Category Archives: Literature

More Music Videos

So I found more music videos since my last post that I’ve been watching, and I thought I would share them with you all!

Once again, kids should check with their parents.  Especially with the last video, as it has several scenes from movies in it, including several fantasy creatures that are a bit creepy.  Thank you!

A friend of ours sang this song at her graduation ceremony, and I liked it so much I asked Mama to help me look up a video so I could memorize it!

I’ve sort-of known this song for years, but after hearing it again at aforementioned graduation, I decided I needed to find a version I could listen to!

Another song I’ve known for almost forever.  We sang it at church when I was younger, but I could never get the order right, and I recently decided to fix that.

Another Middle Earth song. 🙂  After memorizing “I See Fire” I realized “The Last Good-Bye” was the only Hobbit credits-song I didn’t know.  Needless to say, that was unacceptable.  Still, I didn’t expect to find something this good!  It has clips from all six movies, with video of Billy Boyd singing–and several behind-the-scenes shots!  Also, Billy Boyd acted in The Lord of the Rings, so he’s singing, but also in some of the movie scenes in costume!

So, there’s what I’ve been listening to lately.  The music videos I watch are actually a pretty good peek into what goes on in my brain! 🙂

Happy Wednesday!

“The Sacrifice”: Part seven

Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once. (29)

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

March 15th–it’s the Ides of March!  Julius Caesar being the second Shakespeare play I ever read and one of my personal favorites, I had to mention it!

Alright, alright, the story!  Sorry this is so late; Becca, Spencer, and I were at the zoo all afternoon (probably pictures forthcoming 😉 ).

Anyway, enjoy!

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Part Seventh: Satisfied

Yes, Penelope. If you are willing, you may go.”

“But, Father!” Henry protested. “This is madness! As bad as surrender! We’re caving to the beast’s wishes entirely. Not to mention: how do we know it won’t break its promise?

“I do not think that is a concern, Henry,” the King answered slowly. “Wicked a creature as it is, I do not think it would dare. We need not consider that. Penelope, are you going?”

The Princess stood up and turned her back to her family—mostly so they couldn’t see how pale she was. “Yes, I’m going.”

“But Penelope—Father!” cried Henry, standing up. “This is exactly what this creature wants us to do! We’re pleasing him!”

King Cedric leaned his head on his hand. “Yes, Henry, we please him greatly.”

Throwing up his hands in frustration, the Prince turned towards his sister. “Penelope, please, this is unheard of! I cannot let you die for me.

“I’m not dying for you, Henry,” Penelope answered quietly. “Go to the highest tower here, and look down on the City. What would you see? I die for these people. You cannot save them by fighting.” For some reason the look of bewilderment in the dragon’s fiery eyes came to her mind. “He will be pleased—but he will not be satisfied. We are stronger than him.” She could baffle this monster—by surrender. The thought gave her strength to turn around. “I’m doing it. I want to spend as much time as I can with you, but I must ask you all not to try and persuade me—I don’t want to change my mind. Please.”

She turned away from them and stalked bravely out of the room—but as soon as the door closed behind her she ran to her room, threw herself on her bed, and cried her heart out.

“P” is for “Princess”

Little sister has been working on learning the English alphabet this school year, and she is doing wonderful!  Our whole kitchen is now surrounded by letters, taped to the walls.  We have a set of letters we’re using, but we’ve made our own with a few of them, and when we got to P is for pig, we decided P is for princess would be more meaningful.

Mom and I found this cutie while searching for princesses, and she was so pretty I decided to post her:

Princess

But there was one problem with using her for our alphabet: she’s blond.  And blue-eyed.

I have nothing wrong with blond hair and blue eyes (and a good thing, huh? 🙂 ), but Mama wasn’t sure it was a good idea for our purpose, as it makes Lucy a little sad when princesses look like me, not her.

So we e-mailed it to Spencer (our tech-support), and (because Spencer’s magic) he turned it into this:

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Isn’t she beautiful?  I love her new coffee-colored hair, her brown eyes, and that peppermint-candy washi tape!

Our house has gained many more princess in the year and six months (ish) that Lu has been home, and I now I can’t imagine how I ever got on without them! 🙂

Happy Saturday!

