Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts -- Online

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I'm always on the lookout for wonderful online resources that enrich our lives, particularly in the artistic or historic sense. I found two marvelous resources to share with you.

I have a fascination with illuminated manuscripts. On my first visit to London, I was crushed to find out that the Lindisfarne Gospels, a must-see on my trip, was off display at the British Library. A polite sign invited me to return in the fall, when it would be back on display. I wasn't going to be in London in the fall! Aaarrrgh!

So on my second trip to London four years later, a visit less than 24 hours in duration, I hightailed it for the library to feast my eyes. I admit I gazed (probably longer than necessary) upon the revered pages, marveling at the detail, the care, and the beauty of this amazing work.

Here is some information from the British Library website about this manuscript:

The Lindisfarne Gospels, one of the most magnificent manuscripts of the early Middle Ages, was written and decorated at the end of the 7th century by the monk Eadfrith, who became Bishop of Lindisfarne in 698 and died in 721. Its original leather binding, long since lost, was made by Ethelwald, who succeeded Eadfrith as bishop, and was decorated with jewels and precious metals later in the 8th century by Billfrith the Anchorite. The Latin text of the Gospels is translated word by word in an Old English gloss, the earliest surviving example of the Gospel text in any form of the English language, it was added between the lines in the mid 10th century by Aldred, Provost of Chester-le-Street. Today the manuscript is once again bound in silver and jewels, in covers made in 1852 at the expense of Edward Maltby, Bishop of Durham. The design is based on motifs drawn from the decoration of the manuscript itself.

On the off-chance you are not planning to be in London any time soon, you, too, can feast your eyes on this gorgeous work of art (and history and art history) by visiting the British Library's website and its amazing "Turn the Pages" online gallery. This gallery utilizes Adobe Shockwave, so you'll need to download that free application beforehand. But it is SO worth it. "Turn the Pages" features a Magnify function for an up-close look at the details. Another fabulous element is the Audio option, which offers interesting information on the manuscript. Or you can click the Text option to read the same information. Not every page of the manuscript is part of the "Turn the Pages" gallery, but the cross-carpet and opening pages of each gospel are on view.

However, if you don't have Shockwave, you can also view the pages here. For a quick view of the art pages only (no text), Wikimedia Commons offers these nine images.

For more information on the Lindisfarne Gospels, visit the British Library website and run a search for "Lindisfarne Gospels" to hit the motherlode. Here is a quick link to a bit of background. Also, Wikipedia offers an informative entry.

And, in case you ARE planning a visit to London this summer, don't look for the Gospels at the British Library; they'll be at Palace Green Library in Durham, to be displayed alongside the St. Cuthbert Gospel. So plan a jaunt to Durham. I've been there, and it is worth the trip. The cathedral alone (the final resting place of the Venerable Bede) is worth the trip.

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I was beyond excited to learn that Trinity College Library Dublin now has the Book of Kells available for viewing online. While all pages are uploaded, there are no scholarly comments as of yet. Here's an excerpt from the library's website on the Book of Kells exhibition:

The Book of Kells (Trinity College Dublin MS 58) is celebrated for its lavish decoration. The manuscript contains the four Gospels in Latin based on a Vulgate text, written on vellum (prepared calfskin), in a bold and expert version of the script known as "insular majuscule". 

The place of origin of the Book of Kells is generally attributed to the scriptorium of the monastery founded around 561 by St Colum Cille on Iona, an island off the west coast of Scotland. In 806, following a Viking raid on the island which left 68 of the community dead, the Columban monks took refuge in a new monastery at Kells, County Meath. It must have been close to the year 800 that the Book of Kells was written, although there is no way of knowing if the book was produced wholly at Iona or at Kells, or partially at each location. 

It has been on display in the Old Library at Trinity College Dublin from the mid 19th century, and attracts over 500,000 visitors a year. Since 1953 it has been bound in four volumes. Two volumes are on public view, one opened to display a major decorated page, and one to show two pages of script. The volumes are changed at regular intervals.

