a few Irish (and British) books for St. Patrick's Day

In previous years, I attempted to shed some light on the real person behind the very green, often raucous holiday called St. Patrick's Day (here and here). However, I have finally read enough Irish books to compile a small list of recommended St. Patrick's Day reads. So here you go:

Patrick: Son of Ireland | Stephen R. Lawhead
I'll start with the obvious choice. Although Lawhead's writing style tends to be a little dark for my taste, I enjoyed this informative work of historical fiction about the life of spoiled, wealthy Succat Morgannwg and his journey to become Saint Patrick.

Only the River Runs Free | Bodie & Brock Thoene
Another historical novel, Only the River Runs Free contains vividly painted characters that help bring a story involving the tension between Irish Catholics and Protestants to life. It also makes a good Christmas read, being set on Christmas eve in 1941. I wrote a brief review of it two years ago.

The Shadow Things | Jennifer Freitag
Here is where I cheat a bit, as this novel is actually set in southern Britain. My reasoning is this: St. Patrick was born in Britain, and this novel had a similar feel to Patrick. This beautiful novel has a riveting plot and very well-written characters. And, to quote my full review, "The introduction of a loving God provides a beautifully stark contrast to the fear-motivated paganism, which, while I can say nothing to the historical accuracy, was explained well."

Surprised by Joy | C.S. Lewis
This book provides a fascinating, inspiring, remarkably relateable look into C.S. Lewis's youth, from his childhood in Belfast, Ireland, to his studies at Oxford. It's a book to savor. If you're a fan of Lewis, this is definitely a must-read.

The Princes of Ireland | Edward Rutherfurd
At 778 pages, this epic novel may seem daunting, but don't let its wonderfully massive size scare you away (actually, that's partially what drew me to it!). The Princes of Ireland paints a beautiful, sweeping image of ancient Ireland through well-written stories encompassing major events and popular legends. Far from dry and dense, it will suck you into its pages.

The Crows of Beara | Julie Christine Johnson
If contemporary fiction is more your style, this one's for you. Something of a cross between the movie Leap Year and a Barbara Kingsolver novel, this book contains beautiful Irish landscapes, refreshingly believable characters, and a poetic story. It is a narrative of both people and place, and I highly recommend it.

conifers {wordless wednesday}

 

make a difference by Christmas shopping {gift guide}

Christmas means so many things. Christ's birth, family, friends, cookies, twinkling lights . . . commercialism. With so much greed surrounding us, how do we participate in the joy of gift-giving without causing harm? Although I have, year after year, found myself drawn to the convenience of shopping on Amazon, I'm choosing something better this December. If you'd like to join me, here are some options for making a positive difference this Christmas, simply by doing your holiday shopping.

1. Fair Trade
Make sure the people who made your gift are respected and paid fairly for their hard work by choosing items that are Fair Trade certified. From a bag of coffee to a coffee table, you can find a Fair Trade option for just about anything! Check out this handy gift guide if you're not sure where to begin.

Gift ideas for bookworms, bloggers, and writers:
Fair Trade notebooks, chocolate, tea, coffee, or comfy socks.

2. Local
Instead of joining the crowds at WalMart or scanning page after page on Amazon, take a stroll down Main Street or check out a holiday craft fair and support your neighbors.

Gift ideas for bookworms, bloggers, and writers:
Locally made snacks or candy, a book from the local bookshop, notecards from a local artist . . . the options are endless!

3. Recycled
While you're browsing local shops, craft fairs, and Fair Trade stores, look for items that are made with recycled materials. Like-new used items can make great gifts, too! By choosing recycled gifts, you're helping keep useable materials and products out of the landfill.

Gift ideas for bookworms, bloggers, and writers:
Used books, recycled paper notebooks or stationery, a recycled materials pencil bag, or recycled cotton socks.

4. Homemade
Making something yourself ensures that you know exactly what went in it, plus it can be fun, comes from the heart, and might even save you money! There are countless tutorials and recipes online for creative homemade gifts.

