Diddily and the Dee-Dot's : Blog

Diddily and the Dee-Dot's : Blog: "-

CROESO I CYMRU

SUNRISE IS GOLDEN IN MY MOUNTAIN HOME.

DAYBREAK IN JANUARY

I woke at half past six today
And all outside was misty grey,
As if it still were really night
And just pretending to be light.
I only just could see the lawn,
And everything looked fast asleep;
And then I saw a something creep
Across the garden soft and slow--
It was the shadow of the dawn!
And as I watched and saw her pass,
Her dress was trailing on the grass;
She paused and seem to hesitate
Then glided through the little gate -
And then the cock began to crow.
And when she'd gone as clear as clear
I saw the trees and garden here,
And sad brown earth where things will grow
When Winter's dead, Mum told me so!
I saw the tiny apple tree
Which Daddy's given all to me,
I saw the house across the way;
And as I looked at it I heard
The twitter of a tiny bird,
And so I knew that it was day.

I wish this had been written by myself, but it wasn't.
It is titled "Daybreak in January." and it was written by
Almey St. John Adcock.over a hundred years ago.
THERE IS MORE TO COME BUT I WILL BE PUTTING IT IN
"DODIES DREAM WORLD." TOMORROW, DON'T MISS IT. IT'S FABULOUS.
http://dodiesdreamworld.zoomshare.com/

Chinese Wisdom from the Willow Pattern at www.diddilydeedot.zoomshare.com/

 DR. DO-DIDDILY AND THE DEE-DOT'S

First a Little bit of Chinese Wisdom.

          In a small town in China, four merchants joined in furnishing a small shop, which they stocked with cotton goods. To keep the mice from gnawing their stock they obtained a cat, and in order to keep the equal division of their property, they agreed that one quarter of the cat should belong to each partner, the quarters being distinguished by the separate paws in which they ended.

          One day the cat hurt her left fore-paw, and the owner of that special quarter carefully wrapped the paw in cotton wool soaked in oil.  Unfortunately the cat went too near the fire, and the cotton wool caught the flame, and the cat running into the shop, the bales of cotton were set on fire, and the cat, cotton, and shop were soon reduced to ashes.

          The three partners who owned the cat's sound paws now brought an action against the owner of the injured paw to recover the value of their property. The magistrate, after carefully considering the case, gave the following decision.

'The cat certainly could not use the injured paw to walk on, therefore it was the three sound paws which took the cat to the fatal fire, and from there into the shop where the cotton was. These three paws were consequently the cause of the whole trouble, and their owners are obliged to compensate the owner of the injured paw for the loss he has sustained.' 

There must be a Confucian  Saying to this quandary but I don't know one off hand.

Uproar in Heaven

1960s Chinese Animation Movie.
Not much dialogue, and I have no English subs.

There is a new Polish Fairy Tale at Diddilydeedots. It is called Princess

Dr Do Diddily and the Dee Dot's
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EUROPE -POLAND

PRINCESS SPRING - MAIDEN
adapted from Glinski's Fairy
Tales
Antoni Józef

Gliński

       
Shebor, the King of all the Woods, had an only child. Her name was Veosenka
which in Polish meant little Spring Maiden.
The name had been given her at her christening, and perfectly described the beauty of her body and her soul.

Her eyes were as blue as the sky and shone with a gentle tranquillity that nothing could disturb.
Her hair was like spun gold so bright
and shiny that it could  have been made from the rays of the sun.
  Her lips were like rose petals and her teeth as white as the flowers
of the lily of the valley. The blush on her cheeks came from the kisses of each
dawn.
      It was said that the even the nightingale fell silent when Veosenka began to sing;  Bees envied her, for the taste of honey on her breath.
      Little wonder was it then that the king loved her more deeply than anything else in the world. Or that his one desire in life was to make sure no harm  came to his beloved child.
It became law that the princess must be guarded from all dangers or sorrows,
happiness was to be the rule of the years she lived.  All these were kept away from her.
    And so this it how it was; Princess Spring Maiden lived in a world surrounded by beauty and goodness, happiness and joy with out pain or neglect.
In fact it was forbidden to even tell the princess that she could cry, or that there were people so poor living close by, anything that the king thought would upset her she was never told about.
Why he even ordered that all the fairy tales that were read to her had nothing but goodness in them from beginning to end.
Her life, in fact became one long fairy tale free from all the cares of the outside
world.
    However, all was not so easy to hide, like the gardens and the flowers in them that were never allowed to go to seed lest the Princess saw that they lost there beautiful colour and scent, no broken branches, nothing to show that there was cruelty and death in the world.
 So we have a beautiful princess who never lost her smile , or her sparkle, her life was one of contentment and joy.
Everything that the king commanded was obeyed throughout the whole
of the kingdom.
     
