and this one is from the very heart of me

to the very heart of you (yes you!)

.
Winter was cold and the clothing was thin But the gentle shepherd calls the tune
Oh dear mother what shall I do
First please your eyes and then your ears, Jenny Exchanging love tokens, say goodnight
Lay down my dear sister ,won't you lay and take your rest
Won't you lay your head upon your saviour's breast
And I love you but Jesus loves you the best
And I bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
One of these mornings bright and early and fine
Not a cricket not a spirit going to shout me on
I go walking in the valley of the shadow of death
And his rod and his staff shall comfort me
Oh John the wine he saw the sign
Oh John say I seen a number of signs
Tell A for the ark that wonderful boat
You know they built it on the land getting water to float,
Tell B for the beast at the ending of the wood
You know it ate all the children when they wouldn't be good,
I remember quite well, I remember quite well,
I was walking in Jerusalem just like John
Who would lose and who would bruise
Or who would live quite prettily?
And who would love what comes along
And fill the air with joyous song
Who would go and who would come or who would simply linger And who would hide behind your chair
And steal your crystallised ginger Nebulous nearnesses cry to me at this timeless moment
Someone dear to me wants me near, makes me high
I can hear vibrations fly Through mangoes, pomegranates and planes,
All the same
When it reaches me and teaches me to sigh Who would mouse and who would lion Or who would be the tamer
And who would hear directions clear
From the unnameable namer Who would skip and who would plod
Or who would lie quite stilly
And who would ride backwards on a giraffe
Stopping every so often to laughAmoebas are very small
Oh-ah-ee-oo there's absolutely no strife living the timeless life
I don't need a wife living the timeless life
If I need a friend I just give a wriggle, split right down the middle
And when I look there's two of me both as handsome as can be
Oh here we go slithering, here we go slithering and squelching on
Black hair, brown hair Feather and scale Seed and stamenAnd all unnamed lives that live
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction
Feel the energy projection of my cells
Wishes you wellMay the long time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide you all the way on
...

THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND

the one that got away: oh, dear reader,

I approach today's missive with a heavy heart
.

one of my favourite people will not be joining all my other favourite people for our little bit of festive fun. . . perhaps he feared for the gift that he might be given

(if I'd have had him,
my gift would have been
a polar bear ride thru a forest to watch a meteor shower)

perhaps he's really really busy
.
perhaps he just didn't fancy it

actually, you know, he doesn't even need to have a reason

if someone offers you something that you don't want or need or just don't even want to be offered, you shouldn't be obliged to accept it - should you?

saying "no" is an artform really, just as asking for what you do want or need is

sometimes I wish I'd learnt this earlier in my life - but, hey-ho, one never knows when one is actually going to learn the lesson, does one?
.
and, it all goes to show that at this time of year one should not focus on what one doesn't have, but on what one does. . . and look (right arrow) how many wonderful participants we do have for the festive fun. . .

the e-elf will get to it on Friday