Joining Ginny for Yarn Along again this week:

Alannah has taken up the needles again and has undertaken an ambitious first project – an infinity scarf, ambitious more for the size than the difficulty.  We found several patterns online, but none exactly right for our yarn and skill level. We ended up modifying a pattern.  She cast on some couple hundred stitches onto the largest circular cable we had.  Then has been alternating knit and purl stitches every three rows to make gently rolling ribbing.

Of course it had to be white to contrast nicely with her red wool peacoat. 

Noteworthy reads this week include the Little Housekeeping book I quoted yesterday.  I thoroughly enjoyed this one although I feel the need to go scrub something with turpentine now. <g>  I think my favorite part was the discussion amongst the tutors as to whether to cover laundering in the lessons, it finally being decided in favor, however unlikely it was to come up.

A few children’s books we loved this week:

The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon 

The 39 Apartments of Ludwig Van Beethoven

Snook Alone

The Beethoven book has architecture so very like what we see here.  Snook was a story of a dog who belongs to a monk.  He is left behind on an island for some time.  In the course of the story a great deal of naturalist information is imparted.  This seems to be a theme because the Audubon book describes the journals and specimen collections of the famed artist.  Inspires me to get everyone back out and collecting.  Well, maybe when the temperature inches above 20 degrees anyway. Brrr. 

That weather has made Aidan’s celestial navigation course a challenge but that course is prompting a great deal of astronomy related reading for everyone. 

In other news, I picked up Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot.  I have long loved Elisabeth’s sensibility.  I have been pleasantly surprised and encouraged to see so many saints quoted as the basis of her essays in this volume.  

One passage really spoke to where I am at this moment:

“There are times when the entire arrangement of our existence is disrupted and we long then for just one ordinary day – seeing our ordinary life as greatly desirable, even wonderful, in the light of the terrible disruption that has taken place.  Difficulty opens our eyes to pleasures we had taken for granted.”

I don’t mean to sound pitiful when I say that plenty enough such disruptions have visited me that I have come to truly relish and delight in the ordinary. I spent two hours ironing my husbands work clothes this evening.  What a wonderful blessing it was: the steam, the rhythm, the quiet after little people had settled into bed, the old Ozzie and Harriet episodes keeping me company.  A very good night ending with a quiet heart.  

I’ve many a cross to take up now,

And many left behind;

But present troubles move me not,

Nor shake my quiet mind. 

and what may be tomorrow’s cross

I never seek to find;

My Father says “Leave that to me,

and keep a quiet mind.“

– Anonymous

I can’t say this has always been my MO, having been as perpetually preoccupied with tomorrow’s crosses as I have often been.   I do feel convicted that this must be the course to set from here out however. 

Slipping away from the screen on that note.