For some quick views of pages from the Book of Kells, check out this Wikimedia Commons page of images. And for a thorough (and excessively glowing, IMHO) exposition, read this article from Wikipedia.

Since I have no firm plans to visit Dublin, the online exhibit of the Book of Kells is really a blessing. It's not quite the same as viewing the real thing in person, but it's the next best thing. I look forward to the addition of scholarly explanations added to the website!

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Online resources for museum pieces are invaluable for history study and art study. Not only do they give us access to items thousands of miles away, they also give us means to compare similar objects. For example, a worthwhile project for older students would be to compare the Lindisfarne Gospels and the Book of Kells. How are they similar? How do they differ? Why were they created? Do their disparate ages have something to do with any differences? Do their respective histories have any bearing on their condition today? These are just a few areas of inquiry that pop to my mind (before I've had my coffee).

Of course, seeing these priceless artifacts in person is the peak experience. I imagine the hands that have touches the pages, now protected under glass and low lighting. Hands that worked quietly and surely, hands that smoothed pages before a sacred service, hands that seized roughly in a desperate effort to flee from raiders, hands that worked to restore the ravages of age. . . . 

Perhaps an online study will whet your family's appetite to plan a trip!

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Chocolate and Books

By the time I reached the Copthorne Hotel in Newcastle on Sunday night, it was after 11, and I'd been awake for 36 hours. I'd enjoyed my time in Amsterdam and was still a bit keyed up, due to excitement and lots of coffee. So I didn't fall asleep til after midnight.

And then I slept hard.

I didn't wake up until 2:15 Monday afternoon. (When Himself heard this, he replied in disgust, "What a waste of a day!" I had to remind him of my 36-hour "day" that had immediately preceded my Sleeping Beauty snooze.) After a quick shower, I grabbed a map of Newcastle and hit the streets. My hotel was along the Quayside of the River Tyne, so I had to walk uphill to reach the city center. It was a gasping walk.

The first place I stopped was St. Nicholas Cathedral. I love old cathedrals: the stained glass, the memorials, the old burial spots, the carvings, the dust motes, the smell... everything. I picked up some materials on display; it looked like St. Nicholas is a lively parish, which I was glad to see. I especially enjoyed Christopher Dalliston's (the Dean) message for Lent in the Cathedral Notes; I've linked to it here so you can read it, too. Look here for some more photos of the cathedral.

I also snapped a few photos of the Castle Keep and Black Gate, the two remaining buildings of the "new" castle. The keep was built between 1172 and 1177 by Henry II, and the gate was built between 1247 and 1250 by Henry III. "New" is a relative term.

The Black Gate

This monument to Queen Victoria sits outside St. Nicholas Cathedral.

Queen Victoria, looking dour.

I stopped in Blakes for a coffee and bakewell tart. The server asked me where I was from. When I told her, she excitedly said, "Oh, I love it there! It's one of my favorite places!" Turns out she's visited more states than I have. She's hoping to attend school in Toronto and travel in North America some more. I gave her my email address when I left, in case she'd like some advice planning her trip(s).

After that, I popped into Ma Provence for a croissant to take away. Later, I drooled over the chocolate offerings at Hotel Chocolat, a must-stop-shop if you're ever in Newcastle. I bought some, too! Let me recommend the dark chocolate-dipped ginger strips.

Another must-see: Grainger Market. I visited the market on my first trip to Newcastle four years ago, and I made tracks for there this trip, too. Here are some marvelous photos of the market, which opened in 1835. It's a marvelous place to browse. At one stall, I bought lots of candy to take home for the girls. At a book stall, I perused old books and wished I had enough suitcase space to take some home. I smiled at a butcher as I passed by his stall, and he winked back. There was a lot more to see, but I also wanted to stop by Waterstones bookstore, so off I went.