But alas not even a princess can be protected from all of life's elements and one day as Veosenka was strolling through the flower beds, looking as beautiful as ever in her pale rose gown, her thoughts full of beautiful music her nose full of the smell of roses and lilies,  she failed to notice just how far she had wondered away from the palace close. Each valley passed  beneath her feet; the morning was beautiful, bright sunshine kissed the ground, the dew upon the ground glistened like diamonds and the birds twittered in the trees.
All was good . . . . all was silence
save for the song birds . . . . all was quiet.
    
    Suddenly Veosenka's attention was attracted by the rustle of wings. She looked up and there above her  flying as fast as it could was a white dove. It was fleeing
from a hawk that seemed to be chasing it.
For a moment the dove hovered hesitantly high above the princess's head as if it was looking for help; but it was  then the hawk's cruel beak struck its deadly blow. The bird whimpered faintly and fell to earth, splattering Spring-Maiden's feet
with drops of blood.
      Quickly she ran and knelt down by the bird, it lay there shaking, shivering its eyes full of pain began to grow dim, its beak opened one last time then closed forever. Its wings flexed  as if he was still trying to escape .... it moved no more.
      Veosenka shook her head from side to side. "What was wrong with it, why doesn't it move?

Tears began to fall down the Princesses face, yet she knew not why.
Its tiny head is crushed; its eyelids closed, there was blood everywhere? Death was all around her, yet she couldn't understand why she was wrong . She jumped up and began to run across the valley back to the palace.

But this day was not over, the  princess protected  from life was only just beginning her adventure into the world.  Still running she gasped as she almost trod on a small owl, who was sitting on the side of the path, although frightened by her, he made no attempt to move.

    "Dear Owl!" cried the princess, "What is the matter with you  ?"
"I am afraid my wings are twisted, a horrid boy caught hold of me and twisted them," cried the owl! "Oh my how they hurts. I was trying to get to the safety of your garden. Please do help me  Spring Maiden."

      Veosenka bent down and gathered the owl into her chest,  in the owl's eyes there was pain and suffering, and  yet in Veosenka's eyes there was compassion. She continued walking swiftly towards the Palace.
But she had not gone far when she was stopped again, this time by a Raven, huge and black his small eyes glittering in the sunlight.
He was sat on a branch directly in her path, she noticed that although his eyes were glittering he seemed very gloomy. Veosenka stopped transfixed

   She spoke to the bird in her gentle voice . " I do not think I know of you Raven. Yet now you have flown in to sit on a branch in my garden.
You hold me with your glittering stare. What is the matter ?
Where have you come from ?"
   The Raven croaked, shook his great head and in his hoarse voice began:-

"I journeyed here from country -
Not lands where scented flowers are.
I come from battle fields of doom
Where Death sets iron guns a boom.
Where thousands newly dead are lying
Beside their brothers, wounded, dying.
Shadowed with smoke the sun o'er-head
Peers down upon the field of dread,
Here on the wind no song is borne;
No gardens here for those who mourn,
But mothers, children, weeping sore
For dear ones whom they'll see no more,
Dead their tattered flag beside,
While the victors' shout rings far and wide-"

"Alas ! Alas !" cried Veosenka, shocked at his words and sorrow. 

The raven peered at her intently, and croaked,

"What !  - What ! Are you suffering too. ?"

 "Suffering, what do you mean suffering ?" she asked him in a frightened voice. .

"I mean exactly that, are you suffering also !" The raven looked at her in amazement  "What I mean is, if you are suffering, then you are at last beginning to live ," croaked the big black bird nodding his head.
"Heed my words." he added then he spread his wings and left the tree and the palace gardens.

     
  

Veosenka gazed around the royal gardens, nothing had changed, and yet it did seem like there were fewer colours, fewer smells, maybe even less sunshine.
She turned towards the running fountain, but it sounded more like falling tears.
The nightingale began his song, but now there seemed to be a slight whimper in his song.
    For the first time in her life Princess Spring Maiden frowned, a puzzled look
on her brow. She stood there for a long time, taking in the words of the raven, trying to understand there meaning.
 
