Bohemian Rhapsody/Bethlehemian Rhapsody

Do you know that the very popular song "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen is 40 years old today? In our correspondence as pen friends,  Richard told me about the group Queen and I bought their album in 1975.  It was great! My younger brother CONFISCATED it and took it as his own, playing it over and over.  The song "Bohemian Rhapsody" gained even more popularity in the early 1990's from the movie "Wayne's World".  However, it has such stirring music that it is only natural that someone might want to put different lyrics to them.  I think I have told you before that the music was used for a Christmas play with puppets and it was called "Bethelehemian Rhapsody"! (The parody was written by Mark Bradford and he has written others also!) Wouldn't it be nice, I thought, if this same song was used with different images, rather than puppets?  I was pleased to find a video that WAS put together doing just that, using parts from Biblical movies!  I was pleased to see that at the end of it, my old friend, Frank Logue is the one who put that video together!
Now, Frank Logue does not know me, I am sure, but he had the very first blog that I ever read!  Frank Logue is a very interesting person.  He was the Episcopal priest in Kingsland, Georgia but is now an assistant to the Bishop in Savannah, Georgia. (He has a blog called The Loose Canon...just because you are a priest or a canon does not mean you can't be funny too!)  Also, Frank and his wife Victoria have both written books about hiking on the Appalachian Trail, along with other travel books.  I told you he was interesting!

And just in case you can't make out the lyrics, I have another video of the one with puppets WITH the lyrics for you! 
I am sure that everyone will have Halloween things on their blogs today but after all, tomorrow is All Saint's Day! And Christmas is around the corner!  Good day to you all! Don't eat all the chocolate, save some for me!  You can keep the Reese's, I like MILKY WAYS (they are MARS bars in England!)

Sussex By The Sea-Eastbourne

 God gives all men all earth to love,
    But since man’s heart is small,
Ordains for each one spot shall prove
    Beloved over all.
Each to his choice, and I rejoice
    The lot has fallen to me
In a fair ground—in a fair ground—
    Yea, Sussex by the sea!

The above is from a poem by Rudyard Kipling. The photo is a shadow "selfie" of us along the seafront in Eastbourne which is in East Sussex in England! Richard and I walked a lot while we were there, including walking up to Beachy Head...but more about that later.
It has been a bit more difficult to get back to my work-a-day life this week. There is enough energy for my job but little else.  I wanted very much to watch the first game of the World Series last night...I just saw on the news that it went on for 14 innings and lasted until after 1 this morning! Wow! I will call my Dad, I bet HE watched it and will tell me all about it! I do like sports!  I watched the sports news in England and they showed a very close rugby game between Scotland and Australia. I wish I could have seen it!  How many rugby games have I seen in my life? None! However, I have watched enough American football games that I think I can pick up the basics of rugby quickly enough! If you would like to see more about that close rugby game you may read a bit just here.

Hey! McDonald's in England has green signs and uniforms!  Here is one of the few TV ads that I saw while we were there. Am I promoting eating there? No way! I can't think how many years ago I ate there!  Take care everyone...eat healthy foods, get proper exercise and notice the beauty around you! 

What Flower Is This?

Hello!  Richard and I are back in the USA! We have been visiting England for the past two weeks,  I have had limited access on the computer and have not been able to visit all your lovely blogs!  AND for me to have completed as many posts as I did was a  challenge. You wouldn't believe it but the keyboard is different in England than it is in the USA!  For example, the shift key is in a different spot on the left side, so I made myself use the shift key on the right to make all my capital letters! Yes, I know this is fascinating!  HA!
Okay...you know I will be driving you all crazy thrilling you with my stories of our time in England but for this little post...could someone please identify the flower in the photo above?  This flower was mostly white but we also saw it in pink and in one garden, it was a gorgeous yellow.
It is almost seven in the evening in Georgia, but it feels like midnight to me, so ...good night!  And let me know if you know the flower, okay?  Thank you!  

UPDATE: Flower has now been identified!  It is most commonly known as a Japanese anemone or a windflower (anemone hupehensis). Thank you to Meike and Meike's Mum for this!  
   It seems that certain cultivars bloom very late into the autumn which must be the ones that were in the English gardens that we saw!  One of the anemones cultivars is named after "Kriemhilde" and I found this interesting.

