By the Grace of God United in Holy Matrimony

 1 November 2014 

"Live in love, as Christ loved us and handed Himself over for us." 

-Ephesians 5:2a

Our Lady of Walsingham

Please Pray for Us.

Illustrative Inspiration ~ Tasha Tudor

In belated honor of Tasha Tudor's birthday, I thought I'd share just a small sampling of her much beloved illustrations.

Tasha Tudor

(August 28, 1915-June 18, 2008)

A simply lovely favorite of mine

 The Secret Garden

A Little Princess

 

 

A comforting portrayal of home life

The Wind in the Willows

For those of you who don't know, Tasha Tudor was also an avid gardener.  Her home in Vermont is truly and breathtakingly beautiful.  Do visit Rookery Ramblings for more information about this talented, admirable woman.  She has been such an inspiration to me in becoming the woman I desire to be and will forever serve as one of my role models.

What are some of your favorite illustrations of Tasha Tudor?
Are you familiar with her inspirational garden?

Poem of the Week ~ Shakespeare's Sonnet XVIII

This week I have found myself pining for the true classics, and Shakespeare is difficult to beat in this respect.  In flipping through a newly acquired book of his complete sonnets, I found the well-known "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" and felt that it speaks to the mixed feelings that come with late summer: a wistfulness for the gentle balm of heat, the unique golden-ness of summer sunlight, and gentle breezes. . .combined with the increasing motivation for productivity, as school begins and schedules fill up far more quickly than one expects, though this happens every year.  This sonnet perfectly illustrates this time of transition with its allusion to aging and the changing of seasons, as well.  Of course this sonnet (as so many of them do) addresses a lover, giving it a purpose that infuses this description of the season with love.  A simple yet profoundly deep and beautiful truth.

"Sonnet XVIII"

William Shakespeare
(1564-1616)

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summers lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;

Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou growest;

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. 

Do you like Shakespearean sonnets?

Have you ever attempted to write in sonnet form?

Literary Inclinations ~ In Pursuit of Happiness: An Aristotelian Appreciation of Jane Austen

 Below is the introduction of an intriguing series I found a few months ago through a blog that I follow that focuses on Austen in relation to Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, and I found it to be both interesting and enlightening, returning to it time and again in the intervening months since discovering it.

*****

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that Jane Austen novels are full of silliness and romance. However little known the merits of these works upon a first perusal, this truth is so well fixed in the mind of the reader, that they are considered as the rightful property of young women fixated upon a bygone era of balls and dresses with hardly any serious merit to recommend them to the reader of more practical and serious taste.

While the truthiness of such a claim may, in fact, be unassailable, the truth of this statement can hardly be considered as such. When Lionel Trilling offered a seminar on the works of Jane Austen at Columbia in 1973, he had to sit through two-and-a-half days of interviews in order to whittle a field of 150 interested students down to a more manageable maximum of 40. You very well may ask how many of those prospective students were young men, but, as a professor of mine once responded to such a question, this was Columbia in the 1970s; they were, most probably, nearly all men! Trilling himself relates that the ranks of these prospective students included more than one graduate student who ardently made his case to be allowed in the class.

So, what’s the big deal about Jane Austen? Why would anyone with half a brain, let alone someone seriously dedicated to the study of divine truth, care two straws about such novels? Unlike Trilling who concluded that the moral values portrayed in Austen’s novels were invariably a product of her era, I am convinced that these values have a timeless character, just as the novels have a transcendent appeal.

As the title of this introduction and the Dominican authorship of these posts suggest, Aquinas and Aristotle play no small part in my appreciation of the works of Jane Austen. Throughout this series, I hope to illustrate how many of the values found in Austen’s works belong just as much to the medieval and classical periods as her own. By showing how the virtues espoused by Austen’s heroines conform to a much earlier tradition, I hope to lead the reader to suspect that these values are just as applicable today. These works are not simply food for romantic fantasies. They provide us with serious and thoughtful reflections on how virtue ought to be lived out, particularly in regard to our relationships with others.

Br. Aquinas Beale is originally from West Virginia, and studied Political Science at the University of Virginia, receiving a Master's degree in 2010. He entered the Order of Preachers in 2011.

*****

"How do I lead a good and happy life?"

