Muse and Hearth: Recent Episodes
Lydia Foucachon and Valerie Abraham
Muse and Hearth is a podcast for Christian women who want to extend the ideas behind classical education and the Great Books tradition into all of life. Too often we leave the intellectual rigor of the liberal arts in the towers of academia, or in the textbooks. But what if we as women, as wives, as mothers, made that intellectual tradition a part of our own habits and our family culture?
Join us today as we talk about all things homesteading and small farming with Jordyn LaFon!
Jordyn shared with us her family’s story as they got started with farming, as well as some of the highs and lows of learning on the job when it comes to homesteading.
Shownote links and books
- Joel Salatin, The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs
- Carl Trueman, Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self
- Wendell Berry, Bringing it to the Table: On Farming and Food (especially the essay “Sanitation and the small farm”)
- Charles Dowding — No-till gardening (Instagram)
- Joel Salatin, Folks, This Ain't Normal: A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World
Join us as we discuss homemaking, productivity, and motherhood with Mystie Winckler of Simply Convivial.
It’s tempting to look for a “fix it quick scheme” or to get out of sorts with our home-making when it is a challenge. But with the right attitude we can look for ways to model a grateful and convivial life with and for our children. We talk about some first steps to getting organized as well as the importance of having an ideal but not making attaining that ideal an immediate expectation or a prerequisite for happiness.
Links:
- Simply Convivial
- Simply convivial: Pep Talks for Homemakers & Homeschoolers Podcast
- Scholé Sisters Podcast
- Book: The Convivial Homeschool: Gospel Encouragement for Keeping Your Sanity While Living and Learning Alongside Your Kids by Mystie Winckler
On today’s episode I had the privilege of interviewing Rebekah Merkle, author of Eve in Exile and the documentary of the same name. Her work challenges cultural feminism as we know it and is an encouragement to Christian women to let the Bible define what femininity is. Check out the documentary on the Canon Plus app, and you can find the book at canonpress.com and Amazon. To enjoy more podcasts from Bekah, check out the What Have You podcast.
In episode 18 I’m joined by Courtney Handermann and Anna van den Broek as we discuss strategies for making reading a priority when life is busy. Our discussion includes tips for starting a book group as a way to help us keep up reading momentum. Podcasts like The Literary Life, Close Reads Podcast, and Stories are Soul Food provide inspiration for new titles and encouragement to continue with old favorites. We name drop some favorite book titles, and if you want inspiration for others you can check out Muse and Hearth episode 6 “Reading Lists”.
In episode 18 I’m joined by Courtney Handermann and Anna van den Broek as we discuss strategies for making reading a priority when life is busy. Our discussion includes tips for starting a book group as a way to help us keep up reading momentum. Podcasts like The Literary Life, Close Reads Podcast, and Stories are Soul Food provide inspiration for new titles and encouragement to continue with old favorites. We name drop some favorite book titles, and if you want inspiration for others you can check out Muse and Hearth episode 6 “Reading Lists”.
In episode 18 I’m joined by Courtney Handermann and Anna van den Broek as we discuss strategies for making reading a priority when life is busy. Our discussion includes tips for starting a book group as a way to help us keep up reading momentum. Podcasts like The Literary Life, Close Reads Podcast, and Stories are Soul Food provide inspiration for new titles and encouragement to continue with old favorites. We name drop some favorite book titles, and if you want inspiration for others you can check out Muse and Hearth episode 6 “Reading Lists”.
We were excited to welcome author Christine Cohen to the podcast. We discussed topics related to her books The Winter King and Sinking City . We asked her what she looks for in a good heroine, why it’s ok for her characters to suffer hardship in a story, and talked about her own omnivorous tastes in reading. Thank you for joining us Christine!
Links:
- The Winter King, by Christine Cohen
- The Sinking City, by Christine Cohen
- Christine Cohen's Author Page on Facebook
Welcome to Muse and Hearth, a podcast for Christian women, cultivating mind, heart, and home. I’m Lydia Foucachon and I’m so pleased to be joined today by my pastor’s lovely wife Nancy Wilson! She is a mother, grandma of a whole passel of grandkids, author, and podcaster, as well as a former literature teacher at Logos School. As she put it, chief cook & bottle washer. Nancy thanks so much for speaking with us today.
We’ll be discussing “back to school” for the Christian woman’s heart. A chance to collect ourselves from whatever summer season of life we have just been in and reset the bar of daily faithfulness.
Nancy reminds us that we really want to be making a habit of a reset on things like Bible reading, prayer, keeping short accounts, contentment, control of the tongue on a daily basis.
