Composer Study - Antonio Vivaldi

We're back doing composer studies again this year. With Sophia off at college, Olivia and I are taking some time to revisit things we used to do in elementary and junior high school. One of things we did was composer studies.

Adapted from the Charlotte Mason education method, we listen to six pieces by a composer; and the girls give their feedback about what they heard and if they enjoyed it. They learn a bit about the composer's life and see his/her picture.

The goal isn't to have the girls well-versed with the lives and repertoire of composers from the past and present. Rather, it is to introduce them to pieces they may hear throughout their lives, know the composer who wrote the piece, and have a greater appreciation for the music that they learn to play on the piano (or, in Sophia's case, the harp as well).

This month, we focused on Antonio Vivaldi who was born on March 4, 1678, and died on July 28, 1741. He was an Italian Baroque musical composer, virtuoso violinist, teacher, and priest.

According to Wikipedia, Vivaldi was born in Venice, and baptized immediately after his birth at his home by the midwife. This led to a belief that Vivaldi's life was somehow in danger either due to his poor health or to an earthquake that shook the city that day. In the trauma of the earthquake, Vivaldi's mother may have dedicated him to the priesthood.

Vivaldi was "...regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread across Europe. He composed many instrumental concertos, for the violin and a variety of other instruments, as well as sacred choral works and more than forty operas. His best-known work is a series of violin concertos known as the Four Seasons."

Vivaldi wrote many of his compositions for the all-female music ensemble of the Ospedale della Pietà, a home for abandoned children. Vivaldi worked there as a Catholic priest for 1 1/2 years; and was employed there from 1703 to 1715 and from 1723 to 1740. During these 30 years, Vivaldi composed most of his major works while working there.

The purpose of the Ospedale della Pietà was to give shelter and education to children who were orphaned or abandoned, or whose families could not support them. The boys, who learned a trade, had to leave when they reached the age of fifteen. The most talented among the girls, who all received a musical education, stayed and became members of the Ospedale's renowned orchestra and choir.

During his lifetime, Vivaldi was popular in many countries throughout Europe, including France, but after his death his popularity dwindled. After the end of the Baroque period, Vivaldi's published concerti became relatively unknown, and were largely ignored.

The resurrection of his unpublished works in the 20th century is mostly due to the efforts of Alfredo Casella, who in 1939 organized the historic Vivaldi Week. Since World War II, Vivaldi's compositions have enjoyed wide success.

The six pieces we listened to include four well-known pieces from The Four Seasons.

We started with the most easily-recognized song, Spring. Olivia said:
- It sounds familiar. I don’t know the same song. (Looking at the CD case:) Is this The Four Seasons? It sounds like it could be Spring or Summer. (It was Spring.)

We moved onto Summer. Olivia didn't have much to say about this song:
- I don’t know if I have ever heard Summer before.

Next was Autumn. Olivia said:
- I think I might have heard Autumn. I like this one. It sounds like I’ve heard it before. It reminds me of a ballroom full of people and they are doing a waltz.

Last of The Four Seasons was Winter. Olivia said:
- Winter sounds very mysterious – like you’re trying to sneak up on someone. The faster part sounds like a chase. I like this one the second best because it sounds like something I would listen to more. I like the tempo or speed of this one.

We listened to Gloria in Excelsis Deo. Olivia said:
- I thought it would just be the instruments and not any singing. I think I would like to hear it without the singing.

The final piece we listed to was Concerto in G Major for Two Mandolins and Orchestra - Allegro. This one we watched the video of as we listened to the music. Olivia said:
- I liked being able to see what they were playing. I thought it was some kind of string instrument not the size of banjo or guitar.

Pork Chops with Glaze

As I was looking for recipes on Pinterest, I cam across one for Pork Chops with Glaze. It comes from Taste of Home which has simple recipes using items typically found around your home.

My mom introduced me to Taste of Home well over 15+ years ago when she used to buy me subscriptions to the magazine. Each year I could count on a subscription to the magazine until the year she died.

