Calendar Class of May 19, 2025

A Carpe Diem Snapshot:

Cordelia and I were home "sick" today-- guess which one of us was really sick and which one of us somehow found the energy to become a lion tamer? The dog was not amused. Despite the lack of enthusiasm from our other family members, the dog included, Cordelia and I continue to hold onto the hope that they will join our family circus and we will set out on the ancient pilgrimage routes of Europe in our painted caravan, performing in piazze along the way. Today, in fact, I recruited an amateur acrobat to teach us a few tricks and have also befriended a rather talented magician who might be willing to make an appearance in our show as well. Most likely, these friends will appear as characters in a picture book I am creating, but you never know-- sometimes life imitates art, and hope does spring eternal.

Liturgical: Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

“Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways; yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good—giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.”

Acts 14:5-18

Sanctoral: Theophilus of Corte (October 30, 1676 – June 17, 1740)

There is a certain dynamism in all the saints that prompts them to find ever more selfless ways of responding to God’s grace. As time went on, Theophilus gave more and more single-hearted service to God and to God’s sons and daughters. Honoring the saints will make no sense unless we are thus drawn to live as generously as they did. Their holiness can never substitute for our own.

Human: Victoria Day (Canada)

Victoria Day commemorates the May 24, 1819, birthday of Britain’s Queen Victoria (who since has had a whole era named for her—the Victorian era). The British have always celebrated the birthday of the ruling monarch. After Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, the people of Canada continued to mark her birthday to show loyalty to the British Empire. In the early 1890s, this day was known as Empire’s Day. In 1947, the name was changed to Commonwealth Day. Today it is again known as Victoria Day, and it is a legal holiday in all Canadian provinces except Quebec.

363 AD – the city of Petra in Jordan was destroyed by an earthquake. The earthquake caused many destructions and contributed to the significant depopulation of the city.

Natural: St. Dunstan's Day

Traditional weather lore has it that St. Dunstan was a great brewer who sold himself to the devil on the condition that the devil would blight the apple trees to stop the production of cider, Dunstan’s rival drink. This is said to be the cause of the wintry blast that usually comes about this time.

What is a "cutting garden"?

Different gardeners have different ideas about what a cutting garden should be, but generally speaking, it includes unpretentious rows of flowers, sometimes added to a large vegetable garden, that are intended to be decimated. They are the overflow, beyond the more formal borders, edgings, and patio beds that you want to keep looking their best. A cutting garden is best situated in some sunny, out-of-the-way spot. A skilled gardener will plan successive plantings to provide a steady supply of cuttings as the summer progresses. Some good choices for cutting gardens are the taller, longer-stemmed, not-so-neat varieties of flowers that adorn a bouquet but can make a formal border look disheveled. They may be annuals or perennials. Shasta daisies, feverfew, baby’s breath, statice, zinnias, cosmos, strawflowers, poppies, delphiniums, sweet peas, and ornamental grasses are all good choices.

Italian: Gratificante (rewarding)

Quote: “Circus is not just a show; it’s a celebration of the audacity to dream and the courage to perform.”