A holiday song

I was given an MP3 player for Christmas this year, and when searching for some new songs to listen to I came across this fun Christmas/Solstice one.
Wishing you all love and peace this season, whatever your faith.
Enjoy



The Christians And The Pagans

Amber called her uncle,
said We're up here for the holiday,
Jane and I were having Solstice,
now we need a place to stay.
And her Christ-loving uncle watched his wife hang Mary on a tree,
He watched his son hang candy canes all made with red dye number three.
He told his niece, Its Christmas Eve,
I know our life is not your style,
She said, Christmas is like Solstice, and we miss you and its been awhile,

So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,

And just before the meal was served,
hands were held and prayers were said,
Sending hope for peace on earth
to all their gods and goddesses.

The food was great, the tree plugged in,
the meal had gone without a hitch,
Till Timmy turned to Amber and said,
Is it true that you're a witch?
His mom jumped up and said, The pies are burning, and she hit the kitchen,
And it was Jane who spoke, she said, Its true, your cousins not a Christian,
But we love trees, we love the snow, the friends we have, the world we share,
And you find magic from your God, and we find magic everywhere,

So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,

And where does magic come from? I think magics in the learning,
Cause now when Christians sit with Pagans only pumpkin pies are burning.

When Amber tried to do the dishes,
her aunt said, Really, no, don't bother.
Amber's uncle saw how Amber looked like Tim and like her father.
He thought about his brother, how they hadn't spoken in a year,
He thought he'd call him up and say, Its Christmas and your daughters here.
He thought of fathers, sons and brothers,
saw his own son tug his sleeve, saying,
Can I be a Pagan? Dad said,
Well discuss it when they leave.

So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
Lighting trees in darkness, learning new ways from the old, and
Making sense of history and drawing warmth out of the cold.


Dar Williams

WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT

I have been listening to this great song, sung by Eddie Reader and written by Si Kahn.
I love the lyrics and it gives me goosebumps to listen to the song.

WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT
(Si Kahn)

You must know someone like him - he was tall and strong and lean
With a body like a greyhound and a mind so sharp and keen
But his heart just like a laurel grew twisted round itself
Till almost everything he did brought pain to someone else


It's not just what you're born with
It's what you choose to bear
It's not how big your share is
It's how much you can share
It's not the fights you dreamed of
It's those you really fought
It's not what you've been given
It's what you do with what you've got


What's the use of two good legs
.....if you only run away
What's the use of the finest voice
.....if you've nothing good to say
What good is strength and muscle
.....if you only push and shove
And what's the use of two good ears
....if you can't hear those you love

Between those who use their neighbours and those who use the cane
Between those in constant power and those in constant pain
Between those who run to glory and those who cannot run
Tell me which ones are the cripples and which ones touch the sun

Aldarian

Well I have a new virtual home.
I have moved into the realm of Aldarian.

I looked at many different realms, but never really felt at home in any of them. Then I was pointed in the direction of this new single sim realm.
As soon as I arrived I liked it. It is well made by someone with an eye for beauty and a nack for atmosphere.
It is only one sim, but it has all the elements for a good roleplay place. Homes for elves, fae, human and dark (although not really for dragon's, unless there is something in the sky I have yet to see, not enough space for dragons I guess)
Castle, village, gypsy camp, church, stone circle, ships, pub, blacksmith, guild buildings etc. They have packed lots in, yet it still feels natural.
The only thing missing is some secret places (like the great ones in Carmarthen) for rogues and the like. Perhaps I just havn't found them yet!

Then I heard that the admin/creative team was EU and UK based ,what more could I want.
I approached them and expressed an interest in joining as a healer and they kindly let me set up in a small roundhouse near the church. I now have two others who have said they would like to be healers also and am planning a get together, and possibly holding some basic RP classes for newbies as well.

Last night spent my first ever full ball in a RP realm (usually I have to go to bed halfway through). Finally something scheduled at a good time of day!!
I am in heaven.

SL Update

Finding Carmarthenshire a little frustrating at the moment.

They closed the realm a few weeks ago, with the promise that it was being redone and would be up and running again soon.

However all work seems to have stopped, nothing new seems to have appeared or disappeared in the last week or more and it all looks mess. Half finished buildings, old items left around, things floating in the air etc...
I wouldn't mind too much if I knew what was happening, but there have been no new announcements from the people in charge and I am unsure if it is progressing or not.
Meanwhile I pay my rent simply to have a home place to land in and wonder how long it will remain.

