ONE SUNDAY EVENING

For those that couldn’t make it ! here are the Northern Lights .

We went on the last night of their showing; a “ warm balmy night”, just before we returned to our Lenten focus in Holy Week.

Do you recognise any buildings?

Check this out !

There is an interesting new blog on blogger. I really liked her bucket list: check it out!

http://mezza-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/

THE RAIN THAT WOULDN'T RAIN

Once there was some rain in the sky.
But it couldn’t rain.
The rain wouldn’t let itself rain.

Adelaide smashes heatwave record
The national capital city record for the longest number of days reaching 35 degrees Celsius has been broken in Adelaide. (ABC News)
Adelaide set an unenviable national record today when it recorded the longest-lasting heatwave - 11 days - of any Australian capital city.
The record for the longest number of days reaching 35 degrees Celsius was broken when the city's temperature reached 35.1C at 10:30am CDT.
Mika Peace from the weather bureau says Adelaide has now had 11 straight days of sweltering conditions.
"The record previously was held by Perth where there were 10 days over 35 degrees back in February 1988," she said.
"Today we've had 11th day over 35 degrees in Adelaide and we are forecasting at this stage for temperatures to stay over 35 until Tuesday next week, which in total would give us 16 days in a row."

This is what we need:

Then along came a big wind
and it had some hard rain in it
And the hard rain hit
the rain that couldn’t rain and
made it rain

and then it rained
and it rained
and it rained
Happy Everafter.
Ruth Krauss

Numbers of things

“You can’t really want to do these ghastly sounding sums,” said Hal.
“They’re not ghastly when you understand them.”
“But can you?”Hal asked it doubtfully. It did not seem to her that anybody could.
“I could if they were explained to me.I have to. They’re…they’re my language,” said Una.
“The Peacock Spring” by Rumer Godden

I am one of those who see the study of Mathematics as just that; a foreign language. However I have a daughter who just as Una said “speaks” in Mathematics(and probably dreams in it too) Years ago when we were new to this homeschooling business I worked my oldest two children at the same level and pace in Maths. My oldest plodded away at it(when his mind wasn’t drifting away to a ‘national Geographic article he’d “successfully” hidden behind the text). He couldn’t do much more though, because like me, it wasn’t his language. His sister only sixteen months younger probably cut her teeth on numbers! She tells me now how there was never enough Maths in our schoolwork. Still it took a work of fiction to make my language orientated brain understand this!

SEASONS

Recently a friend reminded me that it has been a while since I’ve updated this blog. Don’t know why exactly,things happen life gets busy,…. but last year/ month had the same amount of business, so I’m not sure why; seasons?
This Lent has been a time to come back to a more regular prayer time. I have been using the Divine Office and thanks to ds leaving the books behind have begun by praying the morning and evening prayers and the office of readings.
Have loved finding connections in this too. No surprise that our school readings from “The Young Josephus” match often my Lenten readings in the morning.
Also I have been revisiting this blog http://holyexperience.blogspot.com/ and through it I read a recommendation for a book ” The Contemplative Mom” by Ann Krocker. I am really enjoying this book. It is not that it offers anything new but more that it’s the right time to be reading it, seasons again?

Today: simply being with God; experiencing God by simply being His child is really freeing. Living conscious God is there always. Going about my day practicing the meditation”I am a child of God” , picturing Him holding my hand, walking beside me.Repeating,”my Father in heaven cares what happens to me His child” He is the parent I am His child; a perfect parent-perfect in caring, love and wisdom;always available. Rest in the moment. Not rocket science, not earth shattering or going to change the world but where I am now this season.

MORE PARK PICTURES

The boys enjoying the climbing frame.

Other features of the park included these wildflowers:

Cloud formations:

and native and hybrid ducks

MORNING AT THE PARK

This is a small park we found on an excursion to buy some math gnome shapes(wooden finger puppets) in a country town near the city.

One interesting feature of said park was the animal shapes, carved or imprinted on rocks and other structures.

See if you can guess what this next one is?

