Communality Christmas

Communality Christmas 2010
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

Chickens, trombone and banjo, Hungarian cabbage rolls - it's a Communality Christmas!

Sungold cherry tomatoes

Sungold cherry tomatoes
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

We planted a couple of tomato plants behind our apartment - they are both about 9' tall and the Sungold is particularly prolific. And 'oh boy' delicious.

The fun goes on and on and on...

Black walnuts - the fun goes on and on and on...
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

Seth and Maggie found the first black walnuts of the year and had a big time pounding the fruit with hammers to get to the nut, which they squeezed out with their fingers. Which will no doubt now be stained for quite some time.

Travis Reed comes to town

Travis Reed
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

Our good friend Travis Reed of 'the work of the people' spent a few days with us last week. He was in town to do some filming with Sean for a 6 part video series that will be a small group resource exploring some of the themes of the Story of God that scripture invites us to be shaped by.

We spent many hours wandering the neighborhood, on the streets downtown, in the London-Ferrell garden and the Episcopal cathedral, trying to capture where these themes are being made manifest in our life here in Lexington. With heat indices in the 100s, it was hot and sweaty work, but thanks to Travis' talent for drawing forth inspiration when it seems to be draining out with every drop of sweat, we finished all six. Travis will now turn his editorial gift to transforming those many hours of film into short films that will hopefully provoke thought and conversation around the Story.

The book should be back from the printers in just 3 weeks. Sean will be heading up to Chicago to spend a couple of days at the Christian Community Development Association's annual conference with the good people of IVP, and will return with a few cases of books. We are excited to finally see it!

We'll let you know when the videos are done, and where you can take a look at them.

On holiday in England

Seth with crab
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

We're having a wonderful time visiting family and friends, and we brought some beautiful weather with us! Check out more photos on Flickr.

Seth's Co op class art exhibition

Seth's Co op class art show
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

Over the course of the semester, Seth and his classmates have been creating art in various media, both for the experience and for their first class exhibition.

On the day of the show, they took turns greeting people, serving refreshments, talking about their art and selling it. It really was very impressive, and a lovely afternoon, thanks in large part to the hard work of Seth's teachers, Ms Littrell and Angie. The kids had a great time, as did the parents and family members!

Seth had worked particularly diligently at a piece of weaving, and we bumped into the weaver at a neighborhood event, and Seth told her about his purse. She wrote a beautiful reflection on their interaction, which you can find here on her blog.

Check out some other shots of the exhibition at our Flickr account.

2010 FIFA World Cup: United

Community Supported Agriculture

Hoop house produce
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

Jeremy Porter, a member of our community here, is farming just under an acre of land about 30 minutes outside Lexington. Supported by his wife Karissa, he has started a CSA called Eden's Gate, providing fresh produce to 40 shareholders, ourselves included.

Back in the winter months he bought and constructed this hoop house with the help of several teams of volunteers. He has been starting all his seedlings to transplant to the field in the hoop house, and has also planted rows of vegetables in the ground, as you can see. This picture was taken 3 weeks ago - when I went out last Thursday, you could barely see the paths, so lush was the produce. We've enjoyed some heads of lettuce, broccoli and turnips this week, and the CSA officially starts on Thursday - a week earlier than planned.

I've been out a few times to help plant the seedlings, hoe and water. It's been a gift to spend time with Jeremy, get my hands in good soil, and watch the miracle of growth from seed to seedling to food up close.

There's plenty of information on CSAs available on the web - there's probably one near you. Support your local farmers, and enjoy the amazing flavour of locally-sourced produce.

Animalia

Orangutan
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

We spent a delightful couple of days this weekend enjoying animals as a family. Maggie's class took a field trip to Louisville zoo today, and we all went along. It was a cool, overcast day - perfect for wandering around with a bunch of kindergardeners. It was our first time to this zoo, and they pack a lot into a small space - which brought out the ambivalence I (Sean) feel about zoos. I love being able to see animals I would probably never ever get to see otherwise, but recognize that most are crammed into a concrete and steel structure that surely cannot feel like home, even to those that were born there. Still, the animals today were very lively - giraffes see-sawing around their enclosure, penguins diving and swimming, a very friendly orangutan and a siberian tiger that roared as we approached - a quite terrifying sound when you're not expecting it, the deep bass rumble at the end reverberating around in our chests. Maggie and Seth had a big time with their friends, and we enjoyed leisurely conversation with other parents.