“The Sacrifice”: Part six

I promised myself that I would always post something between my story posts.  It’s not really happening.  Oh well!  At least having something I have to post weekly keeps me posting at all!

Enjoy Part Six!

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Part Sixth: “To Save My People”

The royal family rode back to the Castle with the noblemen following while the rest of the people walked dejectedly back to their homes.

“That took a long time,” commented the Queen as a groom took her horse’s reins, trying to sound as if she cared how long it had taken, even just a little. “What a sly creature! Couldn’t you have tried to make things go a bit faster, Cedric?”

“When a dragon wants to go in circles it is often wise to let him. Go to the Throne Room,” the King responded, and no one blamed him if he sounded rather snappish.

Continue reading “The Sacrifice”: Part six

“The Sacrifice”: Part five

This part was the harder one to get right, of the two with that make up the conversation with the dragon, but still fun!  And, for some reason, it’s the one I corrected the most just now, while I was reading through my post!

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Part Fifth: A Princess

A shocked silence followed the demand. The speechless quiet was broken at last by Henry.

“You ask for a girl?” he shouted over the Wall. “A lady? You would have us send a maiden to her death to save ourselves? Whoever deemed you greedy should have—”

Henry—please!” King Cedric interrupted. “There is no call to lose our tempers; that’s precisely what the brute wants. But,” he added turning towards the dragon. “Our answer is no. It is preposterous—entirely out of the question. We should—”

“Father! Wait!” Everyone jumped at the sound of the Princess’s voice.

Continue reading “The Sacrifice”: Part five

“The Sacrifice”: Part four

Parts four and five were all kinds of fun to write!  I love writing dialogue, and all writing’s more fun when a dragon’s involved. 🙂

Enjoy!

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Part Fourth: The Lord of the Skies

So, King of the Valley, you have come out to speak to me.”

“Yes,” King Cedric answered calmly. “What have you to say?”

“What have you to say?” snapped the dragon. “Have you made up your mind to surrender yet?”

“Surrender?” the King asked softly. “Why should I surrender when you have not yet made any threat or declaration of war?”

Continue reading “The Sacrifice”: Part four

All That is Gold Does Not Glitter

So, it turns out yesterday was Aragorn’s birthday, and I missed it.  (Not a mistake I’m planning to make next year!)  And, if my friend hadn’t posted about it, I still wouldn’t know.  Thank you, Ellen! 🙂  So I thought now was a good time to post my thoughts on him.

Warning–there are several story-spoilers below, for those of you who are haven’t read or are reading The Lord of the Rings.  Sorry, I can’t talk about Aragorn without giving things away. 🙂

Continue reading All That is Gold Does Not Glitter

“The Sacrifice”: Part three

It’s Tuesday again! 🙂

I did post yesterday afternoon, in case anyone missed it.

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Part Third: The King of the Valley

The news threw the City into havoc. The Shepherds trickled in by one’s and two’s or tens, and then the City Gates were shut and barred. The sheep-dogs sniffed their ways along their masters’ trails and were admitted to the City when one of the Shepherds claimed them, but few of the sheep and goats ever came back from the Hills.

Continue reading “The Sacrifice”: Part three

“The Sacrifice”: Part two

The second part–where things get exciting.  Enjoy! 🙂

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Part Second: “Dragon!”

Ready to head home, Penny?” Henry asked, as he lay on his back in the grass.

“Never!” Penelope answered, tilting her head back to look at the sky as she leaned against the rock they had raced to.

“Sounds like I’m not the only one who would rather do this than anything else,” her brother teased.

“I assumed it was obvious. But we probably should go back soon, it’s—Henry, look!”

Continue reading “The Sacrifice”: Part two

The Storybook Cave

I started this picture in Colorado, and brought it home to finish it.  I’d been wanting to do something like this for a long time, but the exact details–a dragon sitting on a pile of gold, reading a story to some other fun creatures–came all of a sudden while I was drawing with our friends.  They’re good for inspiration. 🙂  And thanks, Brianna and Emily, for your help with my unicorn’s face!

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Happy Thursday!

(Which means tomorrow’s Friday. . .)