When I was 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around, but when I got to be 21, I was amazed at how much he had learnt in 7 years. (Mark Twain)
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THROUGH THE CAMERA LENS
Thanks to http://www.stumbleupon.com
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WHEN I WAS A YOUNG BOY
Among my prized possessions was a small hand-operated cinematograph (we didn’t have electricity in the tenement.) I had two or three zoo films each lasting about two minutes - one was called Brown Bears and one was about snakes. I also had a cartoon in which a monkey used the heads of other monkeys as stepping stones; this film was a loop and so it went on for ever. My shows were not all that successful, for it would have needed a much stronger lamp to brighten the screen.
I had a small clockwork Hornby train set - an engine, tender, carriages with track and a signal, and a few years earlier I had been the proud owner of a big red wooden engine, probably about 2ft long.
Of course we had games - dominoes, quoits and bagatelle. I’m puzzled about the bagatelle, for all the holes into which the little balls might fall had the names of German towns. The only one I can recall was Magdeburg. Was this game inspired in some way by the First World War?
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Among my prized possessions was a small hand-operated cinematograph (we didn’t have electricity in the tenement.) I had two or three zoo films each lasting about two minutes - one was called Brown Bears and one was about snakes. I also had a cartoon in which a monkey used the heads of other monkeys as stepping stones; this film was a loop and so it went on for ever. My shows were not all that successful, for it would have needed a much stronger lamp to brighten the screen.
I had a small clockwork Hornby train set - an engine, tender, carriages with track and a signal, and a few years earlier I had been the proud owner of a big red wooden engine, probably about 2ft long.
Of course we had games - dominoes, quoits and bagatelle. I’m puzzled about the bagatelle, for all the holes into which the little balls might fall had the names of German towns. The only one I can recall was Magdeburg. Was this game inspired in some way by the First World War?
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POETRY FOR PLEASURE
The Lamplighter
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
From A Child's Garden of Verses
My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky.
It's time to take the window to see Leerie going by;
For every night at teatime and before you take your seat,
With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street.
Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to sea,
And my papa's a banker and as rich as he can be;
But I, when I am stronger and can choose what I'm to do,
O Leerie, I'll go round at night and light the lamps with you!
For we are very lucky, with a lamp before the door,
And Leerie stops to light it as he lights so many more;
And oh! before you hurry by with ladder and with light;
O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him to-night!
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Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
From A Child's Garden of Verses
My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky.
It's time to take the window to see Leerie going by;
For every night at teatime and before you take your seat,
With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street.
Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to sea,
And my papa's a banker and as rich as he can be;
But I, when I am stronger and can choose what I'm to do,
O Leerie, I'll go round at night and light the lamps with you!
For we are very lucky, with a lamp before the door,
And Leerie stops to light it as he lights so many more;
And oh! before you hurry by with ladder and with light;
O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him to-night!
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JOHN’S GALLERY
The Blue Boy
Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788)
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The Blue Boy
Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788)
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MY KIND OF MUSIC
In this video, uploaded by Maxieroyal, there are short clips of dance routines by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The music is "Let's Face the Music and Dance" sung by Nat "King" Cole
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A QUOTE FOR 80 PLUS
A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams. (John Barrymore)
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Next post here - Wednesday 1st February
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Next post here - Wednesday 1st February
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