"Suffering, to suffer means to live !" she exclaimed  "And to live means to have  some suffering!"
Then she opened her eyes, only  this time they were understanding, once more theywere their normal blue, tranquillity had once more filled her mind.
"There is suffering, yes ! but each one of us can soothe away the pain of those
who suffer and bring comfort where there is sorrow."
A smile crossed her rose lips.  "It is therefore important to know how to feel
suffering, as surely as one can bring  comfort and help to each other.
   She smiled down at the owl, who now sat comfortably in her open hands, the warmth that flowed from her understanding, had cured his cramp to vanish and he lifted himself gently from her hands and he too, took to the sky.

      And what of Princess Spring  Maiden, her experience of being happier than ever before , which was due to feeling sorrow was now fulfilled, and no longer
would she have to walk in her royal garden from which sadness and sorrow had once been banned.

This Sunday is Fathers Day. So here from Kaboose and Seligor's Castle are two lovely cards for his special day.

PASTIMES 4 U 
More great help for father's day from Kaboose
http://crafts.kaboose.com/
DON'T FORGET THIS SUNDAY JUNE 20TH
IT IS FATHERS DAY AND TIME FOR YOU TO MAKE
DAD A GREAT CARD AND MAYBE A GIFT.

What you'll need:

   8"x10" piece of light cardboard (cereal box, etc)      
1 sheet green construction paper
9 shiny pennies
Green fine point marker
Pencil with eraser
Blue fine tip marker
Scissors
White craft glue
Glue stick
     

   How to make it:
          

1. 
   Fold the green construction paper and cardboard in half like a greeting
   card. Place the cardboard on the inside of the green construction
   paper, lining up the fold lines. Use a glue stick to attach the
   cardboard to the construction paper. (See photo.)
        
2.   Trim off the excess paper if needed. (See photo.)
        
3. Use pencil to lightly write "DAD" across the front of the card, leaving about 1.5" space underneath. (See photo.)
        
4. Use green fine point marker to draw dollar signs on "DAD" letters. Erase any pencil marks that might show through. (See photo.)
        
5. Use white craft glue to attach a penny to each corner of the D's, where
   the curve meets straight lines, and at the center of the curve. Glue a
   penny to the top of the letter A, and two at the bottom. (See photo.)
        
6.  Write, "You're worth every penny!" underneath "DAD" with blue fine point marker.
    

   Tips:

       

1. The pennies add quite a bit of weight to this card, so even card stock
   or poster board is not sturdy enough, be sure to use the cardboard or
   your card will not stand freely.
2.  For a lightweight card, make photocopies of the pennies and cut them out and glue them on, instead of the real thing.

   

               

More great help for father's day from Kaboose

PASTIMES 4 U
http://crafts.kaboose.com/

DOES YOUR DAD LIKE FISHING

            Does your Dad love fishing ?
           If so, he'll love this homemade
                    Father's Day card
                 featuring a pair of fish --
            and a healthy
dose of creativity!

  
           

What you'll need:

• 1 sheet of blue construction paper        
       
• Patterned paper (stripes, polka dots, etc)       
       
• Scraps of yellow and green construction paper       
       
• Toothpick     
         
• 3" string       
       
• 2 medium wiggle eyes       
       
• Scrap of tan felt or paper       
       
• Scrap of white paper        
       
• Hole punch      
       
• Pen or pencil       
       
•   Scissors      
       
• Glue stick       
       
• White craft glue
              

 How to make it:


 Fold the blue construction paper in half like a greeting card, set aside. (See photo.)

Draw a letter D on a piece of card and with mum's help make a template.

Pencil draw the "D" onto the paper being used for the two fish and cut out.

Cut out one tail triangle and two smaller fin triangles (See photo.) from the yellow
construction paper. Repeat same with the green construction paper.
 

Use a glue stick to attach the tail and fins to the fish by gluing to the
back of the D shaped patterned paper. (See photo.)     

1. Cut the pointed ends off of the toothpick. Tie the string to one end of
   the toothpick and trim one end. This is your fishing pole letter "A". (See photo.)
    
2. First place your fish and your fishing pole (D A D) onto the front of
   the card. Once you have them where you want them, use the glue stick to
   attach the "D's" and the white craft glue to attach the "A". (See photo.)
3. 
    Glue on wiggle eyes and use a sharp pencil to draw a hook at the end of the fishing line. Let dry completely.

