Reading

I've not been on the computer much, preferring to sit on the porch to read or write, listen to the birds and squirrels, join their chorus, pick fresh tomatoes, preserve what we cannot consume right away (our kitchen counter has many jars in various states of fermentation), go on walks. Now that it's gotten too hot in the afternoons, I'm back at my desk. We'll start going to the beach in the evenings (taking cues from our kids). But here's a summary of the outstanding books I read in May and June.

On our train trip to DC I read Two Under the Indian Sun by Jon and Rumer Godden. It was a delight; they capture the essence of an idyllic childhood in India, full of joy and wonder, even if there are a thousands dangers from cobras to rabid dogs. The book begins with the girls (aged 6 and 7 yrs) in care of spinster aunts in England and there's such a contrast with the strict upbringing there and the freedom they experience when they join their parents, two younger sisters, and a house full of servants in East Bengal (now Pakistan) at the start of WWI. They write with great sensitivity and love for the Indian people and I loved that the book doesn't impose adult sensibilities upon their child-selves. They evoked so many of my own childhood memories, from making up games to reciting poetry to adults. Their voices blend beautifully--they were so close and yet at the very end, I could feel that abrupt end of childhood and their return to England five years later. But India was their home--both Jon and Rumer returned as adults to live and write there. If you wish to make a visit to India, read this book.

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford is based on a fascinating premise--epigenetics--that is, inheritance of traumas from our ancestors through modification of our genes. I don't doubt it, simply from observing families. I enjoyed the stories of different generations of women descended from the first Chinese woman in the US. Ford jumps back and forth in time to narrate their stories but still it fell a little flat for me because there was so much trauma and no sense of any real healing. What about the blessings? Shouldn't they also carry over? I didn't connect deeply with any of them. How does one break the cycle of trauma? In the book, there is an experimental treatment but I do not know if it's something one ought to do even if one could--messing with our genetic makeup and brain can have unforeseen consequences. Better to stick to natural remedies. Much food for thought in this book. In our own family, I am very deliberate and intentional about not perpetuating familiar traumas, though I am more like my mother than not. I invoke the Blood of Christ for healing, for all generations, past, present and future. 

 

The Perfect Rock by Sarah Nobel was such a cute picture book with darling illustrations of otters. Sibling otters fight over who gets to keep the perfect rock for the shellfish feast.

The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky by Kim Jihyun is a wordless story of an Asian child who goes from the city to the countryside and marvels at the natural beauty. It's a book that invites contemplation.

Mama: A World of Mothers and Motherhood by Helene Delforge and Quentin Greban has beautiful portraits of mothers and their children in all their joys and sorrows accompanied by lovely poems. A book to counter all the terrible books that celebrate the destruction of the sacred bond between mother and child.  

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Macksey is such a beautiful meditation on life's important questions. I loved the line art and calligraphy--it's amazing what a talented artist can do with pen and ink.

Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole by Susan Cain is a lovely book that examines its role in our lives and being a Catholic, I kept nodding my head, yes, yes, yes, you can transform loss and sorrow into art, unite it to Christ's suffering, make it count and no, no, no, you needn't be an agnostic because this longing is pointing you to God, He's with us, practice being in His Presence. You have a God-shaped hole in your heart that only He can fill. I pray she will take that leap of faith...He will catch her. A great follow-up to Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking.

Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher is a reminder that totalitarianism is on the rise. It's an excellent overview of what we must do to resist--from always choosing to live truthfully to strengthening our families and communities and to be willing to suffer for the faith. Covid was a test to see how quickly we'd surrender our freedoms in the name of medical safety and boy did we pass with flying colors. Not good. More tyranny is on the way. My motto is Live Not in Fear. Only have fear of the Lord.    

Paths of Resistance: The Art and Craft of the Political Novel edited by William Zinsser is a collection of thought-provoking essays and lectures and gave me much food for thought for writing my own political novel.  

Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art by Stephen Nachmanovitch is such an important book for us creatives (and we're all creative!) because it encourages us to return to the natural state of free play. Even gaining technique is part of free play. I've been listening to more classical Indian music (a clip of Kaushiki Chakraborty singing with her son) marveling at the ease with which they improvise. It's been about a year since we've started singing the complex Graduals and Alleluias instead of the simple psalm tones. The melismatic chants have a similar quality to Indian classical music and unfortunately we're nowhere close to singing with ease. We can follow notes and there can be expressive moments but nowhere close to how the monks sound, heavenly. I spoke to one of the Benedictine monks of Norcia several years ago when they visited our parish and he said it takes about a decade to chant well. And they pray/sing seven times a day. They probably achieve their 10,000 hrs in 5 yrs. Time for more play and practice. As the choreographer and dancer Garth Fagan said, "Discipline is Freedom." Indeed. It is through discipline and mastery of the arts that one can truly express what's in the heart.

What are you reading? What are you making? What are you practicing? I hope you have a lovely summer making art.