ON BUTTERFLYS AND MORE

Positive First Aid for Eating Disorders:

(see

http://www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au/)

1. It’s OK to talk about feelings
2. It’s OK to talk about eating disorders
3. Eating disorders are not a life-style choice
4. Eating disorders are not strictly about food or weight.
They are about feelings – fear, anxiety, loneliness and low self-esteem
5. Eating disorders can lead to depression and other risk-harming behaviours

Be Compassionate & Sensitive
Listen non-judgmentally. Be accepting and treat
sufferers with respect and dignity.

Be pro-active –get informed and educated
A lack of knowledge leads to a lack of understanding
and empathy.

Focus conversations on emotions not on behaviour,
food or weight. Choosing the right words can be very
hard – it can be helpful to think about what you are
going to say before you talk to the person.

Encourage and assist the seeking of appropriate
professional help. Provide useful information and
available options.
A hug can sometimes say more than words and show
that you care. Ask a sufferer if it’s ok to hug them.
patient and calm
Demonstrating your concern through panic or anger
can exacerbate the illness. Eating disorders develop
over time and take time to heal.
you care
Be genuine:It is important to let the person know you are raising
your concerns because you genuinely care. Tell those
who suffer that they are worthy, lovable, equal and
deserving, even if they don’t believe it.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Did you know that:

*Anorexia is the third most common chronic condition for adolescent girls (after obesity and asthma)

*The overall mortality rate for anorexia is 5 times that of the same aged population in general with death from natural causes(i.e cardiac arrhythmia, infection etc) being 4 times greater and deaths from unnatural causes 11 times greater.

*The risk of successful suicide in those suffering from Anorexia is 32 times that expected.

*That Anorexia is the most fatal of all psychiatric illnesses.

*The incidence of Bulimia Nervosa in the Australian population is 5 in 100(in the student population it is estimated to be 1 in 5)

*Girls as young as 7 are being diagnosed with Anorexia

*Dieting to control weight is generally ineffective and may actually promote weight gain

*Women who diet frequently are 75% more likely to experience depression

*Australians spend about $1 million a day on weight loss attempts with little success

Gifts at Christmas

Here are some Christmas presents made by ds18. for ds6 and ds10(who received an equivalent TER of 99.15 and an offer to study in Journalism and International Studies. Wouldn’t you say that was something to be proud of!)

Some photos of Mel before she went back.
We miss her very much.

AT THE CONCERT

Two six year old boys. They played Allegro as a duet and almost ran up to the stage to play the final group pieces!"how'd the concert go L.?" said Dad on his return home from work."GREAT! but next year I should be able to play a book two piece and possibly I may decide to play on my own."!