On Saturday, a truly glorious spring day, we went to the Bluegrass Sheepdog trials and watched dog and owner work together on a lush, green canvas of rolling hills. It's felt like a huge gift to have two full days of outdoor time together, and seeing the beauty of creation expressed in so many ways filled us deeply.

Hopefully this brief entry signals a return to updating our blog a little more often - watch this space!

Book Review – Friendship at the Margins

Friendship at the Margins is part of the Resources for Reconciliation Book Series, a partnership between IVP and the Center for Reconciliation at Duke Divinity School. The series asks what it means to pursue hope in the midst of the many manifestations of brokenness in our world. Each book is co-authored by a practitioner and someone from the academy. I have been looking forward to reading Friendship, written as it is by two people I have respected for a long time: Chris Heuertz, international director of Word Made Flesh, and Christine Pohl, professor of social ethics at Asbury Seminary, who was my advisor during my time there.

Two decades ago I volunteered regularly at a free lunch program offered by a downtown church in Lubbock, Texas. From one to two hundred people came, mostly from the neighborhood. We ‘got them through the line, fed and cleaned up’ in an hour. For a reason I no longer remember, one day I decided to stand in line, get a plate and sit down at a table and get into a conversation with a couple of people. That was an important milestone in my journey into the heart of what the authors discuss in this book.

Although a relatively short book, it took me a while to read Friendship. The authors ask questions I thought I had satisfactorily answered a long time ago, and yet through their graceful interweaving of stories with the insight that comes from praxis, I found myself being challenged at the same time I was nodding in agreement with them. I took stock of some of the friendships I have, and confess I came out wanting. Having lived in Lexington for 9 months now, I became somewhat uncomfortable as I reflected on whether blossoming friendships here are truly mutual or if I’m still tempted to see certain people as “projects”, “potential donors” or “representatives of causes.” One of the strengths of the book is the honesty and humility evident throughout, which gently drew forth the same from me.

The book takes an unflinching yet generous look at donor-recipient issues in service and mission; at the unavoidable ambiguities and tensions that arise when we become friends with those outside our own social circles; and at the necessity of long-term commitment to place and people. The last chapter, which asks what kinds of spiritual practices help sustain friendships at the margins, seems particularly important. What will help us sustain long term commitment to each other – where does our hope come from, and how will we nurture it in the midst of our shared brokenness? (To that end I’m also looking forward to reading Pilgrimage of a Soul by Chris’ wife and partner in mission, Phileena, released next month.)

Friendship at the Margins – highly recommended.

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday crepes
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

This post is in honour of our dear friend Peter Johns - chef extraordinaire, and fellow Brit, as I imagine he did something similar today. I decided to make pancakes for Shrove Tuesday like me mum always did growing up - once a year, straight out of the pan, lemon juice and sugar liberally sprinkled - apply to face till you can't eat any more.

Well, if you're going to make a dozen pancakes (crepes, more accurately), you might as well make three dozen. So, for our regular Tuesday night family meal with our friends the Maddocks I served crepes stuffed with caramelized onions, wilted kale and sautéed mushrooms, topped with a light cheese sauce with more than a hint of nutmeg, accompanied by roasted sweet potatoes. Followed, of course, by the traditional pancakes of Shrove Tuesday.

There's a reason it's called 'Fat Tuesday'. One big splurge before the season of Lent begins tomorrow...

Frosty February Fun

Snow seats
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

Maggie and Seth made their first big snow people this afternoon - and then Maggie said she wanted to make snow chairs to rest in because she was tired. So we did. Check out more photos on Flickr.

missing jasmine

jasmine in bloom
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

I woke up this morning really missing our old garden. The jasmine would be starting to bloom, and we would be preparing the soil for planting the first seeds on Valentine's Day. That rich scent and receptive soil seem afar off today, with snow lingering in piles and a ways to go before preparing our small plot in the community garden for planting.

Foy Vance

Geoff introduced us to Mr Vance a few months back, and I've found myself listening to this Irishman with the beautiful voice a lot recently. This song moves me deeply, so I thought I'd share it with whoever stops by The Backyard today.