Gift ideas for bookworms, bloggers, and writers:
Hot chocolate mix, homemade candy, bookmarks, or a box made from an old hardcover book.

5. Donate
For the person who has everything, a wonderful option is to donate to a nonprofit organization in their honor. Many organizations offer a printable gift card for the person in whose honor you donate, but you can also write a message in a Christmas card made by a local artist!

Gift ideas for bookworms, bloggers, and writers:
Donate to your local library, New Community Project's Give a Girl a Chance program (girls' education), Mennonite Central Committee (choose "Education"--or any category!), Books for Africa, or Room to Read.

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I highly recommend going to brick-and-mortar stores, but if you prefer shopping online, here are a few options that fall under one or more of the above categories:

Amazon Smile -- still Amazon, but a portion of what you pay is donated to an organization of your choice
Better World Books -- online bookstore that donates one book for every book sold
Booksavers -- nonprofit used bookstore
Heifer International -- nonprofit organization focused on ending hunger and poverty
Ten Thousand Villages -- sells only fair trade items (TTV has physical stores too--see if there's one near you!)

Advent

I'm super strict about giving Thanksgiving its place in the spotlight before moving on to Christmas, but I wanted to share this with you all before Advent begins.

I've been searching for that perfect Advent devotional for years--one that chronicles the Christmas story from beginning to end without sappy/boring/unrelated anecdotes stealing the limelight. I've found countless books that include cute little stories that only sort of relate to the daily scripture readings, and scripture readings that only sort of relate to Christmas. Anticipation? Check. Hope? Check. The birth of our Savior? Eh, that shows up on Christmas day. Maybe. That perfect Advent devotional doesn't seem to exist--or, if it does, I haven't found it yet (if you have, let me know, please!).

So, I finally created my own. It's cobbled together with Old Testament prophesies listed in Halley's Bible Handbook for the weekday readings and pieces of the Christmas story for Sunday readings. I struggled to stretch the selections through Epiphany, so the passage for January 6 is Jesus' baptism, which apparently is what some churches celebrate on Epiphany, as opposed to the visit of the magi.

I must also note that I am not a Bible scholar, so this is by no means a "perfect" Advent devotional. I might discover partway through that it's not worth using, or I might decide to tweak a few things and try again next year. In any case, having spent several hours putting this together, I decided to share it.

I recommend reading the notes and cross-references in a study Bible as you read each day's passage(s), or consulting a concordance or handbook like Halley's Bible Handbook (if you have this one, check out the section between the Testaments on prophesies about Christ). If you decide to use this list of readings, please send me comments, questions, and suggestions for improvement!

Click here to view the 2016 Advent devotional!
Please print double-sided to save paper (this is best done from the preview page that loads directly from the link--opening the document in Google Docs will mess up the formatting, unfortunately. . . .)

{an Easter poem}

I sit on the rooftop to escape
the stifling sorrow below
and am greeted instead with mournful silence --
could it be? I cock my head
but no, even the birds do not sing
today
as if they, too, know
that their Maker lies sealed in a tomb.
Oh! That we had gone with Him,
or even in His stead,
that we had borne the pain
and now lay dead
but here is our punishment
for fleeing -- cowards!
to live without even birdsong.
And why should we know joy
when God is dead?

In the morning I return
to my silent hell upon the rooftop
as the sun begins to rise
on another meaningless day
and the women set out to embalm the body
-- his body.
And there -- a chirp!
But no, I am only imagining hope
where it cannot be
just as a rooster crows only
to mock poor Peter.
I can only pray he doesn't hear it --
pray to whom?
Do we even have that anymore,
as our Lord lies breathless in a tomb?
But birds have, indeed, begun to sing
and others join them in a lilting, crescendoing chorus
as the sun climbs higher
and the women come
running
yelling incomprehensibly
He is alive.

things with wings {book haul}

It may seem a little late for one final Christmas post, but Paul and I only finished Christmassing last week, and I couldn't possibly share my holiday book haul before the lovely stack was complete! Not to mention, we finally un-decorated yesterday. Hence the tree in the photos. While I received most of these books (and all of the bookish accessories) as gifts, several were purchased and one was won, but all were acquired in December and early January, and as I'll explain below, they connect to Christmas in other ways, so, behold my Christmas book haul!

