The Big White Farmhouse | intentional living, little by little – Page 2

“On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt” by Claude Monet (1868)

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Welcome to Week 3 of the Big White Farmhouse’s Summer Integrated Humanities program!  This week, we’re investigating love and friendship.

Just jumping in?  You can find the links to the previous weeks here: Week 1 // Week 2

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: CLAUDE MONET

Claude Monet was a French painter who became the initiator, leader, and unswerving advocate of the Impressionist style. (via)

I’ve loved Monet’s artwork since I read Linnea in Monet’s Garden as a kid.  His continued study of the bridge and water-lily pond as he lost his eyesight is fascinating to me.

“The Japanese Bridge (The Water-Lily Pond)” (1899) “The Artist’s Family in the Garden” (1875) “The Garden” (1872)

THE STORY OF GUNNLAUG THE WORM-TONGUE AND RAVEN THE SKALD

The Story of Gunnlaug the Worm-Tongue and Raven the Skald is an Icelandic saga composed in the 13th century, detailing the tragic rivalry between two poets, Gunnlaugr Ormstunga and Hrafn Önundarson, for the hand of Helga the Fair, the daughter of Thorsteinn Egilsson.  The result is a competition leading to a deadly duel of honor.

There was a man called Thorstein, the son of Egil, the son of Skallagrim, the son of Kveldulf the Hersir of Norway. Asgerd was the mother of Thorstein; she was the daughter of Biorn Hold. Thorstein dwelt at Burg in Burg-firth; he was rich of fee, and a great chief, a wise man, meek and of measure in all wise. He was nought of such wondrous growth and strength as his father Egil had been; yet was he a right mighty man, and much beloved of all folk.

Thorstein was goodly to look on, flaxen-haired, and the best-eyed of men; and so say men of lore that many of the kin of the Mere-men, who are come of Egil, have been the goodliest folk; yet, for all that, this kindred have differed much herein, for it is said that some of them have been accounted the most ill-favoured of men: but in that kin have been also many men of great prowess in many wise, such as Kiartan, the son of Olaf Peacock, and Slaying-Bardi, and Skuli, the son of Thorstein. Some have been great bards, too, in that kin, as Biorn, the champion of Hit-dale, priest Einar Skulison, Snorri Sturluson, and many others.

Now, Thorstein had to wife Jofrid, the daughter of Gunnar, the son of Hlifar. This Gunnar was the best skilled in weapons, and the lithest of limb of all bonderfolk who have been in Iceland; the second was Gunnar of Lithend; but Steinthor of Ere was the third. Jofrid was eighteen winters old when Thorstein wedded her; she was a widow, for Thorodd, son of Odd of Tongue, had had her to wife aforetime. Their daughter was Hungerd, who was brought up at Thorstein’s at Burg. Jofrid was a very stirring woman; she and Thorstein had many children betwixt them, but few of them come into this tale. Skuli was the eldest of their sons, Kollsvein the second, Egil the third…

Read the rest of the story with the book or you can read for free online or on Kindle via Project Gutenberg.

Gunnlaugur and Helga the Fair meeting by Charles Fairfax Murray

WALTER GIESEKING PLAYS DEBUSSY “SUITE BERGAMASQUE”

“Suite bergamasque is a piano suite by Claude Debussy. He began composing it around 1890, at the age of 28, but significantly revised it just before its 1905 publication.  The popularity of the third movement, Clair de lune, has made it one of the composer’s most famous works for piano, as well as one of the most famous musical pieces of all time.” (via)

Walter Gieseking was a German pianist and was known as an interpreter of Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Domenico Scarlatti, Mozart, and Beethoven.  His interpretation of Suite bergamasque is particularly good.

WILDFLOWERS

Flowers and love often have a special connection, so let’s focus on them this week!  A word of advice from the Handbook of Nature Study:

Some flowers are so abundant that they can be picked in moderation if the roots are not disturbed, if plenty of flowers are left for seed, and if the plant itself is not taken with the flower….Everyone should have the privilege of enjoying the natural beauty of the countryside. Such enjoyment is impossible if a relatively small number of people insist upon picking and destroying native plants for their own selfish interests. (p.460)

Things to Do…

MISCELLANEOUS RABBIT TRAILS…

“Still Life. Wildflowers.” by Pyotr Konchalovsky (1938)

+ Philia is an ancient Greek concept of love and refers to deep friendship between individuals who share common interests and experiences.  How Many Friends Should I Have? ‘A Lot,’ says Thomas Aquinas, is a talk from Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, O.P. that may be helpful to ponder this.

