Last weekend, I went to a local farmer's market for the first time and fell prey to the booth of local children's book authors. One particular book caught my eye and I started to flip through it. As soon as I picked it up, an old man behind the booth started to tell me about … Continue reading “C’est la BONNE vie!” A Lesson on the Good Life from Tee-Blanc Sambeaux
Month: March 2022
Self-Sustaining Lifestyle
There are many aspects of "the olden days" we feel a certain nostalgia for– a better connection with nature, strong communities, independence, and close families. These aspects can all be implemented today with one unifying goal: self-sustenance. I spent many years on the side of a mountain in Alaska at the end of a dirt … Continue reading Self-Sustaining Lifestyle
Picking Up Raisins
So there I am, trying to follow my daily routine and put in two hours of work while Evangeline plays and Irene naps. Evangeline approaches my desk with a large bag of raisins she managed to pull out of the bungee-corded snack drawer (so much for my toddler proofing; she always finds a way). She … Continue reading Picking Up Raisins
The Immoderate Irish
This past week has been rough for my family's Lenten moderation. Since we were on spring "break" (adulthood imparts more than a little irony to that term), we decided to travel and visit family. This naturally induced us to forget or soften our Lenten resolutions; it is not easy to turn down gifts, food or … Continue reading The Immoderate Irish
On Psyche’s Impossible Tasks and the Little Way of Wooing God
Psyche at the Throne of Aphrodite, Edward Hale, 1883 Probably the greatest of the Greek myths has to be the story of Psyche and Eros. No matter how many times I recall this tale, I am always drawn into the details of the story, feeling deeply for every joy and sorrow of Psyche. I feel … Continue reading On Psyche’s Impossible Tasks and the Little Way of Wooing God
Don’t Follow Your Passions, Broaden Them!
I recently listened to one of those Google Talks by Dr. Barbara Oakley on the topic, "Learning How to Learn." Although a completely secular audience and atmosphere, I was impressed with the humility and magnanimity of this woman. This lovely lady did not fall into the jargonny academicism that so many PhD's can fall into. … Continue reading Don’t Follow Your Passions, Broaden Them!
We Are Bound to Our Times
For the past year, I have been slowly moving through my resolution to finally complete Owen Barfield's Poetic Diction. (Barfield, Owen. Poetic Diction: a Study in Meaning. Wesleyan Univ. Pr., 1973). It is a relatively short but dense account of the philosophy of poetry that deserves a lot of time and annotations. Without the impetus … Continue reading We Are Bound to Our Times
Lander's Forge 