No.5

                                                    A Children’s Poem by Jack Prelutsky

                                                       It’s Hallowe’en! It’s Hallowe’en!
                                                       The moon is full and bright,
                                                       And we shall see what can’t been seen
                                                       On any other night.

                                                       Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls,
                                                       Grinning goblins fighting duels,
                                                       Werewolves rising from their tombs,
                                                       Witches on their magic brooms.

                                                       In masks and gowns we haunt the street
                                                       And knock on doors for trick or treat.
                                                       Tonight we are the king and queen,
                                                       For yes, tonight is Hallowe’en.

The origins of Hallowe’en go back to pre-Christian times when the festival of Samhain (pronounced sahween) marked the end of the year’s “lighter half” and the start of its “darker half.” The Celtic year began on a day corresponding to our 1^st November. This they considered was the beginning of winter, a time when all livestock was made secure and their crops harvested and stored. It was certainly for them the most important occasion in the year.

The Celts believed that at Samhain the border between this world and “the Otherworld” became vague, allowing spirits - some of them evil - to come among them. The evil ones could be chased away by donning costumes and masks, while the good ones - spirits of their ancestors were welcomed into their homes.
Bonfires played an important part in the rituals, and fires in the houses were put out and then re-lit from the bonfire.

A common feature of pre-Christian religion seems to have been the erection of rows of standing stones, similar to the one at Stonehenge in England. This is a photo of those at Callanish on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.

Some years ago Jean and I visited the site during a holiday in Lewis. When our coach arrived at the stones, the driver spoke to us before we alighted and told us that sometimes people had experienced strange sensations there. He asked us to place the palms of our hand on the window, and this we did.
“Can you feel the pane?” he asked.

There are 13 of those stones in a circle, their height varying from 3ft 3inches to 16ft 6inches. Approaching from the north, there’s a long avenue of smaller stones, and there are shorter rows of stones from the east, west and south. The tallest one in the circle stands at the entrance to a burial cairn where human remains were discovered.

Pottery found indicates that the circle was constructed around 2200 BC but it’s thought that buildings of some kind occupied the site before 3,000 BC. Like the more famous Stonehenge, there are various theories about the purpose of the stones.

It has been suggested that the Callanish stones were built as a calendar system based on the position of the moon. Another theory says that the avenue on the north side points to the setting of the midsummer full moon. Some kind of religious purpose is most likely.

There’s a legend on the island that giants once lived there, and that, when they refused to be converted by St. Kieran, they were turned into stone as a punishment.
Another says that at dawn on midsummer morning, a shining figure walks down the north avenue, heralded by the call of a cuckoo.

Once during a famine a white fairy cow came out of the sea and settled in the centre of the circle. She allowed herself to be milked and the villagers were permitted one pailful. However, a witch came and tried to get two pailfuls. She was refused and returned with a sieve and milked the cow dry!

Returning to Hallowe’en, this is a night around which a great many superstitions have grown, and here are just a few of them.

Candles figure quite a bit here. It’s thought that, if a candle goes out suddenly for no obvious reason, there’s a ghost present; if you gaze into a candle flame, you can see into the future; a candle inside a jack o’lantern will keep evil spirits away; candles lit on Hallowe’en should always be new ones.
It’s bad luck to allow your fire to burn out at Hallowe’en. It should be rekindled from the fire in a priest’s house.
If you’re out that night and hear footsteps behind you, don’t look back. It may be Death and you mustn’t catch his eye.
If a girl carries a lamp to a spring of water, she will see a reflection of her future husband.
Anyone born that night can see and talk to spirits.
And surely this must be the craziest of the lot. If you put your clothes on inside out and walk backwards, you’ll see a witch!!!

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Finally, an old Scottish prayer for Hallowe’en -
Frae ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night - the Good Lord protect us aw.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Thanks to  http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/  for the Cartoon Image


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No.4

LOOKING AT SOME PAINTINGS BY SCOTTISH ARTISTS

I found it very difficult to make a choice. Scottish artists have produced so many great paintings, and what you will see here are just a few of my own favourites.

The first one “The Skating Minister” is probably the best known work I’m showing. The artist Henry Raeburn 1756-1823, born in Edinburgh, started off as an apprentice goldsmith, began painting portrait miniatures and then worked in oils in which he was self-taught.

