I write from Warner in New Hampshire. Outside is two feet of snow, through which I’ve just trudged on an afternoon hike with a friend. I arrived on Saturday night, twelve hours later than scheduled due to the blizzard that blew its way through New England, dumping a blanket of snow. 

Yesterday I spoke to a group of students at Dartmouth College on the Evangelizing Power of Beauty. A bright group of young Catholics whose questions I enjoyed answering and whose convivial company I found most edifying.

Today I continued my work as a visiting scholar at Mount Royal Academy in Sunapee, teaching classes on Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy, Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Tolkien’s Hobbit. What a joy! I also co-taught an apologetics class in which we deferred the scheduled discussion on the problem of evil to discuss the Holy Father’s surprise resignation today. (What a great Pope! What a blessing he has been to the Church as both Ratzinger and Benedict!)

Tonight I travel to Concord to give a talk on the Catholicism of The Hobbit at Theology on Tap. As I relish the prospect of imbibing ale in the company of Mr. Baggins and a company of fine young Catholics I can’t help but thank God that hobbits and hops go so well together.

Tomorrow I travel to Thomas More College where I will be teaching for the rest of the week. Between now and Friday I will be discussing with my students Bede and Beowulf, as well as Homer, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Dante, Shakespeare and Tolkien. What a wonderful way to earn a living. Deo gratias!