“Gratefulnesse”- A Poem of Thanksgiving & A Recipe

This is my favorite Thanksgiving poem, and if you have been with me for many years, you know that you’ll receive it each year as my Thanksgiving “article.” It is a poem of grace and beauty, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

GRATEFULNESSE

by George Herbert (1593- 1633)

Thou that hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, a grateful heart.
See how thy beggar works on thee
By art.

He makes thy gifts occasion more,
And says, If he in this be crossed,
All thou hast given him heretofore
Is lost.

But thou didst reckon, when at first
Thy word our hearts and hands did crave,
What it would come to at the worst
To save.

Perpetual knockings at thy door,
Tears sullying thy transparent rooms,
Gift upon gift, much would have more,
And comes.

This not withstanding, thou wenst on,
And didst allow us all our noise:
Nay thou hast made a sigh and groan
Thy joys.

Not that thou hast not still above
Much better tunes, than groans can make;
But that these country-airs thy love
Did take.

Wherefore I cry, and cry again;
And in no quiet canst thou be,
Till I a thankful heart obtain
Of thee:

Not thankful, when it pleaseth me;
As if thy blessings had spare days:
But such a heart, whose pulse may be
Thy praise.

Our Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe

Fresh Cranberry-Orange Relish

2 bags fresh cranberries (frozen is okay)

3 juicy Valencia oranges, unpeeled, cut in eighths

2-3 handfuls of shelled walnuts

Sugar to taste

Chop or grind the cranberries and orange pieces in a food processor or old-fashioned crank-type food grinder. Chop the walnuts with a knife (definitely not the food processor– trust me on this) and add to the fruit. Add about a cup of sugar to start, stir, and keep adding sugar until it’s perfect. It’s good when made the day before, as the flavors blend nicely. If you do this, you’ll need to keep it out of sight, or you may have a problem with poachers. Whatever you call it, it’s been a family favorite ever since I can remember pouring berries through the grinder when I was a little girl. Yum!

Here’s a link to my Black Friday Clearance Sale!

Election Day 2009- Our Constitution

I came across this friendly reminder from someone in Italy who admires the United States Constitution, and it seemed a suitable day to share it. Sometimes outsiders (think of Alexis de Tocqueville) see very clearly! Read more

Teaching, Learning, and Growing Despite Current Events

The current news cycle has presented us with some very useful opportunities for teaching and learning this fall. There’s the election, of course, which offers a perfect opportunity to do a unit study on American government. Next, there is the tsunami of negative economic news. What a perfect time to read and discuss Richard Maybury’s books!

Finally, there’s the blessing of autumn itself. Here in Virginia, we’re just starting to see leaves shading from summer greens into the rosy reds, clear yellows. and warm oranges of fall. The dogwoods are sporting bright red berries, while the pyracantha is blanketed with a heavy crop of rich orange berries. Squirrels are bustling busily with winter preparations, cheeks full of acorns as they make innumerable trips up and down the trees.

I mention these three things together as a reminder that even in the face of political uncertainty, financial stress, and negative news, there are still the steady seasons and cycles of creation to appreciate. Children can be very sensitive to stress and bad news, so as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, it’s important to limit the inflow of negativity. This doesn’t mean mean ignoring important teaching opportunities; rather, using them in a limited and controlled way. Read more

Summer Reading Lists: What’s On Yours?

We’re back from the last convention of the season, and life is slowing down. It’s a good thing, because I came home with a pinched nerve, and am not supposed to be on the computer for more than 10 minutes in an hour. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to write in 10-minutes interval, but if you haven’t, I can tell you that it’s not the way to be creative and productive!

I hope to catch up on a bit of reading during the rest of the summer. I finished Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey last night (very funny), and am still reading a few other things. The none-too-organized stack beside my chair includes: Read more

Summertime- Blake, Rilke, Sandburg, Shakespeare

Summer has begun– a slower, sweeter time of year for many families. I enjoy each month of the year as it arrives, but the lushness of summer greens is a special delight. Each time I pick roses, I gather a variety of lovely foliage to complement them- hostas, crimson barberry, several types of ferns, a bit of lemon balm for extra fragrance, and whatever else strikes my fancy. The cool green, gray, and burgundy shades frame the lush roses beautifully. Roses, like most stars, are loveliest with a supporting cast!

It’s time for summer poems, and I’ve tried to choose three you may not know, plus a Shakespearean sonnet that always rewards another reading. These are lovely for copywork, or simply for reading and savoring. Enjoy!