“The Expectant Wee Things” is an engraving by William Miller after John Faed 1819-1902. His brothers Thomas and James Faed were also painters of some note.

This is “Bank Holiday” by William Strang 1859-1921. This artist was born in Dumbarton and studied at the Slade School of Art in London. He was very skilful at etching and created a series of illustrations for Pilgrim’s Progress, The Ancient Mariner, Rudyard Kipling stories, etc.

This engraving by James Caldwell after Gavin Hamilton 1723-1798 is a splendid tableau “Coriolanus Act V Scene 3.”  Hamilton studied in Rome and much of his work was based on Greek and Roman subjects.

This next picture “Afternoon” is by Francis Cadell 1883-1937 who was a left-handed painter. When he was a student, the president of the Royal Scottish Academy told him that no left-handed artist had ever become great. “But sir,” answered Cadell, "didn’t Michelangelo paint with his left hand?” The president turned and left without saying anything. Another student asked him how he knew that. Cadell replied, “I didn’t know, but neither did the president!”

“A Highland Funeral” by James Guthrie 1859-1930. This artist who was mostly self-taught was highly regarded for his portraits.

David Wilkie 1785-1841, when a young man, used to frequent markets and fairs, any place people gathered, and always had his sketch book with him. Later in life he did a great deal of travelling abroad. He was godfather to the son of a friend and the little boy grew up to become a famous novelist - Wilkie Collins. This painting is called “Reading the Will.”

Finally, this is another one by John Faed.  “Tam O’Shanter and the Witches” is based on the well-known poem by Robert Burns.

I am still having problems with the presentation of this blog, but I'm hoping they can be solved before the next posting which should be on Friday 29th October.

***A Touch of Culture***A Touch of Culture***A Touch of Culture***

I HATE COMPUTERS!!!!!

I've been struggling all this week with this blog! My other blogs are working all right, but "A Touch of Culture" has defeated me!

WATCH THIS SPACE - You may read that I've been carted off by men in white coats. . . .

No.3

                      Thomas Hardy 1840-1928 painted by William Strang

I didn’t intimate in advance what this week’s subject would be, for I thought that you might say “Oh no! Not Poetry!” and not bother to look in. However, now that you’re here, you might as well see what I’ve prepared. I’m sure you’ll like it.

Thomas Hardy was born in a little village near Dorchester in Dorset, England. It was the novels he wrote that made him famous and most people will be familiar with those titles - Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Far from the Madding Crowd, The Return of the Native, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure, etc. The plots in most of his stories take place in the fictional county of Wessex.

However, for A Touch of Culture this week I want to give just a few examples of his poetry. He always declared that poetry was his first love, and it’s now reckoned that he was one of the greatest poets of the 19^th century.

I rate very highly the four contrasting poems I’ve chosen. I suggest you read them a few times. It’s also a good idea to read them aloud and enjoy the sound of the words.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

AH, ARE YOU DIGGING ON MY GRAVE?

”Ah, are you digging on my grave,
My Loved one? - planting rue?”
- “No: yesterday he went to wed
One of the brightest wealth has bred.
It cannot hurt her now, he said,
That I should not be true.”

“Then who is digging on my grave?
My nearest dearest kin?”
“Ah, no: they sit and think, What use!
What good will planting flowers produce?
No tendance of her mound can loose
Her spirit from Death’s gin.”

“But someone digs upon my grave?
My enemy? - prodding sly?”
- “Nay, when she heard you had passed the Gate
That shuts on all flesh soon or late,
She thought you no more worth her hate,
And cares not where you lie.”


“Then, who is digging on my grave?
Say, since I have not guessed!”
- “O it is I, my mistress dear,
Your little dog, who still lives near,
And much I hope my movements here
Have not disturbed your rest?”

“Ah, yes! YOU dig upon my grave. . .
Why flashed it not on me
That one true heart was left behind!
What feeling do we ever find
To equal among human kind
A dog’s fidelity!”

“Mistress, I dug upon your grave
To bury a bone, in case
I should be hungry near this spot
When passing on my daily trot.
I am sorry but I quite forgot
It was your resting-place.”

