May Picture Book Basket

“April showers bring May flowers.” We’ve been spending a lot of time in the garden. We are looking forward to spending more time watching seeds grow, tending to our flowers, and observing visitors. Therefore, I decided that May would be the perfect time to read the picture books below. The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco Mary…

Read More

Catechism Lessons in the Garden

We have been trying to spend a little time working outside in the garden each day.  It needs a lot of attention! A couple of days ago, as I pulled grass out of the flower bed, I heard an interesting conversation between two of my children.  Patrick asked, “Why do the bleeding hearts always come…

Read More

Quoth the Raven Nevermore

Actually, this is a crow. It is one of many birds that we have visit our Lady’s garden. The birds usually remain at a distance when we are outside. When I saw this bird hopping around, as the children played, I was a little surprised. My surprise changed to amusement when I saw how the…

Read More

Quoth the Raven Nevermore

Actually, this is a crow. It is one of many birds that we have visit our Lady’s garden. The birds usually remain at a distance when we are outside. When I saw this bird hopping around, as the children played, I was a little surprised. My surprise changed to amusement when I saw how the…

Read More

Our Lady’s Garden is Blooming

We spent the weekend at the ocean and came back to some beautiful flowers in Our Lady’s Garden. As we drove up, we noticed St. Mark’s Plants (our lupines) were in full bloom. St. Mark’s Plant (Lupines) Walking to our front door, we noticed one of Our Lady’s Roses had produced a double blossom. Our…

Read More

Our Lady’s Garden is Blooming

We spent the weekend at the ocean and came back to some beautiful flowers in Our Lady’s Garden. As we drove up, we noticed St. Mark’s Plants (our lupines) were in full bloom. St. Mark’s Plant (Lupines) Walking to our front door, we noticed one of Our Lady’s Roses had produced a double blossom. Our…

Read More

Lesson Learned

On Saturday, I decided to spend a little time weeding in Our Lady’s Garden. Since then, I have learned a valuable lesson. With Patrick standing near me, I pulled some Blackberry bushes, some Dandelions, some unnamed weeds and Herb Robert. The latter was spreading everywhere and had a noticeably unpleasant odor. I was happy to…

Read More

Lesson Learned

On Saturday, I decided to spend a little time weeding in Our Lady’s Garden. Since then, I have learned a valuable lesson. With Patrick standing near me, I pulled some Blackberry bushes, some Dandelions, some unnamed weeds and Herb Robert. The latter was spreading everywhere and had a noticeably unpleasant odor. I was happy to…

Read More

Rhododendrons

Two of our seven rhododendrons (also known as St. John’s Mayflower) are starting to bloom. My son was excited about their blooming because, as he observed, “Bees love these flowers and they make honey from them.” He then went on to say, “The bees make honey in a little house. The people take the honey…

Read More

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)

This beautiful plant (whose religious name is Mary’s heart) was flowering when we first looked at our house. A year later, I read about the bleeding heart in Karen Andreola’s A Charlotte Mason Companion. My children delight in the little heart-shaped flowers. In the spring and early summer, Brendan plucks a little heart everytime he…

Read More

The Garden of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart

Yesterday, after Mass, one of my friend’s shared an idea with me. Marlene told me that when someone asks us to pray for them or when we say we will pray for someone, we should go right away and place the prayer request in the garden of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. Then whenever you think…

Read More