Cottage Blessings

A Golden Crown and Sea of Gowns (Scenes from our May Crowning)

Our parish May Crowning will take place on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, May 13th. In the meantime, we held our annual Immaculate Heart of Mary Homeschooling Group May Crowning in our home yesterday. Thanks to Marie's recent First Holy Communion party, we had the luxury of a tent this year--a very good thing with skies threatening to rain all morning. Our Lady came through for us with a golden, clear afternoon, the perfect day to "Bring Flow'rs of the Fairest."

Blue was the color of the day.

As always, our lovely First Communicants crowned Our Lady, bearing her golden crown on a flower-sprigged pillow. The rest of the children processed in with flowers, placing them on the May altar before saying the Rosary, all the while singing traditional hymns in Latin and English, led by my friend, Lynn Wilson. We prayed for all of you, stopping to mention the many prayer requests made in our local group and online. We said prayers of thanksgiving for blessings received and remembered Heather who is having surgery as I type this.

Marie was thrilled to receive a pair of pink Rosaries, handmade by her sweet friend, Mary.

I hesitated before posting these pictures of not one, but three, First Communicants flying on the scooters (you aren't sick of scooters, are you?), but who can resist this? These three girls were inseparable all day and as ubiquitous as snowflakes in a storm. (That's the lovely Erin from the Bonny Blue House on the right, a vision in her shamrock-studded gown.) Sometime toward the end of the afternoon, Agnes made the observation, "You know, the First Communicants are really dispelling the myth that you can't be active in long skirts!"

I found them "hanging around" together on the tree and sprinted across the yard to catch the moment forever.

Three-year-old Maureen held court, as usual.

And made a beautiful new friend.

Fair maidens to honor the "Fairest of Queens, in the fairest of seasons, Sweet May"! [Please be sure to click on this image to enlarge. It may be my favorite photo ever, tied with the darling one directly above it!]

Name Dropping (in addition to all the wonderful IHM moms, many familiar friends were on hand):

MacBeth
Helen
Mary Ellen
Heather
Lissa (by phone!)

Marian May Baskets, Then and Now

Happy first of May and Feast of St. Joseph the Worker!

Some of you may remember last year's May series, Crafts, Crownings, and Celebrations, begun on the Feast of St. Louis de Montfort, 2006. This year's celebration began even more meaningfully with Marie's First Holy Communion on St. Louis' Feast.

Last year, we began the month by transforming the secular custom of May Baskets into a tradition honoring Our Blessed Mother. Using inexpensive materials, we made Marian Baskets for our family and friends:

For detailed instructions on how to create these using materials found around the house, please see

May Baskets for Our Lady and St. Joseph

The Plastic Cup Challenge

Today's Marian May Basket Photos

This year, we have done a variation on this theme with Marian May Cones. Like last year's plastic cups, they are simple and inexpensive to create using readily available materials.

My artistic girls made twenty-five of these cones to give out as favors for Marie's First Communion. Each cone was as distinct and lovely as the artists themselves and brought a splash of beauty and color to the plain walls of our rented tent. Here are a few samples:

Margaret made this bright and cheery cone especially for Marie whose favorite color has always been yellow. Right away, I dubbed it the Sweetness and Light cone (note the word "Sweetness" on the tag). Meredith, if I could have brought you to Long Island this weekend, I would have given one exactly like it to you!

My computer time is up, but we will be posting detailed instructions for making Marian May Cones here very soon, along with a new series of "Crafts, Crownings and Celebrations" for May 2007. Our May altar will be ready for tomorrow's Crowning, and Marie's Communion tent remains outside to shelter Our Lady and welcome the guests from our local homeschooling group.

Please remember, just as we are able to take the secular custom of May Baskets and make it our own, there is no need to limit our baskets to May 1st. (If you make these, please be sure to post a photo and link to Cottage Blessings so that we may see your handiwork--what a thrill it would be, not only for me, but for my daughters! If you do not have a blog, please send a photo, and I will try to post it here!)

