Monday, May 31, 2010
Lord of the Rings Film In Latin !
How lovely to find that this dubbing into Latin was done as a class project by Oakmont Regional High School :-)
Found on the Latin Alive blog.
"Ad multos annos" to them all :-)
Friday, May 28, 2010
"I Am Hutterite" - Book Review
“I am Hutterite” : The Fascinating True Story of a Young Woman's Journey to reclaim Her Heritage
By Mary-Ann Kirkby, published by Thomas Nelson.
I really don’t know what I can say about this book which will do it justice. When I chose it from BookSneeze, I knew absolutely nothing about the Hutterites, and I mean nothing. Nil. Zilch. Nada. I knew a reasonable amount about the Amish, and some little about the Mennonites. Like the Amish, the Hutterites are Anabaptists , but unlike them, Hutterites live communally and worship in Church buildings as opposed to homes.
I read it from cover to cover and could not bear to put it down till I had finished it. I smiled, I laughed, I wept on one or two occasions. Admittedly, the pace of the story was a little slow to begin with, particularly when the author was “fleshing out” the background details of her family history, but I know from my own experience how hard it can be to make such information as interesting and absorbing to others as it is to us......... but it very soon picked up when the author started to write about her own memories and her life on the colony.
The details of everyday life are myriad, and in many ways it appears to have been an almost idyllic childhood, apart from the needless and tragic death of her little brother due to an elder’s apparent intransigence and desire to impose his authority over Mary-Ann’s parents. The minister does not come over particularly well in this memoir, and I did wonder how much of the author’s grief over the loss of her young brother when she herself was very small has coloured her portrayal of the Minister, who was also her uncle. Her parents did forgive her uncle, but he appears to have been unrepentant about the tragedy till his deathbed.
Life was very structured and followed a rigorous routine which would be very alien to most of us “Englisch”. I would love to know whether things are still the same now on a Hutterite colony, and how much influence the modern world has had on their way of life. I really enjoyed the snippets of dialogue written in Hutterisch, the original Carinthian Austrian dialect which the Hutterites have preserved for their everyday speech amongst themselves. Not all the dialogue was fully “translated” into English, and I was glad of my own basic knowledge of German to give me a helping hand in translating it word for word, though the gist of the sentence was always made reasonably clear by the context and the phrases that had been introduced earlier in the text.
The difficulties she and her family faced when they chose to leave the colony when she was ten years old and live in the outside word are described in riveting and heartbreaking detail. I cannot begin to imagine how hard they must have found it, but they endured, eventually prospered and appeared to have found contentment in their lives.
It would have been lovely if the author could have written more about how she found her Hutterite background influencing – or not influencing - her adult life, and the book did seem to end rather abruptly, which was a pity. Maybe she could write another one ?
This book has been an absolute revelation for me, and I have to say, this has been the best book (in any subject category) I have read in 2010.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.combook review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
By Mary-Ann Kirkby, published by Thomas Nelson.
I really don’t know what I can say about this book which will do it justice. When I chose it from BookSneeze, I knew absolutely nothing about the Hutterites, and I mean nothing. Nil. Zilch. Nada. I knew a reasonable amount about the Amish, and some little about the Mennonites. Like the Amish, the Hutterites are Anabaptists , but unlike them, Hutterites live communally and worship in Church buildings as opposed to homes.
I read it from cover to cover and could not bear to put it down till I had finished it. I smiled, I laughed, I wept on one or two occasions. Admittedly, the pace of the story was a little slow to begin with, particularly when the author was “fleshing out” the background details of her family history, but I know from my own experience how hard it can be to make such information as interesting and absorbing to others as it is to us......... but it very soon picked up when the author started to write about her own memories and her life on the colony.
The details of everyday life are myriad, and in many ways it appears to have been an almost idyllic childhood, apart from the needless and tragic death of her little brother due to an elder’s apparent intransigence and desire to impose his authority over Mary-Ann’s parents. The minister does not come over particularly well in this memoir, and I did wonder how much of the author’s grief over the loss of her young brother when she herself was very small has coloured her portrayal of the Minister, who was also her uncle. Her parents did forgive her uncle, but he appears to have been unrepentant about the tragedy till his deathbed.
Life was very structured and followed a rigorous routine which would be very alien to most of us “Englisch”. I would love to know whether things are still the same now on a Hutterite colony, and how much influence the modern world has had on their way of life. I really enjoyed the snippets of dialogue written in Hutterisch, the original Carinthian Austrian dialect which the Hutterites have preserved for their everyday speech amongst themselves. Not all the dialogue was fully “translated” into English, and I was glad of my own basic knowledge of German to give me a helping hand in translating it word for word, though the gist of the sentence was always made reasonably clear by the context and the phrases that had been introduced earlier in the text.
The difficulties she and her family faced when they chose to leave the colony when she was ten years old and live in the outside word are described in riveting and heartbreaking detail. I cannot begin to imagine how hard they must have found it, but they endured, eventually prospered and appeared to have found contentment in their lives.
It would have been lovely if the author could have written more about how she found her Hutterite background influencing – or not influencing - her adult life, and the book did seem to end rather abruptly, which was a pity. Maybe she could write another one ?
This book has been an absolute revelation for me, and I have to say, this has been the best book (in any subject category) I have read in 2010.
 | ||
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Birthdays Galore
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Sunshiney Day
Yesterday morning, after I had taken DD4 to school, I walked up to the cemetery where my brother and father are buried, to meet DD2 and Rob, who wanted to put flowers on the grave but weren't sure how to locate it in the large cemetery..
It was one of those glorious early summer mornings - brilliant blue skies, no clouds to be seen, with blazing sun and a nice breeze which made walking several miles an absolute pleasure and delight :-) The noise of the birds singing was unbelievably loud, despite the roar of passing cars. The leaves on the many trees were rustling quietly in the breeze, bees were humming as they visited flowers, and it was impossible to do anything else but enjoy the beauty around me.
It was a day that will long live on in my memory.
It was one of those glorious early summer mornings - brilliant blue skies, no clouds to be seen, with blazing sun and a nice breeze which made walking several miles an absolute pleasure and delight :-) The noise of the birds singing was unbelievably loud, despite the roar of passing cars. The leaves on the many trees were rustling quietly in the breeze, bees were humming as they visited flowers, and it was impossible to do anything else but enjoy the beauty around me.
It was a day that will long live on in my memory.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Happy Pentecost !
A joyous and blessed feast to all !
Artwork: Mikhail Vrubel, Pentecost, 1884, Fresco, Church of St Cyril, Kiev.
Found on this web page
Friday, May 21, 2010
A Sad State Of Affairs
........when next week will see the broadcast on UK's Channel 4 TV of an advert for a company which provides abortion "services". The Marie Stopes organisation wants to peddle their wares and sucker even more young women into their mindset.
How on earth are they going to "tart up" what they are willing to provide at a cost ?
"Come to us, we will happily kill your baby for you if you pay us enough ?" doesn't sound like much of an inspired sell, even if it is accurate.......
What will come after that ? In due course, can we look forward to adverts such as :
"Come to us, we will kill your Granny/elderly/needy/ill relative!"
and then eventually "Come to us, we will even kill you if you want us to...."
Abortion is all too readily available in the UK. Why on earth do we need to have it advertised on TV ? It is a very slippery slope indeed.
I have send a strongly worded email to The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, who is broadly responsible for dealing with this type of thing.
Whether any notice will be taken, I do not know, but at least I have tried...........
How on earth are they going to "tart up" what they are willing to provide at a cost ?
"Come to us, we will happily kill your baby for you if you pay us enough ?" doesn't sound like much of an inspired sell, even if it is accurate.......
What will come after that ? In due course, can we look forward to adverts such as :
"Come to us, we will kill your Granny/elderly/needy/ill relative!"
and then eventually "Come to us, we will even kill you if you want us to...."
Abortion is all too readily available in the UK. Why on earth do we need to have it advertised on TV ? It is a very slippery slope indeed.
I have send a strongly worded email to The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, who is broadly responsible for dealing with this type of thing.
Whether any notice will be taken, I do not know, but at least I have tried...........
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Exquisite !
This was on the Daily Telegraph website, featuring the work of a French sculptor
Amazing miniature food sculptures !
Amazing miniature food sculptures !
Sniffling.....
....for several reasons.
Most importantly, DD1, the ever-wonderful DoomHamster is 24 today ! How on earth can my baby be 24?!? She and Mr DH will be down on the weekend :-)
And number 2, I have a streaming cold. I will spare you all the details; suffice it to say I am currently on my third roll of toilet paper to wipe my long-suffering Rudolph coloured nose........
I did manage to sleep reasonably well last night, despite the wretched mobile phone deciding it had a low battery and that it was mandatory to bleep incessantly on my bedside table at 04.20 this morning till I got up and plugged it into charge up!
DD2 and RobRob will be home this weekend - yeah !
DD3 is in the midst of her end of year exams this week, has been working hard and seems to be doing well so far.
DD4 has had a good report at her Parent/Teacher meeting, which is good news.
The Dog Of Doom has been walked, the rubbish is outside for the binmen to collect, there is artisan bread dough bubbling in the fridge for loaf-making later today, meat is defrosting for tea for us all and a new second-hand cookbook arrived in the post today ! Hoorah !
I am now the proud possessor of "The Jewish Princess Cookbook : having you cake and eating it....." which I have previously borrowed from the Library and enjoyed :-)
Most importantly, DD1, the ever-wonderful DoomHamster is 24 today ! How on earth can my baby be 24?!? She and Mr DH will be down on the weekend :-)
And number 2, I have a streaming cold. I will spare you all the details; suffice it to say I am currently on my third roll of toilet paper to wipe my long-suffering Rudolph coloured nose........
I did manage to sleep reasonably well last night, despite the wretched mobile phone deciding it had a low battery and that it was mandatory to bleep incessantly on my bedside table at 04.20 this morning till I got up and plugged it into charge up!
DD2 and RobRob will be home this weekend - yeah !
DD3 is in the midst of her end of year exams this week, has been working hard and seems to be doing well so far.
DD4 has had a good report at her Parent/Teacher meeting, which is good news.
The Dog Of Doom has been walked, the rubbish is outside for the binmen to collect, there is artisan bread dough bubbling in the fridge for loaf-making later today, meat is defrosting for tea for us all and a new second-hand cookbook arrived in the post today ! Hoorah !
I am now the proud possessor of "The Jewish Princess Cookbook : having you cake and eating it....." which I have previously borrowed from the Library and enjoyed :-)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
A Game To Drive You Mad !
If you are bored and want something to fill in a few minutes ( or hours!), try the Wikipedia game.
Be warned, it is utterly addictive and I have been hysterical with laughter on several occasions......
Be warned, it is utterly addictive and I have been hysterical with laughter on several occasions......
Apple Blossom
Raindrops, But No Roses !
Swans
Trees And Secret Gardens
There are lots of trees near us. We are very fortunate! We walk down this road every day.
And an almost secret garden in full view of the road ! The pale blue flowers are hosts of stunning bluebells.
The gate into a world of peace and tranquillity......
A lovely wildflower meadow, which changes month by month, and is never boring......
Flowers on the trees. I love this time of year :-)
Also Finished Reading
The Amish book was utterly fascinating. It is a rather more scholarly sociological tome than many of the mainstream books about the Amish, but I really did enjoy it.
What can I say about this one ? If you like information such as :
" Pistachios are deadly dangerous. They are classified under Class 4.2 of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods code: Flammable Solids (Substances Liable To Spontanous Combustion). Fresh pistachios, if stacked under pressure, can burst into flames and cause a cargo fire.
Pistcahios continue to absorb oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide even after harvesting.....If there is inadequate ventilation, seamen entering the hold of a cargo ship can die from carbon dioxide poisoning or from lack of oxygen".
- then, like me, you will love this book.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Pondering On The Psalms
My primary prayers these days seem to be from the Psalter. What comfort, what inspiration, what joy, what fear and what sorrow they engender................
No matter how awful my day may have been, there will be something in one of the psalms I read which touches my heart.
Those for whom I have promised to pray, I remember especially fervently when I read the Psalter at bedtime.
I have no idea why I didn't start praying/reading the Psalter many years ago. I wish I had !
Now, it is a beloved part of my daily routine and I can't *not* read it . Some days I will read a whole Kathisma, other days just a Stasis, or even one Psalm, but I am thankful just to "keep going" :-)
No matter how awful my day may have been, there will be something in one of the psalms I read which touches my heart.
Those for whom I have promised to pray, I remember especially fervently when I read the Psalter at bedtime.