I wish I was rich enough to have my own place, I would love to do some more building and creating. Or that Carmarthen would let Hobbit and I loose on the realm to finish things... *grins
I have even started looking for a plot of land to rent somewhere else, or perhaps a quiet sandbox.... feeling the creative frustration building.

Malakyte has asked me to make her some more animations for the Clerics in Triskele, (I was glad they liked my first one, although I was not totally happy with it. Funny shoulder things happening!) so that is something to get on with I guess.
I just wish I had a roleplay place of my own. (will start looking again soon I think)

The only joy has been some pretend Avatars in the pub, a swarthy lot, who I have had lots of fun chatting to. They are remotely controlled (speech wise) by Draco and I nearly got in a fight with the barmaid the other night, shame she cant move *chuckles.
I must resist the temptation to place a party hat on one of their heads!

Sacred Season

I was reading a bedside book which a friend gave me,(Earth Prayers, from around the world) this morning and came across a poem which has an essence of what I was trying to say with the previous blog. So I thought I would share it.
.......

O sacred season of Autumn, be my teacher
for I wish to learn the virtue of contentment
As I gaze upon your full-colored beauty,
I sense all about you
an at-homeness with your amber riches.

You are the season of retirement,
of full barns and harvested fields.
The cycle of growth has ceased,
and the busy work of giving life
is now completed
I sense in you no regrets:
you’ve lived a full life.

I live in a society that is ever-restless,
always eager for more mountains to climb,
seeking happiness through more and more possessions.
As a child of my culture,
I am seldom truly at peace with what I have.
Teach me to take stock of what I have given and received;
may I know that it’s enough,
that my striving can cease
in the abundance of God’s grace.
May I know the contentment
that allows the totality of my energies
to come full flower.
May I know that like you I am rich beyond measure.


As you, O Autumn, take pleasure in your great bounty,
let me also take delight
in the abundance of the simple things in life
which are the true source of joy.
With the golden glow of peaceful contentment
may I truly appreciate this autumn day

~Edward Hays

A forgotten harvest

Soon my children will be having their harvest festival at school. They will sing songs about the bounty of the earth, tell us to think of those who do not have enough to eat and read poems about Autumn. Parents used to be encouraged to bring food into the school which was collected up and taken to a local old peoples home, but this is no longer the case.
A couple of years ago we collected all the food but the care home didn't want it because it contained fresh veg from some of the parents gardens. I presume this was some sort of health and safety thing, either that or they just didn't know what to do with fresh vegetables.
Any harvest festivals I attend now, seem to consist of lots of tins of baked beans and spaghetti hoops.

It makes me sad that this country just doesn't 'harvest' anymore.
The children sing about the Earths gifts but how many accept (or even understand)them? Harvest is solely for farmers now, and is done from the back of huge machines.
Fewer and fewer people collect apples from the tree's, pick brambles from the wayside, know the fungi to eat or grow their own small harvests.

Something has been lost.
The apples sit and rot under the tree's.

It's not the food, we all have plenty of that, it is the recognition of the Earths seasonal gifts to us all and it is the thankfulness to creation for caring for us in this way.

I wonder how many other 'harvests' we have forgotten?
What else are we forgetting to bring home and be thankful for?
Our health? our friends and loved ones? our gifts in life?

I hope that each of you has a Harvest of your own this Autumn and that it sustains you and you are thankful.


...and if you want some of my apples, I have tons. (this is one basket of three from a single tree, there is only so much apple pie I can make!)

Gory Stories

This past week people have been asking me what I did to my finger and I have taken great delight in telling them.
It has been almost worth the accident just for the fun of watching peoples faces change as I explain what happened. The concerned smiles turn to shudders and winces, and they wonder if they should have asked at all?

But they keep asking...

Humans like a gory story, especially one they can picture doing themselves. Perhaps it's the 'what if?' factor.
They think what if I had done that? how would I have reacted? If I had cut myself?, broken my arm?, crashed the car?, fell off that? would I have fainted?, cried?, stayed calm?... and by thinking these things they get as close as they could to exploring the thing (without suffering the pain) and feel more prepared.
Or maybe its just simple curiosity and the joy of a brief shudder and wince and then a thankfulness that it wasn't them after all.

In any case, you can explore the feelings yourself and have a look at my poor finger, but only if you want too....*hehe
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