My favorite thing to do in Waterstones is visit the children's section. Why? Because they offer titles and authors we don't see in America. Deciding to cram my suitcase after all, I bought several books for the girls. The clerk who rang up my purchases, a young girl with maroon hair and completely tattooed arms, held up a Michael Morpurgo book. "Oh, I have this one, and I'm afraid to read it!"

"Afraid?" said I. "Why?"

"I know it will be sad, and I don't know if I can take it!"

We both laughed. "Oops," I said, "I'm buying it for my daughters, and one in particular is tenderhearted. Maybe I'll read it through first."

She thought this was a good idea. As I left, she called out, "I hope your daughter loves the book!"

I looked at my watch. Time to head back to the hotel to meet Tanya and her colleague, Allan. We were going out for Indian food. (It was wonderful, and if I could recall the name of the restaurant, I'd tell you. But I can't.)

A little adventure began. I headed in a direction and ended up in an area I'd never seen before. But I felt okay: I was headed downhill, so I must be going in the right general direction. Then I caught sight of the Millennium Bridge in the distance. It's along the Quayside. I made my way toward that bridge. Following signs to the Quayside, I got back to the hotel with a few minutes to spare.

By 11 p.m., I was back in bed. It had been a packed eight-hour and forty-five minute-day!

Getting Ready to Head Home

I'm all checked in for my flights and all packed up to head home. I'm bringing the girls candy (their favorite) and books (their second favorite).

Tanya and I have had a wonderful time. I'm keeping a travel notebook so I can share the particulars with you when I get back home. I also have travel tips I plan to share on Rick Steves's graffiti wall, since some I found out the hard way! But blessings abound, and there were no true travel catastrophes. Yay!

The flight from Newcastle to Amsterdam is short; but the flight from Amsterdam to my home city is really long, much longer than the flight over. I hate that, but what can you do? The airlines decide their routes.

I'm off now for a much-needed cuppa. More later!

Hello from England!

I'm on the hotel computer and only have four minutes left, so this will be short!

Amsterdam was wonderful. I have photos to post later. I managed to visit the Anne Frank house, eat a delicious pancake (apple and bacon), pop into Pompadour, a chocolate boutique, and walk around some. To my relief, everyone I met spoke excellent English. This is helpful since I don't speak Dutch.

Now I'm in Newcastle. I arrived last night about 11 PM, after being awake for 36 hours. I slept 14 hours last night! I've done a bit of shopping (more chocolate, this time at Hotel Chocolat, and books at Waterstone's). I also popped into Boots for a razor, which I forgot. It was either that or go home hairy. I also visited the Grainger market, which I find fascinating. I especially love the butchers; all that meat just lying out in the open. (Most Americans would hyperventilate. Where are the neat packages sealed and protected from germs??) And then I walked along the quay back to the hotel. My room overlooks the river Tyne; it's a lovely view.

I'm excited to be here. I was tempted to break into a happy dance of joy along the quay, but I restrained myself. One doesn't break into happy dances of joy at my age. (Confession: sometimes I do, but only when I'm with other people. Otherwise I'd be taken for a complete lunatic, wouldn't I?)

I love the bridges that span the Tyne here in Newcastle. The Millenium Bridge is the loveliest, with its changing colored lights.

Tomorrow Tanya and I take the train to Edinburgh. Excitement!

More later from the UK...

She Is Too Fond of Books: Review of Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature

"Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality."

-- Beatrix Potter

 I am reading a most wonderful book, and I wanted to share it with you. Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature, by Linda Lear, is an in-depth biography for older teens and adults -- one might say tome -- of that most gifted naturalist, author, illustrator, and countrywoman. For me, the name Beatrix Potter brings to mind delightful children's stories of anthropomorphized animals accompanied by equally delightful watercolor illustrations. That alone was enough to interest me in her life. I'm only one-third of the way into the book, and her complexities continue to astound me.