Given the prominence of British authors and illustrators I have featured here thus far, it should come as no surprise that today's featured writer is Jane Austen (1775-1817).  In a time and place that largely promotes a destructive and demeaning form of feminism, I found the author's perspective on Austen heroines quite refreshing.  He emphasizes the heroine's drive to do that which is truly good, which leads them to a happiness solidly based in virtue by the conclusion of the novel.  Having taken multiple university-level classes either solely or partially focused on Jane Austen, I can attest to the rarity of of this perspective, a rarity I consider unjust to Austen, as she was a very devout Christian and seemingly deliberately infused her work with Christian themes.  

In Pursuit of Happiness: An Aristotelian Appreciation of Jane Austen

What are your thoughts on this piece?

What themes in Austen's work tend to strike you most?

Poem of the Week ~ Gerard Manley Hopkins' God's Grandeur

This week I've been thinking about my favorite Catholic poets, and my mind has repeatedly returned to Gerard Manley Hopkins, a 19th century British Jesuit.  His collection is rather extensive, but "God's Grandeur" has long stood apart as a favorite of mine.  It reminds me of the Eternity that is God and that every part of the world is infused with Him.  He will remain constant in His Love.

"God's Grandeur"

Gerard Manley Hopkins

(1844-1889)

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.

It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;

It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil

Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;

And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;

And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil

Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;

There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;

And though the last lights off the black West went

Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs--

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent

World broods with warm breast and ah! bright wings.

Do you have a favorite poet? 

Have you read any poems by Hopkins?

Illustrative Inspiration ~ Beatrix Potter

One of my all-time favorite authors and illustrators is Beatrix Potter.  I truly identify with her love for animals, writing, illustrating, and nature.  From the little I know about her, I tend to view her as my British counterpart (more so than Jane Austen, whose works I love, but whose wit and sarcasm I doubt I could ever live up to).  Her illustrations in particular resonate with me.  Their warmth and light comfort me, and the stories they convey more often than not make me smile.  While not in league with the famous artists about whom we learn in school, I think her artwork is just as valid, even if in a different way.  After all, one of the primary purposes of art is to elicit reactions and emotions from the viewer, yes?  Beatrix Potter's work certainly accomplishes that in my case, and I don't doubt that she will continue to do so in others' for some time to come.

Are you familiar with the works of Beatrix Potter?
Do you have a favorite illustration?  

Poem of the Week ~ Louisa May Alcott's Fairy Song

While known widely for Little Women, Louisa May Alcott was also a talented poet.  Below is one of my favorites of hers; I enjoy its whimsy and lightheartedness.  Reading it stirs the whispers of my imagination and reminds me of the importance of cultivating child-like wonder.

"Fairy Song"

Louisa May Alcott 
(1832-1888)

The moonlight fades from flower and rose

And the stars dim one by one;

The tale is told, the song is sung,

And the Fairy feast is done.

The night-wind rocks the sleeping flowers,

And sings to them, soft and low.

The early birds erelong will wake:

'Tis time for the Elves to go,

O'er the sleeping earth we silently pass,

Unseen by mortal eye,

And send sweet dreams, as we lightly float

Through the quiet moonlit sky;--

For the stars' soft eyes alone may see,

And the flowers alone may know,

The feasts we hold, the tales we tell;

So 'tis time for the Elves to go.

From bird, and blossom, and bee,

We learn the lessons they teach;

And seek, by kindly deeds, to win

A loving friend in each.

And though unseen on earth we dwell,

Sweet voices whisper low,

And gentle hearts most joyously greet

The Elves where'er they go.

When next we meet in the Fairy dell,

May the silver moon's soft light

Shine then on faces gay as now,

And Elfin hearts as light

Now spread each wing, for the eastern sky

With sunlight soon shall glow.

The morning star shall light us home:

Farewell! for the Elves must go.

                                                                                                                  1848, 1854

In what ways does this poem resonate with you? 
Do you have a favorite fairy tale?

Summer Love

 “Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” 

-Henry James 

 

Lately I've been struggling to keep up with reading the different blogs that I follow.  When I stopped to think about why this might be, I realized that the main reason is that I don't much feel like reading about others complain about the heat that accompanies summertime.  While I continue to draw inspiration from other writers, their posts over the past two months have yet to leave out at least one complaint about the heat.  Now, I completely understand the difficulties that the heat tends to impose on people in certain situations, but I also think that to every negative there is a corresponding positive.  I have slowly learned this over the past few years, during which I've improved my ability to turn any form and degree of suffering into good.  While I can appreciate one's desire for the arrival of autumn (and with it cooler temperatures), I also find merit in being thankful for the present.  Looking forward to the future--near or far--is a natural part of being human, a natural result of our pining for God in this world, but I know that I benefit from counting the blessings I have at this moment in time, and I think others might, as well.  In regards to the seasons in particular, I have found that I don't have a favorite one, for I just begin to feel ready for the next one by the time it arrives, finding new beauty to love in each one, which speaks to God's ever-infinite wisdom in creating this beautiful cycle of nature.

