Saturday, December 3. 2005
More Botticelli In his later years, Botticelli fell on hard times because, under the personal influence of the evangelist Savonarola, he quit painting secular works. His latest work refers back to Fra Angelico and medieval styles of painting, but with the added ingredients of prophetic and mystical references. Need I mention that I think these late paintings of his are mind-blowing? From about 1500, the one below is Mystic Nativity. Will show you the best one soon. It's difficult to believe that Sandro Botticelli died poor and forgotten, after having been Florence's most popular painter, in his prime. 
Friday, December 2. 2005
Standing Up for Christmas If you want to stand up for Christmas, the next time someone says "Happy Holidays," respond with "Oh? What holiday is it?"
And yet another book Another good Christmas book: The Man Who Changed Everything: The Life of James Clerk Maxwell, by Basil Mahon. It's on my list.
Leave it to the Italians Italian researchers have discovered a nerve growth factor, (NGF), which correlates with falling in love. Is it news to any of us who have been young and in love that requited passion fades within a year? (Or that unrequited or unconsumated desire can last a long time?) This NCG normalizes within a year of a love relationship. But is it cause or effect? Regardless, it is definitely "chemistry." And real life definitely, inevitably, but sadly, runs counter to this chemical bliss.
Thursday, December 1. 2005
Three Classics For Christmas books for the youth, I highly recommend the two ancestors of self-help books, which together contain the ABCs of life, and one recent deserving addition. Corny, yes. Hip? No. Wise, yes. Still true? Absolutely. Indispensible when facing the big world. In an era when we no longer live with grandpas and grandmas and aunts and uncles, we need books like these to fill us in on how the world works. Who else will teach us this stuff? 1. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale 2. How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie 3. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey
Wednesday, November 30. 2005
Dear Editor in Chief, For a supposedly Christian-oriented blog, are you aware that you have two naked people on your front page right now, plus a frankly erotic, dare I say "post-coital" painting? This is not appropriate for a wholesome Christian family blog like Maggie's Farm, in my opinion, and I would respectfully request that you avoid such sorts of overly-stimulating and exciting postings in the future. Sincerely, Deeply Offended and Disappointed, in South Carolina Dear Deeply, As you have very perceptively noted, we have made a strategic editorial decision to become a sex-focused blog instead of the obscure, eclectic, thinking person's blog we have been in the past. We believe it will increase our readership if we limit ourselves to the subjects of guns, sex, violence, and rock 'n roll in the future. So, my dear Offended, just bear in mind that Markets Rule, Sex Sells, and humorlessness kills. Sincerely, Bird Dog, Editor Dog in Chief and Chief Financial Officer, Maggie's Farm, LLC
We are on a Botticelli (1445-1510) kick at the moment. If any college in New England needs someone to teach Europe: 1400-1565, we will do it with pleasure. Email us a generous contract, with benefits.
Venus and Mars (1483). 
Time Lines Without a mental time line, or, preferably, a visual time line, I have a tough time getting a good grip on history. While one can learn the most from making one yourself (I've always wanted to make one on the upstairs hallway with magic markers), there are good ones you can buy. Hyperhistory has an online World History timeline, and you can push Hard Copy to buy one. Good Christmas present for history buffs.
Tuesday, November 29. 2005
Another book I forget which blog recommended Istanbul: The Memory and the City, by Pamuk, but it looks excellent and goes on my Christmas list.
Divorce According to Marquardt, the author of the excellent Between Two Worlds, two-thirds of divorces in America are "optional" or elective, ie not a consequence of abuse, violence, addictions, adultery, or similar lethally destructive misbehavior. Orson Card has written a wise, thoughtful, and mature review of Marquardt's book, and I agree with every word in it. In my experience, many "unhappy" people are unwilling to see that much unhappiness comes from within, not from without, and refuse to see that they have the power to make things work, or not work. Or to see that much human misery comes from people's unwillingness, or inability, to grow up. And both Card, and Marquardt, are emphatic about the point that a family is not a casual institution entered into for "personal fulfillment" or selfish gratifications: it is meant to be a rock and foundation for growing people - both the married people and any kids. Being married is difficult, sacrificial, possibly sacred, and oftentimes happy and peaceful, especially when we take it for granted and do not even realize that we have a good thing going. Marriage is not "natural." Honeymoons never last; passion fades when faced with daily reality; everyone has terrible, nasty flaws; the grass is rarely greener except for a brief time. It's too bad that the adolescent fantasies of true love that lasts forever is not automatic, but must be built and re-built over time. Some quotes from Card's review: "....Between Two Worlds is not just an important book, it is a highly readable one. And, to put it plainly, I believe that anyone who has children and is contemplating a divorce should regard it as a solemn duty to read this book first, and take its findings into consideration." and: "Given that our whole society seems to believe the myth of romantic love -- that hormonal yearnings should trump rational commitments -- it's hardly a surprise that many perfectly good marriages break up over matters that should have been left behind in adolescence. Bad enough the heartbreak such misbehavior causes among the formerly married. But when children are involved, the selfishness and callousness of the behavior of some supposed adults should earn the disapproval of all civilized people. But we are all so nice, so nonjudgmental, that we have to assure everyone that we aren't condemning anybody, that "it's your life." " Read the whole thing.
Sunday, November 27. 2005
Guy Stuff I will refer our readers to three sites today which cater to outdoorsmen and hunters/shooters. Santa knows very well that guys like gear. First is Filson. Some of their stuff is more rugged than anyone ever needs - except for lumberjacks - but so are SUVs. Their famous heavy-duty waxed cotton "tin pants" trousers not only stand up by themselves, but they will hold you up too. Their unfashionable stuff is good for one or two lifetimes. The second is Griffin & Howe. Like Kevin's, they cater to the gentleman sportsman. They have very nice stuff, and will make you (or your wife or girlfriend) a very nice custom shotgun - and they are very good to our conservation charity.