Possessed of an inquisitive nature, an indomitable spirit, and a keen interest in natural history, Potter delved into many areas of intellectual inquiry, a samplng of which includes geology, archaeology, and mycology. Her research into mushrooms and lichens actually broke new ground, a fact not recognized in her lifetime, as she herself tried to break into the increasingly specialized arenas of the professional scientists, who were often skeptical of the amateur.

Fettered as she was with the familial obligations and social pressures of most Victorian ladies of her class, Potter declined to languish within stifling the confines of the era. But her strong desire to be useful in life was often at odds with her parents' -- particularly her mother's -- expectations. Miraculously, Potter was able to balance her position as dutiful and respectful daughter with her own personal interests most of the time.

Immensely readable and engaging, Lear's biography is peppered with wel-chosen excerpts from Potter's journal, faithfully kept for many years, and her correspondence, enabling me to "hear" Potter through her own words. Although shy and somewhat reserved, Potter was no shrinking violet and stood her ground firmly when she felt she must. She also had an acerbic wit, which I find amusing.

And then there is her artwork. The book contains several photo and art pages, but not nearly enough, in my opinion. Lear does an admirable job of describing many of Potter's sketches and painings, but such descriptions merely whet my appetite to see them myself.

According to the Beatrix Potter page on the Visit Cumbria website, although Potter is "a household name around the world, her personal life and her other significant achievements remain largely unknown." Moreover, some of what we had thought we knew about Potter's life has recently been revealed as erroneous. Lear's book brings to light and life the Beatrix Potter we thought we knew.

Weekly Wrap-Up: Finish Line! (And a Book Recommendation)

This week was the last of our official school year. Yay! I say "official" because we are continuing some AO readings through the summer since we are behind on those. It doesn't make sense to stop in the middle of a book simply because it's a "school" book. Good books are good books, period.

Activities have wound down, too, just in time for the swim team season to gear up. Those practices are every day, but it's at our neighborhood pool, and the girls can ride their bikes with friends. Yay again! Also, the piano recital is next Tuesday evening, and that will wrap up music lessons until September. Ongoing will be Miss Priss's middle school choir at church until mid June, when they go on a choir trip, and Tiny Girl's riding, with two shows slated for June.

I wanted to let you know about a wonderful book both girls have been reading as part of their history studies: The Reb and the Redcoats, by Constance Savery. First published in 1961 and now part of the Living History Library collection of Bethlehem Books, this work of historical fiction offers a British viewpoint of the American Revolution. From the back cover:

Charlotte Darrington and her brothers and sisters can't understand Uncle Lawrence's bad mood. What could be more interesting than having their own American prisoner of war? The children are determined to make friends with the young rebel -- but they find themselves thwarted by Uncle Lawrence and the prisoner himself. It is only after a near-disastrous attempt to reach France that the Reb allows himself to be drawn into the life at White Priory in southern England. The children are happy to become his "redcoats" -- but they know that as long as the rebellion in the Colonies is going on, the Reb is likely to escape at the first honorable opportunity.

Both my girls have enjoyed this book tremendously. Tiny Girl practically devoured it, and Miss Priss told me, "I like that it shows what English people thought (about the war)." So do I.

I found this selection on the fabulous website, A Book in Time, which I use frequently to locate living history books for my girls. I love the way the site is organized, and I also appreciate the age guidelines (ex. JH or UE for junior high level or upper elementary level) and annotations. When you visit the site, don't overlook the World History tab; that's where The Reb and The Redcoats is listed, since the story takes place in England.

So what educational pursuits are you planning to continue through the summer (if any)? I'm interested to hear!