     Tips

While patterned paper is cute, you can also have children make their
own by colouring white paper with markers or crayons and cutting out
your D's.

Use card stock instead of construction paper for a sturdier card.

Don't throw away any scraps, cut or tear them into small squares and
keep in a zipper gallon bag for future projects. Great for mosaics

Li Po. Chinese poet and lover of wine. A wonderful writer of words on pages and still read all over the World

 THE WILLOW PATTERN

Li Po

Li Po (701-762 CE) was a native of Sezchaun, China. He left home to live in the
mountains with a religious recluse and then took up the occupation of wandering
poet. Throughout his life he produced an abundance of poems on nature, wine,
friendship, solitude, and the passage of time. He has since become recognized by many as the greatest of the highly talented array of Tang poets. In 742 his poetry found great favour at the imperial court. However, accusations of
malicious satire caused him to retire to the mountains. He later becoming involved in a major revolt and was imprisoned under sentence of death, commuted to perpetual banishment. He was a poet who caught the nuances of the human experience of
nature and of human friendship. Li Po, whose addiction to wine was legendary, is a poet of the spirit, and his verses go deep into the human mind, even going beyond consciousness.

I think this is shown in this wonderful poem aptly named;Before the Cask of Wine! Enjoy

Before the Cask of Wine

The spring wind comes from the east and quickly passes,

Leaving faint ripples in the wine of the golden bowl.

The flowers fall, flake after flake, myriads together.

You, pretty girl, wine-flushed,

Your rosy face is rosier still.

How long may the peach and plum trees flower

By the green-painted house?

The fleeting light deceives a man,

Brings too soon stumbling age.

Rise and dance

In the westering sun

While the urge of youthful years is yet un-subdued!

What avails to lament after one's hair has turned white

like silken threads?

Throughout his life he produced an abundance of poems on many different subjects—particularly nature, wine, friendship, solitude, and the passage of time. He has since become recognized by many as the greatest of a highly talented array of Tang poets.
He stayed for a few years in various places, travelled extensively, and became for a time one of the Six Idlers of the Bamboo Valley, who celebrated wine and song in the mountains of Chu-lai. All this did not provide a
satisfactory existence for his first wife, who left him with their two children. He appears to have married three times.
Li Po entered the capital, Chang-an, in about 742 and his poetry found great
favour at the imperial court. However, court plotters found a way of
demonstrating that one of his poems was a malicious satire.
Li Po found it prudent to retire to the mountains again, and then wandered around China for about ten years, becoming involved in a major revolt. He was imprisoned under sentence of death, which was commuted to perpetual banishment to the south west region of the empire

He had a strong imagination that was easily set off by music and wine, both of which received praise in his poetry. He became a Taoist and some of his poetry, such as Chuang Tzu And The Butterfly, reflects this. At the same time, he remained a poet who caught the nuances of the human experience of  nature and of human friendship. He was a close friend of the poet Du Fu, to whom he addressed the following lines:

Chuang Tzu And The Butterfly

Chuang Tzu in dream became a butterfly,

And the butterfly became Chuang Tzu at waking.

Which was the real—the butterfly or the man ?

Who can tell the end of the endless changes of things?

The water that flows into the depth of the distant sea

Returns in time to the shallows of a transparent stream.

The man, raising melons outside the green gate of the city,

Was once the Prince of the East Hill.

So must rank and riches vanish.

You know it, still you toil and toil—what for?

I would like to thank the web site below for all this amazing information and the poems. I love the two poems I have chosen from the very many more that came from the brush of Li Po. If you ever get the chance to acquire a copy of  his works, please don't hesitate to buy  it. You will never be sorry for each poem or verse, be it a couple of lines or an epic like "The Ballad of Ch'ang-Kan (sometimes known as the Sailor's Wife.)

Just take a tip out of Li Po's book and sit with a glass, or two, of wine in a comfortable part of the garden or sunny room and read your time away.

http://www.humanistictexts.org/LiPo.htm

Eight beautiful picures of old Russia, pre 1900. Enjoy they are beautiful.

HERE ARE SOME BEAUTIFUL, OLD PICTURES 
FROM RUSSIA

May we wish all our visitors a Happy Easter. This is our small contribution. Seligor, Diddily-Dee-Dot and Dodie. and everyone else who visits the Castle.

                         THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER

GOOD FRIDAY
 

















EASTER SUNDAY













Then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. ..St. Mark 16 . Verse 19