Thursday, January 5, 2017

On the Twelfth and Last Day of Christmas



16 comments:

  1. FT,
    I think that you'll be interested in this -- even though you have a serious blog post:

    today's post in the Old Farmer's Almanac.

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    1. Thank you fr the link. I'll post the article right here for the convenience of all.

      __________________TWELFTH NIGHT __________________

      In the olden days, the festivities of Christmas lasted twelve days, which was the time supposed to have been taken by the three wise men or kings in their journey to Bethlehem. The final evening (January 5) was called "Twelfth Night" and marked the end of Christmas festivities.

      In ancient Celtic tradition ths marks the end of the 12-day winter solstice celebration.

      On this night, it was customary for the assembled company to toast each other from the wassail bowl. In Old English, wassail means "Be in good health," but the term came to be applied to the drink itself (usually spiced ale).

      It was also traditional to cook the most wonderful pastries, cakes, and pies. Some included practical jokes. The "four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie" was no myth. Live birds were placed in a cooked pastry crust. When guests cut into the pie, the birds flew about the room which delighted all.

      A kinder tradition included placing bread soaked with cider in tree branches for the birds to eat.

      In the ancient times of the Roman Saturnalia, the "king of the feast" was elected by beans, and the Twelfth Night cakes included a bean--or, later, a ring or coin. Whoever was given the slice with the prize became the queen and king for the night and much parading and merriment followed.

      In the church calendar, Twelfth Night is the evening before Epiphany (January 6). Because the three wise men (or kings) arrived in Bethlehem bearing gifts for the infant Jesus, Epiphany is also called Three Kings Day, particularly in Spanish culture, and a traditional time of gift giving.

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    2. FT,
      Thank you for doing that. I didn't have time to do so this morning.

      Delete
  2. Wonderful video!

    Uplifting music executed precisely and galactic images!

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    1. It occurred to me just yesterday in the wee hours of the morning that there could be no more fitting way to end the Twelve Days of Christmas than with "The Sound of a Great Amen."

      I have yet to hear of anyone who exceeded Handel in this capacity, have you?

      I am so glad to see that even a few people appreciate this.

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  3. Wonderful! Thanks for posting this, HE is, an; artist, mathematician, musician, biologist, physicist, geologist, astronomer, astrophysicist...etc. etc. It's always gratifying to just stop and contemplate, HIS Workmanship.
    Good morning and G-D bless,

    tmw

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    1. Before the world entered its present militantly godless, egocentric phase I believe most-if-not-all the truly great artists understood that they were acting as "WINDOWS" to let in the LIGHT of the HOLY SPIRIT. The adage "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." may be true on one level, but it is the INSPIRATION that cunts most.

      No dreary cynical materialist could ever have been given the impetus to produce a work like Messiah.

      I suppose you know that Handel, who had already written hundreds of other operas and oratorios, was close to the end of his life when he produced Messiah? He had suffered a stroke, was partially paralyzed and had poor eu=eyesight, YET when the opportunity arose, he wrote the lengthy, highly complex work that is Messiah in just SIX WEEKS.

      Granted he was a musical genius gifted with incredible facility at performing the craftsmanship of capturing brilliant musical ideas "out of the air" and putting them down accurately in paper –– with quill pen on parchment by candle light I might add, –– BUT no sensible person could possibly believe anything like this could ever have been accomplished without the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Ghost, who as you said, is the Author of All that is Beautiful, Brilliant, Energizing, and Good.

      With God all [good] things are possible. Without Him life is apt to be dreary, tedious, enervating and full of mockery, spite, anger and disenchantment.

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  4. Now that the leftwingnutz PC world is coming to a long awaited end perhaps real Americans can begin to voice their opinions in an actual truthful manner.

    Take for instance the issue in Chicago where four black young adults beat and tortured a white retarded teenager for over four hours and posted their actions on Facebook.
    At first the attack was called "childs play." Now the four are being charged with hate crimes.
    It should be interesting to see how the media describe these four animals. Seems to me they are niggers,plain and simple. These four black lives don't matter one bit. These four niggers aren't worth the air they breath.

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    1. I left this depressing set of derisive, wholly negative observations here, because it is the least offensive of many sadly typical of the MAJORITY of would-be "contributors" left here.

      Even if what you say may be factually correct, it isn't a good idea to allow yourself to be habitually derisive, and –– as I must emphasize ALL the TIME ––it is not only RUDE, it is UNACCEPTABLE to post comments unrelated to the content –– and spirit –- of whatever post we happen to offer at any given time.

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  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  6. Loved the vid and the music.

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    1. Believe it or not, Kid, when I was chasing among the various recordings of Handel's AMEN chorus, I thought of you when ths one popped up. The pictures of the "Heavenly Bodies" did it.

      Glad you stopped by.

      HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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  7. Replies
    1. Thanks, Jersey. I do try to counter all the negativity of which we see too much as well as I can, and nothing does that better for me than focusing on great works of Music, Art and Poetry.

      HAPPY NEW YEAR, buddy, and "May The Force Be With You" –– and all of us.

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  8. You sure did!!

    Nice clean up job too.

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    1. Thank you, but I wish you'd give yourself a name –– ANY name would do as long as it's not obscene.

      Why do i say that? Because we get so MANY remarks from "Anonymous" –– most of them irrelevant, unpleasant and undesirable, I might add –– that it would be helpful to be able to distinguish among them.


      You can call yourself PANJANADRUM for all I care. [That has a specific meaning by the way and would not be unflattering in the least. Look it up, and you'll see what i mean. ;-]

      Delete

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