Weekly Wrap-Up: Mixin' It Up

It's 7:23 on a Friday evening, supper (chicken pot pie) is in the oven (so we'll be eating late), and I am just now sitting down to write my Wrap-Up.  That gives you a smidgen of an idea of how our week has been thus far.  Here are some highlights:

First off, both girls have been sick and at the doctor's for separate strep tests this week.  Both were negative, thankfully.  However, Tiny Girl has been on breathing treatments with the nebulizer for a wheezy cough all week, and Miss Priss started feeling ill herself yesterday, so a couple of days were not as smooth or regular as I would have liked.  But we managed to end up just where we needed to be, since I cracked the whip on other days.  Just kidding!  Sort of.

Also, if you read my Wrap-Up last Friday, you may recall that we were in a bit of a "situation" at the barn where Tiny Girl rides and we lease a pony.  We have since moved to another barn with our pony and our trainer.  It was a difficult week in that regard; Tiny Girl had been riding at that barn since she was in kindergarten.  So I had to have some difficult conversations with others about our decision.  But now we are glad it's behind us, and we feel good about where we are.

In our lessons this week, I implemented a new folder system based loosely on the workbox idea.  Each child has a daily work folder, and each morning I put in that day's independent work and also any supplies each might need for other subjects, such as our daily test sheets for spelling.  It's worked really well so far.  The girls like being able to blow through some of their independent work instead of having to wait for me to direct them, and I like the fact that it gives them some self-government.

We also participated in Harmony art Mom's Sketch Tuesday project for the first time.  The girls enjoyed making a sketch, scanning it, and emailing it for inclusion in next week's slide show.  We can't wait to see their work on display!

Also this week, we slo-o-o-o-o-wwwed down in some of our subjects instead of speeding on ahead.  In history, we've been camping out in the Tudor period.  Miss Priss read (in two days) Mary, Bloody Mary, by Carolyn Meyer, a book about Mary Tudor's younger years.  I'm not crazy about the title, but Miss Priss really enjoyed the book and learned a lot.  Both girls are reading Mary, Queen of Scots: Queen Without a Country, by Kathryn Lasky, a selection from The Royal Diaries series.  We also learned more about Mary Stuart's needlework, specifically the Marian Hanging.  Click here to read my post about that and see a photo of the Mary Stuart octagon.

A moment that made my heart sing: while reading Mary, Bloody Mary, Miss Priss gasped aloud and said excitedly: "Remember Charles, the Holy Roman Emperor?"  Why, yes, I did.  "He was Katherine of Aragon's cousin!"  Isn't it wonderful when they begin to see and appreciate connections all on their own?

We spent more time studying grammatical concepts, focusing on particulars for a few days instead of one or two.  This week, we continued with the four types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.  We also considered how to vary sentences to add interest to our writing.

Even in math, we hung out with a few concepts this week.  Tiny Girl's lessons in MEP Year 4 focused on some of the same ideas and computations as last week, which gave her more time to play around with them and really understand more fully.  With Miss Priss, I intentionally planned her lessons to do the same thing.  She worked on multi-digit multiplication and different types of angles.  She learned to measure angles with a protractor and pronounced that activity "fun."  For her, to say math is fun is a giant step in the right direction!

We ditched Madam How and Lady Why, an AO Year 4 selection.  The girls were not enjoying it, and I did not like the idea the author presents in chapter two: that God caused an earthquake to occur as a punishment to those people.  This particular theory does not fit with our family's beliefs, so I decided the book is not right for us.  Another great thing about homeschooling: we get to choose what fits our family best!

And Christmas music is resounding through our house!  Yes, it's (too) early, but the girls have begun practicing their pieces for the Christmas piano recital.

There goes the oven timer; my pot pie is done!

That's how we mixed things up around here this past week.  Have a blessed and wonderful weekend!

Mary, Queen of Scots: The Marian Hanging

Last week, we began learning about Mary, Queen of Scots.  The girls read the chapter about her in SOTW, which made very little mention of her life in France, surprisingly enough.  Since I think these years of her life are very important, we're also going to be reading her story in the Royal Diaries series.  However, the SOTW Activity Book Three includes a coloring page of one of her works of embroidery from the Marian Hanging.

