Yarn Along ~ sewing this time + letters by CS Lewis

 My book pile!

Still loving CS Lewis' letters to his dear friend Arthur Greeves. 

 Beyond the Snow is lovely, lovely, lovely.

I have only just begin it...

Been busy doing this and that, so not a lot of in-depth reading time,

but hopefully soon!

***

While I have worked on more wash clothes and a bit on my 

many coloured blanket,

I am going to share today a little bag I am almost done with.

It's for the Munchkin, who is doing some traveling again this summer.

I am filling the bag that I am making with 

travel-treasures.

A small journal and container of coloured pencils from the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens,

which is shown above on the right,

(a pencil sharpener that contains the shavings is coming for it too),

and some other treasures...

I designed my own inside pockets for the bag!

The little pocket on top is for an extra (already blessed!) wooden Cross necklace...

Here it is, all sewn in, but not re-ironed... 

I used my free-hand presser foot to make this small

Cross in red thread, I practiced a bit first. :)

I was loosely going on this 'envelope pouch' pattern but had to do my own thing,

after I realized that the liner, which I sewed together, would not work 

with the outside of the bag, so I ripped out the seams and 

ended up cutting out a bigger than the liner piece of blue fabric,

which, with attention, sewing many seams over for neatness,

I made this bag, which has everything but the 'envelope triangle' to close it up,

with Velcro! 

Well, that's what I made today.

What did you read and make today? :)

Yarn (or sew!), along with us! 

Reflections on the state of things while reading, having tea and meals

While, from reading this, I am not on the same page 

with her positions on things, I think this essay, for anyone 

who either is involved with higher ed - teaching, a student - or wants to 

understand a bit of what has happened to our world,

this essay, which is really not only about the importance of free speech

in University campuses, but about the importance of true scholarship. 

I wish that her cry for this would be answered and upheld.

***

With the awakening of Spring, I feel so many of my dreams for

writing and research are also opening....

***

At the same time, I can't seem to overcome the cough I have.

I have read various things and this one indicates that I

should not be worried at present. 

I am trying to follow up with my doctor, just in case....

***

I had tea with a friend, the meal was really good.

I did a similar meal for dinner, with pan-fried hamburgers and 

toasted English Muffins as a bun, with cheddar and Gouda cheese

melted on top. 

***

Today, Wednesday, was vegetarian.

Lots of ginger tea and reading 

They Stand Together: The Letters of C.S. Lewis to Arthur Greeves (1914-1963)

of which the introduction by Walter Hooper was well 

worth reading.  A wonderful next book after reading

CS Lewis in A Time of War.

***

Only those who have read my blog for some years,

will remember the one undergraduate class I did after

I lost my job in a corporate library.

I need to find those notes and the essay that I am thinking so much about.

I remember it was about Puritans in Milton's time who were

in love with homilies of Alfred but who confused a central point/belief

he had of transubstantiation, the Catholic understanding of

the Lord's Supper being a real, repeated event, as in the Eucharist being

really the Lord's Body and Blood.

I hope to find this essay again, I know I photocopied it from a 

book from the stacks at Ottawa U.

***

Meanwhile, I am astounded by the amount of reading

CS Lewis did in his youth.

I did not know the Brontes, for one, had so many books.

Fascinating. That could take a study all by itself....

***

I also want to revisit this blog post by Fr. S. F. whose comments

reminded me that I want to research more on 

the same topic that the essay on the Puritans is really showing...

***

My question, for many many years, even in undergrad,

when I would read Virginia Woolfe and then realize how confused she

and her friends were, and I would wonder again,

how did we get here as a people, culture and world?

***

This blog post hits on a lot of it. 

For me I am most interested in not only the history of nations,

but the history of thought, and particularly the change from a world 

that was understood sacramentally to one that not only

continues to try to empty itself of meaning and history,

but believes that all meaning is man-made. 

***

We shall see what I can do along these lines as time goes on...

9th day of Christmas...

We had more of the mini cheesecakes.

And chocolately chai tea.

Origination and hot cocoa 

Green Tea and Original 

We opened two presents each...

Friday we plan on doing the last presents! 

I hope to make a special casserole also!

Gifts included...

The early years of CS Lewis

A really great index too!

A book on Lewis focusing on his imagination...

And one of the early biographies...

This Christmas was a very "Lewis" Christmas!

*

Thanks for all your prayers;

the family friend in hospital with pneumonia is still ill and 

with some sort of added infection.

There are so many temptations and trials in life.

Everyday I hear of new sufferings in the lives of 

my friends and family.

We need to seek God and ask Him for help

in these precious times of our lives....

9 years blogging, blanket progress and three books

My blanket is coming along!

I am on the 4th grey stripe!

About half way done with the body,

then to learn to make a boarder for it!

*

Reading various books...

Re-reading Letters to an American Lady by Lewis

Reading The Seven Principles for Marking Marriage Work 

{Mr. Husband and I have a strong marriage but there

are seasons I am told and we know that to maintain

anything work is needed so I am glad to be reading this book!}

and soon to start O Pioneers! by Willa Cather as I loved

My Antonia and also Death Comes to an Archbishop

*

This week my blog is 9 years running! 

First post was Wednesday November 5, 2005!

A lot has changed since then...

I am grateful for God for my life now

and for all of my blog friends throughout the years!

Thanks to all of you!!!

*

So tell me:

what are you reading and creating today?

Do yarn along with us!

{Our time in PEI} ~ Gran's Haven ~ Our Blue Bedroom

Lovely wall paper, a sleigh bed, lace and wood floors.

 Dolls and period lamps...

A beautiful face of a time gone by.

*

I kept thinking when I was in PEI:

this bedroom is very adequate in the sense of

a British home where all is there

but all is essential. 

*

I found myself wishing to use the pitcher and bowl for washing

one's face and I did enjoy some time reading books

in this room; including the forward to Lewis' 

A Grief Observed by Madeleine L'Engle that a new but

did not feel new to me friend at the wedding said

is the main thing she remembers reading of Lewis' book.

*

It seemed somehow though appropriate,

that one reads of marriages that lasted till death parted them

on that weekend of my dear friend S. wedding

where so many gathered to celebrate the joining of 

a couple in Holy Matrimony, that creating a unity of one 

from two lives;

weddings are like a birth and marriage is a 

long fulfillment and working out of that birth.