I'll begin with those received as gifts:

Dragon Haven (Rain Wilds Chronicles #2)
by Robin Hobb
I flailed over volume one, The Dragon Keeper, in my last post, and also before that on Goodreads when I discovered that Robin Hobb wrote 16 books in the same world. My brother bought me volumes two and three  of The Rain Wilds Chronicles to complete my trilogy. GUYS. THERE IS ONE MORE BOOK. Now I have to go hunt it down in a bookstore... darn.

City of Dragons (Rain Wilds Chronicles #3)
by Robin Hobb
Until about 30 seconds ago, I had believed this to be the final book in the Rain Wilds Chronicles. Besides the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed book one, I want to collect all four volumes because they have lovely, simple covers.

Airs Beneath the Moon (Horsemistress Saga #1)
by Toby Bishop
Remember that book that I read out of order? This is book one, which is going to feel like a prequel since I read book two first (whoops), and then book three will be confusing because by the time I get to it, I'll have forgotten what all happened in book two, but that's okay, because flying horses. Paul (my husband) bought me this one because he knows how much I enjoyed Airs and Graces.

The Small Backs of Children
by Lidia Yuknavitch
And finally, a standalone novel. I'd never heard of this one before, possibly because it was published only last July. Something about a photo, Eastern Europe, and a writer... I received The Small Backs of Children from my brother-in-law.

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien
This is my (and Paul's) third set of LoTR, but my first copy of The Hobbit. I also have the trilogy in one paperback volume and as three separate paperbacks -- I promise, we did not intentionally collect multiple copies! But I was nonetheless very happy to unwrap this beautiful leather-bound (at least, it looks like leather) boxed set from my parents.

Recharge LED Book Light
by Mighty Bright
Even Paul's friends have figured out how much I enjoy reading (it may or may not have something to do with the hours I spend in Powell's City of Books...). This lovely little silicone book light they gave us recharges via a micro-USB charging cable. I have one word for you, folks: camping.

Bookmarks
Paul's parents gave us the adorable little polymer clay owls, made by a family friend. I received the beautiful tree of life ribbon bookmark (with a dove in the tree and a hawk, I think, on the other end) from my mom.

The Dragon Quartet Omnibus, Volume 2 (Dragon Quartet #3-4)
by Marjorie B. Kellogg
Although I haven't yet read volume one, I do own it, and I couldn't help but complete my collection. The whole quartet includes The Book of Earth, The Book of Water, The Book of Fire, and The Book of Air. I bought this omnibus and three other books in the above stack at Powell's City of Books using a gift card I received from my in-laws for Christmas (plus the remaining balance on a card left over from my birthday), so technically, I suppose you could say they were a Christmas gift...

Les Miserables
by Victor Hugo
I've been wanting to read this for years -- ever since my high school performed the musical -- and, realizing that it will probably take several weeks (if not months...) to complete, I decided to snatch up my own copy rather than borrow it from the library. As of the writing of this post, I'm 114 pages in and loving it. This was one of the four Powell's buys.

Dragonsong (Pern: Harper Hall #1)
by Anne McCaffrey
I've been told that Anne McCaffrey is the "queen of dragons." Need I say more?

The Art of Losing Yourself
by Katie Ganshert
This book was a pleasant surprise, arriving on my doorstep unannounced, apparently the result of a giveaway I had entered and forgotten about. I call it an early Christmas gift from the publisher. I'm not really sure what The Art of Losing Yourself is about, but I do know that it is Christian contemporary fiction, and I have the feeling that it might be a good summer-y read. Perhaps I'll take it camping with my fancy new book light...