My curiosity piqued, I Googled "Marian Hanging" and found this website about her embroidery.  I had no idea that Mary Stuart had been such an accomplished needleworker, despite having read several biographies over the years.  I suppose I shouldnb't have been surprised, though, since embroidery was a prime occupation of the aristocratic woman. The hanging (created between 1570 and 1585) comprises 37 panels of "canvas work (stitching over the threads of a coarsely woven linen) in coloured silks, silver and silver-gilt thread, mounted on green velvet."  Here's the Mary Stuart panel of the hanging:

This octagon represents the name Mary Stuart (Mary S) superimposed with the queen’s cipher, the royal crown, the thistle (her favorite flower), and the anagram motto “Sa virtu m’atire.”  Many of her works contain anagrams and secret messages.

Here's a link to the Victoria & Albert Museum's page on the hanging, which gives a very interesting account of its history.  You can also view each panel of the hanging -- make sure to click the close-up button for a better look. Although donated to the V&A, the Marian Hanging is on permanent loan to Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, per the National Art Collections Fund's instructions.

One of my favorite things about homeschooling is how I get to learn things along with the children!  This discovery gave us a glimpse into Mary Stuart's complicated life and enriched my understanding of her as a person.

Oh, Joy Abounding! An Award!

Many, many thanks to my dear friend Jackie at Hedgerow Ways and Fireside Days for selecting my little ol' blog as a recipient of the Versatile Blogger award!  Since I'm rarely awarded for much (the case for many of us), my heart is singing today.

There are, of course, responsibilities in accepting such an award, and the Versatile Blogger is no exception.  First, I must disclose seven things about myself; and second, I have to pass on the award to other blogs I deem worthy, which is a daunting and difficult task.  I'll need to think on this for a bit.

Before I began to think about what to write for my seven items, I looked at past winners, and found a bunch of new blogs to follow!  More joy!  See the list at the bottom of this post for more blog-reading fun.

I thought I'd share some things about myself that I haven't yet blogged about, but that's a bit difficult since I'm a blabbermouth.  But I'll try.  So here's me in a seven-blurb nutshell, in no order whatsoever:

1. Yes, my hair is naturally curly.  No, this is not nearly as fabulous as you might be tempted to think.
2. It's not news that I'm an Anglophile, but the degree may surprise you.  I have been to the UK four times.  I am not a well-traveled person, but I'd rather go to Britain than anywhere, given my choice.  I'm sure Italy is nice.  I'm also certain Greece is lovely.  And there's France and Spain, too.  But it's Britain for me, hands down.
3. I rarely watch TV and am thus clueless about most popular culture tidbits.  I've never watched American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Lost, or any other IT-program.  I don't watch the news, either, and I've found I'm a happier person that way.
4. I don't listen to popular music radio stations, either, so I can't hum along to the latest Top 40 "hit."  I despise typical radio talk (more like rant) shows, too.  In the car, I listen to NPR and our local contemporary Christian music stations.  This fact added to Fact #3 makes me slightly uninformed as to current and/or popular news items.  I've even been accused of living under a rock.
5. I read a lot and will confess to being a bit of a book snob.  Just a bit, however.  I'm not above reading some chick lit or a murder mystery now and again.  I just don't typically review those books on my blog.  I'm particular about my children's reading, too, for the most part.
6. I'm an education fanatic, which is one big reason I home educate my children.  I love to learn, and I want them to love to learn, too.  If I could be a professional student, I would do it.  Home education gets me close to that goal.
7. I have a master's degree in English.  You really can't do all that much with merely a master's degree in English, except (silently) correct other people's grammar during conversation.  (To correct them out loud would be rude!)  Or proofread things for people.  Or use really big words when you feel like it.  On the other hand, I tend to speak in the vernacular (grammatically correct, of course!) to avoid sounding too much like a prisspot.

Ta da!