Happy May Day, dear friends! A Rosary is being said for all of you today.

Our Lady, Queen of the May, pray for us!
St. Louis de Montfort, pray for us!

*******
Amended to add: Christine at Memories of a Catholic Wife and Mother made beautiful May cones last year! Lovely, Christine!

Sweet Marie

St. Louis de Montfort, pray for us!
St. Gianna Molla, pray for us!

A Timeline of Mercy

December 6, 2002

I write a notice to our local Immaculate Heart of Mary homeschooling group:

"Dear Friends,

As you know, the Little Flowers close of season party is next week, December 11th. It was originally scheduled for 2 pm, but I've decided to move it up to 1 pm to get the most of the daylight. It's supposed to rain, unfortunately, but the children wouldn't really be able to play outside in the cold anyway, so we will not postpone. The theme of the party will be "Our Lady of Guadalupe" because her feast is the next day. A wonderful craft and activity are planned, so I hope you will all try to attend.

Love, Alice"

December 11, 2002

9 am

The weather is icy and rainy. I briefly consider calling off the party at the last minute, but hesitate to postpone with Christmas coming.

1 pm

The party is in full swing. [MacBeth and her family visit for the first time--she and I hit it off instantly.] Brigid O'Neill brings cappuccino bars--a special treat for her coffee-loving hostess. The children enjoy creating Juan Diego paper dolls and pose for a group picture near a Guadalupe banner painted by my friend Lorraine and her children. Emily O'Neill, Brigid's seven-year-old daughter, appears on the right, wearing a white turtleneck and dark jumper.

6 pm

The place is a mess! Brigid, who normally leaves promptly at 4 pm, has stayed behind to clean up. When she finally gets four-year-old Danny and seven-year-old Emily into the car, she returns to say goodbye, making the observation, "It's viciously slick out there!" The family leaves, beginning the Rosary, as is their usual practice.

The moment the house is empty, I make a quick phone call to Lissa in Virginia, leaving a message on her machine saying, "This was such a great party! I really wish you'd been here!"

6:15

A speeding eighteen-year-old's car flips across the divider on the Meadowbrook Parkway, landing on the hood and roof of Brigid's van, before overturning his SUV more than once. The crushed roof narrowly misses the heads of the two small children strapped in the back, barely grazing little Danny. Emily has the presence of mind to unstrap her young brother and drag him out a broken car window to safety. She stands next to her grievously injured mother in the pouring rain, refusing to leave her side.

6:45

Brigid's mother calls with the news. She does not have any details except that Brigid is in critical condition and the children are well. The other driver was able to walk away from the accident. Brigid's husband is on his way to the hospital.

I call Lissa and leave another message very different from the first.

8:39 pm

Lorraine writes to our local group:

Brigid O'Neill was in a very bad car accident this afternoon. She is in critical condition, unconscious, in ICU. The children are fine.

Please pray.

A trio of mothers heads straight to the hospital with relics and a small image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Those of us at home begin an emergency nine hour Novena. Lissa, Lorraine and I alert the larger internet homeschooling community, begging for prayers from the CCM mothers and anyone else we can find. [Many of you remember this well and were a part of the enormous prayer and fasting effort offered for Brigid by hundreds of mothers.]

December 12, 2002, The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Lissa, helpless and distraught in Virginia, is setting out for the Adoration chapel in Staunton to pray for Brigid when two packages arrive, both sent independently by her two best friends. The first is a pair of pink and blue personalized Rosary Beads from me--an early birthday present. The second is a care package from Brigid--cappuccino bars with the note, "If you can't come to the party, we'll send the party to you." (Brigid had spent $36 overnighting them to Virginia.)

December 23, 2002

Just in time for Christmas, Brigid squeezes her husband's hand on command, in his words, "the best Christmas present ever."

