Cottage Blessings

Now Playing

in the Cottage Garden:

Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (unabridged)! [Captions from the script appear above each corresponding photo.]

"If music be the food of love, play on."

"What country, friends, is this?"

"By my troth, Sir Toby, you must come in earlier o' nights."

[Patrick.]

"I marvel your ladyship takes delight in such a barren rascal."

"He's but mad yet, Madonna, and the fool shall look to the madman."

"I will on with my speech in your praise, and then show you the heart of my message."

"I am bound to the Count Orsino's court. Farewell."

"Were not you even now with the Countess Olivia?"

"Would you have a love song, or a song of good life?"

"What a caterwauling do you keep here!"

"My masters, are you mad?"

"Mistress Mary, if you prized my lady's favour at any thing more than contempt, you would not give means for this uncivil rule."

"If I do not gull him into a nayword, and make him a common recreation, do not think I have wit enough to lie straight in my bed. I know I can do it. "

"My purpose is indeed a horse of that color."

"But if she cannot love you, sir?"

"Get ye all three into the box tree: Malvolio's coming down this walk."

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."

"I could marry this wench for this device.
--So could I too"

"Nay, but say true, does it work upon him?"

[The scenes above were from Acts I and II.]

Too bad the rhododendrons weren't blooming!

********
Gorgeous scenery by Mary Maggio-Smith and others
Beautiful costumes by amazing seamstress Hope Giambalvo (age 16) assisted by Mary Smith and others
Directed by Kari Riess

Our children's parts:
Agnes: "Maria"
Theresa: "Viola"
Margaret: "Feste the Clown"
Marie, Patrick, and Maureen: sign carriers

A day in May

A day in May begins with Twelfth Night practice.

Our director gave notes to the cast:

in the shade of a large oak:

A sword fight broke out (and, no, this was not part of the play):

We observed the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with a small altar (can you find it?):

Here is a closer view:

And here it is again after the younger ones (the brothers and sisters of cast members) spent the day adding flowers to it!

A birthday was celebrated:

Make that two birthdays:

And a good time was had by all!

[From left to right: Maria, Feste, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek conspire against Malvolio.]

The Fine Print

Eight-year-old Marie was talking to her sister Margaret about my upcoming Socialization book. I managed to catch a snippet of their conversation in which Marie was announcing:

"And on the cover page, Mommy's going to have an asterisk with teeny, tiny letters at the bottom saying, 'RESULTS MAY VARY.'"

My First Book, coming soon

Years ago, when my husband and I were considering home education for our first two daughters, we were excited, but also a bit uneasy. Knowing hardly any homeschoolers at the time, we wondered if our children would grow up lonesome, missing out on the seemingly irreplaceable social activities available through school. How many nights I agonized over these concerns, wishing for some reassurance!

Now, over a decade and many happy memories later, it seemed a good time to give some of that reassurance to other families. My prayer is that "Haystack Full of Needles: A Catholic Home Educator's Guide to Socialization" (coming soon from Hillside Education) will do just that, encouraging new homeschoolers while sharing ideas with the veterans.

Far from being a weakness of home education, socialization is its greatest strength--and joy! Among other things, the book will discuss a "Fatima Model" for gatherings, show how our St. Francis Nature Club was formed nine years ago, and tell the story of that full-length production of Shakespeare performed in the backyard. It will demonstrate how home education leads to life-long friends--not only for the children, but the parents as well--sharing numerous ideas for clubs and activities.

"Haystack" provides a hopeful and positive message, making it a good book to pass along to family and friends or anyone interested in knowing more about the social lives of Catholic homeschoolers. I am hoping it will go a long way toward answering the age old question, "But what about Socialization?"

Many thanks to my publisher, the incomparable Margot Davidson of Hillside. She has been a joy in every way and yet another friend met thanks to the blessing of home education.

If you have a moment, please say a prayer for this project as it nears completion. I would very much appreciate it!

But so much more important than that, please pray for a friend of mine who is having an important medical test done tomorrow.

Thank you very much!