"As in a sky all starlit
the moon shines out so bright,
And through the cloudlets peering
pours down her gentle light,
E'en so was Kriemhild's beauty
among her ladies fair:
The hearts of gallant heroes
were gladder when they saw her there."

from a 1904 translation of
Die Nibelungenleid 

Eastbourne Lighthouse- Sailor's Friend

The beautiful red and white striped lighthouse at Beachy Head in Eastbourne, England is no longer in use.  It remains at the base of the cliffs and is often photographed by those who walk over the South Downs. (If you would like to know more about the history of the lighthouses in this area, including Belle Tout which is now a luxury Bed and Breakfast, you may read this book, "The Story of the Beachy Head Lighthouse" by Rob Wassell.)
In past centuries, there are stories of people deliberating using lights to entice ships to wreck upon the coast so as to plunder the ships. (I think I first learned of this practice from a book by Daphne DuMaurier, "Jamaica Inn.") The white cliffs are easily seen in daylight in good weather, but the nights could be treacherous in storms or fog.  Some inhabitants of the area would walk with lights upon the cliff edge or else attach lights to grazing livestock and the ships at sea would think that the moving lights would be another ship and therefore, the water would be safe for passage. By the time they recognized the looming land mass, it would be too late and the ships would run aground. (Of course, not all shipwrecks were  caused by plunderers, but were honestly wrecked by the mariners   not being able to see the shoreline.)
Jonathan Darby became the Parson of Parish of East Dean in 1706. It was his job to bury the bodies of those who had washed up on the shore. He realized that a fixed light was needed and so, incredibly and amazingly, he climbed up and dug a hole into the chalky, crumbling cliff-side and put a light there on stormy nights. (This cave was 20 feet above the high water mark.) He also created a chimney that led up from the coast and made ledges where he could also set the lights.  Parson Darby died in October 26, 1726 and is buried in Friston churchyard with this engraved upon his tombstone: "He was the sailor's friend." 
 This is the kind of person that I admire  - one who sees a great need,  goes straight to work and does something about it! Shining a light, indeed!

Queen Elizabeth/Back To The Future 2

I snapped this photo of Queen Elizabeth from the TV set when I was visiting England a few years ago.  Now, the second that I took this, someone decided the volume needed to be adjusted.  Also, the Queen turned and it looks as if there is a friendly ghost on top of her head!  You do not want to know the bad decisions that I have made in photography but I do think I could write a small book about how NOT to take a photo!  I have several photos of my husband that looks as if his head has been impaled upon a fence, or else a tree or light pole will be growing from the top of his head!
Richard, on the other hand, is a very good photographer...so I just hand the camera to him! Problem solved!!
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Hey! Anybody else notice the date today is Oct. 21, 2015?  That is a date that you might remember from the movie "Back To The Future 2".  I can't tell you how often I watch the news and will say with a sad voice..."Biff's World".  As long as we have people like Michael J. Fox in the world, we will be okay!

Proper Grammar

Hey!  When I am very tired, I am sure I make lots of mistakes in my grammar.  I had a very good English teacher in 6th grade and her lessons will be in my brain forever.  I can't imagine people getting there/their/they're mixed up but they very often do.
The above should be able to help children (and adults) nowadays since zombies are all the rage!
If you want to see a very funny movie...and it does have bad language so it is not for children...you should see "Cockneys Vs. Zombies".  This film had me laughing so hard I almost fell off the sofa!  But hey, that is just me!   REPEAT...not for children!!
Must keep laughing, the zombies will be out soon at Halloween!

The Jungle Book...Another Movie In 2016!

