Stuff We Like :: 2.10.17

Look at that—we made it through another week. And Suzanne and I are finally getingt it together to get back on the podcast train.

around the web

Oooh, oooh, oooh! There’s a linguistics museum coming to Washington D.C.

Flannery O’Connor’s take on racism and refugees feels really relevant right now.

I’m not saying we should hide from the news all the time. I’m just saying that this Chrome extension will turn pictures of Donald Trump into pictures of kittens. (Alternatively: How to stay outraged without losing your mind)

at home/school/life

on the blog: Nelson Mandela reminds us that leaders can be intelligent, compassionate, and fair-minded.

one year ago: We were getting all excited about the Great Backyard Bird Count. (It’s Feb. 17-20 this year.)

two years ago: Homeschooling isn’t always easier in hindsight.

three years ago: Aw, look, it’s Suzanne’s very first post for the website.

reading list

I’m always looking for feminist fantasy because I suspect that the reason I don’t read more fantasy books is because the role of women in them is often problematic, at least to me. (I know this probably shouldn’t get under my skin so much, but it totally does.) So I was pleased to pick up Maresi, about a girl who lives in at an abbey of tough, smart women dedicated to the goddess. Maresi—a girl after my own heart, who’s always looking for an excuse to sneak into the library—befriends a new refugee whose outside life follows her to the abbey and puts all its inhabitants in danger. This is the kind of fantasy I can get behind—which is nice, since this is apparently the first in a series.

Because apparently the real world has not shaken my faith in humanity enough (what is wrong with me?), I’ve also recently finished The Witches, a book about the history of the infamous Salem witch trials. I typically enjoy Stacy Schiff’s books—if you haven’t read her Ben Franklin book, you should put it on your library list—and this one was smart, thorough, and really well researched. I just think I wasn’t in the right headspace to appreciate it.

It’s getting harder and harder to find books that my 9-year-old and my 14-year-old are both interested in listening to as readalouds, so I’m thankful this week for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which has had both of them giggling and snuggling on the couch with me this week.

at home

I can’t wait for the new season of Masterchef Junior! I even have a new knitting project all picked out for it.

This chicken recipe from the recent Bon Appetit was a hit with everyone. I was skeptical about the oranges, but they really made it sing. I did serve the olives on the side though because olives are controversial in our dining room.

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