At any rate, I wanted to try this recipe because I need to pre-make some food for my family when I am recovering from surgery (after October 10th). This was a two-day process. On the first day, you mix the marinade and then let it sit for eight hours or overnight in the refrigerator. The second day, you grill the recipe. Of course, on the second day, it rained. So, the pork chops were baked in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or so instead. They turned out great - very flavorful and moist. If they had been grilled, they would have had that smoky flavor as well.

Ingredients

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed (I used a stalk of fresh rosemary)
8 bone-in pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick and 7 ounces each)

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the first seven ingredients. Pour 3/4 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Add pork chops; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight (note: I refrigerated the pork chops overnight). Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Drain pork, discarding marinade in bag. Lightly grease the grill rack.

Grill pork, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 4-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145°; brush generously with remaining marinade during the last 3 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

(Alternatively, if you are unable to grill: bake for about 40 minutes or so in a 350 degree oven.)

Nutrition Facts

1 pork chop: 246 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 86mg cholesterol, 284mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 0 fiber), 30g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1 starch.

My Favorite Photos - September 2019

This month there was a shift in our activities since Sophia is now at college. For 13 days this month, Olivia was sick with an ear infection and pneumonia. We also found out that with the medications that she was on that she is allergic to penicillin. So, it has been a challenging month for different reasons.

I started out the month by completing the top (minus the border) of the Mystery Quilt that I've been working on since January.

We tried to keep some of the annual family traditions that we've done in the past even though Sophia is away at college. So, we went to Dairy Queen for a meal and dessert on Labor Day - the day before homeschooling began.

On the first day of 11th grade, Olivia requested pancakes for her special breakfast. In the bag are some gifts for the upcoming year.

I asked Sophia for a photo of her on the first day of classes at college. I was happy to see the photo she sent with her big smile...all ready for starting this next phase of her educational journey. 

 About a week after Sophia was at college, I put together a care package for her with a "We think the world of you" theme. It was fun to put together and it had about 20 items from a variety of different countries.

We continued to release butterflies throughout the month. At the beginning of September, there were still flowers on the butterfly bush. The butterflies loved the flowers and it seemed to give them the energy they needed before their flight to Mexico.

Sophia sent Olivia a package in the mail. She was SO excited to get a postcard with a message from Sophia on it, a box of Skittles, and a little stuffed lion keychain.

We loved releasing butterflies almost every day during September.

Sometimes we would release more than one butterfly a day which was exciting!

One of the highlights of the month for me was leading a group of volunteers from a local church in making about 20 shoe kits for Sole Hope. The kits are sent to Uganda where seamstresses and cobblers take the pattern pieces and make them into shoes for children who have jiggers.

We also created 20 health care kits that provide the supplies necessary for the children and families to do at-home care after they are treated for jiggers.

It makes me so happy to think that jeans that would have been discarded can be transformed into life-changing and - in some cases - life-saving shoes for children.

In early September, we had a visit from a black bear who bent one of our birdfeeder poles and smashed the birdfeeder to eat the birdseed.

I spotted a tiger salamander (also called a spotted salamander) on our driveway. These are Minnesota's most common salamander and they can grow up to ten inches long. They actually move quite quickly when they sense danger.

On the 10th of September, I took Sophia to the oral surgeon since she was having continued challenges with her wisdom teeth removal back in mid-June. Her face is still swollen due to persistent infection on both sides of her lower jaw. We enjoyed lunch together in the dining center at college.

Olivia and I had fun looking at the big costume head at the store. I liked this unicorn head. It seems super large on Olivia's petite frame.

Sophia had another follow-up appointment with the oral surgeon. This time after the procedure she needed to do an oral rinse. The antibiotics she's on cannot be mixed with any form of alcohol. It was very challenging finding a mouthwash that doesn't have alcohol in it, but Sophia found one!

On the 13th, we went for another visit. This one was a fun one because we played ping pong. None of us are great ping pong players, so the experience was one filled with lots of laughter. It was a great time together!