Sabbath rest

Stump with lichen
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

With temperatures creeping into the 50s, we decided to hike a trail in the Kentucky Palisades this past Saturday as part of the rhythm of rest we've established. Being outside the city in the quiet of the countryside is extremely restorative for all four of the Gladdings. We drove south to Jim Beam nature preserve (this being Kentucky), and found the trailhead as described on the website, although, despite it supposedly being "open 365 days a year", the gravel parking lot's barrier was down and locked. So we parked in the grass by the track, and walked in.
We spent a delightful couple of hours getting up close to lots of lichen and fungi - the only green to be found in the drab colours of winter. Rebecca overturned numerous rocks, and the eager looks of anticipation on Maggie and Seth's faces as the secrets the rocks held beneath them were revealed was priceless. "Can we turn this one over too?!" The highlight discovery was a newt, with golden ants, wriggly earthworms and beetles aplenty.
We heard cardinals chipping in the distance, saw vultures circling, and were accompanied by a Downy Woodpecker, who flitted from tree to tree ahead of us for awhile.
We breathed deep of the solitude the woods afford, catching glimpses of the palisades through the trees, and hearing the sound of running water from the small streams winding their way down to the Kentucky River below.
One day in seven to rest. Good idea.

Favourite kids' books

I realized I was missing a very important category of books in my review of 2009 - childrens'.

So, here are a baker's dozen of some of the books that make us laugh out loud, or that have beautiful illustrations or that we just really like. Top honours goes to "The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone" by Timothy Basil Ering, a beautiful, whimsical tale of greening 'cementland' that we delight in reading over and over again. In a similar vein is "Miss Rumphius" by Barbara Cooney.

A brace of beautifully illustrated stories are "The Wild Girl" by Chris Wormell, and "The Raft" by Jim LaMarche. In bibliography, we love Brian Wildsmith's "Saint Francis." In traditional tales, Margot Zemach's "It Could Always Be Worse" is a favourite.

In the fun category are "Tacky the Penguin" by Helen Lester/Lynn Munsinger and "Todos Hacemos Caca" by Taro Gomi. In the fun for kids, but especially for adults category are "Where's My Cow?" by Terry Pratchett/Melvyn Grant and "Duck for President" by Doreen Cronin/Betsy Lewin.

Finally, the family favourites. These tend to be a moving target, but here are ones we read on a regular basis. For Maggie: "The Paper Bag Princess" by Robert Munsch/Michael Martchenko, which ends with the immortal lines, "'Ronald,' said Elizabeth, 'your clothes are really pretty and your hair is very neat. You look like a real prince, but you are a bum.' They didn't get married after all." For Seth: "Skippyjon Jones" by Judy Schachner - "Holy Frijoles!" - whose website is as cool as her book. And then, when we just need some pre-school humour, "Pooh! Is That You Bertie?" by David Roberts - the family that boffs together, stays together!

Best Books - 2009 Pt. II

Here are my favourite novels from last year. There are some years when one novel leaves such a lasting impact that it's easy to say, 'that was the best for this year.' 2009 was not one of those years. There were several novels that vied for the 'best of 2009' spot, but none that really stood out from the rest. So, I have settled on "Mudbound", the debut novel from Hillary Jordan, as first among equals. The story is told in the first person by the six protaganists. A father moves his family to an isolated farm in the Mississippi Delta just after World War II. The story unfolds as the war hero sons of the farmer and the sharecroppers on his land return and form a friendship that exposes the racism deeply embedded in this part of the South. Another son, the antithesis of his war hero brother, creates more tension, as long-held secrets hold sway over the two families. An unblinking and beautifully told narrative of the personal and structural evil that is racism.

In historical fiction, the standout novel was "World Without End" by Ken Follett, the epic sequel to "Pillars of the Earth", one of my favourite novels, which is in post-production as an 8 hour mini-series. I also enjoyed "The Eleventh Man" by Ivan Doig, whose "Whistling Season" is another favourite.

Madeleine L'Engle's "A Live Coal In The Sea" is a beautiful, painful and hopeful story of three generations carrying the scars and open wounds of poor choices and long-held secrets.

In short stories, Wendell Berry's "Fidelity" comes highly recommended. I'm not a fan of short stories usually, but after a slow start, I was drawn into this collection - my first by this son of Kentucky, our new home. Also set in Kentucky, I was pleasantly surprised by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's "Faith, Hope and Ivy June", her 136th(!) novel. It tells the story of two high school students who spend two weeks in each other's school: one a private girls' school in Lexington, the other from "the hollow" in Hazard County.

