The Man in Red 2014

Toot and I would like to wish everyone around the world a happy and peaceful time over the Christmas holiday.

Some hay in a manger.

Silent Night ????

School of Seasonal Medicine

Camel down in Judae

 Toot and I have just returned from a whirlwind national tour of 'Nativities' in which our amazingly talented and lovely grand children have starred!  Although we very much enjoy this wonderful part of Christmas, it does not go without its attendant risks.

I have to thank one of my sons - Dr Chrissy H Roberts - for the following seasonal libretto which sums it all up.

The Twelve Malaise of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas my grand children gave to me a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the second day of Christmas my grand children gave to me two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the third day of Christmas my grand children gave to me three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the fourth day of Christmas my grand children gave to me four stinky farts, three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the fifth day of Christmas my grand children gave to me - five ringworm rings- four stinky farts, three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the sixth day of Christmas my grand children gave to me six runny noses - five ringworm rings - four stinky farts, three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the seventh day of Christmas my grand children gave to me seven shits a squirting, six runny noses - five ringworm rings - four stinky farts, three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the eighth day of Christmas my grand children gave to me eight unexplained fevers, seven shits a squirting, six runny noses - five ringworm rings - four stinky farts, three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the ninth day of Christmas my grand children gave to me nine norovirus, eight unexplained fevers, seven shits a squirting, six runny noses - five ringworm rings - four stinky farts, three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the tenth day of Christmas my grand children gave to me ten non blanching rashes, nine norovirus, eight unexplained fevers, seven shits a squirting, six runny noses - five ringworm rings - four stinky farts, three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my grand children gave to me eleven worms a wiggling,
ten non blanching rashes, nine norovirus, eight unexplained fevers, seven shits a squirting, six runny noses - five ringworm rings - four stinky farts, three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my grand children gave to me twelve nits a nipping,
eleven worms a wiggling, ten non blanching rashes, nine norovirus, eight unexplained fevers, seven shits a squirting, six runny noses - five ringworm rings - four stinky farts, three explosive turds, two bouts of puking and a bad case of enteric dysentery.

Steve Dongle's top 100 trees.- No 3 The Nordmann Fir

The Nordmann Fir (Abies nordmanniana)  nude portrait taken from 'On the Trail of the Lonesome Pine' by O.Hardy and S. Laurel - Acorn Press 1910.
 (with kind permission of the Ted Trellis Foundation)

Nordmann fir or Caucasian fir is a fir native to the mountains west and east of the Black Sea, in Turkey, Georgia, Russian Caucasus and northern parts of Armenia. It occurs at altitudes of 900–2,200 m on mountains with a rainfall of over 1,000 mm.
Current distribution of the Nordmann fir is associated with the forest refugia that existed during the Ice Age at the eastern and southern Black Sea coast. The species is not found in currently suitable areas of the Eastern Greater Caucasus, which are separated from the Black Sea Coast by more than 400–500 km, in spite of currently suitable climate.
It is a large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 60 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m. In the Western Caucasus Reserve, some specimens have been reported to be 78 m and even 85 m tall, the tallest trees in Europe.

 " O Christmas tree, O Christmas how beauteous are your branches?"

"Every one of us in our daily lives affect our fragile ecosystems. Every choice you make, every tree you shake, every mince pie you bake - I'll be watching you!" Steve Dongle; Eco-warrior, environmental activist and compiler of the Waveney Gazette's Top 100 Trees.

 Traditional Christmas Carol

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
Not only green when summer's here,
But also when 'tis cold and drear.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;
How often has the Christmas tree
Afforded me the greatest glee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!
From base to summit, gay and bright,
There's only splendor for the sight.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
Thou bidst us true and faithful be,
And trust in God unchangingly.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee! !"

Nordmann Fir fully decked  or dressed for Christmas

Credits: Wikipedia and the Ted Trellis Foundation

Winter Sun at Christmas

Scarcliffe Church Derbyshire on a winter afternoon. (George Roberts 2014 - Digital media)

The Church 

by George Roberts

   Set in winter sun and cerulean sky

Old weathered stone

Cold to the hand

Warm to the eye

The church is anchored by geology and geneaology

Limestone blocks resting on limestone rocks

Marriage on baptism

Burial on marriage

An idea and artifact founded in a community's past, present and future

A social and spiritual metronome 

Each muted beat counts the passage of time and souls departed

An incessant but silent pulse, repeated endlessly since Pagan times

         

The Christmas Goose x 2

Flying South for Christmas ( George Roberts 2014 - Digital media)

Over the last couple of weeks and whilst Toot and I have been traveling around the country watching our grandchildren perform in their school Nativity plays, things have been a bit quiet on my blog. I shall try to redress this recent dearth in posts! This afternoon we shall dress the Christmas tree. "Its getting to feel a lot like Christmas!"