Miscellany #8
in which I couldn't actually escape the flu
Good morning,
Can we just pause for a moment and be surprised that Palm Sunday is this weekend? How does Lent go by so slow and so fast? One more week of chosen or unchosen penance and then we get to celebrate the Resurrection. I always love Holy Week for really preparing me for Easter even if Lent hasn’t been exactly what I expected. So here’s to more prayer, fasting, and almsgiving this week!
I am actually ahead of the game and writing this on Friday evening because the flu that went through the rest of the house finally caught up to me. It’s been much more mild than the rest of the family so I’m very thankful! Can I chock that up to all of the vitamin C and my general good immune system? Regardless, I will make this fairly quick.
Being sick I have mostly been binging Cormoran Strike novels (when else does one have time to finish a 1,000 page novel in a week?), watching movies, and eating soup. So I don’t have major updates on my reading life. Maybe next week!
But, in my kid free time I started watching the C.B. Strike TV show (based on the books by J.K. Rowling) and so far I am really enjoying it. I think you will enjoy it more if you’ve read the books because the first mystery has definitely moved very fast. But if you don’t have time to read very long novels then just go for it!
On to the happenings around the interwebs…
What’s New(ish) Around Here
On the Podcast
This Week- ep. 101: Sane Homeschooling w/ Dixie Dillon Lane….This week we got to chat with our Substack friend Dixie Dillon Lane about homeschooling, how to do it and stay sane, and her upcoming book, Skipping School, about the history of homeschooling in the US. Definitely take a listen and I know you’ll be encouraged!
Last Year- ep. 48: Our Favorite Spring Reads
Coming Up- This week we have a What We’re Reading episode coming your way. So be sure to get out your TBR lists to add lots of books!
March Madness Reader’s Choice Book Bracket
The results are in! But before I announce the winner you might need to catch up if you somehow missed the fun! If you want to know how we chose the books be sure to listen to this podcast (ep. 97: Reader’s Choice Book Draft). If you want to see the results from all the rounds rounds here they are:
And the winner is…. China Court by Rumer Godden!
We will be reading this in July of 2027 (which feels very far away, but I promise it’ll come fast). If you haven’t read Rumer Godden before and aren’t sure what all the fuss is about, check out Hannah Suire’s latest post about her reading of In This House of Brede. I hope it convinces you to love Rumer Godden like so many of us do around here!
Everything Kristin Lavransdatter
Essay: Why Read Fiction-Kristin Lavransdatter Edition by Jessica Risma
Virtual Book Club for The Cross is April 27th. Message me for info!
Everything Paradise Lost
Introduction to Paradise Lost (free for everyone)
Paradise Lost Book One (for Reading Revisited Society Members)
Paradise Lost Book Two (for Reading Revisited Society Members)
We will be recording Book Three at the end of the month so expect that podcast the first week or so of April. We will also have our first quarterly Paradise Lost meet up in mid-April so keep an eye out for that date!
Other Goings On
April Book Club Book
April- The Cross by Sigrid Undset (Kristin Lavransdatter Book Three) (Book Drop Day Post)
Up Next
Here are the next few books we’re reading in case you want to get ahead and order your copies! If you were going to order them new anyway, this is a good way to support us.
May- The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Book Drop Day Post)
June- Oedipus Rex and Antigone by Sophocles (Book Drop Day Post)
July- The Good Death of Kate Montclair (Book Drop Day Post)
Random Things I’m Enjoying
Leisure Over Laundry by Meredith Hinds
I loved this “last” installment about time management as a mom. AND I got footnoted (is that a word?) which gives me a lot of joy! Watch out for one of Meredith’s famous acronyms. She’s a modern day P.G. Wodehouse, people!
Educate the Heart with a Poetic Education by Benjamin Lyda
If you enjoyed our episode with Amanda Faus a few weeks ago you will love this essay. This is a great primer on what people mean when they talk about Poetic Education (which is a big catch phrase around the internet right now). And even if you are not an educational philosophy type, I think you will enjoy the insight on how to read well!
The Quiet Discipline Trick Every Homeschool Mom Should Know by Joy Cherrick
I loved this reminder that my attention is my super power with children! They way she describes calmly handling tantrums is applicable in and out of the homeschool.
Books Beauty Theology #8 by Sarah Clarkson
I loved Sarah’s thoughts on Spring and Lent! With apologies to our friends up north that don’t experience Spring til much later…looking at you Christy Isinger!
I hope you enjoy some of these essays! Now to get back to my weekend filled with long detective novels, printed out Substack articles, TV shows, and soup. I hope your weekend is filled with a little more leisure and less sickness! But alas…if the sickness has also caught up to you, solidarity!
Till next time,
Kelsie Hartley
Until next time, keep revisiting the good books that enrich your life and nourish your soul.
What We’re Reading:
February-April
Kristen Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
Paid Subscriber Read-Along
Paradise Lost by John Milton
A Few Reminders:
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Feel better soon!!
To help us to finish out Lent with detachment, our water heater went out. It was a couple of cold shower mornings at our house. Brrr. Then the repair man came. Sooooomeone, not mentioning any names, but of toddler height, clicked the knob from hot to pilot. And that was it. The repair man clicked it back. And I paid the service fee. 🫣 But at least we don't need a new water heater! And now I know to check the knob.
Looking forward to Holy Week! I still recommend The Tidings Brought to Mary if you want a quick but deep Holy Week or Easter season read!
Been there! I read the second to last Cormoran Strike book when I had COVID a couple years ago. I also love the show. The casting for Cormoran and Robin is so spot-on.