Resources and Books:
- Nancy Wilson’s Femina Podcast: Weekly episodes on biblical womanhood
- Bible Reading Challenge, thousands of women reading “on the same page” worldwide
- Learning Contentment, by Nancy Wilson
- All Thing for Good, by Thomas Watson
- The Art of Divine Contentment, by Thomas Watson
- The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, by Jeremiah Burroughs
- The Quest for Meekness and Quietness of Spirit, by Matthew Henry
- Handbook to Prayer: Praying Scripture Back to God, by Kenneth Boa
In this episode, Lydia Foucachon is joined by Christiana Hale, author of Deeper Heaven: A Reader's Guide to C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy.Listen in as they discuss common preconceived notions about the Ransom Trilogy and how to approach it for the first time, Lewis's primary purpose in writing the trilogy, as well as his approach to the medieval cosmology.
Links:
- Deeper Heaven: A Reader's Guide to C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy - Roman Roads Press book link.
- Deeper Heaven: A Reader's Guide to C.S. Lewis's Ransom Trilogy - Amazon: Audiobook, Kindle, and Book.
- The Ransom Trilogy (or The Space Trilogy) by C. S. Lewis
- Planet Narnia by Dr. Michael Ward
- Discarded Image by C. S. Lewis
Roman Roads Press
Classical Christian curriculum for home and school. "Inherit the Humanities"
Welcome to Season 2! Lydia and Valerie took a few weeks off to let Valerie settle in with her newest little one, and are excited for a new round of conversations about cultivating our minds and homes. We’re wrapping up our series on the theology of hospitality and beginning a new series on one of the more practical aspects of hospitality, as well as of daily life: food and drink. Today’s episode is all about cookbooks! A brief history of cookbooks, the changing uses of cookbooks in a digital age, and the cookbooks that helped us learn to cook.
Cookbooks discussed on the show:
- The Joy of Cooking
- Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
- Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
- Fat Salt Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
- Smitten Kitchen Everyday: Triumphant and Unfussy New Favorites
- Mastering the Art of French Cooking
- On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen
- Jerusalem: A Cookbook
- Simple: A Cookbook
- The Flavor Bible
In this episode, we discuss Tim Chester’s overview of food and feasting in the Bible. A Meal With Jesus emphasizes the importance of our daily ritual of eating (and the weekly eating of the Lord’s Supper as the body of Christ). We discuss the strength of eating together in the context of hospitality and sharing the Gospel as well as the overall encouragement that the tasks surrounding food-gathering, -preparation, -serving, and then the inherent tidying up have a vital importance in God’s economy.
Links:
- A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table, by Tim Chester
- Food for thought: Resurrecting the art of eating, by Robert Farrar Capon
- Bed and Board: Plain Talk About Marriage, by Robert Farrar Capon
- Femina Podcast, by Nancy Wilson
In time for Advent and Christmastide gift giving, we took a brief hiatus from our hospitality topic to talk about children’s books! We got so excited to share about our favorite titles and authors that we ran out of time! We’re planning a part two at some point, but this will be enough to hopefully add a title or two to your lists, and we’d LOVE to hear from you what titles we should add to OUR lists!
Book Links:
- The Little House, Virginia Lee Burton
- Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Virginia Lee Burton
- One Morning in Maine, Robert McCloskey
- The Mitten, Jan Brett
- Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year, edited by Fiona Waters
- Saint George and the Dragon, Margaret Hodges
- The Church History ABCs: Augustine and 25 other Heroes of the Faith, Stephen J Nichols and Ned Bustard
- I Believe: The Nicene Creed, illustrated by Pauline Baynes
- Favorite Parables from the Bible: Stories Jesus Told, Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
- Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale, Martin Waddell and Jason Cockcroft
- The Twelve Days of Christmas, Laurel Long
Valerie and Lydia delve deeper into Robert Capon’s thoughts on hospitality (Is formal hospitality the same as “entertaining?” How has the cult of authenticity shaped our approach as hostesses?) and shaping taste in our children.
Links:
- Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection, by Robert Capon
Delighting in food and creation is our theme in this episode! Lydia and Valerie explore the classic, mid-century theological culinary reflections of Robert Capon, pastor and amateur of all things delightful in the kitchen. How can we learn what it means to love a thing like God does, to delight in creation not for its "usefulness," but because God called it good? We love Capon so much we decided to spread his book over two episodes, so tune in to the next episode as we go more in-depth on specific passages that may cause a stir!
Links:
- Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection, by Robert Capon
- A Perpetual Feast #9: On Hospitality, Tradition, and Trave
We’re excited to launch a short series of episodes on the topic of hospitality, beginning with a discussion of Babette’s Feast, the moving novella (and its film adaptation) by Isak Dinesen. What can Babette’s Feast teach us about the nature of grace in hospitality, and the giving of oneself? How do we apply this to how we show hospitality to our own families?
Links:
- Babette's Feast, A Film by Gabriel Axel
- Babette's Feast and Other Stories, by Isak Dinesen
Persuasion is not the most popular of Austen’s works, but we think it’s a hidden gem. Can a passive heroine be an agent of change? Is there a hint of Dante’s Beatrice in Anne Elliot? And is Persuasion a “follow your heart” story?