Now.  I'm going to give a few days' consideration to the blogs I will select for the Versatile Blogger award.  Since the award came with no guidelines as to the precise meaning of "versatile," I'm simply going to wing it.  Which is nothing new for me.

Until then, here are a few other Versatile Blogger award-winning blogs to get you started.  Check them out and their respective links to selected winners:

Hedgerow Ways and Fireside Days
Have Fun - Live Life
Our Day - Ellie's Treasures
Homeschooling on a Wing and a Prayer

Happy blog-reading!

Weekly Wrap-Up -- Hectic, Crazy, With an Elegant Finish

What a week!  I knew it was going to be busy going in: two birthdays (a birthday luncheon for a dear friend AND Tiny Girl's ninth -- I cannot believe it -- birthday); two meetings; a doctor's appointment; Girl Scouts troop meeting chez nous; book club; kids club at church; two cars in the shop at separate times; a visit from my folks for the big birthday; our usual activities; delivering Girl Scout cookies; and other things I know I'm forgetting.  Then the hot water heater blew, leaking water all over the garage and finished basement.  Himself stayed home from work that day and got to know our wet-vac really well.  Ergo, we only had about two and a half days of lessons this week.

The highlight, however, was BIG.  Another homeschooling family, who also happen to be great friends of ours, invited us to a medieval feast.  We all dressed up and dined sumptuously on period delicacies.  Jennifer, who is a trained chef, researched the recipes on the Godecookery.com website.  Here's the menu of what we sampled, complete with their medieval spellings:

• First course: Lombard Soup, Shrymps with Sauce Gingyuer, Eles in Grave, and Tart de Bry
• Second course: Bake Metis, Conys in Hogepoche, Buttered Wortes, and Mushroom Pasty
• Sweets: Frytour Blaunched, Apple Muse, Perys in Confyte, and Gyngerbrede

I found everything delicious; the children had their favored dishes and their not-as-favored dishes.  My girls opted for chicken over the rabbit (conys), but I tried rabbit for the first time and thought it was tasty.  In case you are wondering, Jennifer substituted tilapia for the eels.  The gingerbread was quite different from what we expect nowadays; it was more like a sticky candy than a cake.  The meat pie featured ground veal and pork with dried fruits, a combination new to me.  And the pears in confit were my favorite.

After we dined, the children treated the adults to a play.  The plot was sketchy at times, but the swordfighting, which was abundant, was exciting.  The evening was the perfect wrap up to our medieval studies!

Book Review: A Superb Living Book on Medieval Town Life

This week, we read Walter Dragun's Town, by Sheila Sancha, which depicts the English town of Stanford in 1274. The author based the work on her research of the Hundred Rolls, so many of the characters and events were actual. The wool and cloth trade is the axis on which the town turns, and Sancha does a wonderful job intertwining educational material (industry, economy, trade, market life, vocations, daily life) into the narrative. We all learned a lot about market town life in the middle ages, but also enjoyed the story. A true living book, Walter Dragun's Town is suitable for elementary ages and up.

Book Review: Good Masters! Sweets Ladies!

We are studying the medieval period of history right now, one of my favorites. In fact, I think I'm taking too long to cover it with the girls, but I can think of worse problems to have. The girls and I have enjoyed reading many great literature selections depicting the middle ages, and one that stands out particularly is Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village, by Laura Amy Schlitz.

Past winner of the Newbery Award, the book is a collection of nineteen short plays, most of which are monologues. Each character is between 10 and 15 years old and lives on an English manor in the year 1255; Schlitz leaves it up to the readers to decide for themselves the age of each character. Some characters are members of the nobility and some decidedly are not. Yet each one has his or her own unique voice, which Schlitz creates with wonderful accuracy for the period.

