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The Agony in the Garden (circa 1458-60) , Andrea Mantegna When I sat in front of this painting in the National Gallery in London I always wondered why and what Jesus was praying about. I always used to wonder why it was the agony in the Garden when I...
Summer A yellow Iris by the edge of the river is in early blossom, some buds opened and others opening. The flower has only three petals; what look like inner petals are really stigmas that fold back,covering the stamens. Those plants spread by their...
St. John Francis Regis Born into a family of some wealth, John Francis was so impressed by his Jesuit educators that he himself wished to enter the Society of Jesus. He did so at age 18. Despite his rigorous academic schedule, he spent many hours in chapel,...
Brekin rainbows He wis just a wee lad dibblin in a puddle, glaur fae heid tar fit, enjoyin haen a guddle. He micht hae bin a poacher puin salmon fae the beck. He coulda bin a paratooper, swamp up tae his neck. Mibbe he wis brekkin rainbows reflectit in...
Saint Marguerite d’Youville We learn compassion from allowing our lives to be influenced by compassionate people, by seeing life from their perspectives, and reconsidering our own values. Born in Varennes, Canada, Marie Marguerite Dufrost de Lajemmerais...
St Jerome A painting in the National Gallery which interested me as I had not been taught about him in the Sunday School. I saw the owl in the corner observing all around him especially the book discarded on the floor. It was a painting which beguiled...
Summer Sallow-willows often grow beside rivers and ponds, and sometimes their stems rise out of the water. On their leaves feed many kind of caterpillars, including the eyed-hawk, the pussmoth and the kitten caterpillars. This sege-warbler has a good...
A concert Culture of music was so alive during the Middle Ages. When I looked at this painting in the National Gallery, I would compare their clothes with the many international visitors that passed me by, as I sat on the red leather couch. Many years...
Der Kater Murr und der Hund Knurr Das Wetter ist schon. Es ist warm. Der himmel ist blau. Die sonne scheint. Die Vogel singen. Der Kater Murr geht in den hof. Er will in der Sonne sirzen und sich warmen. Im hof sitzt der grossen HUnd Knurr. Knurr sieht...
THE AUGUSTAN REFORMATION Augustus became the ruler of Rome and its empire at the end of a long and bitter civil war. A competent general (he was the only one standing at the end of the war), he transformed himself into a brilliant statesman and created...
AC/DC A band from Scotland that had a great singer. Bon Scott was the singer with AC/DC that I grew up with. It was his voice and presence that electrified us all. We are all shocked at his death and Brian Johnson was a good replacement but Scott was...
The monasteries in The Middle Ages: In the Monastery were the Monks. The abbot The Prior (His chief helper) The Sub-Prior (His second helper) The Sacristan, who looked after the church. The Hospitaller, who looked after visitors The Infirmarian, who looked...
The flower of Texas It is lovely to find that the flower of the state of Texas that is so close to a wild flower of Scotland that is so close to our heart, folk music culture and well-being. Infact the bluebonnet could be twinned our bluebells. I have...
The Saint Anthony of Padua The gospel call to leave everything and follow Christ was the rule of Anthony’s life. Over and over again, God called him to something new in his plan. Every time Anthony responded with renewed zeal and self-sacrificing to serve...
The Blessed Jolenta of Poland Jolenta was the daughter of Bela IV, King of Hungary. Her sister, St. Kunigunde, was married to the Duke of Poland. Jolenta was sent to Poland where her sister was to supervise her education. Eventually married to Boleslaus,...
Pork salad with apple, radish, ginger and elderflower. Elderflower and hibiscus cordial. Cooking with Paula McIntyre Pork salad with apple, radish, ginger and elderflower 1 pork fillet trimmed and cut into medallions1 tablespoon cooking oil1 tablespoon...
The Middle Ages: The monasteries: Many of the great cathedrals were once the monastery churches. You could imagine how big an abbey was for there were many other buildings as well: The almonry The almonry was were the money and food were given to the...
Der bose Junge Klaus Das Madchen Barbel spielt vor dem Haus mit der Puppe. Da kommt der Junge Klaus. Klaus nimmt Barbels Puppe. Barbel weint. Klaus lauft mit der Puppe In den Hof. Dort sitzt der grosse Hund Bobbi. ,,Da, Bobbi", ruft Klaus. ,,Nimm schnell...
Summer in June Under the oak tree, whose leaves are now fully expanded, cows are resting in the shade. There are so many buttercups that the meads are quite yellow with their blossoms. The ash tree in the middle distance has been later than the oak in...
Some families of house-martins have built their nests under the eaves. Laboriously they have collected mud from a nearby pond, and with skill and patience have built the cup-shaped houses in which to make their nests, lay their eggs and rear their young....
Blessed Joachima Born into an aristocratic family in Barcelona, Spain, Joachima was 12 when she expressed a desire to become a Carmelite nun. But her life took an altogether different turn at 16 with her marriage to a young lawyer, Theodore de Mas. Both...
German laws on free-speech are already some of the most restrictive in Europe. But a new bill going through the Bundestag, intended to combat hate speech, will create powerful incentives for online platforms to suppress content that is not even illegal,...
Saint Barnabas Barnabas, a Jew of Cyprus, comes as close as anyone outside the Twelve to being a full-fledged apostle. He was closely associated with Saint Paul–he introduced Paul to Peter and the other apostles–and served as a kind of mediator between...
The Middle Ages: The monasteries In the Middle Ages there was much fighting and cruelty, people were very religious. The Bishops and abbots were as powerful as the barons. They owned numerous manors, because when rich men died, they left money and land...
The cricket and the ant A cricket chirped day and night, as long as it was summer, while her neighbor, the ant was looking of food for the winter."I sing to cheer you up during work" said the cricket. "Come, listen to my song."The ant shook her head and...
