Happy New Year!

Santa Haulin Ass!

Christ Child with Saint Nick on Donkey.

More From My Saint Nick and Donkey Collection!

GEORGE MORLAND

GEORGE MORLAND (1763-1804) , English painter of animals and rustic scenes, was born in London on the 26th of June 1763 . His grandfather, George H . Morland, was a subject painter, three of whose popular pictures were engraved by Watson and Dawe in 1769 . The son, H . R . Morland, father of George, was also an artist and engraver, and picture restorer, at one time a rich man, but later in reduced circumstances . His pictures of laundry-maids especially were very popular in their time, and were reproduced in mezzotint . They represented ladies of some importance who desired to be painted, according to the fashion of the day, engaged in domestic work . Morland's mother was a Frenchwoman, who possessed a small independent property of her own; she is believed to have been the Maria Morland who exhibited twice at the Royal Academy in 1785 and 1786, although some writers have stated that Maria Morland was not the mother, but one of the sisters of George Morland . At a very early age Morland produced sketches of remarkable promise, exhibiting some at the Royal Academy in 1773, when he was but ten years old, and continuing to exhibit at the Free Society in 1775 and 1776, and at the Society of Artists in 1777, and then sending again to the Royal Academy in 1778, 1779 and 1780 . His very earliest work, however, was produced even before that tender age, as his father kept a drawing which the boy had executed when he was but four years old, representing a coach and horses and two footmen . He was a student at the Royal Academy in early youth, but only for a very short time .

Merry Christmas to You All!

German Chocolate Mold!

The Saint and His wee Donkey

Donkey and Sleigh!

Saint Nick in regalia!

Santa astride his Donkey.

More from my Christmas collection of Donkey Art.

The donkey in Christmas!

Jolly Saint Nick and his Faithful Donkey!

The real Saint Nick walks with his Donkey!

Palin is so clueless!

Palin is so clueless she was wearing a Democratic Donkey Scarf on the Campaign trail.

No Reindeer!

Carol of the Friendly Beasts

Jesus, our Brother, strong and good,

Was humbly born in a stable rude,

And the friendly beasts around Him stood,

Jesus, our Brother, strong and good.


“I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown,

“I carried His mother uphill and down,

I carried His mother to Bethlehem town;

I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown.



“I,” said the cow, all white and red,

“I gave Him my manger for His bed,

I gave Him hay to pillow His head;

I,” said the cow, all white and red.



“I,” said the sheep with curly horn,

“I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm,

He wore my coat on Christmas morn;

I,” said the sheep with curly horn.



“I,” said the dove, from the rafters high,

“I cooed Him to sleep that He should not cry,

We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I;

I,” said the dove, from the rafters high.



Thus all the beasts, by some good spell,

In the stable dark were glad to tell

Of the gifts they gave Emmanuel,

The gifts they gave Emmanuel.

http://www.ramshornstudio.com/carol_of_the_beasts.htm

The song seems to have originated in 12th-century France, set to the melody of the Latin song Orientis Partibus. The current English words were written by Robert Davis (1881-1950) in the 1920s. ] Burl Ives included the song on his 1952 album Christmas Day in the Morning. Since then, it has been recorded by many other artists, including Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, Danny Taddei, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Sufjan Stevens.

On the Way To Market by Thomas Smythe

This is one of my very favorites by Hans Thoma!

Hans Thoma (October 2, 1839 – November 7, 1924)

Flight to Egypt

Many paintings of donkeys depict the flight to Egypt by Joseph, Mary and the Christ Child.

The Legend of the Donkey's Bray

After hiding in Egypt for some years, Joseph decided to move his family back to Nazareth. During the night they camped along the side of the road. One night while they slept, their donkey heard the soldiers' horses coming from afar. Afraid that the soldiers were coming to kill Jesus, the donkey neighed to wake Joseph. He neighed and neighed, again and again, but his voice was just too soft to wake the sleepers. Finally, as the soldiers approached, the donkey prayed for a loud voice to wake the family. When he neighed again, he was rewarded with the loud bray such as donkeys have had ever since.

Nearly freezin my ass off in NY

This painting was done by Thomas Cooper.

It has been snowing almost every day for since the week of the election. This is crazy and it's been quite cold. I have been hauling wood and burning it at a frightening speed for so early in the season.

