Red/ "Gone From My Sight"

All of these photos are from England except the two flower photos...the large flower is an amaryllis and the small red one is a fire pink which is a beautiful wildflower that grows here.  Why am I thinking of red?  My mother-in-law passed away recently and she left instructions for everyone to wear red at her Memorial service. So, this is just my way of showing this color in her honor.

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Joan wanted the songs "Jerusalem" and "All Things Bright and Beautiful" at her service.   Should I have both songs on here for you? Of course, I will!

Thinking of those who have lost loved ones recently...there is a poem that I wonder if you know.   It is called "Gone From My Sight".  It was written by Henry Van Dyke in the 1860's...

Gone From My Sight

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

Why, you will never guess...the same man who wrote this poem also wrote the lyrics to "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" which is set to the music of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.  

You must know that song! If not, you will now!