely use some of that! Good thinking!" Warning: if you don't like swearing, don't read it. Also, read with a bit of humor.

We've all made mistakes as parents. It happens, it will happen, and hopefully we will come out of our disappointing moments with more wisdom for a better solution next time. Here are encouraging words from a fellow mom-in-the-trenches on "knowing better" after working through tough decisions: living in a place of guilt and/or regret is not an ideal place to be, which is why I've worked to make peace with decisions that I cannot change. But I'd still rather live with regret than complacency any day. Living in regret isn't nearly as bad as living in denial and refusing to admit that I was wrong in the first place."

And, finally, for all you co-sleepers out there (or those of you who somehow end up with children in your bed by morning), here's a hilarious picture of the ten most common baby sleep positions. I laughed hysterically when I read it, but I don't think I would have found it quite as funny if I hadn't been able to say, "been there, done that!"

Like always, I welcome your responses, whether you agree or disagree with anything you've read here! What do you think?

Read More

This Moment: Duo, or Trio?

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. ~ Amanda

If you're inspired to do the same, come share your moment with me in the comment section!

Linking up with Soule Mama on this musical Friday!

To hear us play the music from this picture, check out this Youtube video!

Read More

Thoughtful Thursdays

“The Christian says, 'Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or to be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that country and to help others to do the same.”

~ Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis 

Thank you, Dwight P. for posting this!

Read More

Wednesday Wanderings

Being Alone With Me, Myself, and I ~ I like a little alone time, but perhaps I should like it more.

Can't Turn Away From That Social Mirror ~ We might all be turning into narcissists.

Finding the Message in a Bottle  ~ This story could totally be made into a movie.

City of Ghosts ~ Creating a town without people to fill it... yet.

Learning About Nomophobia ~ Are you an I.D.I.O.T.?

How Powerful are Words ~ What does your vocabulary say about you?

Don't Look in the Water ~ Why you can't go scuba-diving anymore in Brazil's oceans.

Practical Arrangement ~ One of the most poignant, longing romantic almost-love songs ever.

(source) 

Read More

This Moment: "How big is Harmony?"

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. ~ Amanda

If you're inspired to do the same, come share your moment with me in the comment section!

Linking up with Soule Mama on this raise-your-hands-in-joy Friday!

Read More