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English Country Garden, or Country Gardens as it was more commonly known prior to the 20th century, is a tune that Cecil Sharp found in southwestern English villages. It was a popular song in the Morris dance tradition, dating to the 1700s.

The tune most recognized today was written by Percy Grainger, an Australian-born composer who enlisted in the U.S. Army at the outbreak of World War I. The song was widely popular; however, it became somewhat of an albatross to him. He is said to have remarked once, “The typical English country garden is not often used to grow flowers in; it is more likely to be a vegetable plot. So you can think of turnips as I play it.”

The Muppets performed a rollicking version of it.

Whether you think of turnips or tall hollyhocks, we think you’ll enjoy singing English Country Garden with us at the 2026 CMER.

It brings joy to see where we gather from each year.

I wonder if there isn’t a lot of bunkum in higher education? I never found that people who were learned in logarithms and other kinds of poetry were any quicker in washing dishes or darning socks. I’ve done a good deal of reading when I could, and I don’t want to “admit impediments” to the love of books, but I’ve also seen lots of good, practical folk spoiled by too much fine print. Reading sonnets always gives me hiccups, too.

I never expected to be an author! But I do think there are some amusing things about the story of Andrew and myself and how books broke up our placid life. When John Gutenberg, whose real name (so the Professor says) was John Gooseflesh, borrowed that money to set up his printing press he launched a lot of troubles on the world.

Andrew and I were wonderfully happy on the farm until he became an author. If I could have foreseen all the bother his writings were to cause us, I would certainly have burnt the first manuscript in the kitchen stove.

Miss Helen McGill

Parnassus on Wheels

Thus begins Parnassus on Wheels, our selection for the 2026 CMER Book Discussion. We hope you can join us. If you haven’t started yet, don’t worry—this is a short, delightful book, and there is still time to read it before the retreat.

Parnassus on Wheels is available free on Project Gutenberg, Internet Archive, or for purchase on Amazon. Being in the public domain, there are many versions of this book. We have reviewed the one we linked to on Amazon (ISBN 978-0486817309) and found it to be a decent choice.

And since you know you cannot see yourself
So well as by reflection, I, your glass,
Will modestly discover to yourself
That of yourself which you yet know not of.

-Cassius, Act I, Scene 2

Julius Caesar is one of the Shakespearean plays that is regularly found on Charlotte Mason’s programs of study for her students. And we are delighted to announce that it will be our selection for the 2026 CMER.

One of our evening activities is a group reading of the play. No experience is needed. We will assign parts by scene and do a 30-minute version of the play. If you are not familiar with the 30-minute Shakespeare, Nick Newlin has done a tremendous job abridging the plays “while keeping the beauty of Shakespeare’s language intact.”

Every time the play Julius Caesar is scheduled, the life in Plutarch is read during the same term.

-Nancy Kelly

It is great fun! And we may tie in some Plutarch readings to add to the fun. We hope see you there!