If ever you feel like complaining about the heat that comes with summer, I encourage you to think about the beauty that comes with it as well, such as: gardening, warm evenings, long-lasting daylight, wildflowers, sunshine, thunderstorms, rain showers, full greenery, light clothing, dancing outside. . .and the overall magic of it all.

Feel free to take a look at my {Summer Inspiration} Pinterest board for additional visual inspiration!

 "For every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven."

-Ecclesiastes 3:1

How do you feel about summer?

Do you have a favorite season?

Poem of the Week ~ Psalm 104

During my morning prayers today, I came across a lovely compilation of verses from Psalm 104.  The verses chosen in the August edition of Magnificat come together in a beautiful weaving of images that so poignantly speak to the rich vibrancy and growth found in nature during this time of the year.

Bless the Lord, my soul!

Lord God, how great you are!

You make the grass grow for the cattle

and the plants to serve man's needs,

that he may bring forth bread from the earth

and wine to cheer man's heart;

oil, to make him glad

and bread to strengthen man's heart.

The trees of the Lord drink their fill,

the cedars he planted on Lebanon;

there the birds build their nests:

on the tree-top the stork has her home.

The goats find a home on the mountains

and rabbits hide in the rocks.

I will sing to the Lord all my life,

make music to my God while I live.

May my thoughts be pleasing to him.

I find my joy in the Lord.

Bless the Lord, my soul.

-Psalm 104: 1, 14, 18, 33-34, 35b

What do you think of this arrangement?

How does it make you feel when you read it?

Poem of the Week ~ Tir Eolas' Aida

While this week's poem is technically a song, I find that many of the qualities of each form are interchangeable.  I recently discovered the group Tir Eolas, and listening to this song in particular lifts my spirits.

What do you think of this song?
What are your thoughts on the link between song and poetry?

Happy August!

Poem of the Week ~ The Lady of Shalott, Part IV

It's been a couple of weeks since I've visited, and for what I hope are understandable reasons!  The week of my last post was the one during which my family and I were preparing for my bridal shower, and then the week after consisted of winding down from that joyful event and preparing for a Catholic conference for engaged couples.  Attending that turned out to be a very productive (albeit long) experience that has continued to spark conversation between Jeffrey and me almost a week later.  Now more than ever we possess a joint consciousness of that which we are truly preparing for: our marriage.  While there are many aspects of our wedding day that we still need to finalize, there is a lifetime together for which we ask God daily to keep our focus.  Today marks 100 days until we begin our life together.  Please pray for us as we continue to prepare for this truly momentous and beautiful occasion, that we may grow closer together through God and persevere in developing our relationship with Him.

On to Part IV of The Lady of Shalott (finally)!

The Lady of Shalott  

Part IV

 

In the stormy east-wind straining,

The pale yellow woods were waning,

The broad stream in his banks complaining,

Heavily the low sky raining

 Over tower'd Camelot;

Outside the isle a shallow boat

Beneath a willow lay afloat,

Below the carven stern she wrote,

The Lady of Shalott.

A cloudwhite crown of pearl she dight,

All raimented in snowy white

That loosely flew (her zone in sight

Clasp'd with one blinding diamond bright)

       Her wide eyes fix'd on Camelot,

Though the squally east-wind keenly

Blew, with folded arms serenely

By the water stood the queenly

       Lady of Shalott.

With a steady stony glance—

Like some bold seer in a trance,

Beholding all his own mischance,

Mute, with a glassy countenance—

She look'd down to Camelot.

It was the closing of the day:

She loos'd the chain, and down she lay;

The broad stream bore her far away,

  The Lady of Shalott.

As when to sailors while they roam,

By creeks and outfalls far from home,

Rising and dropping with the foam,

From dying swans wild warblings come,
 Blown shoreward; so to Camelot

Still as the boathead wound along

The willowy hills and fields among,

They heard her chanting her deathsong,

    The Lady of Shalott.

A longdrawn carol, mournful, holy,

She chanted loudly, chanted lowly,

Till her eyes were darken'd wholly,

And her smooth face sharpen'd slowly,

  Turn'd to tower'd Camelot:

For ere she reach'd upon the tide

The first house by the water-side,

Singing in her song she died,

   The Lady of Shalott.

