Homeschooling Myself ~ Paradise Lost ~ John Milton

      Oh my! How does one review a book like Paradise Lost?

     I guess one might say that it's epic. ~smile~ Interestingly enough, I have never read Paradise Lost. I took Brit Lit in high school and majored in English in college. I cannot remember it ever being assigned. Who knows why?

Paradise Lost
John Milton

     Paradise Lost begins with Satan addressing the other fallen angels, chronicles the creation of sky, earth, animals, and man, then describes life in Eden, the conversations between God and man, between the the arch angel Rafael and man, and finally the fall, and the results from the fall.

     One phrase that stuck with me is that God created man sufficient to stand and free to fall.

     It is a highly imagined, dare I say fantasized, story expounding upon a few short verses in the Bible. It is how Milton thought it all could have come about. 

     It is obvious that Milton knew his Bible. It is also obvious that he had meditated on the scriptures in great depth. While there are no doubt inaccuracies in the poem, it has greatly influence church culture.

     I read this book as part of Hillsdale College's free course on Paradise Lost. I don't think that I would have understood nearly as much without the course; because, it's sometimes hard to follow the narrative, and frankly, it is a bit boring in places.

Google Hillsdale College for the course if you'd like. I'm enjoying the courses I've taken for free. I started with A Christmas Carol, then Paradise Lost; and now, I'm studying Western Heritage from Genesis to John Locke. 

     This year, I am continuing my education. At 59, I don't care about credits or grades. This way of learning is stirring a passion for academia that has been dormant for many, many years. It feels good. 

How and what are you learning?

ஐღLauraღஐ 

...homeschooling myself on a short shoestring budget!

~~~~~

Tipsy Candle Solution Found!

I love taper candles. I don't think they can be beat for their versatility whatever the occasion or no occasion at all. They're just classic. But. They're fussy. They never fit right in my holders. I usually try to put foil around the bottoms, but it doesn't work well. It also looks tacky. I was excited to try these taper candle sticky dots. 

I'm totally sold! Wow! I worked at a candle shop when I was in college, but I'd never heard of these. Who knows? Maybe they're new since then. It has been a couple of years... well, a lot of couple of years.

Bottom line, they work! They work well. They are perfect in my candle holders, but check out the second photo. Out of curiosity, I put a sticky dot on a candle and just stuck it on a dish.  It stood up perfectly! It's still standing perfectly as I write.

I couldn't be happier. I just had to share this with y'all! No more tipsy candles for me!

Be blessed,

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

P.S. I'm a Vine reviewer for Amazon. I receive products for review for free. I'm always honest in my reviews. I'll only share products I really like here with you. Some secrets are too good to keep! Giggle. You know what I mean. You can see some of my recent reviews here. It's an affiliate link.

Laura Lately... Back to School! Finally!

    

    Some of you know that I was having some knee trouble that kept me from working in November. Then came December, and there just weren't many jobs. I only worked 3 days between the two months. Finally, after a long break (which I did enjoy), I went back to work yesterday. It felt good to be back in the classroom. Yesterday, I was at the high school. It was a study skills class; so, it was an easy day for me. That makes up for some of the really hard days I have sometimes ~wink~. 

    I'm not one who enjoys change. That's interesting since my vocation involves frequent change. I'm learning to flow with it. This is year four of substituting. I began in December three years ago. I've found my sweet spot in junior high and high school. I have spent a lot of time subbing in special ed classes. I find that is a good fit in that I can be patient and work with fewer children at once. It does, however, sometimes take a lot physically. So, I'm picky about my assignments. 

    I've been doing a fair bit of knitting lately. Once again, I am reiterating to myself that I am Knitting for Joy in 2025. Do you knit or crochet? Would you like me to share more about my needlework?

    Now, it's time to go and make a pan of cornbread. I've had navy beans simmering all day with a smoked ham hock. Yummy! There's just something about the down home goodness of beans and cornbread. 

    Have a wonderful weekend! Do tell me what you've been up to and what you'd like me to write about this year.

Sincerely,

Laura

Follow me on Instagram: @lauraofharvestlane 

#knitting

#knittingforjoy2025