In all the good Greek of Plato,

I lack my roast beef and potato.

A better man was Aristotle,

Pulling steady on the bottle.

I dip my hat to Chaucer,

Swilling soup from his saucer.

And to Master Shakespeare,

Who wrote big on small beer.

The abstemious Wordsworth,

Subsisted on a curds-worth.

But a slick one was Tennyson,

Putting gravy on his venison.

What these men had to eat and drink,

Is what we say and what we think.

The influence of Milton,

Came wry out of Stilton.

sing a song for Percy Shelley,

Drowned in pale lemon jelly.

And for precious John Keats,

Dripping blood of pickled beets.

Then there was poor Willie Blake,

He foundered on sweet cake.

God have mercy on the sinner,

Who must write with no dinner.

No belly and no bowels,

Only consonants and vowels.

~~Survey of Literature by John Crowe Ransom~~

Barn Story in Painting

This is my favorite hideaway when I want to unwind.

So peaceful and so quiet, isn't it?

You add an old carriage here amongst the bluebells...

Oh, how lovely, peaceful and quiet!..

Allow us to make some noise, my sister and I...picking bluebells...

And let me welcome my playmates....

Hey, it's not a plane, it's a bird...sure I know better

Does it look like the trees on Sleepy Hollow?...No way! I know better!

Hola! Bloggers. Good day! I took a respite from writing to refresh my mind a little bit to give you my barn story. I'm nature's wild child and I think better and write better when nature is all around me....see these....

I can write tons of poems while sitting on this bench ...

and I can be inspired to write a short love story here in Bronte's

Top Withens.

Enough for my literary sensationalism...lol! Nooooooo, can't be coz sensationalism is the dark side of journalism. Sentimentalism is a better word.

I love this!!!!!

God bless one and all!

Sincerely,

Ophelia

IT'S IN THE VALLEYS WE GROW

Hola! Soy Ophelia, your BLOGGER friend! Before anything else, I wish to thank all my Blogger friends who cared to send me thoughtful emails and electronic greeting cards...I sincerely treasure them. I also want to thank my blogger visitors for sending in their comments and suggestions. I am always welcome to all comments or suggestions and opinions and ideas. We all learn from each other's ideas and I really love hearing from you. Now I am again in the mood for spiritual musings and I would like to share with you pieces of my mind.

In life, most often we only tend to look up when we are knocked down flat on our backs...when troubles, fears, worries and sicknesses arise and when life's pressures seem so hard to bear. Honestly, I, for one used to succumb to this attitude but I thank the Lord that He opened my mind to deep spiritual truths that helped me face life as it is planned for us: one day at a time. I must admit that recent pressures almost knocked me down but by God's grace I am meeting life too bravely to be beaten now. With a childlike faith in God and with a stout heart and a cheery face, I face up to pressures without any compromise to remain true to my claim as a chainless soul. Blogger friends and visitors, always remember this..."we can always find a rainbow in every dark cloud and the sparkle of God's love in every tear as He gently leads us home" because.......

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,

Full of sorrow, trouble and woe

It's then we have to remember

That it's in the valleys we grow.

If we always stayed on the mountain top

And never experienced pain,

We would never appreciate God's love

And would be living in vain.

We have so much to learn

And our growth is very slow,

Sometimes we need the mountain tops,

But it's in the valleys we grow.

We do not always understand

Why things happen as they do,

But I am very sure of one thing.

My Lord will see me through.

The little valleys are nothing

When we picture Christ on the cross

He went through the valley of death;

His victory was Satan's loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining

When I'm feeling so very low.

Just give me a gentle reminder

That it's in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord

And use my life each day

To share your love with others

And help them find their way.

Thank you for the valleys, Lord

For this one thing I know

The mountain tops are glorious

But it's in the valleys I grow!

HAVE A BLESSED WEEKEND BLOGGERS!

SINCERELY,

OPHELIA

VALLEY POEM BY JANE EGGLESTON