Under tower and balcony,

By garden wall and gallery,

A pale, pale corpse she floated by,

Deadcold, between the houses high,

    Dead into tower'd Camelot.

Knight and burgher, lord and dame,

To the planked wharfage came:

Below the stern they read her name,

   The Lady of Shalott.

They cross'd themselves, their stars they blest,

Knight, minstrel, abbot, squire, and guest.

There lay a parchment on her breast,

That puzzled more than all the rest,

The wellfed wits at Camelot.

'The web was woven curiously,

The charm is broken utterly,

Draw near and fear not,—this is I,

 The Lady of Shalott.'

What are your thoughts about this poem as a whole?

Do you have a favorite part?

Have you read other poems by Tennyson?

 

Poem of the Week ~ The Lady of Shalott, Part III

I hope everyone had a lovely Independence Day!  I most certainly did, spending it with my family, my fiance and his family, and the many guests invited to their annual Independence Day party.  Alas, I had so much fun that I failed to remember to capture the many lovely moments I experienced that day with my camera.  However, I have no doubt that I will remember this celebration for a long time to come.  Making a new side dish with my guy, helping with last-minute preparations, reconnecting with friends, taking a walk with my family, and watching enchanting fireworks on the bank of the lake made for a beautifully memorable day.

Now it's time to introduce Part III of The Lady of Shalott.  I appreciate Tennyson's description of Sir Lancelot, simultaneously masculine and beautiful.  This infamous knight's "coal-black curls" make it easy for me to imagine my Jeffrey as Sir Lancelot.  His energy and optimism stands in such stark contrast to the lady's confinement.  The last stanza in particular is painfully beautiful.  I can imagine the heartbreak of seeing the knight Lancelot and being punished for taking in the rich colors that make up his appearance and appreciating his gallantry.  I think that the juxtaposition of Sir Lancelot's vigor and the lady's despair accentuates her pain, and even more so in the absence of a transition from one part to the next. 

 The Lady of Shalott

Part III

 

A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,

He rode between the barley-sheaves,

The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves,

And flam'd upon the brazen greaves

  Of bold Sir Lancelot.

A red-cross knight for ever kneel'd

To a lady in his shield,

That sparkled on the yellow field,

Beside remote Shalott.

The gemmy bridle glitter'd free,

Like to some branch of stars we see

Hung in the golden Galaxy.

The bridle bells rang merrily

As he rode down from Camelot:

And from his blazon'd baldric slung

A mighty silver bugle hung,

And as he rode his armour rung,

Beside remote Shalott. 

All in the blue unclouded weather

Thick-jewell'd shone the saddle-leather,

The helmet and the helmet-feather

Burn'd like one burning flame together,

   As he rode down from Camelot.

As often thro' the purple night,

Below the starry clusters bright,

Some bearded meteor, trailing light,

Moves over green Shalott. 

His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd;

On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode;

From underneath his helmet flow'd

His coal-black curls as on he rode,

As he rode down from Camelot.

From the bank and from the river

He flash'd into the crystal mirror,

'Tirra lirra, tirra lirra:'

Sang Sir Lancelot. 

She left the web, she left the loom

She made three paces thro' the room

She saw the water-flower bloom,

She saw the helmet and the plume,

She look'd down to Camelot.

Out flew the web and floated wide;

The mirror crack'd from side to side;

'The curse is come upon me,' cried

  The Lady of Shalott. 

What are your thoughts on Part III?

Is there a particular stanza that strikes you?

Style Inspiration ~ Miss Potter

Happy Independence Day, all!  It seems that my style inspirations thus far have originated in characters from movies and T.V. shows; upon reflection, this source of inspiration does not surprise me.  I find that there aren't many well-known style icons in reality who set the proper example for femininity.  While this remains the unfortunate case, I have the ability to control my exposure to those whose dress degrades--rather than uplifts--female beauty.  As a film lover, I watch many movies; thankfully, there are many movies that contain lasting examples of truly good moral conduct and simultaneously modest and feminine dress.  One such movie--and one of my favorites--is Miss Potter (2006).  Renee Zellweger makes a slight departure from her previous roles in portraying the romantic life and career progression of Beatrix Potter (28 July 1866 – 22 December 1943), and does so beautifully.  Ewan McGregor and Emily Watson also star in this movie that, though often characterized as sweet and sentimental on the surface, also contains simple and deep lessons in life and love.  Zellweger herself emphasizes these merits in particular in her interview with Rocco Passafuime:

“I don’t think it’s a chick flick at all. I think that underestimates it in a terrible way,” Zellweger insists. “I think it’s far more complex than that. It’s not meant to be female entertainment. It’s an important story and it’s a beautiful story. And I don’t think I’ve met a guy yet who's seen it that didn’t connect to it. It’s just real. It’s a human story.”