BOUND Price Drop

I con't usually check stats on Amazon but I was getting a link for BOUND and noticed it's on sale. Woohoo! The timing couldn't be more perfect as many of us are called to give a defense of life in light of imminent reversal of Roe v Wade. This is an excellent time to pick up copies of Bound for your young friends to help them examine the question of life from various angles, for book club or classroom discussion. Suitable for ages 12+

June Joys and May Memories

I can't believe it's already June...I feel as if I'm in a whirlwind with so many things happening in the world, from the war in Ukraine to the draft leaked from the Supreme Court regarding Roe v Wade to the spate of shootings. It's as if the demons are unleashed. My response to all of this is to retreat into prayer: Thy Kingdom come, O Lord, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Only God can save us; alas, we've forgotten Him, His commandments. Instead, we worship power, prestige, pleasures. Yet, God showers so many graces upon us, continually calling us to turn toward Him. Here's Max in the Holy Land at the place where our Lord preached the Sermon on the Mount. So beautiful. We are praying for Max to enter deeper into the mysteries of our faith, and for peace in the Middle East. He sent us a picture of this Jerusalem cat too :)

June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and we've been celebrating lots, beginning with Ascension Thursday and Pentecost, with several more feasts on the way. I love living a liturgical life, the days marked by fasts and feasts. We're in the Octave of Pentecost. I love these feast days so much because the reality of the Holy Spirit within us is so present. He's imbued in all creation but He comes to us in a special way, to consecrate us in the Truth, and the more attention we pay to Him, the more He makes Himself and His Holy Will known to us. The Christian story astounds me--God comes down from Heaven as a poor and defenseless Baby to save us from our sins. And as if it's not enough that He suffers and dies for us, He stays with us in a real, physical manner in the consecrated Bread and Wine, and gives us the Holy Spirit as our Advocate. He does this all for me and for you! Is it any wonder that we fall down in Adoration?   

But before I get to June, I must post some pictures from May. With Dagny at home, Michael and I decided to take the train up to DC to spend a weekend with Max. It was lovely to have some one-on-one time with him, doing some sight-seeing, visiting his favorite places, and friends too. What a treat it was to have really good Chinese food! Sunday we went to Mass at St. Rita in Alexandria (it was the closest parish to where we were staying that offered the traditional Latin Mass) and it happened to be her feast day (May 22nd) so there was a High Mass. The church was packed with young families and many babies made a joyful sound with the choir. They sang Gregorian chant propers and a mix of Missa de Angelis and Byrd Mass for Three Voices. It was lovely. Later, we visited the Second Story warehouse! Max and I both bought only the books we could carry :) Best of all, when we arrived at his home, we got to see his article on Stella Maris in print in the Easter issue of the Lamp! 

Soon after we returned home, Dagny took a week-long trip to Texas for her best friends' wedding. I really love how these kids prepare themselves for marriage--what a gift to bestow upon your beloved. I highly recommend Three to Get Married by Ap. Fulton Sheen.  

I'm spending as much time as I can with my kiddos--they grow up too quickly. Reading lots too. Reviews forthcoming.  

May Flowers

May, the month of Mary, has flown with so many celebrations. My sweet baby girl turned 21, the pup 14. Her two best friends graduated and are getting married. She's been maximizing her time with them because they're settling in Montana, one of my favorite states, but much too far. It's gratifying to see the children growing up so beautifully. Deo gratias!  

The kid is making good use of her new book, Drinking with the Saints by Michael Foley, and making refreshing cocktails every afternoon. She's also happy picking up work as a bartender, trying to earn as much as she can before she goes off to Alaska to fish. I expect we'll be eating a lot of wild salmon when she returns. What an adventure it's going to be! 

We stick closer to home; went on a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Greenwood, SC to venerate the relics of St. Bernadette that are touring the US. We took the back roads and it was lovely to see the farms with their happy animals grazing or resting, the earth bringing forth nourishing food. But our thoughts were directed heavenward there and back with fervent prayers for healing (and writing). I remember how Flannery, when she went to Lourdes did not pray for her bones but the novel she was working on at the time. One thing is true, even if one does not receive physical healing, we are strengthened spiritually, given the courage and fortitude to bear all things. I believe in miracles and always pray with utter abandonment and confidence for even the impossible dreams because nothing is impossible for God!

We're beginning to enjoy the bounty from our own garden too. It's been so beautiful and fragrant to sit out on the porch to read and write. I'm not on the computer much, which explains my neglect of this blog, but I still enjoy keeping it and grateful for this avenue to share my thoughts. 

I've been praying and playing a lot more. When the world seems to be going mad with a lust for war and injecting even children with these covid shots, there is nothing I can do but pray to end the insanity, the corruption. When the draft of Dobbs was leaked from the Supreme Court, it's as if demons are out demanding that child sacrifice must continue. I pray the Justices will be protected and will reverse Roe. Our future depends on it. Abraham Lincoln said that the Civil War was punishment for the sin of slavery. I cannot even imagine what the punishment will be for the nearly 60 years of legalized abortion in our country--we've lost not just 60 million babies but their entire branches of the family tree. And I sorrow for the women and men who've had to make this decision because it seemed like the only choice. Parce Domine!