January 3, 2003

A saintly woman from Westchester contacts us asking to take the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Brigid's bedside the following Sunday at 3 pm, "The Hour of Mercy."

January 5, 2003

I write an update to our local group (slightly edited here):

"Dear Friends,

Patty B. brought the Image of O.L. of Guadalupe to Brigid today, and it was just beautiful. Tracey and Elizabeth were there when we arrived, and afterward we were joined by Dan, Brigid's mother and father, Mary Anne, Kathleen, and Patrice. It was very moving. The image was huge, over 6 feet tall. Patty told us all about the miraculous healings and conversions associated with this particular image, and then offered to bring it to Brigid's children . . . . [I]t was dark and the snow was coming down fairly hard, but Patty insisted on bringing the image inside my house before she left. My children were each able to kiss Our Lady and kneel before her to say the Memorare. You can imagine how blessed I felt, especially because Brigid's wonderful parents were there as well. Brigid's father actually took pictures of my family with the Image! It was incredibly special.

Now I just hope Patty made it home tonight in the snow. When I expressed my concern, she smiled and replied calmly, "How can I not be safe when I have Our Lady with me?" I guess we've found ourselves yet another saint.

Love, Alice"

January 2003 to April 2007

The pain and suffering, joy and hope, along the road to recovery is Brigid's story to tell, and I cannot begin to do it justice. These years haven't always been easy--not by a long shot--but she is with us, and her children have their beautiful mother back again.

April 7, 2007

A newer member of our local homeschooling group leaves a message (read by me on April 10th):

I would like to offer the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the IHM moms. Easter Wednesday is the only available day left. . . . . Can you offer a suggestion for where we all can meet for a couple of hours, somewhere halfway?

It just so happens I am already scheduled to host the first day of Little Flowers on Easter Wednesday. I gratefully accept her offer, requesting that she bring the Image to my house.

April 11, 2007

Brigid and her children attend the party, three living miracles and reminders of God's mercy. Brigid has but one request--a picture to send to her Mom:

At the end of a grace-filled day, I take another group shot. This time Emily stands third from the right in the back row. Many of those tall young ladies were little ones in the original Guadalupe photo, and some of their younger brothers and sisters--babies back then--now stand alongside them. Time marches on.

Somehow, it seems, Our Lady has brought us full circle, continuing to ask, in her words to St. Juan Diego, "Am I not here who is your mother?"

Yes, she is here. She has always been here, standing by our side as faithfully as that little girl in the rain.

May we never cease to thank our Mother--the Mother of Mercy--for the gift of Brigid's Life.

*******
This Timeline of Mercy is dedicated to Miss Emily O'Neill, on the occasion of her twelfth birthday, which happens to fall--not surprisingly--on Divine Mercy Sunday this year.

Divine Mercy Sunday

Please click here for instructions on making a St. Faustina Spoon Doll.

Have a Blessed Feast day!

Twenty-four hours to Our Lady

What do you do when you have less than twenty-four hours to prepare for Our Lady?

Tuesday afternoon, I found out that the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Guadalupe would be coming to our house on Wednesday! This image holds a deep significance for our family and all the members of our local homeschooling group. Four and a half years ago, it was brought to the bedside of our beloved friend after a near fatal and appalling car accident. I still have pictures of my children gathered round the image in the living room of our first home, just before bringing it to Brigid's bedside in the hospital:

Imagine my joy to learn that this miraculous image would be visiting us again, this time gracing our new home. More incredibly, my beautifully recovered friend and her two children would be on hand to greet Our Lady, thanking her for the precious gift of a mother's life.

Late Tuesday night, I had a moment of panic. With very few flowers blooming in the yard, I wondered how the children would welcome Our Lady, or prepare our home to receive her beautiful image. It had been on my mind to revisit the Marian May Baskets craft from last year, this time re-inventing it with pretty paper cones and ribbon for the first of May. Happily, it occurred to me that these simple cones would be perfect for crafting with a crowd, and the children could take the baskets home afterward to give as May Day gifts. Please take a look at this hastily prepared--but very well received--Marian activity:

Marie presents her First Communion-themed basket.