My friends, I know I am driving you crazy about future movies but this one looks really good!  "The Jungle Book" is a book written by Rudyard Kipling and it was made into a Disney movie in the 1960's.  ("I wanna be like you-who...I wanna walk like you, talk like you!...Sorry, I loved the voices and the music!) This newest effort looks like it could just as good.
 Kaa, the Python will be voiced by Scarlett Johansson and to read about it, you would think that a woman's voice is akin to the devil reading the Bible or something. Good Grief, movie critics, get over yourselves!
Interesting to know. Rudyard Kipling married an American and it was in Vermont in the USA that he wrote "The Jungle Book"!  Sad to say that Mr. Kipling had a falling out with his brother-in-law and he and his wife and family moved back to England. He settled in Sussex but had to find a home where his adoring public would leave him in peace so he found a really beautiful house in Burwash, also in Sussex but further inland from the sea. (Okay, it is so far inland that is not far from lovely Kent!)
If you ever get the chance, you should visit there...it is called "Bateman's" and the house and surrounding countryside is lovely. Luckily for us, Richard has a good friend who lives there! Burwash, I mean, not Bateman's! HA!!!  (Dave, if they ever let you live at Bateman's, let me know!!)
When we have visited Burwash, I loved visiting the pub there and knowing that Rudyard Kipling would have walked through those doors!  I think that the pub was called The Bear and the views over the surrounding countryside are breathtakingly beautiful.  Yes, my friends, I know I tell you that a lot but it is true.
Not sure how many movies I have told you about lately but hey, it is my job to find good things in life!  One thing, I saw a movie recently that just impressed me so very much...it was "Far From The Madding Crowd".  I thought it was one of the best films I have seen in years.  
Anybody else seen a movie that you could recommend?

Stone Mountain-In The Sun

Hey!  How in the world are y'all doing? Sorry I have not been able to visit your blogs for a while...I have not been able to get to the internet lately.  Will be able to get back into the swing of things in a couple of weeks, hopefully!

In the meantime, thought you might like to see a few photos of Stone Mountain on a clear, sunny day...these were taken just one week after the rainy photos!

We always keep an eye out for wildflowers. These were very close to the very top of Stone Mountain and as far as we could tell, we were the only ones who paid them any attention. (Mind you, I am not harming them, I just held them with my extremely pale arm to show you the size of the blossoms!)

Remember my last post in the rain?  Richard took a photo of the mountain as we were coming down in the cable car.  Do you see the trailing white mark? That is not water but I suppose the stain from the rain, if you will.  We have read that the minerals that wash off the mountain are very good for all the trees and plant life around Stone Mountain and it must be so...they are beautifully healthy.

Hope that all of YOU are beautifully healthy also!  Hope I will be able to visit all your blogs very soon.  In the meantime, take care and keep looking for beauty! AND listen to music!

Stone Mountain- In the RAIN

Richard and I love to climb Stone Mountain.  We have always been very lucky with the weather.  One cloudy day at the end of August, we had ALMOST reached the top and it began to rain.  It rained and it rained and it rained! There were just a few crazy nutcases brave souls who were on top of the mountain.  And because it was morning, we had to wait a few minutes until the Stone Mountain employees opened the building at the top of the mountain!  Can you see me in the photo below?  The lift was not operating due to the winds and this building
 is usually full of people!

 

The Yellow Daisies were at their peak on top of the mountain, we could only see them from the building. (We saw some on the climb up, but no time to linger over them, we were trying to make the top of the mountain!)

 

 

The wind died down enough that they brought us down in the skylift. The water cascading off Stone Mountain was magnificent!  It might be hard to get a sense of it from the photo but it was like a waterfall and it was beautiful.

Look at that photo above!  That is our lonely car in the parking lot!  This lot is usually packed with cars and they often close it at the weekend! 

Now you have been with us to Stone Mountain in the rain...and you didn't even get wet!

(Don't worry, we got wet enough for all of you!)

 

We have a lot of sunshine in Georgia but we also have our share of rain.  And of course, you know this reminds me of a song.  Doesn't everything? 

 

Elvis FOREVER!

Hey! Why am I just now hearing that there is an Elvis Presley FOREVER stamp?  It came out in August.  Oh wait, I was sick for most of August, so I guess that is why! (For those outside the USA, if you buy a forever stamp you can use the stamp even if the postage rate increases.  Only thing for me, I can't use it on any mail that I send to England because there is no monetary amount posted on it.)
Now, if you notice, there is a tiny gold crown in the space beside where it says "USA".  This is a nod to the fact that Elvis Presley is called the king of rock and roll.  Personally, I wish that they had left that out.  Elvis said there was only ONE King.  (King of Kings and Lord of Lords, in case you are wondering.)  I know that there are many who like to belittle Elvis and the people who like him and I can only say that I always liked him and I always will!