AT CASTERBRIDGE FAIR

These market-dames, mid-aged, with lips thin-drawn,
And tissues sere,
Are they the ones we loved in years agone,
And courted here?

Are these the muslined pink young things to whom
We vowed and swore
In nooks on summer Sundays by the Froom,
Or Budmouth shore?

Do they remember those gay tunes we trod
Clasped on the green;
Aye; trod till moonlight set on the beaten sod
A satin sheen?

They must forget, forget! They cannot know
What once they were,
Or memory would transfigure them, and show
Them always fair. 

THE LITTLE OLD TABLE

Creak, little wood thing, creak,
When I touch you with elbow or knee;
That is the way you speak
Of one who gave you to me!

You, little table, she brought -
Brought me with her own hand,
As she looked at me with a thought
That I did not understand.

- Whoever owns it anon,
And hears it, will never know
What a history hangs upon
This creak from long ago.
 
AT THE RAILWAY STATION, UPWAY

"There is not much that I can do,
For I've no money that's quite my own!"
Spoke up the pitying child -
A little boy with a violin
At the station before the train came in, -
"But I can play my fiddle to you,
And a nice one 'tis, and good in tone!"

The man in the handcuffs smiled;
The constable looked, and he smiled, too,
As the fiddle began to twang;
And the man in the handcuffs suddenly sang
Uproariously:
"This life so free
Is the thing for me!"

And the constable smiled, and said no word,
As if unconscious of what he heard;
And so they went on till the train came in -
The convict, and boy with the violin.
 
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For more information about Thomas Hardy including the mystery about what happened to his heart, visit - http://www.britainexpress.com/History/bio/hardy.htm

**A Touch of Culture**A Touch of Culture**A Touch of Culture**

No.2

balletomane  n - an ardent admirer of the ballet

Yes, that’s a word you don’t come across very often, and you probably don’t know many balletomanes!

Nevertheless, if my blog is going to live up to its name, then ballet must be included in its subject matter.

This kind of entertainment has its origins in the 17th and early 18th centuries in France, especially at the court of Louis IV. Indeed, Louis himself loved dancing and often took part in the performances. However, it seems that dance spectaculars of one kind or another had been a feature of life in royal courts much earlier in both France and Italy.

Because of its beginnings, the language of the ballet has always been French e.g. corps de ballet, pas de deux, grand jeté etc. This contrasts with music where the terms have always been Italian.

From all the many ballet clips available, I’ve selected four. My choice was based simply on the fact that I like them - and they’re short.


First, this is Rudolf Nureyev in “Swan Lake”, music by Tchaikovsky.



A scene from “Les Sylphides” by the Kirov Ballet, music by Chopin.



Tchaikovsky again in this excerpt from “The Sleeping Beauty.”



Finally, William Tuckett and the Royal Ballet in “La Fille mal gardeé” by Ferdinand Hérold.



It’s just possible you’re thinking to yourself - “I could do that!” Well, think no further! Here’s just the thing for you - this website will teach you ballet, and as far as I could see, there’s no age limit !!!
I’ll let you know how I get on!

http://www.discoverahobby.com/learnballet.htm

***A Touch of Culture**A Touch of Culture**A Touch of Culture***

No.1

Welcome to my new blog. This week the subject is art.


What makes a good picture?  Not an easy question to answer.              
                                                   
Is it the subject matter? Or the colours? The light and shade?
        
I read an article lately in which someone said that a good picture is one that you just can’t take your eyes off. Something you see that strikes your soul to the very depths, that opens your eyes and your mind to the beauty of it.                                              

Well, that might be a bit over the top for many folk.

Here are five paintings by the American artist William Merritt Chase 1849-1916.

Chase studied for five years in Munich and returned to teach art in New York. In 1896 he founded his own school of art and is said to have been the finest art teacher in America of that period.

Have a look at his pictures, using full screen. Do any of them have the “wow” factor?

Still Life with Fruit

                                                               

A Long Island Lake

                              

Going to see Grandma

Modern Magdalen

Peonies

So what makes a good picture?

I can’t tell you - but I would suggest that if YOU like it, it’s good! And don’t let anyone tell you different.

This website is worth visiting -
Olga’s Gallery, an online art museum at www.abcgallery.com

Next Friday - We go to the theatre.


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