7 Quick Takes: Volume 4

--1--

Tomatoes grow abundantly.  I can't believe there is actually something fruitful living in our garden

(Case in point: my young student gave me a green bean plant she nurtured from a seedling.  Three weeks later, it had to be returned for some emergency treatment.)

Don't they look delicious?  Yum.

--2--

I found this awesome resource for Catholic homeschoolers.  

It's for older children, so if you have middle schoolers or high schoolers, check it out.

Anyone can take them, too, so if the material catches your eye as something you've always wanted to learn, you can take the class as well.  It's a great way to study under Joseph Pearce if you can't afford, you know, grad school.

And look!  Novel writing classes!

--3--

I'm hosting a contest at Spinning Straw into Gold.

I want to spark a community of writers and artists with an interest in fairy tales, people I can gush with.  I want it to be a place where we can give and receive feedback to perfect our skill.

There are a lot of interesting, helpful, and beautifully crafted fairy tale blogs floating around the net, but I have yet to run into one that caters to novices and beginners.  I know it can be kind of threatening trying to break into a small, specialized group of talented people.  And people like me who are just getting started probably don't stand a chance against those who have been publishing in the sophisticated e-magazines for years.  So this is a platform for the rest of us.

Please take a look and join if you feel so inclined.  You could win a $15 Barnes & Noble gift certificate.

--4--

Photobucket's new editing tool is fun to pay with.  It still doesn't make up for that beautiful, nearly $400 dollar lens, though.  And I don't think I'll be getting it any time soon.

--5--

Why have I never heard of this movie?  Now I have to find out how I can rent or order it because we don't have the money to buy.  It reminds me of Pan's Labyrinth, a visually stunning, modernistic take on fairy tales with a tragic ending. 

--6--

I won a free, signed copy of Sarah Reindhard's Catholic Family Fun.  It gives easy, practical ideas for entertaining a large and energetic family.  I'm looking forward to when the baby is old enough to execute some of these activities.

She's got even more about life and motherhood on her blog Snoring Scholar.

--7--

Pray for Jen, who usually hosts 7 Quick Takes Friday at Conversion Diary.  She witnessed a traumatizing motorcycle accident and lost someone with whom she was close.  Close enough to affect her deeply.  So keep that in mind this week, whenever you get a moment.