The Unexpected Dragon
by Mary Brown
I happily discovered this trilogy-in-one-volume at Powell's, and was immediately intrigued by the artwork on the tattered dust jacket. Again, not entirely sure what it's about, but it involves an orphaned 17-year-old girl who encounters a "raggle-tail assortment of creatures," including a flying pig and, if the cover is any indication, a dragon. According to Goodreads, this series is actually a quartet, and book one isn't included in the volume I bought. Good grief.

*******

Did you get any books or bookish things for Christmas? Any new discoveries? And tell me, am I the only one who is continually deceived by quartets posing as trilogies?

a year of unkowns {2016}

2016 brings with it uncertainty. There is "I hope" and "maybe" and "what if," all wrapped up in a potential life change of somewhat enormous proportions. Enormous as in moving to another country. It all hinges on an application my husband and I sent in well ahead of the deadline, and so now we wait. And wait. And wait. We don't know specifics -- it's all pretty vague, but what happens if we are not accepted is even more so. I'm terribly impatient, and I like to have things planned out. But right now I'm reveling in these unknowns, trying to take advantage of this upcoming break from the monotony of routine. Life is happening. And whatever 2016 brings, I'm ready.

All that just to say: the below goals are dependent upon where I end up and what I end up doing and whether it leaves time for what I have planned, because, frankly (unfortunately?), reading and writing are not exactly top priority for me. They are hobbies. Seeing as how my specific reading goals didn't pan out so well last year, I'm sticking to good ol' fashioned numbers this time around.

reading:

35 books

I considered upping the number again, especially since I went well above 35 last year, but given the uncertainties, I figured a modest goal made the most sense. Keep track of my progress on Goodreads, if you like! Depending on how life goes, I might up the number in a few months...

writing:

100,000 words
In searching for a motivator along the same vein as NaNoWriMo, I happily discovered WriYe. It's a spinoff of NaNo, but it lasts the whole year, and you pick your own word count goal. If you decide to sign up, please do friend me! My username is SerenaPoetree.

miscellaneous:

spend more time outside
learn to knit socks
finish the One Year Bible
practice yoga regularly
start a healthy (early) morning routine
others... ?
I've been toying with the idea of monthly goals -- choosing something(s) to focus on for one month, rather than stretching a pile of resolutions over a full year and then watching them fizzle out somewhere around spring or summer. If this idea continues to nag me, I might have something more to say come February.

*******

What does 2016 look like where you stand? Have you set any goals -- reading, writing or otherwise?

Christmas inspiration {a list}

Last week, I began collecting posts that inspired me on some level, realizing that though I haven't written a Christmassy poem this year, I can still share inspiration. And what better way to do it than to spread the cheer to other bloggers? Check out these wonderful holiday posts, with a few of my poems from years past tacked on the end because I just couldn't help myself.

a poem (this one's a must-read)
The Cwtch: Mountains and Mary's

Christmas recipes (gingerbread people, apple taffy salad, and more!)
Curious Wren: Holiday Recipes

a festive to-do list (if you're just not feeling the Christmas spirit yet)
The Quiet People: A Festive To-Do List

creative gift-wrapping ideas (eco-friendly!)

Hello Natural: 6 Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap Ideas

Jolabokaflod ("Christmas Book Flood" - a wonderful Icelandic Christmas eve tradition)
NPR: Literary Iceland Revels in its Annual Christmas Book Flood

from the archives (more poems)
Poetree: Blessed Elizabeth
Poetree: Gifts

*******

What has inspired you this holiday season?

happy arbor day!

I haven't been posting enough tree photos lately (this being poetree and all, I should probably do that more often), and what better excuse than Arbor Day to throw a whole bunch up on one post?

P.S. Can't plant a tree today? You can still buy used books! They not only save trees (as opposed to buying new), but they also smell better and cost less, and little used bookshops are the most fun to wander through.

*******

Do you have a favorite used bookshop? How about a favorite tree--either a specific one (e.g. the ash at my parents' house that I always refer to as The Climbing Tree) or a species (mine is sugar maple)?

happy earth day!