Not only is the movie's music score beautifully whimsical and precisely executed, the costumes--accurately inspired by the Victorian/Edwardian period--are quite lovely.  I recently found out that Zellweger's involvement in the film slowly increased and extended beyond acting, including the costuming.

Lovely hat, collar detail, and coat

 "I talked with [costume designer] Anthony [Powell]," Zellweger notes. “We decided that when she was going to be under her mother’s influence, she was going to be more uptight, more rigid, more formal. And as she starts to find her own legs, well, we’re going to show that her clothes get a little bit less tailored and she’s going to grow a bit. She’s going to spread out with the landscape. She’s going to take up a little bit more space, and she’s going to find her voice, and her clothes should be the same to reflect it.” 

Lace top could easily be modernized

An excellent source for replicating the styles displayed in this movie in a modernized way is Kellie Falconer's Inspired by Film Fashion Event of 2013 as featured on her blog, Accordion to Kellie.  The photos taken for this post are just beautiful, and Kellie's ensemble is both accurate and lovely. Do take a look!

Have you seen Miss Potter?
If so, which is your favorite outfit?

  

Floral Scrapbook

During the beautiful month of June, I took many walks.  Born and bred in Virginia, my appreciation for this state's natural beauty has never dimmed, and you'll see why below.  Although these photographs are simple, I took them to remember the glimpses I had the privilege to catch throughout last month.  As I'm particularly drawn to flowers, I tend to keep an eye out for them whenever and wherever I walk, especially during this time of the year, when the foliage and flora are bright, green, and full.  God's beauty permeates every aspect of the world; in order to see it, we must keep our eyes and hearts open. 

What aspects of the natural world are you drawn to in particular?

Is there a place outdoors where you live that makes you feel especially close to God?

Poem of the Week ~ The Lady of Shalott, Part II

Happy July!  I hope this new month finds you well.  I myself awoke this morning to a refreshing optimism and determination to preserve and cultivate my total trust in the Lord.  Although I remain unemployed, I refuse to let a day pass me by without making the most of it.  As I pursue different job leads, I integrate time for prayer and creativity on a daily basis.  I know that God has a plan for me, and as long as I place firmly my faith in Him and work alongside Him to the best of my ability, then I can fall asleep at night knowing that everything will be all right.  Even when my circumstances are not what I wish they were, I must remember that there is immeasurable beauty in my life.  I am incredibly blessed to be a member of a loving family, and my devoted fiance, Jeffrey, and I are exactly four months away from celebrating our wedding.  I have loved and will continue to love, and the love that I receive in return is enough to soften my heart even during the most stressful of times.  I will strive to hold on to the love of my Father, my family, and my fiance, and pray without ceasing, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Now for our poem of the week:  

The Lady of Shalott 

 Part II

 

No time hath she to sport and play:

A charmed web she weaves alway.

A curse is on her, if she stay

Her weaving, either night or day

To look down to Camelot.

She knows not what the curse may be;

Therefore she weaveth steadily,

Therefore no other care hath she, 

The Lady of Shalott.

She lives with little joy or fear.

Over the water, running near,

The sheepbell tinkles in her ear.

Before her hangs a mirror clear,

Reflecting tower'd Camelot.

And as the mazy web she whirls,

She sees the surly village churls,

And the red cloaks of market girls

Pass onward from Shalott.

Sometimes a troop of damsels glad,

An abbot on an ambling pad,

Sometimes a curly shepherd lad,

Or long-hair'd page in crimson clad,

Goes by to tower'd Camelot:

And sometimes thro' the mirror blue

The knights come riding two and two:

She hath no loyal knight and true,

The Lady of Shalott.

But in her web she still delights

To weave the mirror's magic sights,

For often thro' the silent nights

A funeral, with plumes and lights

And music, came from Camelot:

Or when the moon was overhead

Came two young lovers lately wed;

I am half sick of shadows,' said

  The Lady of Shalott. 

How do you react to the bittersweet language of Part II?