+ Learn the language of flowers.  What do your favorite blooms symbolize?

+ Pull out your art supplies and learn how to paint Monet’s Water Lilies with this acrylic paint tutorial.

+ Much Ado About Nothing “includes two quite different stories of romantic love. Hero and Claudio fall in love almost at first sight, but an outsider, Don John, strikes out at their happiness. Beatrice and Benedick are kept apart by pride and mutual antagonism until others decide to play Cupid.”

+ Read through the 10 Greatest Love Poems Ever Written compiled by The Society of Classical Poets.  Which one is your favorite?

“Basket of Fruit” by Caravaggio (1596)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Week 2 of the Big White Farmhouse’s Summer Integrated Humanities program!  This week, we’re really digging into the human condition and diving deep into the concepts of revenge vs. justice.

Just jumping in?  You can find the links to the previous weeks here: Week 1

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: CARAVAGGIO

“Caravaggio was a leading Italian painter of the late 16th and early 17th centuries who became famous for the intense and unsettling realism of his large-scale religious works.” (via)

I love the way Caravaggio uses darkness and light to highlight important parts of his paintings.  Your eye is drawn immediately to one spot, both by the direction of the light as well as way the characters are looking.  So interesting and powerful.

“Supper at Emmaus” (1606) “Conversion on the Way to Damascus” (1600-1601) “Calling of Saint Matthew” (1600)

A FABLE FROM AESOP

The Farmer and the Fox
A Farmer was greatly annoyed by a Fox, which came prowling about his yard at night and carried off his fowls. So he set a trap for him and caught him; and in order to be revenged upon him, he tied a bunch of tow to his tail and set fire to it and let him go. As ill-luck would have it, however, the Fox made straight for the fields where the corn was standing ripe and ready for cutting. It quickly caught fire and was all burnt up, and the Farmer lost all his harvest.

AESCHYLUS’ “AGAMEMNON”

“Clytemnestra hesitates before killing the-sleeping Agamemnon” by Pierre-Narcisse Guerin

Agamemnon is the first play in a trilogy, the Oresteia, which is considered Aeschylus’ greatest work.

“It details the homecoming of Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, from the Trojan War. After ten years of warfare, and Troy fallen, all of Greece could lay claim to the victory. Waiting at home for Agamemnon is his wife, Queen Clytemnestra, who has been plotting his murder. She desires his death to avenge the sacrifice of her daughter Iphigenia, to exterminate the only thing hindering her from taking the crown, and to finally be able to publicly embrace her good-time lover Aegisthus.” (via)

Watch Part One and Part Two of this 1983 adaptation…with subtitles!

LOOK UP AT THE NIGHT SKY

There’s nothing like looking up at a dark sky on a warm, summer night!  What can you see?

Things to Do…

• Have a bonfire at dusk and observe the light vs. dark.
• Start a phenology wheel, tracking the moon phases, weather, and other natural world observations.
• Learn the full moon names.
• Put the next full moon on your calendar: July 10 is the Buck Moon!

“EVENSONG” BY C.S. LEWIS

Evensong is a poem that reflects on day turning to night and the assurance of God’s safekeeping during sleep.  I chose it to continue the theme of light turning to dark, day into night.

Now that night is creeping O’er our travail’d senses, To Thy care unsleeping We commit our sleep. Nature for a season Conquers our defences, But th’ eternal Reason

Watch and ward will keep.

All the soul we render Back to Thee completely, Trusting Thou wilt tend her Through the deathlike hours, And all night remake her To Thy likeness sweetly, Then with dawn awake her

And give back her powers.

Slumber’s less uncertain Brother soon will bind us —Darker falls the curtain, Stifling-close ’tis drawn: But amidst that prison Still Thy voice can find us, And, as Thou hast risen,

Raise us in They dawn.