In honor of this esteemed holiday celebrating our beloved home, here are a few of my favorite environmental-themed books, both fiction and non-fiction. In no particular order. (Titles are linked to my review or Goodreads.)

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

by Michael Pollan

I read this long long ago during that wonderful period of my life called high school. Sadly, I don't remember much of this book, but I do know that I absolutely loved it.

Also by this author: In Defense of Food

A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems, 1979-1997

by Wendell Berry

A wonderful collection of poetry with themes often centering around nature.

Simply in Season

by Mary Beth Lind

My favorite cookbook ever.

Animal Dreams

by Barbara Kingsolver

An intriguing work of fiction that incorporates environmental themes.

Also by this author: The Bean Trees

Barnheart: The Incurable Longing for a Farm of One's Own

by Jenna Woginrich

I have enjoyed everything I've read by Jenna Woginrich, especially Barnheart. It's real, informative, funny, and extremely relatable.

The Lorax

by Dr. Seuss

Because Dr. Seuss is awesome.

Walden
by Henry David Thoreau

I never actually finished this book, since my highly-distractible teenage mind decided that Thoreau's brilliant prose was too dense (who am I kidding? I still have trouble reading non-fiction). But what I did get through was really good, and I hope to finally finish Walden some day.

Holy Cows and Hog Heaven
by Joel Salatin

This is the man whose name has become synonymous with "sustainable agriculture," and he has a great sense of humor.

Summer Hawk
by Deborah Savage

Hawks, journalism, and the most adorable romance story ever. This is one of my favorite YA novels--I actually read it twice in one year.

The Better World Handbook
by Ellis Jones

I love this guide because it rates different companies based on their ethical and environmental practices. And it's organized into categories so everything is easy to find.

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
by William McDonough and Michael Braungart

An eye-opening look into our waste problem and how we can drastically cut the amount of items piling up in landfills.

The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time
by Jonathan Weiner

This amazing book taught me that evolution does not have to be about monkeys becoming humans over millions of years, that it is not, in fact, in conflict with my religious beliefs. Natural selection occurs all the time and, therefore, so does evolution.

Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit
by Al Gore

This is a great overview on climate change that, believe it or not, I read cover-to-cover (yep, all 407 pages).

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Any of these tickle your fancy? Do you have any favorite environmental books that I should read?

St. Patrick's Day -- more than shamrocks and leprechauns

image credit

As much fun as it is to go wild with green food coloring and wear as many shades of the color as possible, St. Patrick's Day has a much deeper meaning behind it. I'm sure St. Patrick would be appalled if he could see the shenanigans that occur on the holiday dedicated to him, from pranks and pinching to partying in the pubs (honestly, the alliteration was unintentional. I promise).

Last year I shared a prayer by St. Patrick as well as a brief biography. If you missed the post or don't remember, it's an interesting tale of how a formerly wealthy British boy went on to establish hundreds of churches on the island that enslaved him. I cannot even begin to fathom the great faith it must have taken to not only return to the land of his captors, but to love its people.

"It was among foreigners that it was seen how little I was," he writes, in Confessio, one of two short works authored by St. Patrick.

"It was there [Ireland] that the Lord opened up my awareness of my lack of faith... He guarded me before I knew him... He protected me and consoled me as a father does for his son.

That is why I cannot be silent -- nor would it be good to do so -- about such great blessings and such a gift that the Lord so kindly bestowed in the land of my captivity. This is how we can repay such blessings, when our lives change and we come to know God, to praise and bear witness to his great wonders before every nation under heaven."

I am not Catholic, and I'm not sure I could name more a half-dozen saints off the top of my head (actually, I would be surprised if I could name that many). But green is my favorite color, I have an inexplicable fascination with Ireland, and over the years I've become more and more curious about this fellow named Patrick who isn't, in fact, a leprechaun, and may not even have anything to do with shamrocks.

