Christmas With Shakespeare
Mon Dec 25 2006

 How like a winter hath my absence been
From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year!
What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen!
What old December’s bareness every where!
And yet this time remov’d was summer’s time;
The teeming autumn, big with rich increase,
Bearing the wanton burden of the prime,
Like widow’d wombs after their lords’ decease:
Yet this abundant issue seem’d to me
But hope of orphans and unfather’d fruit;
For summer and his pleasures wait on thee,
And, thou away, the very birds are mute:
Or, if they sing, ’tis with so dull a cheer,
That leaves look pale, dreading the winter’s near.
W.Shakespeare. Sonnet XCVII 

There are always alternatives for those who refuse to go traditional, you’ve just got to see them and take a chance when he’s falling into your hands. I spent my Christmas on a date with Master Will…I wish, I have, of course, but we can only get what we can get. So I went to Startford-Upon-Avon on Christmas. Just to walk around, no particular purpose. It was wonderful. And I must say that among all the cities I’ve seen during Christmas time, Startford by far has got the most beautiful decorations. I can imagine if there was a snow, the place would’ve been like a scene from Christmas Tale. Alas, it wasn’t White Christmas, yet still there was certain magic in the air. I went with friends and they have kindly shared pictures that they took with their camera (Thank you!)

9 Comments
  • From:
    Astrid04 (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Dec 26 2006
    Wow, great pictures! Happy holidays my friend.

    Astrid~
  • From:
    MadMegan (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Dec 26 2006
    Shakespeare.

    What a genius.
  • From:
    IKnowHer (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Dec 26 2006
    Wish you a Merry Christmas and complements of the season. Thanks for sharing your picturs. Those are Great.

    Chris
  • From:
    Pragmatist (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Dec 26 2006
    Lovely way to spend a year-end holiday. That's another place I want to visit. Some day.

    Thank your friends for me for their donation of pictures to your slide show. The place looks very festive.

    Old Will surely had a way with words.

    Shalom
  • From:
    Siaka (Unauthenticated) (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Dec 26 2006
    I enjoyed your entry. The town looks quaint and rather picturesque. I agree that traditions if broken can be fun and in many cases, rather rewarding. And I think it is our enjoyable experiences {collectively} that give life a special meaning.

    I thank you Lana, for your latest comment. I know my purpose, have faith in it, and need not give that up.

    I'm glad you had a merry and festive Christmas. There will be many days like that, I'm sure.

    siaka
  • From:
    Razzenne (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Dec 27 2006
    beautiful my friend
    I knew that your adventurous high spirited you would come up with something enchanting at christmas time

    may you never change my friend

    and may 2007 bring more beautiful magical excursions your way

    the cyber snow has really enhanced this scene ho ho ho
    well I didnt attend midnight mass but I went to the high mass at the cathedral and the sun splattered kaleidoscopic colours through the stained glass windows across the cathedral and I sat on the altar there were some seats placed there and the organist was wonderful playing oh holy night and I looked down to the crown of the church and sought universal mind through a veil of incense so many people celebrate christmas around the globe and I did grope through the darkness and found the evergreen
    then I went to a familly turkey dinner and I felt grateful that my elderly parents were still with me although my mother's health has failed drastically
    and my friends and I walked along the valley admiring the christmas lights and I could feel the great spirit of life iva beneath the snowbanks

    peace be with you and may you have many more magical enchanted christmasses
  • From:
    Razzenne (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Dec 27 2006
    yes I dreamed of Stratford -coincidence?
  • From:
    Razzenne (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Dec 27 2006
    that is the great spirit jiva
    starting off the new year with no typing errors ha ha
  • From:
    Razzenne (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Dec 27 2006
    that christmas tree is transparent
    yes I can see shankespeares spirit ha ha
    I like his metaphor of winter but I like to exalt winter and feel the life beneath the ice
    beautiful presentation my friend