MISCELLANEOUS RABBIT TRAILS…

“Priam Pleading with Achilles for the Body of Hector” by Gavin Hamilton (1775)

+ Homer’s The Iliad is an excellent choice for thinking about the ideas of revenge vs. justice.  Does revenge give us peace?  What lengths will we go to achieve that revenge?  Are we happier or more content after?

+ Read Medea by Euripides for an ancient Greek tragedy that you could easily imagine hearing about on the latest true crime show.  Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and Medea’s dramatic decision for revenge is tragic.  You can also watch the play here.

+ Discover what Thomas Aquinas said about justice in this video from The Thomistic Institute.

+ Picture study is a common subject in some homeschool curriculums.  This Caravaggio Picture Study playlist walks you through the process and is helpful for both kids and adults alike.

Due to some unforeseen medical issues, I will be stepping away from the blog for the time being. I have completed six of the twelve Summer Integrated Humanities program posts and will try to post them each week.

One day I hope to finish the rest. 

I would appreciate your prayers.
Your friend, Ashley

https://thebigwhitefarmhouse.com/22223-2/

“River Landscape with a Ferry and a Church” by Jan Van Goyen (1656)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

Welcome to Week 1 of the Big White Farmhouse’s Summer Integrated Humanities program!  To ease into this project, we’re going to start with some light and airy choices.

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: JAN VAN GOYEN

Jan van Goyen was one of the most gifted landscapists in the Netherlands during the early 17th century.

“Many of his earlier pictures, from 1620 to about 1630, show the influence of Esaias van der Velde, his teacher in 1616. These landscapes are highly detailed, have strong local colour, and often serve as a stage for genre scenes. His characteristic style developed from the 1620s, when his compositions became simplified and his technique broadened. A use of low horizons gave his landscapes a Baroque sense of spatial expansiveness. His concern with rendering natural light and the depiction of subtle atmospheric effects, however, are the principal identifying features of van Goyen’s tonal landscapes.” (via)

If you’ve read here awhile, you know that I’m intrigued by cloud formations and photograph them often.  I love the way van Goyen used color within the clouds!  So beautiful and true to life.

“Farmhouse” (1628) “A Calm” “River Landscape with a Church in the Distance”

A POEM AND A SIMPLE NATURE STUDY

Effie Lee Newsome was a Harlem Renaissance writer who mostly wrote children’s poems.

“Newsome was one of the first African American poets who primarily published poems for children. She was the author of one volume of poetry, Gladiola Garden: Poems of Outdoors and Indoors for Second Grade Readers (The Associated Publishers, 1940), and she published numerous poems in the Crisis, Opportunity, and other leading journals of the Harlem Renaissance. She also edited the children’s column “Little Page” in the Crisis. Her poems helped her young readers celebrate their own beauty and recognize themselves in fairy tales, folklore, and nature.” (via)

Sky Pictures
by Effie Lee Newsome

Sometimes a right white mountain Or great soft polar bear, Or lazy little flocks of sheep

Move on in the blue air.

The mountains tear themselves like floss, The bears all melt away. The little sheep will drift apart

In such a sudden way.

And then new sheep and mountains come. New polar bears appear And roll and tumble on again

Up in the skies so clear.

The polar bears would like to get Where polar bears belong. The mountains try so hard to stand

In one place firm and strong.

The little sheep all want to stop And pasture in the sky, But never can these things be done,

Although they try and try!

Things to Do…

A LITTLE SHAKESPEARE

“Midsummer night’s dream” by John Hoppner

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy by William Shakespeare and is one of his most popular and universally performed plays.  Use the book to follow along with the play from The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival.

MISCELLANEOUS RABBIT TRAILS…

+ Invest in and take a landscape watercolor class to paint those beautiful clouds you photographed.

+ Embark on a free audio course called A Survey of Shakespeare’s Plays.  “This is a course on Shakespeare’s career, given at Brandeis University in the spring of 2010, by William Flesch. It covers several representative plays from all four genres: comedy, tragedy, history, and romance. We consider both the similarities and differences among those genres, and how his more and more radical experimentations in genre reflect his developing thought, about theater, about time, about life, over the course of his career.”

+ Read the poem, “The Cloud”, by Percy Bysshe Shelley.