That is the beauty of the stories: each character is so finely depicted, his voice is so vivid, her circumstances so carefully constructed that the medieval era comes to brilliant life. Far better than any dull textbook rendering of "Life in Medieval Times," these plays vividly re-create the social strata and living conditions of a typical feudal-system manor, from the desperate situation of a runaway villein to the frightening expectations of the lord's nephew and all those in between.

The book includes several explanatory essays that give background information on issues of the day. These include "The Three-Field System," Medieval Pilgrimage," "Jews in Medieval Society," and "Towns and Freedom." Well-written and just thorough enough, the essays shed light on aspects of some of the characters' lives. Also, there are notes alongside the text whenever further explanation of a term or situation is warranted.

As we know, medieval life was difficult and often cruel, and these plays do not shy away from tough topics. There are brutal drunkards for fathers, dishonest millers, rank poverty, and other ugliness. I have not felt the need to skip or edit any of the selections, and the girls and I have had some good conversations following particularly difficult monologues; but your family may feel otherwise. Use your own discretion. That being said, there are also moments of self-awareness, clarity, and honesty so poignant that it almost hurts to read them.

My daughters are developing a love for the medieval period, and I'm delighted to watch it blossom. This book is one of the reasons they've become so intrigued.

Ah, Blessed Tea: The Elixir That Heals All

On Saturday evenings, I love to tune into our local PBS station to watch an evening of Britcoms (that's British comedies, for the uninitiated). I've been doing it for years. Dh has lost his fervor (we've seen all the episodes of our favorite shows, is his complaint, but this bothers me very little). Last night in an episode of As Time Goes By, one of the characters (Sandy, if you know the show) is somewhat spooked when she realizes someone is following her home after dark. Once she's safely indoors, she relates this to Jean and Lionel (parent figures with whom she lives -- there's more to it, but I'm cramped for space and you for interest), and Lionel rushes out to the street to investigate. Of course, the street is empty. Lionel's remedy: "I'll put on the kettle."

I love it! Stalker following you home from work? Have a cup of tea!

Now, in case you are wondering, let me be absolutely clear: I am not being facetious. Not only do I love tea, but I am also a firm believer in tea's ability to refresh, calm, and, in general, raise one's spirits. I tend to begin the day with a cup of tea. In the winter, I end it with a cup as well, a nice herbal or rooibos that's perfect for cold winter evenings. I also love the ritual of tea: boiling the water in my electric kettle, measuring out the perfect amount, warming the pot, brewing an exact number of minutes, slicing a lemon or pouring some milk into a small cream pitcher, setting out some sugar cubes, and, finally, pouring tea into one of the pretty china teacups from my collection. Then again, sometimes I use a tea bag and a big mug. It depends on my mood. Sometimes, it depends on the weather. Rain and fog call for a mug.

For me, tea has always alluded to Britain. I grew up reading books (often set in that land of my forbears) where the characters' taking of tea was more than a tradition. For me, it was a common thread running through the fabric of a culture. And it seemed so necessary and immutable; no matter the circumstances at the moment, teatime prevailed. How stable and dependable.

So, when Dh and I honeymooned in Scotland (my first trip abroad), I looked forward to joining in the tradition. We often stopped at hotels for lunch. At different establishments, we dined on gorgeous and tasty small sandwiches or hot soup and crusty bread or shepherd's pie, and we washed it all down with a pot or two of tea. I've now been to England three times (and counting) and have drunk vast amounts of tea while there, to my delight and satisfaction. However, once, in London, I bought a coffee at a fancy (read: pricey) coffee shop. It just wasn't the same.

But I always have to leave England and come back home. (Well, my family does live here, after all.)

Until recently, I could not understand why the tea I prepared at home was not in the least like the tea I enjoyed in Britain. I don't mean my fancy teas; I mean my plain hot tea. Then my grocery started to carry several shelves' worth of British goods, and I brought home a box of PG Tips. Eureka! It was the tea itself! Now my morning cuppa tastes like the tea I grew to love on my trips to the U.K. And that will have to do until I can get back to Britain.