Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Fumbling Toward Grace

Home
Catholic
Five Favorites!

Five Favorites!

Last updated on: February 26, 2014 at 3:30 pm by Sarah Babbs

Five Favorites! 2014-02-26T15:30:57-04:00 Sarah Babbs

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It’s time for five favorites again. I had dreams of participating in Jen’s blog post a day for the whole week challenge. Those dreams collapsed, dear reader. They collapsed into my stomach flu and three days of twins with the shits, and then blew away on the arctic winds of polar vortex #3.

So, I’ll jump in here and share my five favorites as of late.

Hoosier Poems

I love poetry and I love living in Indiana. My mother in law gave me a book of poetry of Indiana for my birthday. One of my favorite poets, Liesel Mueller, is featured, having lived in both Bloomington and Evansville.

Scenic Route

For Lucy, who called them “ghost houses.”

Someone was always leaving

and never coming back.

The wooden houses wait like old wives

along this road; they are everywhere,

abandoned, leaning, turning gray.

Someone always traded

the lonely beauty

of hemlock and stony lakeshore

for survival, packed up his life

and drove off to the city.

In the yards the apple trees

keep hanging on, but the fruit

grows smaller year by year.

When we come this way again

the trees will have gone wild,

the houses collapsed, not even worth

the human act of breaking in.

Fields will have taken over.

What we will recognize

is the wind, the same fierce wind,

which has no history.

Well Read Mom

Have you heard of the Well Read Mom program? No? You must remedy this. At once.

Well Read Mom is, in the words of founder Marcie Stockman, “a reading club which provides an easily duplicable way for women to accompany one another in reading great books, spiritual classics and worthy reads from the Catholic and Western Tradition.”

Each year (the year runs September through May), a theme is chosen, and books which relate to this theme are chosen. This year is the Year of the Mother.

For each month’s selection there are audio pieces that introduce and comment on the story, and discussion questions which provide a great framework for discussion.

I first heard about WRM from the lovely Elizabeth, and my own local book club decided to jump in.

Do it. If you love to read and love to gab, you won’t regret it.

Thug Notes

My friend who is part of the above mentioned book club sent a link for Thug Notes. The February book is Jane Eyre, and Thug Notes has a hilarious and pretty awesome summary/analysis of poor sad Jane.

You’re welcome. Oh, and language warning.

Downton Abbey Party

I mentioned in my last post how my awesome friends were throwing me a Downton Abbey party for my birthday. It was so much fun!

I wore a dress I’d had for a million years, so I decided to splurge and get my hair done.

I have a great stylist and she re-created the Lady Edith faux-bob that I love. It would have taken me five times as long and looked nowhere as good.

Here’s a photo of all the beautiful ladies at the party:

Yes, I have a friend who dressed as Mrs. Patmore. She’s awesome.

Frozen

For all of you moms who might have daughters (or sons) obsessed with Frozen, a little tip. On Amazon, if you pre-order the DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack, it is 50% off right now. $22 rather than $44. It comes out March 18, in case you have a daughter like mine, who asks when we can watch Frozen again…every single day.

For more Five Favorites, visit Hallie!

Previous Post

February 21, 2014

7 Quick Takes Friday: I'm 30 Edition

Next Post

April 22, 2014 A Silent Cross, Silent No More: Infertility Awareness Week

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 7 QT Beauty and Style Blogging Books Catholic Culture Family Funny Making House Poetry Social Justice The Children Uncategorized Various Women

Select a Month December 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 December 2017 November 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 February 2016 January 2016 November 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz