tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-164664532024-03-13T22:46:10.661-07:00Liber ParmaRiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.comBlogger199125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-24724657269655291852009-12-05T18:38:00.000-08:002009-12-05T19:00:17.436-08:00What can I say... I'm a senior, and life is crazy! It's been full of fun, beauty, joy, love... full of everything wonderful! (except keeping up on this blog)<br />One of the many activities I'm participating in this year is a Shakespeare class. We've been reading and discussing various plays (putting on short scenes at each class) and are now launching into preparations and practices for a production of <em>Twelfth Night</em>. And one of the assignments for this week's class was to write a sonnet. It was my first attempt at writing one, for that matter my first attempt in writing in meter at all, and I very much enjoyed it.<br /><br />I cannot seem to write a good sonnet<br />No rhymes, no subjects to my thoughts do spring<br />From my mind inspiration has been let<br />And any creativity ta'en wing.<br />Though potential subjects before me lie<br />As numerous as sands upon the shore<br />Nothing concrete from thoughts can I pry<br />Though I upon my fogginess make war.<br />Mayhap my poem had waxed quite eloquent<br />Describing laughter, lovely friends or snow<br />If I had but a smudge of his talent<br />Oh then such sonnets from my pen would flow.<br />Yet none of Shakespeare's blood is in my veins<br />And in this poem tis foolishness that reigns.Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-22177689423420988482009-05-22T13:30:00.000-07:002009-05-22T15:02:35.209-07:007 Quick Takes<div align="left"></div><div align="left"><a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2009/05/7-quick-takes-friday-vol-34.html"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338770510817403586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 135px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/ShcfflqaIsI/AAAAAAAAApg/sDjIB5-xww8/s200/7_quick_takes_sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/ShcO39SIULI/AAAAAAAAApY/mVJUYSqMkpQ/s1600-h/Midnight+Dancers"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338752237777211570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 293px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/ShcO39SIULI/AAAAAAAAApY/mVJUYSqMkpQ/s400/Midnight+Dancers" border="0" /></a> A very brief, haphazard, insufficient and exclamatory summary of the past few months in no particular order:<br /><br />1. <strong>Midnight Dancers </strong>For the past couple of months, a bunch of my friends and I have been working on a production of Regina Doman's <em>The Midnight Dancers</em>, and at the recent Homeschool Conference, we performed it. It was a fantastic experience! Our cast was such a fun group of people and we were incredibly blessed to have <a href="http://reginadoman.blogspot.com/2009/05/midnight-dancers-onstage.html">Regina Doman </a>write the script for us AND attend our performance!<br /><br /><strong>2. Homeschool Conference</strong> Celebrate the Faith 2009! Beginning with a writing intensive class with Andrew Pudewa, through the performance of Midnight Dancers, great talks, singing in the rain, meeting Regina Doman and her husband, listening to live guitar and violin at our table, having an all-around great time with everyone and finishing up with an absolutely lovely dinner party, this conference was a FANTASTIC weekend!!!<br /><br /><strong>3. WCC</strong> I know I already <a href="http://liberparma.blogspot.com/2009/04/few-quick-notes.html">posted on this,</a> but it certainly deserves a place in the summary of recent events. Thanks again to all the students and faculty of Wyoming Catholic College for a wonderful visit!<br /><br /><br /><strong>4. <a href="http://www.wyreministries.org/">WCYR</a> </strong>At the end of March, my mom took a bunch of my friends and I to the Wisconsin Catholic Youth Rally... it was INCREDIBLE! Spending a day with hundreds of other Catholics, mostly teens, (including many of my closest friends) singing (and occasionaly dancing to) Praise and Worship music, listening to great talks having Mass (with Archbishop Dolan) and Adoration, is a truly inspiring, beautiful, fun, friendship-deepening and Glorious experience!<br /><br /><strong>5. Lit. Discussion Group </strong>This actually has been something going on throughout the schoolyear,<strong> </strong>a monthly two hour discussion on various classic books (such as <em>Joan of Arc, Brideshead Revisited </em>and <em>The Song of Bernadette). </em>These discussions are always not only fun and spirited but thought-provoking and extremely helpful in understanding the book. They are lead by <a href="http://robertgotcher.blogspot.com/">Dr. Gotcher </a>, our most recent discussion was on <em>Kristin Lavransdatter </em>by Sigrid Undset.<br /><br /><strong>6. Latin Mass </strong>Last night our Latin Club attended a Latin Mass at St. Stanislaus. It was absolutely lovely. I LOVE chant and polyphony! <strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>7.</strong> <strong>SPRING! </strong>It's May, everything's in blossoms, the grass is unbelievably green, the weather has been, in general, somewhere in the range of 60s-80s... it's PERFECT!!!!!!!!<br /><br />Now heading into Gradutions, parties, a Baptism and the end of the year dance! It may be a while till my next post :) </div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-91408834110156373152009-04-29T15:09:00.001-07:002009-04-29T15:09:35.290-07:00This is too Funny!<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_OBlgSz8sSM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_OBlgSz8sSM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-19368044057613355092009-04-21T17:22:00.000-07:002009-04-21T17:34:39.753-07:00<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7012470&ga_search_query=everythingbycloe&ga_search_type=seller_usernames">Check these out</a>! A great collection, all made by a friend of mine... do have a look!Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-89747448876786124242009-04-20T10:10:00.000-07:002009-04-20T10:12:30.931-07:00WYOMING!<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/Seys3SfQ0KI/AAAAAAAAAmA/SM61VqvB6ro/s1600-h/IMG_0485.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326822525128200354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/Seys3SfQ0KI/AAAAAAAAAmA/SM61VqvB6ro/s400/IMG_0485.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-10131446601687944172009-04-16T15:12:00.000-07:002009-04-16T15:27:26.639-07:00A few quick notesI am at Wyoming Catholic College and it is SO COOL!!!!!! I and a couple friends have been learning snatches of Euclid, Theology, Thucydites, conversational Latin (it's so cool to listen to oral Latin, spoken at normal speed of speech, and UNDERSTAND IT!), Compline, history of Cardinal Neuman and plant classification. We've also been having a WONDERFUL time with the students and faculty, everyone is so friendly and welcoming!<br />We have probably at least a foot of snow, which sadly, cancelled star gazing tonight, but is coming in useful in the way of snowball fights (:<br />There are a lot of visitors here right now, including a cousin of my cousin, who I had no idea was going to be here, it's kind of cool!<br /><br />My companions have made a general exodus, and I should probably follow... hopefully I'll have more soon!Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-4567127009740901112009-03-30T15:04:00.001-07:002009-03-30T15:40:28.559-07:00The Screwtape LettersI finished it along time ago, <strong>loved</strong> it, and have not had time since to sit down and blog on it, until now.<br /><br />The storyline is fairly simple, and probably pretty well know, a series of letters from an elderly and experienced devil, Screwtape, to his nephew, Wormwood, during the period of the latters first attempt at temptation. Lewis uses this rather unusual basis to produce an absolutely brilliant book. Below is one of my favorite quotes:<br /><br /><blockquote>He (God) is prepared to do a little overriding at the beginning. He will set that off with communications of His presence which, though faint, seem great to them, with emotional sweetness, and easy conquest over temptation. But He never allows this state of affairs to last long. Sooner or later He withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature to stand up on it's own legs- to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost all relish. It is during such trough periods, much more than during the peak periods, that it is growing into the sort of creature He wants it to be. Hence the prayers offered in such a state of dryness are those which please Him best. We can drag our patients along by continual tempting, because we design them only for the table, and the more their will is interfered with the better. He cannot "tempt" to virtue as we can to vice. He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away his hand: and if only the will to walk is really there he is pleased even with their stumbles. Do not be decieved Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks roundupon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.<br /></blockquote>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-56056392167280448242009-02-07T19:44:00.000-08:002009-02-07T19:47:05.927-08:00Happy Birthday Dickens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-87776654526815346632009-01-11T15:32:00.000-08:002009-01-11T17:21:00.957-08:00New Blog Header<div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SWqZI_bx5OI/AAAAAAAAAhA/etDhVCJqihU/s1600-h/DSC_2150.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290209092046021858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SWqZI_bx5OI/AAAAAAAAAhA/etDhVCJqihU/s200/DSC_2150.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SWqZIFhv34I/AAAAAAAAAg4/1UGZapctuiA/s1600-h/DSC_2153.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290209076501798786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SWqZIFhv34I/AAAAAAAAAg4/1UGZapctuiA/s200/DSC_2153.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SWqZHn3z1YI/AAAAAAAAAgw/DQNVLpvfYGc/s1600-h/DSC_2111.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290209068541269378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SWqZHn3z1YI/AAAAAAAAAgw/DQNVLpvfYGc/s200/DSC_2111.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SWqaf-7LE5I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/37RwF3iaCY8/s1600-h/DSC_1978.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290210586557879186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SWqaf-7LE5I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/37RwF3iaCY8/s400/DSC_1978.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SWqZ4TgEVPI/AAAAAAAAAhI/_w7D5FYK6-Y/s1600-h/DSC_2105.JPG"></a>Yesterday, along with two birthdays, a Geography Bee and an expedition to Trader Joes we went to the Zoo. It was absolutely lovely. The cold yet gorgeous walks taken between the warm buildings created just the right mix. We visited: the monkey house, enjoying the whole rambunctious lot of them, but especially the playful Bonobos, the birds, the cows, a few seals and the big cats. My personal favorites, the pair of Lions are responsible for my new blog header. The first thing we saw upon entering the abode of the Big Cats was the Lioness inches away from the seperating glass. After ooing and aahing picture taking for quite some time, we moved on to the next window and found her mate similarly positioned. More of the same naturally ensued. Not long after, we left with cold faces, a ton of pictures and a strong resolve to return very soon.</div></div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-77727740838309445172008-12-07T09:53:00.000-08:002008-12-07T10:04:24.462-08:00<p>Found in <em>The Wisdom and Innocence </em>by Joseph Pearce<em>:</em></p><p><em></em><br />"...this splendid stir and thrum was to have a marked effect on Douglas Hyde during a train journey through south London: </p><p><br /> </p><blockquote><p>Through my mind, in rhythm with the wheels, ran a verse from Chesterton's<br />Ballad of the White Horse I had re-read not long before: </p><p><br /><em>Therfore I bring these rhymes to you,<br />Who brought the cross to me,<br />Since on you flaming without flaw,<br />I saw the sign that Guthrum saw<br />When he let break the ships of awe,<br />And laid peace upon the sea</em></p><p><br />Could there be so many Catholic Churches? I asked myself, as cross<br />followed cross. Why had I not seen them before? Through Herne Hill, Tulse Hill,<br />smug, suburban Streatham, the crosses came and went. And still the wheels<br />hammered out Chesterton's lines: </p><p><br /><em>Out of the mouth of the Mother of God<br />Like a little word come I;<br />For I go gathering Christian men<br />From sunken paving and ford and fen,<br />To die in a battle, God knows when,<br />By God, but I know why. </em></p></blockquote><p><br />Hyde was, at this time, a leading member of the Communist Pary and newseditor of its paper, the Daily Worker. Soon after, he resigned from its ranksand became a Catholic."</p>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-20586656976240491312008-11-13T19:00:00.000-08:002008-11-14T06:50:26.921-08:00Emma<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SRzr46Y_CfI/AAAAAAAAAgE/GR8Z4aZ8zrA/s1600-h/DSC_9951.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268345027095890418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SRzr46Y_CfI/AAAAAAAAAgE/GR8Z4aZ8zrA/s400/DSC_9951.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />From our first performance of <em>Emma</em>: Jane Austen (who narrates the play), with her literary creations: Mr. Knightley, Harriet Smith, Emma Woodhouse, Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill.Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-10421951223240653322008-11-05T16:00:00.000-08:002008-11-06T05:58:12.685-08:00A Slighty Random Photo<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SRI2IZ1rGBI/AAAAAAAAAf8/LT5AkyIiSaw/s1600-h/gg&i.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265330432352393234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SRI2IZ1rGBI/AAAAAAAAAf8/LT5AkyIiSaw/s400/gg%26i.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>GilbertGirl and I at Caddie Woodlawns house on the way back from ChesterCon!</div><div></div><div></div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-90735151435404346242008-10-05T14:50:00.000-07:002008-10-06T04:35:33.480-07:00Our Prop Table<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SOk3CJSb5SI/AAAAAAAAAYE/HnbDokJ2MkU/s1600-h/Emma+props.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253790950296904994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SOk3CJSb5SI/AAAAAAAAAYE/HnbDokJ2MkU/s400/Emma+props.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br />At one of our recent Emma practices.Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-9845050939554844832008-10-04T17:17:00.000-07:002008-10-05T13:18:55.735-07:00Busyness<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SOgIBaU3aPI/AAAAAAAAAX8/ISSXvZfjW20/s1600-h/DSC_8120.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253457785667414258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SOgIBaU3aPI/AAAAAAAAAX8/ISSXvZfjW20/s400/DSC_8120.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>WOW, I'm almost to three months inactivity here, tehe (:</div><div>Need I say it's been busy? But oh it's been incredible.</div><div></div><div>Grandparents 50th, CA cousins in town, ballroom dancing, preparations for the TMAH production of Jane Austen's Emma, catechism, madrigal choir, my first job, Shakespeare lit program, latin club, of course some school, <a href="http://www.holyhill.com/Events/JohnBosco/Default.aspx">John Bosco Youth Day</a> and a thousand other things have kept me most delightedly busy, and led to a sad neglect of this blog. But stay tuned, we have TONS of pictures from the time elapsed since my last post. </div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-54892652137452129092008-07-14T14:06:00.000-07:002008-07-14T14:20:24.552-07:00Fringspield 08<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SHvBCHzpdmI/AAAAAAAAAXo/cqk8DF_VB9A/s1600-h/Wedding.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222980435065796194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SHvBCHzpdmI/AAAAAAAAAXo/cqk8DF_VB9A/s400/Wedding.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>We just got back last night from an incredible weekend of "<a href="http://studeo.blogspot.com/2008/07/cousins-and-cousins-of-cousins.html">cousins and cousins of cousins</a>", dancing, swimming, stories, laughter and of course an absolutely lovely wedding. </div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-6348982179083794172008-07-04T09:39:00.000-07:002008-07-04T09:47:21.332-07:00Airport Detour<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SG5SpzPE4DI/AAAAAAAAAXc/wvxsPbJp2U4/s1600-h/Airport+Detour.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219199896250540082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SG5SpzPE4DI/AAAAAAAAAXc/wvxsPbJp2U4/s400/Airport+Detour.jpg" border="0" /></a>On the way to ChesterCon. Guess <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/14483628960571314734">who</a> we got to meet!<br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;"><span style="color:#660000;">Happy</span> <span style="color:#000066;">4th</span></span>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-67182677236547061932008-07-03T14:14:00.000-07:002008-07-03T16:59:52.973-07:00Dancing!<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SG1nOTPUnKI/AAAAAAAAAXU/kOkcf6iIcok/s1600-h/Dancing+c98.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218941038572641442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SG1nOTPUnKI/AAAAAAAAAXU/kOkcf6iIcok/s320/Dancing+c98.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SG1mdtgnCrI/AAAAAAAAAXM/PDSM4dP7hvo/s1600-h/Dancing+c98.jpg"></a></div><div> </div><div>There has recently been something of a ballroom dancing revival in our homeschool group (hurrah!), and so my cousin and I have been dancing lately, but this is us about 10 years ago!<br /><div></div></div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-54235961805488171462008-07-01T07:30:00.000-07:002008-07-01T08:08:32.444-07:00Happy Feast Day<div><div><div>Today is the feast day of Blessed Junipero Serra, founder of the renowned California Missions. We were delighted to be able to visit ten of those missions while in California in May, it was awesome! My three favorite of those were (and still are):<br /><br /><a href="http://liberparma.blogspot.com/2008/05/san-juan-capistrano.html"><strong>Mission San Juan Capistrano</strong></a> </div><br /><div><br /><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SGpDhTfvfhI/AAAAAAAAAW0/3I8hf3NVutk/s1600-h/Santa+Inez+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218057357710294546" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SGpDhTfvfhI/AAAAAAAAAW0/3I8hf3NVutk/s320/Santa+Inez+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Mission Santa Inez </strong><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SGpCvBUG-KI/AAAAAAAAAWs/yui6gtaSib0/s1600-h/Santa+Inez+1.jpg"></a><br /><br />A quiet, charming place with an incredible view, lovely grounds and a beautiful church. Located more in the country than most of the other Missions, it's a great place to imagine yourself back into the time of it's founding.<br /><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Mission San Carlos Borromeo </strong>better known as <strong>Carmel </strong>was absolutely gorgeous. One of my favorite parts was the little side chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Bethlehem in which Pope John Paul II once prayed! </div><br /><div><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218060189898180162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SGpGGKN9BkI/AAAAAAAAAW8/epbUVXWxTTk/s320/Carmel.jpg" border="0" /></strong></div></div></div><br /><p>This woefully inadaquate summary of some of the most beautful missions will have to do for now. Stay tuned for ChesterCon, the Love2Learn gathering and hopefully more regarding our California trip.</p>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-71152117794623945462008-05-31T19:22:00.000-07:002008-05-31T19:34:34.106-07:00San Juan Capistrano<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SEIIk4FxUbI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/ZbyUX7lSAPc/s1600-h/Sanjuancapistrano.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206733548818616754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SEIIk4FxUbI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/ZbyUX7lSAPc/s400/Sanjuancapistrano.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>So, I'm a little behind on this blog. (: We've been to California and back, jumped right back into craziness and have had a marvelous time. In CA we visited (among many other things) ten missions. And one of my favorites was San Juan Capistrano, as seen in the two pics. The ruinous church is absolutely breathtaking, and the grounds are delightful. Plus, we got to meet a <a href="http://smalltreasuresinorangecounty.blogspot.com/">delightful family </a>there, and so, in case you can't tell, I absolutely loved it. </div><div></div><div>Hopefully I'll get a chance to post more extensively soon, but for now... a pictu<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SEIJXIFxUcI/AAAAAAAAAWY/TaDC9Hqd1gE/s1600-h/sjcchurch.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206734412107043266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SEIJXIFxUcI/AAAAAAAAAWY/TaDC9Hqd1gE/s200/sjcchurch.jpg" border="0" /></a>re's worth a thousand words right? (:</div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-6336438322169357932008-05-18T14:29:00.000-07:002008-05-18T14:33:59.447-07:00Happy Birthday!!!!To <a href="http://studeo.blogspot.com/">my mom </a>and to <a href="http://alice.typepad.com/cottage_blessings/2008/05/eighty-eight-ye.html">Pope John Paul the Great</a>!Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-49699143431909654942008-05-08T12:41:00.000-07:002008-05-08T12:49:17.055-07:00<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SCNX81c1TsI/AAAAAAAAAWE/HTgXTJZZo1Q/s1600-h/Shattered.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198095097567465154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SCNX81c1TsI/AAAAAAAAAWE/HTgXTJZZo1Q/s400/Shattered.jpg" border="0" /></a>"Don't cry over broken glass".... take pictures of it!<br /><br />An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered, and an adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.<br /> -G.K. ChestertonRiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-19673857291287776452008-04-28T19:03:00.000-07:002008-04-28T19:05:18.234-07:00Spring!<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SBaCSFZJr_I/AAAAAAAAAVA/-kDDHv8teKI/s1600-h/Spring!.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194482467415371762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SBaCSFZJr_I/AAAAAAAAAVA/-kDDHv8teKI/s400/Spring!.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-64038680490076683882008-04-21T11:02:00.000-07:002008-04-21T11:20:08.837-07:00The RobeHaving seen the movie of <em>The Robe </em>numerous times and reading a script adaptation, it seemed high time to read the book. I loved it.<br /><br />It's a story about the centurion who oversaw the crucifixion of Christ, and who won His robe while gambling. The robe, after driving him mad for several months, ends up bringing him back to Palestine. Touring the area around the Sea of Galilee, he hears many stories of the strange doings of Jesus. The journey culminates beautifully in his conversion to Christianity. The story goes on, but I have no wish to spoil the ending.<br /><br />Oddly enough (especially odd if you know me) the romance in this story was one of my least favorite elements. The part I loved was in Israel. The centurion, Marcellus, begins as something of a sceptic and manages to find "realistic" explanations of the first couple of miracles of which he is told. But then he hears the story of Lydia. His change of mind and heart is exquisitely handled, and the outsiders point of view through which the reader hears of Jesus creates a story well worth reading.Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-91614165116504078752008-04-19T09:54:00.000-07:002008-04-19T10:06:51.813-07:00<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SAomlWEKCQI/AAAAAAAAAUs/wk-IeR4i9zI/s1600-h/Frank.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191003943517948162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_1CFLbdIXfoA/SAomlWEKCQI/AAAAAAAAAUs/wk-IeR4i9zI/s400/Frank.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16466453.post-58310549017636034492008-04-10T19:28:00.001-07:002008-04-10T19:36:42.060-07:00The people this Beatitude (Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied) describes are those who are not content with things as they are and refuse to stifle the restlessness of heart that points man to something greater and so sets him on the inward journey to reach it- rather like the wise men from the East, seeking Jesus, the star that shows the way to truth, to love, to God. The people meant here are those whose interior sensitivity enables them to see and hear that God sends into the world to break the dictatorship of convention.<br /><br />- Pope Benedict XVI <em>Jesus of Nazareth </em>(Chapter Four, page 91)<br /><br />Break the Conventions, Keep the Commandment<br /><br />-G.K. Chestertion <em>Manalive</em>Riahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06384657033530822368noreply@blogger.com1