Harod and the Cock

This is a traditional English Folk Ballad about the Christ Child

1. There was a star in David's land,
In David's land appeared;
And in King Herod's chamber
So bright it did shine there.

2. The Wise Men they soon spi-ed it,
And told the King a-nigh
That a Princely Babe was born that night,
No King shall e'er destroy.

3. If this be the truth, King Herod said,
That thou hast told to me,
The roasted cock that lies in the disk
Shall crow full senses three.

4. O the cock soon thrusted and feathered well,
By the work of God's own hand,
And he did crow full senses three
In the disk where he did stand.

Back in '92

This is Banjo. He now lives with the Kents near Panama, NY. He is a guard donkey now. We enjoyed him for many years. This picture was taken in Chautauqua at a Clinton Rally.

Sam does his bit!

I can't sleep I want to go to the Polls Now!

Get ye to the polls!

I am a Obamacrat!

Democratic donkey

The now-famous Democratic donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson's 1828 presidential campaign. His opponents called him a jackass (a donkey), and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the Democratic donkey in newspaper cartoons and made the symbol famous.

Milk Weed Pod or Donkey's Ear?

A Fern in the Goldenrod

Indian Summer

Lyric night of the lingering Indian Summer
Shadowy fields that are senseless but full of singing.
Never a bird, but the passionless chant of insects,
Ceaseless, insistent.

The grasshopper's horn, and far off, high in the maples
the wheel of a locust leisurely grinding the silence
Under a moon waning and worn and broken,
Tired with summer.

Let me remember you, voices of little insects,
Weeds in the moonlight, fields that are tangled with asters,
Let me remember you, soon will the winter be on us,
Snow-hushed and heartless.

Over my soul murmur your mute benediction
While I gaze, oh fields that rest after harvest,
As those who part look long in the eyes they lean to,
Lest they forget them.

- Sara Teasdale - from Rivers to the Sea

Willy enjoys Indian Summer.

Tom's Molly Mule

This lovely mule belongs to my hay guy.

From the Mouth of the Ass...

It sure feels good enjoying the cool crisp Autumn sunshine and savoring the last days before the snow comes. Here in western NY we don't feel the push and pull of Wall street nearly as much as we feel the change in the seasons and the wind that comes from the west across the tops of the ridges between us and Lake Erie. When I tell new friends on line I live in New York they always think I live close to New York City. The "Big Apple" is 400 miles away and culturally as far as Asia. That big apple has had a big old green worm drilling under its flesh for a long time and it was just a matter of time before its ugly head broke through the rosy skin and exposed itself. The culture of greed has been festering for a decade at least. Please someone tell me what is the difference between gaming on the Seneca Reservation and playing the stock market? I don't see it. Why should the foolishness of the Investment Banks and Wall Street dictate to those of sound mind living in America and working and doing their part as citizens? I say reform needs to go far deeper than some safe guards to keep Banks from going astray again. I think the economy needs to be weaned from the volatile stock market. Let's hope it doesn't take another great depression for America to come to its senses.

THE CORPORATE CURSE How business culture dragged America down with it
http://prorev.com/corporate.htm

Country Women

A New Civil War in America????

Blue Christian on a Red Background is a very interesting Blog I enjoy reading. I do not agree with all of Jon's views but he comes across as a man who walks in love. Its right here on Blogspot so you can slide right over there and read it. http://bluechristian.blogspot.com/
There is a culture war going on in this nation that is as potentially destructive as the Civil War was. In many ways this is a second civil war we are living. It is a war on truth and the constitution as well as a war on the middle class. This election coming up is probably the most important one of my life time. There is too much hate and bigotry in this nation. I read this Blue Christian blog regularly. This blog is not a bad thing to read each day and meditate on it. The election is nearly upon us. I know few minds will change this late in the game. I will pull that lever with joy and not fear when I vote and I will be voting for something positive not negative. FDR said the only thing to fear is fear itself and that is very true! Obama is looking forward and McCain is looking backward. Its an easy choice for me.  
“Be patient and you will finally win, for a soft tongue can break hard bones. (Proverbs 28:13)”

Great Video on the Donkey's Bray!

The Fouth on our Farmette

Summer is really here!

Summer it Here!

Lovely painting by Myles Birket Foster

Myles Birket Foster

Greetings and Joy to you on this Pentecost Sunday!