Two unfinished samples wait to be filled and hung on the front door of a loved one.

This Irish-themed basket, with a turf Madonna fringe of moss, graces our front door.

We started with patterned collage paper from the scrapbooking aisle (rectangular works best--one package makes twenty):

These were formed into cones with hot glue with two holes punched on each side for ribbon:

The pastel, blue, and lavender patterns on our collage paper were just perfect. If you are crafting with a crowd of children, it helps to fashion the cones in advance. (Hot glue and crowds of children don't mix!)

The cones store inside one another for easy transfer.

As a central element of each basket, I gave each child a small floral notecard to create a spiritual bouquet, encouraging them to write down prayers they will say for the recipients of their baskets.

The children hung their baskets in the shrubs surrounding the image, making April bloom like May!

The cones were such a happy sight, offering a festive atmosphere of love and welcome.

At the last possible moment, I arranged for a friend (a high school music teacher off this week) to join us for the afternoon leading the children in song: "Bring Flowers of the Fairest," "Salve Regina," "Regina Caeli" and other devotional hymns. The children said the Rosary with love and reverence, each one offering prayer requests to Our Blessed Mother.

I prayed for all of you--particularly those trying to conceive and Heather, a young mother diagnosed with a brain tumor. Here is a partial group shot of the children. (Too bad the pole from our volley ball net is in the way!)

The glorious Spring weather seemed an earthly reflection of the graces showered on our home and families. What a blessed day it was!

[A special thanks to Theresa F. for bringing the image to our home yesterday! You are beautiful inside and out!]

Good Friday

Maureen about to ascend the holy stairs at "Our Lady of the Island Shrine" on Long Island. A relic of the True Cross is enshrined at the top.

The Seamless Garment

The holy Season of Lent has called to mind an image for the Liturgical Year: It is like the Seamless Garment.

Christ's seamless tunic was complete, beautiful, and untearable, even for the rough Roman soldiers, and most likely it was wrought by the skillful hands of Our Blessed Mother. Our Liturgical Year of feasts, seasons, and celebrations creates a new "Seamless Garment" cloaking our families in unceasing Prayer and Love.

This is the candle we will use to create our Paschal Candle this year:

It is the same candle central to our Candlemas Log, a display created, you may remember, from our Advent Log (thanks again, Rebecca!). Looking back over our celebrations, we see plainly how each season passes the torch on to the next, seamlessly.

I smiled to remember the following quote, written two years ago as part of my Easter Vigil notebook plans:

"We are also planning to create a Paschal candle for our home following directions found online. Luckily, I came across a perfect white candle while putting away some stray Christmas decorations this afternoon. (Yes, my nativity scene has been up all this time. At least the tree's been down for a month!)"

These words could just as easily have been written two weeks ago! (I took the white candle from the last remaining vestiges of Christmas, and it will light our way through the Easter season and beyond.) Reflecting upon this consistency, I realized the depth and continuity that comes from Living the Liturgical Year. It is a Seamless Garment, perfectly wrought and woven with meaning and memory.

May the feasts we celebrate form the warp and our families the weft of a new Seamless Garment for the Lord, and may Our Blessed Mother sit at her Spinning Wheel and Loom once more, gently guiding these hopeful fibers through her spotless hands, blessing and beautifying our offerings to Him.

Tiny Tears

Eileen looks so solemn, stricken even, with those two tears running down her face. The poor child is the poster baby for the Lenten season!

Good St. Patrick

We have made many craft projects here at Cottage Blessings, but this one will always remain a favorite: St. Patrick's Day Cottage Craft. Last year, eight year old Margaret couldn't get enough of these.

(You do not need special cookie cutters to create a nice effect!)