SkyWatch Friday

What a glorious June Day!

Not a cloud in the sky, all day long...

Blue skies, smiling at me,

nothing but blue skies

do I see....



A deep blue celestial bowl over K Mountain, softening its rugged face.

And in the valley the blue flax reflects the heavenly colour.

ABC Wednesday

T is for Tattoo

"a beat of drum and bugle-call at night, calling soldiers to their quarters" The word tattoo originated with the closing time cry in the inns of the Low Countries during the 17th and 18th centuries - 'Doe den tap toe' - (turn off the taps - encouraging the local inn-keepers to stop serving beer and send the soldiers back to their barracks).

And from that simple, ordinary part of military life comes all the magnificent pomp and ceremony of the many Tattoos held through the world.

They are all stirring, but none as splendid as The Edinburgh Tattoo, the annual Military tattoo given by British Armed Forces, Commonwealth and International military bands and display teams in the Scottish capital Edinburgh.



"2009 sees Scotland’s colourful military musical spectacular celebrate its 60th season, while paying tribute to the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, and playing its part in Scotland’s first ever year of Homecoming".

The Tattoo is set up and run for charity, and over the years it has raised about five million pounds for service and civilian organizations.

Although the Scottish Regiments and Bands perhaps dominate there have been representatives from over forty countries taking part in this marvelous event. The colours and the music and the pageantry from a diversity of cultures make it a truly global affair, and the Scots are fabulous hosts.

The first overseas regiment to participate was the Band of the Royal Netherlands Grenadiers in 1952, along with other performers from Canada and France.

Each evening traditionally concludes with a flag-lowering ceremony (see Beating Retreat), with the bugles either sounding the Last Post, or the "Sunset" bugle call of the Royal Marines, and ends with a floodlit lone piper playing a Lament from high on the Castle ramparts.

The first lone piper was Pipe Major George Stoddart, who played in every performance for the first eleven years and was followed by his son, Major Gavin Stoddart.

It is a poignant performance, - and the bagpipes are a poignant and stirring instrument.

Music Monday

A great guitarist, Joscho Stephan


and thank you to Steven for making me aware of him!!!

Pentecost/Whitsunday

When I was a child we celebrated Whitsunday in the Anglican church. It was traditional to wear white on that Sunday, which fell fifty days after Easter and commemorated the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles. I have a picture of my sister and myself all in white, - was it taken on Whitsunday??

The Anglican Church of Canada was, in those days, very much influenced by the Church of England. Well, it WAS the Church of England, and many of the priests who served the church were young curates from 'the old country'.

Over the years, while I wasn't looking, Whitsunday disappeared from the Church, and the Feast of Pentecost took its place....

Here is what Wikipedia says about Pentecost (in part)

"
There are many Pentecost traditions. In some churches, baptisms are performed throughout the day. Pentecost is also known as Whitsunday, because of the white garments worn by those who are baptized. In most Pentecost services, priests or church officials wear red vestments. Sanctuaries are decorated with banners depicting flames, wind, and doves. Churches in Italy disperse rose petals from the ceiling to symbolize the tongues of fire described in the book of Acts. French churches blow trumpets throughout the service to suggest the Holy Spirit coming with a violent rushing wind. Both Catholic and Protestant services have scripture readings from the books of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Joel, or Acts.


Nothing so glamorous happened at our church this morning.. there were no trumpets, no rose petals falling from the ceiling, no banners, no winds, no doves.

But the Spirit was there. And we read the scripture from Acts for Pentecost.

We sang Christopher Wordsworth's "Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost".

(Two weeks ago in this blog I praised his hymn "O Day of Rest and Gladness". Christopher Wordsworth was a Bishop of London, and the nephew of William Wordsworth)

We had red banners wishing Happy Birthday to the Church....and red flowers on the pews.

And we sang a couple of new United Church hymns acknowledging the Holy Spirit which I played to old familiar tunes so that the singing would be robust and cheerful!!!!

From the Reflection...the words of Peter Davison.

The beauty of Pentecost, the second most important feast of the church’s year after Easter, has its biblical counterpart in the story of Babel, in which God counters human arrogance by causing ‘confusion of tongues’ – the destruction of common language, and the creation of misunderstanding, alienation and fear. At Pentecost, we are told, the Spirit of God moves among the people, the ancient barriers come down, and all are enabled to hear the Good News of God’s healing power. That same Spirit, says Paul in his Letter to the Romans, overcomes our own pain and confusion, giving us the words we need to pray and find new life. In John’s gospel Jesus tells his disciples it is good that he is going to leave them, for only then can the Spirit come and guide them into the truth which will be their vindication in a hostile world. All this underlines the basic theme of Easter and Pentecost as a new creation. Just as, in the beginning, the Spirit of God had moved over the oceans of chaos and brought peace and harmony into being, so now that same Spirit breathes new life into humankind.

At one time we were more celebratory about Pentecost. For a few years we had Red Balloons attached to the pews, making an aisle depicting the flames of Pentecost.

On the altar were seven candles, representing the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Paschal candle was lit for the last time, and then moved to the font, where it would come into its own again for Baptisms.

But we are a combined Anglican and United Church congregation and the old Anglican traditions are somewhat neglected when we have an eager United Church minister, - laid aside until we are once again served by an Anglican priest.

I miss the ritual.....(sigh)

Whitsun Day

When the Day of Pentecost was fully come'

At sound as of rushing wind, and sight as of fire,
Lo flesh and blood made spirit and fiery flame,
Ambassadors in Christ's and the Father's Name,
To woo back a world's desire.

These men chose death for their life and shame for their boast,
For fear courage, for doubt intuition of faith,
Chose love that is strong as death and stronger than death
In the power of the Holy Ghost.

Christina Rossettii