We had a really great Elvis stamp from 1993 and if you live outside the USA,  you might not know that the US Postal service actually gave the American public the choice between two: a young Elvis or an image of Elvis in his later years. As far as I know, this is the only time the Postal Service has ever done this. Well, of course, the younger Elvis was chosen.  (Who comes up with these ideas? What did they think would happen?)
I liked them both but the later one made me sad since I knew he died in his early 40's.  Why couldn't they have done both?  And why doesn't the US Postal Service contact me about these things? You know I would tell them!

      

My Dad really likes Johnny Cash and so, I got some Johnny Cash Forever stamps for him.
You know, I think it is a nice thing to give stamps to people that you care about...something useful but also something that is meaningful to that person!

How about you?  Would you ever think of giving someone a set of stamps?  Or am I just being my usual weird self?  Elvis FOREVER baby!

Finding The Perfect Balance At Arabia Mountain

Sometimes when my husband and I are walking at Arabia Mountain, we will notice that someone has taken the time to place the rocks together in a very artistic way.  We thought that this particular creation looked very nice with the Yellow Daisies surrounding it.

 

You can see a better detail of the stones in the photo above.  Are you amazed at how the stones are positioned here? Look at that one big sharp rock at the right holding up the others...I wonder how long this took for someone to do?  Only one person or several?

Earthlings or aliens?  Who knows? I keep telling you that Arabia Mountain is out of this world!

 

On this same day, we discovered another one.  Richard is convinced that this must be the work of several, we can't see how it could be done by just one person...

 

Here is a closer look...

There is nothing holding these rocks together, they are just perfectly balanced!

And the Yellow Daisies are wildflowers that grow only within about a 50 mile radius of this area. (Some say 30 mile radius.)  Look at that yellow against the grey of the stone! Just gorgeous!

 

 

Many Rivers To Cross-Flooding In South Carolina

Heavy flooding in South Carolina today.  President Obama has just declared it a National Emergency.   If you want to read a blog post from someone who lives there, I have a link to Laurie's blog, you may read it here. 
On a personal note, my stepmother was trying to drive back to Georgia today and her journey required her to come through Columbia, South Carolina. (She had been visiting her family just north of Columbia.)  Once she reached Columbia, she had to turn around, many of the roads were closed, including the interstate highways.   If you look at a map of the area, you will notice that there are several rivers.  Imagine all of them flooded, and you will see why she couldn't make it.  I think I saw on the Weather Channel that they closed 300 roads in Columbia and as I watched it, I was told that a woman was swept away in the flood and had died. (I think that seven have died in the state from the flooding.) Did I also hear that it was thousands that had to be rescued by boat from their homes?  Sorry, I have been a bit worried all day about this, and I could look this up for you, but you all might know more about this than I do!  I spoke with my stepmom later in the day and she made it back to her family's home and is now safe.  I hope that she will not attempt the journey again until she knows for sure that the roads are passable.  My Dad is eager for her to return but the main thing is to be safe! 

There is a phrase that they mentioned several times on the Weather Channel and it is worth repeating...

TURN AROUND......DON'T  DROWN!

The power of water is very strong and the water level can rise very quickly.  If you are driving and see water covering the road, do not attempt to drive any further.  I just saw TV coverage of a man being rescued from the water and there was his large pick up truck half submerged in the water behind him. I am sure that he thought he could make it through in such a large vehicle.  Thankfully, it looked as though he was being brought to safety.

 Also, do not go to view the swollen creeks and flooded rivers after heavy rains. This is just my own personal observation, but there are always accounts of people falling into the swift running water and drowning.

We have had a rainy weekend in the Atlanta area but nothing like the rain that fell in South Carolina...I am praying for all who have been affected by this. 

UPDATE AS OF OCT. 5th-  My step mother made it home safely today.  I spoke with her on the phone and it was such a relief to hear her laughter!  (She has a great sense of humor besides also having a great faith in God.)
  Still praying for those in South Carolina.
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These are some more flowers that I planted from seed...I like the coreopsis turning to the sun!