More book recommendations, and blog linking I figure that Christmas is partly about getting, and giving, enough books to keep everyone out of trouble for a while. NRO has some book ideas (thanks, Charmaine), including Charmaine's recommendation of a Walker Percy, one of my favorites. But I think Love in the Ruins was his best - or maybe The Last Gentleman. And, speaking of Charmaine, she has a very pointed cartoon which raises the question of why so many bloggers, like us, offer so many brief links to other bloggers and to news sources, instead of limiting ourselves to original writing. We do it to share interesting things we find, and to be part of the conversation. Maybe it's a waste of energy and time: I don't know. As our contributor Opie famously said: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, link." We provide a mixed bag, reflecting our many interests, and, as I like to say, we all just follow our doggy noses and see where they lead us.
Thursday, November 24. 2005
Stumbling around your wine cellar this morning? Here are some ideas.
William Bradford and George Washington offer thanks. Am. Thinker
Wednesday, November 23. 2005
Remember Chrenkoff? Is there life after blog? He was an excellent and productive blogger. I just found a piece of his I had saved for some reason. It's about Happiness. We hope Chrenkoff has found happiness in his new career.
The 787 The "Dreamliner", the replacement for the Boeing 777, looks like a darn nice bus, and I look forward to flying on it. Several human features: higher humidity, so you don't arrive dehydrated; better pressurization (most commercial airplanes are pressurized to an equivalent of 7000' in altitude; this will be closer to 4000); more seat room in cabin class; bigger windows; an 8500 mile range and, I have heard, no recycled air (if the engineers can solve the problem of the half knot per hour speed loss which this seems to entail). I just hope the bathrooms are better - and cleaner. Alas, no swimming pool or Jacuzzi, and no place to enjoy a cigar - even in First Class. You still have to stroll out on the wing for that. 
The Sporting Chef Most of the guys I know do the game cooking in their houses. It's not only part of the ritual of hunting and fishing, but it's a way to treat the wild creatures with special respect. Here's a site for the hunters: check the recipes.
Tuesday, November 22. 2005
More Christmas Ideas: Books, etc. Frank McCourt's new book, Teacher Man. Review in CSM Christian scholarship: First Things Magazine
Monday, November 21. 2005
Prada, Firenze, last week. Guess who was outside, practicing taking night shots, and who was inside? (bought nothing, though) 
Yet another book to mention Must be getting close to Christmas. By John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: City of Falling Angels. From the interesting Amazon review: "I was not terribly surprised when he (the author) later told me, "Venetians never tell the truth. We mean precisely the opposite of what we say."
 Visiting NYC this season?
It seems as if a lot of bloggers have been visiting NYC lately. Good. New York does Christmastime well. Maggie's has been very clear that we enormously appreciate the Renaissance of NYC as it has occurred under the hands of Rudy Guiliani and Michael Bloomberg. We posted some NYC travel tips last April, and we have recently noted the Fra Angelico show at the Met. Another tip - Jersey Boys, on Broadway. The story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Fine music - better than The Four Seasons ever were, I am told. Don't forget to consider Fraunce's Tavern (since 1762) for dinner, way downtown, where Washington delivered his farewell address to his troops back when mid-town NYC was farms and woods. Consider Peter Luger Steak House (since 1887) too. Remember - dining in NYC means reservations. Image of Fraunce's Tavern.
Charity Season Send a Cow. One Maggie's favorite charities. Check it out.
Sunday, November 20. 2005
The moon over San Miniato's bell tower, one hard week ago. Remarkable Michelangelo, wearing his military engineer hat, ordered cannon emplaced up in that tower during the Siege of Florence. A famous graffito during that ten-month siege in 1529: "Poor but free." The armies of the Pope and his Spanish and French allies finally prevailed, marking the end of the free Republic of Florence and the installation of the Medici as autocratic rulers of Tuscany. Enjoy odd facts? Michelangelo died the year both Galileo and Shakespeare were born: 1564. The ancient seeds of the memory of Greek political freedom were germinating, back then. The pursuit of freedom, self-reliance, and dignity is an endless battle for mankind, is it not, against those who seek power and authority over us, and "responsibility" for us? Like we are weak, or children. Give me God's, or even nature's fate - not man's. I will deal with those. Like those Florentines, I do not trust human power, because it is always the wrong sorts of folks who seek it: people who want to be too big for their boots. Bush, however well-intentioned, and all the rest included. While the regular people just want to live life in God's amazing and scary world, or to figger out how to. But che bella vita, and to Hell with all of the power-seekers. Which circle? Dante knew. That's all I have to say, today, on a holy Sabbath. For those who had trouble posting to Friday's San Miniato post, try here. 
Saturday, November 19. 2005
San Dominico Fra Angelico (1387-1455), the early Renaissance painter, was a Dominican brother in the San Dominico monastery in the hamlet of San Domenico, on the #7 bus route between Firenze and Fiesole, where a Bird Dog daughter is dwelling at present. This is an alterpiece of his, still there performing its holy function, and not hanging under bright lights in an art cemetery. Dominicans - Domine canis - The Dogs of God, charged with rounding up the lost sheep. By coincidence (thanks Alert Reader - man, do we have good readers), Fra Angelico has a big show at the Met in NY right now. 
Friday, November 18. 2005
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