Oranges and Lemons Rhyme and Art

Weight Watcher

Can you come out to play?

I'll be glad when my due date gets here in two weeks!

Come here so I can give you a squeeze.

Oranges and lemons: lyrics

"Oranges and lemons" say the bells of St. Clement's

"You owe me five farthings" say the bells of St. Martin's

"When will you pay me?" say the bells of Old Bailey

"When I grow rich" say the bells of Shoreditch

"When will that be?" say the bells of Stepney

"I do not know" say the great bells of Bow

"Here comes a candle to light you to bed

Here comes a chopper to chop off your head

Chip chop chip chop - the last man's dead."

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The history and origins of the lyrics - sinister!
The words and lyrics have been much loved by generations of British children. The place names relate to some of the many churches of London and the tune that accompanies the lyrics emulates the sound of the ringing of the specific church bells. The words of the nursery rhyme are chanted by children as they play the game of 'Oranges and lemons' the end of which culminates in a child being caught between the joined arms of two others, emulating the act of chopping off their head! The reason for the last three lines of lyrics are easily explained. The 'Great Bells of Bow' were used to time the executions at Newgate prison, which for many years were done by means of beheading. The unfortunate victim would await execution on 'Death Row' and was informed by the warder, the night before the execution ' here comes the candle to light you to bed' of their imminent fate and to make their peace with God! The executions commenced when the bells started chiming at nine o'clock in the morning. When the bells stopped chiming then the executions would be finished until the following day!

Oranges and lemons rhyme: origins and history

September - The Harvest Moon

September - Harvest Moon

This full moon's name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested.

September brings us the Harvest Moon, also sometimes referred to as the Wine Moon, Full Corn Moon or the Singing Moon. This is the time of year when the last of the crops are being gathered from the fields and stored for the winter. There's a chill in the air, and the earth is slowly beginning its move towards dormancy as the sun pulls away from us.

There are a whole set of traditional names for the various full moons throughout the year. The most famous of these "named" full moons is the Harvest moon. The Harvest moon is defined as the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox.

This year the fall equinox occurred last night on Sept. 22.

September is a month of hearth and home. Spend some time preparing your environment for the upcoming chilly months. Use this time to clear out clutter - both physical and emotional - before you have to spend the long winter days inside.

As the September Moon rises after sunset, this provides extra minutes of light each evening for farmers to work longer hours harvest their crops.

The full moon is particularly appealing at this time of year when it rises just around sunset and hovers low in the southern sky most of the night.

So, once again, eyes up this evening and enjoy this beautiful moon.

photo by peacesojourner

Rupert - Nature's Little Miracle

This tiny deer was delivered by Caesarean section at a wildlife hospital after a car killed his mother. Little Rupert, who is so small he can fit in an adults hand, was born after vets failed in their battle to save his mother.

At just six inches tall and weighing just over a pound, he was in an incubator in the intensive care unit at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire, England.

Rupert's mother had very severe injuries and the vets delivered him and got him breathing, and then he went into an incubator on oxygen. He was fed by a tube.

Tucked up: Rupert in an incubator.

Rupert pulls a striking pose for the camera.

Asleep: Rupert takes 40 winks.

Staff members are optimistic that Rupert, five days old in these photos, will make a full recovery.

"Deer are very, very tricky, but this one has spirit. He's an extremely feisty little guy."

photos by Jeff Moore

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Yet another miracle from Mother Nature.

Sunday Reflection - On the Loss of a Child

Just four months ago I wrote about an eight-year-old boy, Tumaini, who was hit and killed by a car and how his death pulled the community together.

This week, shortly after noon on Wednesday, in front of dozens of shoppers, witnesses say a driver struck and killed eight-year-old Richard Alexander Colon, after hitting him twice and then the driver tried to take off.

On the first day of every month, Antonio Colon took his two grandsons on a "field trip". The outing was not extravagant, just lunch at McDonald's where the family could enjoy each others company. Richard was holding his grandfather's hand when, for unknown reasons, the motorist accelerated in reverse, and the out of control car hit the young boy.

A witness stated "There was a lot of blood, a lot of blood.'

The family said that he looked forward to was the monthly get-together with his grandfather. They called it their field trip. The grandfather had gone over to Tops with Richie to pick up a few things and then get his brother Victor, and they were going to go to McDonald's for lunch. It was their time for bonding.

A memorial outside the store, overflowing with flowers has attracted a steady flow of neighborhood residents who came to the scene to pay their respects.

In the supermarket, which is just one block from my home, workers were accepting donations to assist the Colon family with funeral expenses, as were workers at the M&T Bank branch there. Teachers at Frank A. Sedita Academy also were taking up a collection to help the family.

I drove past the funeral home when the wake was being held. There were hundreds of people in the parking lot and I felt glad to know that Buffalo is the kind of city where people come together in times of tragedy. Everyone wants to help in some kind of way.

In addition to his father and 12-year-old brother Victor II, Richard is survived by his mother, Yeli Colon, and another brother, Jose Cruz Jackson, 18

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There's nothing quite so agonizing as the death of a child. It is ironic that every day of the week, many of us walk out our door and never look back, figuring everything is forever, including our children. Often we are too busy to realize that the most precious things we have also can be the most fleeting.

I have had the experience of losing more than one child and was often filled with questions.

I can tell you that the memories never go away but somehow the pain does reduce itself to a dull ache in the deepest corners of the heart. They are still there in our memories, imprinted alive and fresh with us forever. Their memories are as fresh as the dew, as warm as the first ray of sunlight and as calm as the peacefulness of a cold winter night.

Bible quotes have always been a source of strength and guiding light for me. In times of despair and sorrow, we can turn towards it for peace, wisdom, endurance and courage to face the truth. I personally have found the following passages from the Bible to be of some comfort.

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"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." ~ John 14:1-4

Jesus said "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them." ~ Mark 10:13-16

Ecclesiastes 3:2, a time to be born and a time to die.

Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

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I pray for Richard’s family, and I give a prayer of gratitude for my own life and my family for all of the gifts that we are given unconditionally by a power higher than us.

I also pray for the driver of the car and his family that they will somehow find peace of mind. He states that he experienced a medical problem at the time of the accident.

I share this with you as a reminder that most of us really have very little to complain about and we sometimes forget to take note of the goodness in our lives. The next time that you are feeling low in spirits try counting your blessings.

peacesojourner