Jack in the Green

HASTINGS, England:
JACK IN THE GREEN FESTIVAL 2008
 
This looks like great fun!

http://www.hastingsjack.co.uk/main.html

http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/479/Video--traditional-Jack-in.4054059.jp

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pg23/2469090690/

It's Derby Day!

Big Brown backed up his trainer's boasts with a spectacular finish, winning the 134th Kentucky Derby. The unbeaten colt took the lead when the 20 horse field turned for home. Under the amazing Kent Desormeaux, he ran to a 4¾ length victory. Big Brown is only the seventh unbeaten Derby winner with his fourth consecutive win. The last one was Barbaro in 2006. For half-assed racing follow this link:
http://www.muleracing.org/

Leisure by W. H. Davies

 

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

W. H. (William Henry) Davies 1871 -1940

May Day Carol

I've been a-wandering all the night
And the best part of the day
Now I'm returning home again
I bring you a branch of May

A branch of May, my love, I say
Here at your door I stand
It's nothing but a sprout, but it's well budded out
By the work of the Lord's own hand

Take a bible in your hand
And read a chapter through
And when the day of judgment comes
The Lord will think of you

In my pocket I've got a purse
Tied up with a silver string
All that I do need is a bit of silver
To line it well within

My song is done and I must be gone
I can no longer stay
God bless you all both great and small
And send you a joyful May

May Day is Here!

On May Day eve, folks once went into the woods to collect branches and "go a-Maying." In the morning, they would emerge and the men would bring a live hawthorn tree to the village to make a maypole. Everyone from the highest-ranking official to the lowest peasant participated in the celebration as equals. The holiday evolved and now May Day, which once represented the beginning of summer, life, fertility and renewal, is now celebrated in most countries as International Labor Day. The most common folk name we have for the Hawthorn is the May Tree. The may blossom appears on the tree at the beginning of May in the south of England, at the time of the Beltane or May Day celebrations, when people and houses were decked with may blossoms ("bringing home the May"). The popular rhyme "Here we go gathering nuts in May" is thought to have been sung by the young men, gathering not "nuts" (which do not grow in May) but "knots" of may blossoms for the May Day

The May Pole

May Day is traditionally a day of great merry-making - the most well-known celebration being dancing around the maypole. The ribbon-plaiting dance we know today only began in the 19th century. Before that people used to dance in a ring around a large pole.

Another custom was for young men and women to go out on May Day Eve to collect may (hawthorn) blossom, flowers and blackthorn blossom. A young girl was elected Queen of the May and she presided over the May Day celebrations, which included mumming, morris and molly dances. Gingerbread was traditionally eaten on this day.

In Padstow in Cornwall two hobby horses dance through the streets. The Padstow May Carol is sung to welcome the summer.

The fair maid who, the first of May
Goes to the fields at break of day,
And washes in dew from the hawthorn tree,
Will ever after handsome be.

Soon the apple will bloom!

May Day or Beltane

 

The earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian Europe, as in the Celtic celebration of Beltane, and the Walpurgis Night of the Germanic countries. Many pre-Christian indigenous celebrations were eventually banned or Christianized during the process of Christianization in Europe. As a result, a more secular version of the holiday continued to be observed in the schools and churches of Europe well into the 20th century. In this form, May Day may be best known for its tradition of dancing the Maypole and crowning of the Queen of the May. Today various Neopagan groups celebrate reconstructed (to varying degrees) versions of these customs on 1 May.

The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian European pagan cultures. While February 1 was the first day of Spring (season), May 1 was the first day of summer; hence, the summer solstice on June 25 (now June 21) was Midsummer. In the Roman Catholic tradition, May is observed as Mary's month, and in these circles May Day is usually a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this connection, in works of art, school skits, and so forth, Mary's head will often be adorned with flowers. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbors' doorsteps.

Happy May Day Tomorrow!

The Chimney-Sweepers: A Town Eclogue

Dingy:

Last May-day as I skipp'd the garland round,

Cheer'd by the merry hurdy-gurdy's sound,

I look'd, methought, with an unusual grace,

For Moll herself had wash'd and chalk'd my face.


Sooty-dun:

That happy day I never shall forget
The jack-ass that I rode did so curvet,

He brayed for joy - say cou'd the beast do less?

The knots on his rump were tied by Bess.


-1773 (Anon.)