To Summer by William Blake
O thou who passest thro’ our valleys in
Thy strength, curb thy fierce steeds, allay the heat
That flames from their large nostrils! thou, O Summer,
Oft pitched’st here thy golden tent, and oft
Beneath our oaks hast slept, while we beheld
With joy thy ruddy limbs and flourishing hair. Read more

Limiting Negative Input Creates a Healthy Learning Atmosphere

Last week, I wrote about how turning off television can improve your quality of life. However, negative influences don’t come only from television– they can come from many sources. While some sources of negativity may be hard to avoid, such as family members who sport a perpetual bad attitude, there’s no reason to actively seek out and give attention to media personalities who thrive on creating fear and controversy.

Have you ever reproved your children for speaking rudely to a friend or sibling, or wondered where they learned to use ridicule in an effort to make someone else look or feel bad? You may find the answer in the rude rantings of radio talk-show hosts who use ad hominem attacks and ridicule, rather than serious, intelligent communication, to gain support from an unthinking audience. If your children hear these “adults” communicating with name-calling, insults, and mocking, you needn’t be surprised when they try these tactics at home. Read more

TV Turnoff Week: Fast, Cheap, & Easy Life Enhancement!

Why not live a little this week? The Center for Screen Time Awareness is once again sponsoring the ever-timely TV Turnoff Week. Pointing out that “television cuts into family time, harms our children’s ability to read and succeed in school, and contributes to unhealthy lifestyles and obesity” (though otherwise, it’s not so bad?!), the Center suggests that during the week of April 21-27, families keep the television OFF.

They suggest that “Turning off the television gives us a chance to think, read, create, and do. To connect with our families and engage in our communities. To turn off TV and turn on life.” We always learn more when we choose to do and be, rather than sit and stare.

If your family usually watches a ball game, try playing a game outside. If you enjoy cooking shows, try cooking instead! If your children like to watch cartoon, introduce them to the comics, and try drawing a few. Do and be, don’t sit and stare! The key is to live, rather than watching someone else pretend to live. Read more

Celebrate April with Hopkins, Frost, Eliot, and Rossetti

I’ve been stricken with spring fever and could not resist sharing the beauty of a few of my favorite spring poems. I’ll offer them without comment, as I believe they are best savored quietly. If you wish to learn more about the poet or the poem, I suggest browsing through Bartleby.com, as well as your own encyclopedia.

Spring
by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Nothing is so beautiful as spring—
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling. Read more

Seven Things to Know Before You Begin Homeschooling

I wrote this post last week, after speaking at Cindy Rushton’s Talk-a-Latte on What I Wish I Had Known. Unfortunately, due to the migration of our server, the post disappeared when I hit ’save,’ and I didn’t have time to recreate it. Let’s try this one again!

1- Know where you are going before you gain momentum. (Once you’ve gained momentum, it’s hard to change direction!)

In Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, he points out that you must begin with the end in mind in order to be sure you’re on the right track. Plan your homeschooling path by envisioning where you want your family to be in 5, 10, 20 years, then work backward to decide on the steps you need to take to reach that goal.

Just as a map helps you reach a travel destination, a clear vision of the family life you desire (you can describe your goals in a family mission statement) can make time and money management choices much easier. Our family mission statement included the goal of creating “a loving, serene, creative environment that encourages personal and spiritual growth as part of a warm, nurturing family.” That helped us to be thankful, rather than unhappy, when circumstances and finances combined to give us more time at home than we anticipated. Read more

115th Carnival of Homeschooling: Oh, The Things That You’ll Do!

Welcome to the 115th Carnival of Homeschooling! The theme for this carnival is adapted from Dr. Seuss’s beloved Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Homeschoolers are a diverse bunch, and I thought it would be interesting to read about some of the things we do.

One of the things we do particularly well is read, so I’ve also included posts that develop the theme that “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” (I Can Read With My Eyes Shut, Dr. Seuss).

Grab some popcorn, and enjoy the Carnival!

The Joy of Home and Family Traditions

Our first post is a celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. In Fun that is Fun, posted on PinkPaperPeppermints, Melissa Okonski shares her family’s multi-generational delight in Dr. Seuss stories, and announces that the next edition of her ezine will “be ready soon and [it] includes a printable pattern and tutorial for a [Dr. Seuss-themed] mini book that could be used for scrapbooking, lapbooking, and homeschooling as well as links and my favorite quotes!” Read more

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