Thanks to Rebecca, I have become a big fan of adolescent literature - here are my favourites from last year. "Notes From the Dog" by Gary Paulsen, who is consistently good: a laugh out loud, ache in the gut tale of the summer friendship between an awkward teen and a young woman with breast cancer. Did I mention it features a garden? Another couple of crackers in this genre are "Angry Management" by Chris Cutcher, which features a surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of an evangelical; and "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie, another laugh out loud story which also manages to be entirely non-sentimental about the issues of racism, justice and poverty that it raises.

In the "late night page turner" category, "Simple Genius" by David Baldacci takes the honours. Although I find that when I re-read one of his, I barely remember what happened. Which probably says more about me, than it does about him.

In the "old friends" category, highlights were "Airman" by Eoin Colfer; "Nation" by Terry Pratchett; and "The Private Patient" by P.D. James, which I'm really hoping is not her last novel.

I hope you find at least one to whet your appetite from among this selection - support your local library! And remember, just because you start a book, you don't have to finish it. In that category this year was "Foreign Body" by Robin Cook - complete and utter tosh.

Up next - the best books of the last ten years...

MLK Jr Day 2010

MLK march 2010
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

We wrapped up warm and headed downtown to join the thousands of Lexingtonians who chose to mark the day by marching together in honour of Dr King, and to be reminded that there is still much work to do. It was Maggie and Seth's first time to join a march, and when I got back to the house with Seth we watched clips of the march on Washington, and Dr King's "I have a dream..." speech. It was particularly poignant for us as we now call Lexington's Martin Luther King neighborhood home.

Best Books - 2009

I (Sean) have been keeping a reading log for 10 years. For some reason I read more books in 2009 than any year previously - 83, for a total of more than 25,000 pages. For those of you who enjoy reading as much as Rebecca and I do, here are the books I enjoyed most from among those 83.

The most important book I read in 2009 was 'The Transition Handbook' by Rob Hopkins. Having become increasingly informed of the looming crisis "peak oil" presents, I wanted to read this book, which friends had recommended as a hope-full response to what seems an insurmountable reality. It chronicles the history of the "Transition Movement" (which began in the U.K. and is now spreading globally) and also provides hands-on advice for what it will take to make the transition from oil-dependence to local resiliency. I highly recommend this as an introduction to this vital issue that continues to remain 'off the radar'. (See also the excellent documentary "A Crude Awakening.") In a similar vein I also enjoyed Bill McKibben's "Deep Economy."

My favourite biographical work was "Drinking: A Love Story" by Caroline Knapp, a non-sentimental, and wryly humourous account of her 20 years as a high-functioning alcoholic. Also in autobiography (in the "I did something for a year and wrote about it" category), I thoroughly enjoyed "The Year of Living Biblically" by A. J. Jacobs.

In the "books about the Book" category, I loved "Genesis: The Story We Haven't Heard" by Paul Borgman. Dr Borgman is a professor of English at Gordon College, who has spent 25 years wrestling with the Genesis stories with his undergraduates. His exploration of the Abrahamic narrative is particularly excellent, and there is insight and profound pondering on every page. Highly recommended. I also found Sandra Richter's "The Epic of Eden" excellent - a very helpful introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures.

An 'honourable mention' goes to Rob Bell's and Don Golden's "Jesus Wants to Save Christians" - which i re-read in 2009 for a small group study.

That wraps up my favourite non-fiction books I read last year - the fiction recommendations will be up next.

Campsie Place - January 8th 2010

Campsie Place - January 8th 2010
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

It has not been above freezing since we came home, with little hope of that any time soon. Our Houston-acclimatized bodies are feeling it! Our narrow side street has been inaccessible to the city ploughs, which makes for a pretty picture, but slick footing underneath. Maggie and Seth were excited to see snowdrifts, but disappointed to discover that it's not "fun" snow - so cold it's just powder. We hung the final curtains last night, and i finished putting that plastic wrap stuff over the south facing windows. There's still an arctic gale blowing through the kitchen cabinets - the tile floor sucks the heat out of our feet. We've plugged the draughts best we can, but with the thermostat set at 60, the heat still stays on most of the day. Welcome to winter!

Family photos

Rebecca & Seth
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

Our dear friend Geoff Maddock took some beautiful photos of us a month ago, and we've finally got around to uploading some. We have a lot of catching up to do on the blog - watch this space!