(Confession: I made Irish brown bread yesterday, and I have every intention of wearing green tomorrow.)

Lent

Last year, I compiled a list of books to read for Lent as my way to meditate on the season and prepare for Easter. I never did read Iscariot by Tosca Lee, so perhaps I'll get to it this year. In addition, I found No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado at one of the book sales I scoured last fall and plan to read it in the coming weeks.

Besides reading Lenten-themed books, I have also decided to limit my internet usage in order to make time for more meditative and healthy practices. Staring at a screen tends to have mind-numbing and depressive affects, and I spend far too much time with my laptop open. Jenna from Cold Antler Farm wrote an inspiring post the other day about unhealthy internet usage and what positive things we can do offline instead of the constant, if subconscious, comparisons that often occur during social media perusals.

Three hours per week should allow for 30 minutes each day, not counting Sundays, which I plan to keep unplugged. The extra time not spent on the computer can then be used for Bible reading, yoga, guitar playing, experimenting with new healthy recipes (instead of the usual "ooh look, chocolate!") and who knows, maybe even some poetry writing. And soon will come time for gardening!

Are you doing anything for Lent this year? How do you balance internet and offline time?

wordless wednesday

another poem of the gifts

A Thanksgiving-themed scribble modeled after a poem of the same name by Jorge Luis Borges.

Praise to the Lord, our loving and creating Abba,

For songs that paint the air

with blossoms of colors no earthly eye has seen

but the heart feels as tangibly as a bouquet--

For languages unfamiliar to our ears and tongues

and the smiles that transcend them

rendering words useless or unnecessary--

For solitude, for silence,

a spider's thread-width connection to the Divine

strengthened by a moment's pondering of the soul...

words borrowed from Robert Frost

...and happy Earth Day, by the way!

Spring Pools
These pools that, though in forests, still reflect
The total sky almost without defect,
And like the flowers beside them, chill and shiver,
Will like the flowers beside them soon be gone,
And yet not out by any brook or river,
But up by roots to bring dark foliage on.
The trees that have it in their pent-up buds
To darken nature and be summer woods--
Let them think twice before they use their powers
To blot out and drink up and sweep away
These flowery waters and these watery flowers
From snow that melted only yesterday.
--Robert Frost

books for lent

I always have a difficult time finding good devotional books for Lent (as well as Advent), so I thought I'd provide a few ideas here for those of you who struggle with the same thing, seeing as how Lent is just over a week away!

Last year, I found Meditations for Lent by James G. Kirk at the local library, and it turned out to be a nice devotional. Each day has its own theme, a Bible passage to look up, and a page or so of reflection followed by a short prayer. I was hoping more for something that followed the life--and, most importantly during this season, the death and resurrection--of Jesus, but it covered such a wide range of topics that that was something reserved for Holy Week.

Another library find, Thomas Merton's Seeds of Contemplation isn't actually a Lenten devotional, nor did I read it during Lent. However, I found it to be very inspirational and easy to read. Because it isn't exactly a devotional, it doesn't contain scriptural references, so this book would work better as a companion for meditation.

loneliness: a love story

I had no plans for a special Valentine's post, other than perhaps throwing up a few quotes and a pretty picture. While I don't approve of holidays created specifically so Hallmark can rake in more money, I do enjoy holidays, so my plan involved making a nice dinner to celebrate, but nothing more than a mere token on my blog. And then I woke up this morning with itching fingers and a single-flowing thought in my brain (aka, I need to write something).

To all of you single ladies out there who have given up hope: don't. God has a plan for you, and if it's anything like mine, your "Prince Charming" will walk up beside you when you're least expecting it.

Don't go chasing after love in places that it isn't, don't give yourself up to someone who doesn't truly care, don't ever ever ever think you're worthless. Or unloved. Or ugly. You are a beloved creation of God, worth more than you can ever imagine, and that makes you beautiful no matter what society tells you. You don't have to have a boyfriend/fiance/husband for people to respect you.

Let me tell you a story.