It was important to Caroline to do things right, to do whatever she did to the best of her ability. She saw beauty in ordinary little things and took pleasure in it (and this was just as well because she had very little pleasure in her life.) Caroline Dering, the main protagonist of Vittoria Cottage, … Continue reading Vittoria Cottage by D.E. Stevenson (1949)
Family Dynamics
For the Family’s Sake: Ch 14 – the end
The Quilting Bee by Grandma Moses (1940-1950) I hope those of you who have been reading For the Family’s Sake either for the first time or like me, re-reading it, have found it worthwhile. Feel free to add any thoughts on any of the chapters. Thanks to those of you who have commented here or … Continue reading For the Family’s Sake: Ch 14 – the end
For the Family’s Sake: Ch 13
Breakfast in the Open by Carl Larsson, 1913 Homes and Life in Community - to understand the need for community we need to get our perspective right by looking at the big picture. Where does my life fit in? Then how do we all fit together as human beings? We were built for community and … Continue reading For the Family’s Sake: Ch 13
For the Family’s Sake: Ch 12
Children in a Garden by Mary Cassatt (1878) Early Days, Vital Days…What exactly do children need? If you’re familiar with Charlotte Mason’s writing, you’ll know that she believed that the first few years of life are very important and that children need a “quiet growing time.” She didn’t begin formal lessons until the child was six … Continue reading For the Family’s Sake: Ch 12
For the Family’s Sake: Ch 11
Madame André Wormser and her Children by Edouard Vuillard (1927) Oops! I thought I’d already posted my thoughts on this chapter: ‘Choose Wisely and Leave Time for the Daily Rhythms.’ Well, my daily rhythms have certainly been out of kilter this week. A combination of a painful tooth and an ear problem has messed me … Continue reading For the Family’s Sake: Ch 11
On Kindness
I’ve been thinking about the quality of KINDNESS as it has surfaced in a number of different books I've been reading lately. I mentioned in my last post that it was a theme in many of Nevil Shute's books. Amy Carmichael, in Thou Givest…They Gather, which I am reading through slowly this year, expands on … Continue reading On Kindness
For the Family’s Sake: Ch 10
Contentment, Thanks, and Enjoyment are the focus in this chapter. Depending on whether you are a glass half full or a glass half empty type of person, these are probably areas many of us need to intentionally cultivate. :)One way to help us do this is to consider what is best for us to do … Continue reading For the Family’s Sake: Ch 10
Frederica by Georgette Heyer (1965)
Georgette Heyer (1902–1974) is best known for her Regency novels, the time period which lasted from 1811 to 1820. Frederica is set in 1818 and is the first book I’ve read by this author, although I’ve been aware of her for ages. Apparently, if you enjoy Mary Stewart’s writing, you might possibly like Georgette Heyer's, … Continue reading Frederica by Georgette Heyer (1965)
For the Family’s Sake: Ch 8
The Infrastructure of Routine The main thrust of this chapter is that the home life of anyone, whether they have children or not, needs a regular pattern of life. I read the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder aloud to my children when they were little and remember that Ma did specific things on … Continue reading For the Family’s Sake: Ch 8
For the Family’s Sake: Ch 7
‘The Glory of the Usual or Jack of All Trades’ We’re at the half-way mark of our read along of this book and I hope you have enjoyed what you’ve read so far.For many of us, becoming a mother and making the decision to be at home while our children are young, has meant putting … Continue reading For the Family’s Sake: Ch 7
journey & destination 