A woman "...so triumphantly alive and joyous, so in love with life and raptured with the world--a woman of singular radiance and cheer."

An adventurer for beauty.

Before we leave our Mother's University topic of Nature Study, I want to introduce you to Opal Whiteley if you haven't already met her. She has a remarkable story.

I linked her diary in the Imagination section so we'll bump into her again in a few months, but here are the links to the books I mention:

The Story of Opal: The Journal of and Understanding Heart

The Fairyland Around Us

Only Opal

This is a picture of her piercing her journal back together again.

Today's sampler is a simple story of Rembrandt you can share with elementary age children.

​Art credit: Portrait of Saskia, Rembrandt's wife

Art credit: The Oath of Santa Gadea, El Cid Campeor

We'll take another look at compulsion vs. freedom of thought. Spain managed to rid itself of all non-Christians--and 'killed' its country in the process.

Art credit: The Moorish Proselytes of Archbishop Ximenes, Granada by Edwin Long

Why did I never learn this in school??

A few days ago, I posted that I had just acquired a set of Historical Tales that I would tell you more about. That's one of the purposes of today's podcast.

But I also share the author's thoughts on why learning history is so important and he expresses so beautifully why I focus so much on history here at the Well-Educated Heart. It's not just a subject to check off the list. It truly is one of the best ways to form the characters of your children and influence their lives for good.

When he talks about a systematic way of learning, having a purpose for what you are reading and 'digesting' what you are learning, I hope you recognize that the rotation schedule, looking for lessons for living and notebooking the 'gems' you find fulfill his suggestions.

'Non Sibi Sed Aliis'
Not for himself, but for others.

"If the people want of me anything that would make them happier, I should readily grant it."