Olivia and I went to the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. There was a beautiful display of marbled items and murals.

Olivia released the last butterfly in the middle of the month. We felt so happy that we raised and released close to 40 monarchs!

My sister, Olivia, and I went to a fall festival that we had not been to before. The Wildlife Science Center was there and we enjoyed seeing the screech owl.

We enjoyed a lunch served by the Lions.

Olivia chose a duck from the duck pond. She said that she had never done a duck pond before. I never realized that. So, it was fun to explain what to do to a 16 year old.

We watched firemen use equipment to take apart a car - showing what would happen in an extrication.

I took Olivia on her first Parade of Homes tour of a few homes. She made herself comfortable at one home.

She really liked the room with the large stuffed animals.

There were cute chairs to sit on while you watched t.v.

I loved seeing the monarchs on the flowers. They liked the black-eyed Susans.

On the 17th, my friend, Karen, from pottery class came to visit our horses. She had a friend visiting from out of town (Beth) so she and Marilyn came with Karen to see the animals and have lunch together.

Danny and Cooper really liked spending time with Karen.

Olivia and I took another leather crafting class. Olivia made a leather bowl and learned a new stitch.

I've been trying to get a lot done before my upcoming spinal surgery on October 10th. As I was resting, two of the dogs and two of the cats were resting with me.

Danny misses Sophia. He is sleeping in her bed, probably hoping she'll come home soon.

Olivia and I went to the Marine Art Fair. These little purses and backpacks are made by a Hmong craftsperson. Sophia has the blue cat as a little purse. We were surprised that there is a backpack too.

Danny got a new sweater to keep him warm.

One of the things I've been wanting to do is get rid of a lot of stuff in the barn and small shed that we no longer want or need. We also had some items outside - like woven wire, bent t-posts, and plastic garbage cans from the previous owners - that I wanted to have cleaned up before the winter. We filled about 3/8 of the truck (there were things in the truck already from a previous job). It felt so good to get all this out of the buildings and farm.

My sister and I went to a booya at a church in a nearby community. I used to take the girls there when they were little. Last year, Sophia and I went to the booya. This year, they had an apple dessert, roll, and coleslaw along with the soup. It was a hearty meal (it was both my breakfast and lunch).

My sister was a good sport and put her face in the cut-out drawing of the grandma with the pot of soup.

It was good to do some new things this month as well as continue doing some things that are family traditions. I think as we navigate through this year, we'll seek out other new experiences and activities which will help us create new memories. It will be a healthy way of helping us cope with the changes and transitions that are happening as our daughters are getting older.

Holiday Dish Towel with Knife Pleats

Last year, I bought a dish towel kit at a local fabric/quilt shop on the Quilt Shop Hop. The kit included:

- Red Kitchen Towel
- Reindeer Fabric (4" x 22")
- Black and White Snowflake Fabric (3 1/2" x 45")

The towel was easy and fun to put together. To make it, iron 1/4" around the reindeer fabric to fit the width of the towel. DO NOT iron the towel.

Stitch 1/4" of the black snowflake fabric (width of fabric) and the two shorter sides. No need to do the top because it will be stitched down with the reindeer fabric.

To make the snowflake fabric pleated, you need to use a kitchen fork. Take one end of the unsewn edge of the fabric with the bottom tine of the fork. 

Twist it towards the feed dogs so that your fork will lay flat on the machine. 

Tighten the fork and fabric so that excess fabric is pulled towards you. This will give uniform pleats. 

Hold down the pleat and remove the fork before sewing. 

Repeat the process above for the remaining fabric.

Attach the pleated strip to the towel with pins; and then sew it in place.

Place the reindeer fabric on top and pin in place. Sew along the top and bottom edges (the width of the towel). 

Turn over the towel and fold the ends under. Pin and then sew along the edge of the towel to attach the reindeer fabric and place and give a nice, finished edge to the fabric.

The towel is finished!

This towel was easy to make and could easily be adapted for different seasons and holidays.