Links and Books:
- Persuasion, by Jane Austen
- Persuasion, (movie, 2000)
Lydia and Valerie have strong feelings about Austen. Especially modern re-interpretations of Austen. We won’t give too much away, but we had LOTS of thoughts on Autumn DeWilde’s 2020 film adaptation of Emma. Is Austen rolling over in her grave?
Books and Links:
- Emma, by Jane Austen
- Emma, 2020 movie
- Emma, BBC mini-series
- Busyman's Honeymoon, by Dorothy Sayers
- Miniatures and Morals, by Peter J. Leithart
“Words, words, words!” Get ready to add some titles to your reading list, and be sure to let us know what your favorite or current reads are! We need more to add to our lists...which is to say we already have more than we can read, but since when has that stopped us? We also discuss audiobooks vs physical texts, and building reading habits, both in Bible reading and literature reading!
Books and Links:
- The Faerie Queene, by Edmund Spenser
- Emma, Jane Austen
- Song of Roland, Tr. Dorothy Sayers
- 12 Rules for Life, Jordan Peterson
- Christ Church Bible Reading Challenge
- Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, by Samin Nosrat
- Wee Free Men, by Terry Pratchett
- The Cozy, Minimalist Home, by Myquillyn Smith
- Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating, by Norman Wirzba
- Ghost Soldiers, by Hampton Sides
- The Clicking of Cuthbert, by P. G. Wodhouse
- Meet Mr. Mulliner, by P. G. Wodehouse
- Jill the Reckless, by P. G. Wodehouse
- Leave it to Psmith, by P. G. Wodehouse
- Norms and Nobility, by David Hicks
- Riders of the Purple Sage, by Zane Grey
- Supper of the Lamb, Robert Farrar Capon
- Poetry & Prose in the 16th Century, by C. S. Lewis
- Whose Body?: A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery, by Dorothy Sayers
- Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger
- Thirty-Nine Steps, by John Buchan
- Churchill Factor, by Boris Johnson
- The Longest Day, by Cornelius Ryan
- Band of Brothers, by Stephen E. Ambrose
- On the Origins of War and the Preservation of Peace, by Donald Kagan
- The Winter King, by Christine Cohen
- Hannah Coulter, by Wendell Berry
Welcome to our eclectic COVD-inspired episode on our favorite cooking tips and recipes, including broth and stock, and of course sourdough.
Books and Links:
- King Arthur Baking Company
- Sourdough Chocolate Cake
- Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
- Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn
Once upon a time, C. S. Lewis gave one of his best lectures ever. It was called “De Descriptione Temporum,” and everyone—yes, you too—should read it. We were joined in this episode by Daniel Foucachon, Lydia’s husband and the founder of Roman Roads Press and Kepler Education. We talk about watershed moments in history, pre-Christian and post-modern man, why we should keep the “clean sea breeze” of old books flowing through our minds. In the second half, we also discuss the difference between The Great Books and the great books, and the importance of knowing “your” people.
You can read C. S. Lewis’ lecture here.
Learn more about Old Western Culture.
Roman Roads Press
Classical Christian curriculum for home and school. "Inherit the Humanities"
In today’s episode, Lydia and Valerie discuss Thomas Howard’s book, Hallowed be This House. We chat about seeing the glory in the “everyday” things, the anchoring power of ritual in the home, especially during a pandemic, and how our work reveals the mystery of charity in the daily “my life for yours.”
Books and Links:
- Hallowed Be this House, by Thomas Howard
We recorded this episode during the Coronavirus pandemic shutdowns in March/April. Lots of time at home got us to thinking about home decor, making inviting spaces, and interior design. We discuss two of Myquillyn Smith’s books The Nesting Place and The Cozy Minimalist Home. Smith’s books encourage jumping in and not waiting for the perfect time or materials to make your home more inviting. She helps point us toward gratitude for “the space I’m in now.”
Books and Links:
"The Nesting Place" by Myquillyn Smith
"The Cozy Minimalist Home" by Myquillyn Smith
The Nester Blog
Valerie and Lydia discuss the famous debate between Boris Johnson (yes, we were surprised to find out he studied classics!) and Mary Beard, the Cambridge classicist. Find the link to the debate below, then join Lydia and Valerie to chat about classical civilization! Greece vs Rome: which civilization was greater? Were the Romans indeed more “human” than the Greeks? Did Greece invent everything and Rome merely copy it all? Does “copying” make their contributions less authentic? And will Valerie or Lydia change their mind after listening to the debate? Find us on Facebook and let us know if the debate—or Valerie and Lydia’s commentary—changed your mind!
Links and Books:
Boris Johnson vs. Mary Beard Debate
Johnson vs. Beard YouTube version
"The Roots of American Order" by Russell Kirk
"The Dream of Rome" by Boris Johnson