FAIRY TALES

"In making a myth, in practicing 'mythopoeia,' and peopling the world with elves and dragons and goblins, a story-teller .. is actually fulfilling God's purpose, and reflecting a splintered fragment of the true light." J.R.R. Tolkien
We have finished listening to Prince Caspian on audio tape. I love this description of celebration after a battle.
Then Bacchus and Silenus and the Maenads began a dance, far wilder than the dance of the trees; not merely a dance for fun and beauty(though it was that too) but a magic dance of plenty, and when their hands touched and where their feet fell, the feast came into existence--- sides of roasted meat that filled the grove with delicious smell, and wheaten cakes and oaten cakes, honey and many coloured sugars and cream as thick as porridge and as smooth as still water, peaches, nectarines, pomengranates, pears, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, pyramids and cataracts of fruit. Then in great wooden cups and bowls and mazers, wreathed with ivy, came the wines…..Then Aslan feasted the Narnians till long after the sunset had died away, and the stars had come out; ….The best thing of all about this feast was that there was no breaking up or going away, but as the talk grew quieter and slower, one after another would begin to nod and finally drop off to sleep with feet towards the fire and good friends on either side, till at last there was silence around the circle…But all night Aslan and the moon gazed upon each other with joyful and unblinking eyes.
It is quite timely as I have been thinking a lot on fairy tales and fables and their importance in the development of a culture. Dh told us this story at the dinner table.
Once a dying man was told by a western doctor, after many invasive tests that he'd had a heart attack and was going to die. But the family were not reconciled to the news and so they called in a Chinese physician. When he came all he did was hold the patients hand for a long time. Then finally he told a beautiful story about the man's life both in the past, where he was now and what he could expect in the future. The same facts as the western doctor were "included" in the sense that everyone knew the man would die but the story helped the family to accept and prepare so much better.
Man is not ultimately a liar. He may pervert his thoughts into lies, but he comes from God, and it is from God that he draws his ultimate ideals ... Not merely the abstract thoughts of man but also his imaginative inventions must originate with God, and in consequence reflect something of eternal truth.
So many Christians are frightened of the word magic. How sad when the word itself came into being through the Word. And if you think of the Supernatural what could be more “magical” than the good God thinking then speaking the world and all its parts into being. Then too as a Catholic surely to a child(and we are all called to have faith such as these)isn’t it magical that a small wafer turns into Christ himself. I can only marvel and kneel in wonder at this Supernatural Power. Of course there is “bad” magic just as evil really does exist but here’s the thing surely its how , what and why something is used for that is important not the thing itself. It puts me in mind a bit of those who decry garden gnomes because they say they are of the occult. Oh for the innocence of a child.
Now the story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference that it Really happened: and one must be content to accept it in the same way, remembering that it is God's myth where the others are men's myths; i.e. the Pagan stories are God expressing Himself through the minds of the poets, using such images as He found there, while Christianity is God expressing Himself through what we call 'real things' ... namely, the actual incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection."(Tolkein)

CRAFTING IN AUGUST

We have been doing a lot of making lately. Dd made this dress for one of our “ancient” dolls. She designed it without a pattern and it was her first use of the sewing machine. I think she did a really good job.

Two other projects she made were quilts for dolls house beds. The squares are very tiny. It must have been a real test of patience!

And finally I decided to make a minature babushka pincushion for a friends birthday.

I also made her some chocolate fudge.

Here is our seasonal table in autumn/winter. Dd sewed the gnomes and ds6 + ds 10 found things to put on the table. The table is constantly changing as more treasures are found.

The Assumption of Mary

For the feast of the assumption. We put our art work on our sky bulletin board beneath a rainbow with this beautiful poem.

The Angels Prepare the Assumption
By Thomas H. Cosgrove

We'll hew a highway through the skies
And pave it white with sheen
For pure must be the pathway
Where walks a stainless Queen.
We'll fuse the fairest rainbows
In one symphonic hue
And gaily tint the fabric
Of our Lady's avenue.
If Heaven's brightest beauties
Should dare her pathway bar
We'll cleave the sun in splinters
And shatter every star.
We'll drain the fresh new dawning
Of all its dewdrop spray
And with it soothe the roughness
That mars the maiden's way.
Then all the angel choirs
With anthems swelling sweet
Shall lead the lovely Lady
Along her spangled street.
A destiny of glory
This roadway shall complete
When at its end the Mother
And the Son of God shall meet.

We had this delicious salad with our main course:

Assumpta Salad:
Salad
8 medium-size ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 cup pitted black olives, drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup cubed feta cheese (I omit)

Vinaigrette
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together until thickened. Let stand for about 1 hour before using to steep the garlic.

For the salad, arrange tomato slices on 6 to 8 salad plates. Sprinkle the onion and olives among them. Sprinkle the herbs evenly, then add the cheese cubes in the middle of each dish.

Whisk vinaigrette just before serving and drizzle evenly over each plate. Serve immediately.

and we ate mixed berries with vanilla ice-cram for dessert.

Finally ds made these angels and Mary from beeswax. What he got out of this was so much more than the shaping and forming into recognizable models which he could have done more easily from sculpey if that was the only purpose of the activity. He found he really had to persevere with the beeswax even just to get it malleable but of course all the time he was doing this there was the beautiful soft smell of the wax to inhale.

She's been gone 1 week

Hard to believe its only been one week since Mel left for N.Z. Master 6 now says "I wish she didn't have to go." Two older siblings in two different countries.we all miss her but we are also pleased she was able to take this opportunity before study begins next semester.