Hi Friends!
I hope you are having a summer full of wonder!
All is well here. Enjoying daily adventures with my family; relishing joy and peace. I'm scheduled to have my second foot surgery soon. Looking forward to getting that out of the way and moving forward to a stronger, healthier future.
More to come from Classical Quest!
Longer letter later! :-)
Love,
A
Showing posts with label summer fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer fun. Show all posts
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Quest Notes: What I'm Into Link-Up
Dear Friend,
I'm late to the party! Every time I notice a blogger taking part in Leigh Kramer's "What I'm Into" link-up, I think, I should do that!
So here I am. Better late than never, right?
I've listed a bunch of random things I'm into now. ("Random" is my 10yr old daughter's new favorite word.)
1. My green picnic table
My four year old son picked out the color. I couldn't be happier with it! Our entire family has spent a good deal of time around it lately.
2. Fabric mosaics
I've long been into colorful mosaics, quilts, and decoupage -- so when I discovered a way to pull all three crafts together, I was very pleased. I found inspiration for this project here and from my great-grandmother's quilts which I wrote about here.
3. Just Between Us: A No-Stress, No Rules Journal for Girls and Their Moms by Meredith and Sophie Jacobs.
My daughter wrote an entry for me before she left for a week long camping adventure with friends in the Adirondacks. She left it on my bed. I read it several times while she was away. I made an entry for her to read when she got home. This journal is a perfect tool for strengthening the bond between moms and their tween daughters.
6. Protecting my skin from too much sun exposure.
I bought this inexpensive hat at my local supermarket. Most days, I also wear 30 SPF on my arms.
7. Red Curry Lentils. They're tasty, nutritious, and cooking them fills my kitchen with the scent of savory spices. Nice over rice.
8. Streams of Living Water by Richard J. Foster
(Related Post: "Sacred Pathways and Celebrity Diets")
9. What Makes Olga Run?: The Mystery of the 90-Something Track Star and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Happier Lives by Bruce Grierson
10. The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home by David Clayton & Leila Marie Lawler (LML's blog, Like Mother Like Daughter, is a favorite -- "Because it's important to maintain the collective memory.") Written with a Catholic readership in mind, but could be adapted to suit most faith traditions. Lots of emphasis on the home as a school of beauty. Makes me want to tidy up and spend some time in deep prayer!
If you're visiting Classical Quest for the first time, I'd be delighted if you would introduce yourself in the comment box. You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Bloglovin, and Pinterest.
Peace & Joy!
Adriana
I'm late to the party! Every time I notice a blogger taking part in Leigh Kramer's "What I'm Into" link-up, I think, I should do that!
So here I am. Better late than never, right?
I've listed a bunch of random things I'm into now. ("Random" is my 10yr old daughter's new favorite word.)
1. My green picnic table
My four year old son picked out the color. I couldn't be happier with it! Our entire family has spent a good deal of time around it lately.
2. Fabric mosaics
I've long been into colorful mosaics, quilts, and decoupage -- so when I discovered a way to pull all three crafts together, I was very pleased. I found inspiration for this project here and from my great-grandmother's quilts which I wrote about here.
![]() |
| my latest project: fabric on canvas |
| a quilt my great-grandmother made in the early 1950s |
3. Just Between Us: A No-Stress, No Rules Journal for Girls and Their Moms by Meredith and Sophie Jacobs.
My daughter wrote an entry for me before she left for a week long camping adventure with friends in the Adirondacks. She left it on my bed. I read it several times while she was away. I made an entry for her to read when she got home. This journal is a perfect tool for strengthening the bond between moms and their tween daughters.
4. I found Salad Days: Salads for Dinner at the grocery store and bought it on a whim. Lot's of brilliant images. All the salads in this look scrumptious. The first recipe is for a "Classic Melon Salad." I've made a large batch of it twice in the last few weeks. Addictive!
5. Classic Melon Salad
(Adapted from Salad Days) --
Slice watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew into thin pieces. (You could make it without the cantaloupe or honeydew, but you must have the watermelon.)
Toss together with fresh basil.
Combine 1 part light olive oil, 1 part red wine vinegar in a small jar with a lid. Shake well and drizzle over salad.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Eat right away or chill and serve the next day.
Optional Ingredients: shaved pecorino, sliced prosciutto
6. Protecting my skin from too much sun exposure.
I bought this inexpensive hat at my local supermarket. Most days, I also wear 30 SPF on my arms.
8. Streams of Living Water by Richard J. Foster
"In this book I have tried to name these great Traditions -- streams of spiritual life if you will -- and to note significant figures in each . . . The Contemplative Tradition, or the prayer-filled life; the Holiness Tradition, or the virtuous life; The Charismatic Tradition, or the Spirit-empowered life; The Social Justice Tradition, or the compassionate life; The Evangelical Tradition, or the Word-centered life; The Incarnational Tradition, or the sacramental life."
9. What Makes Olga Run?: The Mystery of the 90-Something Track Star and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Happier Lives by Bruce Grierson
"They say she is like Grandma Moses in the sense that she found her calling very late in life. But while Grandma Moses took up painting out of desperation, to make ends meet, Olga took up track, at age 77, for fun. A dozen years retired from her career as an elementary school teacher, she still had lightning in her that needed grounding."
"This book is about making a little oratory -- a little sacred space -- in your home and praying there . . . Really, it is just an outward manifestation of the simple truth that God wants to be with us. He is Emmanuel, God with us."11. Emma by Jane Austen (audio version) The more I read Austen, the more I'm hooked. I was not familiar with the plot for this one, so it was very amusing, indeed!
12. Our new German Shorthaired puppy, Heidi.
If you're visiting Classical Quest for the first time, I'd be delighted if you would introduce yourself in the comment box. You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Bloglovin, and Pinterest.
Peace & Joy!
Adriana
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Summer Play: Ocarinas, Cards, Cup-Clapping, and Fried Chicken
Dear Friends,
Make an ocarina with my hands.
I think ocarinas are neat. I especially like the ones that look and sound like birds. I own two: one sounds like an owl, the other sounds like a mourning dove. My oldest son and I enjoyed learning how to create an ocarina with our hands via the You Tube video below. (We have some room for improvement. The kid in the video is amazing.)
| I received this one as a gift. It was purchased from Ten Thousand Villages. |
| I bought this one in Eger, Hungary. It sounds just like a mourning dove. We like to "talk" to real doves with them. |
Play "Slap Jack."
I don't recall playing this card game as a kid, but it was the perfect game to play with my 4yr old and 6yr old on vacation. I bought a special "Slap Jack" deck. Normally it is played with a standard deck of cards.
Sing while cup clapping.
My 9yr. old daughter and I had a blast learning to use cups in sync as rhythm instruments.
Watch the adorable Lennon and Maisy do it --
And here is Anna Kendrick singing the song my daughter and I learned --"Cup Song"--
It is so fun! I seriously can't be left alone with a cup and a flat surface. It's addictive!
Here is the chant to help you learn it:
clap-clap
1-2-3
clap
up-down
clap
side
hand
table
hand
slap
down
If you haven't had enough yet, here is the same song in a music video. It starts with one lone cook rolling out biscuits and before long all of the customers in this restaurant are cup-clapping.
Make my grandmother's fried chicken.
Well, I hope I have learned how. While on vacation with her last week, I watched closely as she made it for dinner -- twice! I bought the ingredients tonight and I plan to make it tomorrow.
Your turn! Have you tried anything fun and new this summer?
P.S. Don't forget: I'm starting Jane Eyre on August 26th. Grab an unabridged copy and plan to join me!
With Love,
Adriana
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