I have no idea why I didn't start praying/reading the Psalter many years ago. I wish I had !
Now, it is a beloved part of my daily routine and I can't *not* read it . Some days I will read a whole Kathisma, other days just a Stasis, or even one Psalm, but I am thankful just to "keep going" :-)
Recently Read
Most of my recent reading has been comfort reading of old favourites, but I have read a few other books too. I loved this book. Full of unusual people, events and places which the author encountered on his travels around Wales, and even describing what some believe to be the Holy Grail, kept in a Welsh bank......
DD3 noticed this when we were rummaging in a thrift shop. Hardbacked, in immaculate condition with intact dust-wrapper, it cost me the princely sum of 80 pence ! (about 60 cents!)Seen
Last week -
The pair of swans nesting on our lake have hatched *7 *adorable cygnets !
Swallows, back from wintering in Africa, dipping into the lake to drink.
A pair of buzzards circling high on the thermals, very close to our house. Normally I only see them if I am two or three miles away from our house.
All our trees have leaves again !
I love Spring !
The pair of swans nesting on our lake have hatched *7 *adorable cygnets !
Swallows, back from wintering in Africa, dipping into the lake to drink.
A pair of buzzards circling high on the thermals, very close to our house. Normally I only see them if I am two or three miles away from our house.
All our trees have leaves again !
I love Spring !
Update On Mum
Michelle, you kindly inquired after my mother's health.......many thanks to all of you who are keeping her in your prayers !
Her eyesight is deteriorating rapidly, and despite our GP altering her medications, her blood pressure still remains far too high for surgery to be done safely. Mum is becoming understandably very depressed as she is now unable to see the faces of people, follow what is happening on the TV or to read. She was able to walk a few steps into the back garden and sit on a chair, well-wrapped up, to enjoy the sunshine for an hour yesterday, which did cheer her up considerably........
Her eyesight is deteriorating rapidly, and despite our GP altering her medications, her blood pressure still remains far too high for surgery to be done safely. Mum is becoming understandably very depressed as she is now unable to see the faces of people, follow what is happening on the TV or to read. She was able to walk a few steps into the back garden and sit on a chair, well-wrapped up, to enjoy the sunshine for an hour yesterday, which did cheer her up considerably........
Monday, May 17, 2010
Heading Into Birthday Season !
T-Shirts
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Weather Reports
Especially for Anastasia and all others who may be travelling to and from the UK; the UK Met Office is now issuing 5 day forecasts for drifting of volcanic ash clouds over Britain's airspace here.
At the moment, it is anticipated that the ongoing eruption will affect plane movements between Sunday and Tuesday.
At the moment, it is anticipated that the ongoing eruption will affect plane movements between Sunday and Tuesday.
Spring-Cleaning
Monday, May 10, 2010
Still Clueless
Updated to add:
Gordon Brown has been to Buckingham Palace this evening to hand in his resignation, which has been accepted by Her Majesty The Queen, and David Cameron has now gone to the Palace to ask the Queen's permission to form a new Government. About time the whole sorry mess was sorted out.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
..............as to whom is going to run the country, four days after the polls closed.
It is absolutely ridiculous.
We'd have none of this nonsense if only I was in charge of the country :-)
Gordon Brown has been to Buckingham Palace this evening to hand in his resignation, which has been accepted by Her Majesty The Queen, and David Cameron has now gone to the Palace to ask the Queen's permission to form a new Government. About time the whole sorry mess was sorted out.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
..............as to whom is going to run the country, four days after the polls closed.
It is absolutely ridiculous.
We'd have none of this nonsense if only I was in charge of the country :-)
Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Our amazing spell of gorgeous weather has ended, with the last week being bitterly cold, wet and with frost several nights.
Of course, this coincided perfectly with my apple tree coming into blossom with the late spring gales, so the bees didn't bother coming out much and the winds have decimated the blossom.Quite how pitiful my apple crop will be, I dread to think !
Today is still cold but sunny, and bees are out, so I am hoping for the best.........
Of course, this coincided perfectly with my apple tree coming into blossom with the late spring gales, so the bees didn't bother coming out much and the winds have decimated the blossom.Quite how pitiful my apple crop will be, I dread to think !
Today is still cold but sunny, and bees are out, so I am hoping for the best.........
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