- Published on
My Magic Shell
Pink shells, white shells, and
shells colored blue;
Smooth shells, crinkled shells,
old shells and new;
Striped shells, and plain
shells lift by the tide;
My shell is magic - the sea
sings inside.
by Author Unknown
Pink shells, white shells, and
shells colored blue;
Smooth shells, crinkled shells,
old shells and new;
Striped shells, and plain
shells lift by the tide;
My shell is magic - the sea
sings inside.
by Author Unknown
- Published on
Here we see some of the basic elements of nature: water, rocks, feathers, and fur.
Wild Beasts
I will be a lion
And you shall be a bear,
And each of us will have a den
Beneath a nursery chair;
And you must growl and growl and growl,
And I will roar and roar,
And then - why, then - you’ll growl again,
And I will roar some more!
by Evaleen Stein
“To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.” -Helen Keller (Helen Adams Keller (1880 - 1968))
“There are sharks in the water, bears in the woods, and snakes in the grass - watch your step.” -Author Unknown
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.” -Anne Frank (1929 - 1945): “The Diary of a Young Girl” (1952)
“Life is a struggle, and all creatures great and small have evolved in fantastic ways to survive in this struggle. It is not necessary to travel to exotic places to enjoy nature. Every backyard woodlot or neighborhood stream abounds with living creatures with interesting stories to tell.” -Author Unknown
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” -William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616): “Troilus and Cressida,” iii, 3
“Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another.” -John Muir (1838 - 1914): “Our National Parks” (1901), Chapter 3, last paragraph
Wild Beasts
I will be a lion
And you shall be a bear,
And each of us will have a den
Beneath a nursery chair;
And you must growl and growl and growl,
And I will roar and roar,
And then - why, then - you’ll growl again,
And I will roar some more!
by Evaleen Stein
“To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.” -Helen Keller (Helen Adams Keller (1880 - 1968))
“There are sharks in the water, bears in the woods, and snakes in the grass - watch your step.” -Author Unknown
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.” -Anne Frank (1929 - 1945): “The Diary of a Young Girl” (1952)
“Life is a struggle, and all creatures great and small have evolved in fantastic ways to survive in this struggle. It is not necessary to travel to exotic places to enjoy nature. Every backyard woodlot or neighborhood stream abounds with living creatures with interesting stories to tell.” -Author Unknown
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” -William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616): “Troilus and Cressida,” iii, 3
“Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another.” -John Muir (1838 - 1914): “Our National Parks” (1901), Chapter 3, last paragraph
“People often consider their positions in society, but we each also have our place in nature. Even our human civilization exists within nature, and can exist nowhere else.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
“My recollection of a hundred lovely lakes has given me blessed release from care and worry and the troubled thinking of our modern day. It has been a return to the primitive and the peaceful.” -Hamlin Garland (1860 - 1940)
“You can’t be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet.” -Hal Borland (Harold Glen ‘Hal’ Borland (1900 - 1978)): “Sundial of the Seasons” (1964)
“Nature is the art of God.” -Dante Alighieri (also known as Durante degli Alighieri or simply Dante (about 1265 - 1321))
Tips for a Nature Walk
- Take a friend for safety and companionship.
- Tell other people when and where you are going and when you expect to return.
- Stick to the path - walking off the path kills plants, frightens animals, and causes soil erosion.
- Take a quality camera, a fully charged cell phone, and a bottle of water. Turn the cell phone off.
- Do not approach wild animals, but admire them from a distance. You may have heard that wild animals are more afraid of you than you are of them, and this may be true, but it is also true that they can seriously hurt you or worse if they feel threatened or if you are in their territory.
- If you like would your nature trail to be clean of trash, take a small trash bag with you on your nature walk and pick up any trash you find along the way.
- If you take your pet, keep it on its leash so it does not chase and hurt other animals. Pets sometimes do not fit in with wild animals, because they have had some of their survival sense bred out of them and likely lack experience in dealing with wild animals, so ideally, pets should not be taken into the wild.
- Listen with your ears, see with your eyes, feel with your feet.
- Can you think of other tips for a nature walk?
Agrizoophobia is a persistent fear of wild animals. Perhaps the way to overcome the phobia is through unleashing your inner wild animal. Start by growling, then follow that by making other wild animal sounds.
The force that makes the Winter grow
Its feathered hexagons of snow,
And drives the bee to match at home
Their calculated honeycomb,
Is abacus and rose combined.
An icy sweetness fills my mind,
A sense that under thing and wing
Lies, taut yet living, coiled, the Spring.
-Jacob Bronowski
“My recollection of a hundred lovely lakes has given me blessed release from care and worry and the troubled thinking of our modern day. It has been a return to the primitive and the peaceful.” -Hamlin Garland (1860 - 1940)
“You can’t be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet.” -Hal Borland (Harold Glen ‘Hal’ Borland (1900 - 1978)): “Sundial of the Seasons” (1964)
“Nature is the art of God.” -Dante Alighieri (also known as Durante degli Alighieri or simply Dante (about 1265 - 1321))
Tips for a Nature Walk
- Take a friend for safety and companionship.
- Tell other people when and where you are going and when you expect to return.
- Stick to the path - walking off the path kills plants, frightens animals, and causes soil erosion.
- Take a quality camera, a fully charged cell phone, and a bottle of water. Turn the cell phone off.
- Do not approach wild animals, but admire them from a distance. You may have heard that wild animals are more afraid of you than you are of them, and this may be true, but it is also true that they can seriously hurt you or worse if they feel threatened or if you are in their territory.
- If you like would your nature trail to be clean of trash, take a small trash bag with you on your nature walk and pick up any trash you find along the way.
- If you take your pet, keep it on its leash so it does not chase and hurt other animals. Pets sometimes do not fit in with wild animals, because they have had some of their survival sense bred out of them and likely lack experience in dealing with wild animals, so ideally, pets should not be taken into the wild.
- Listen with your ears, see with your eyes, feel with your feet.
- Can you think of other tips for a nature walk?
Agrizoophobia is a persistent fear of wild animals. Perhaps the way to overcome the phobia is through unleashing your inner wild animal. Start by growling, then follow that by making other wild animal sounds.
The force that makes the Winter grow
Its feathered hexagons of snow,
And drives the bee to match at home
Their calculated honeycomb,
Is abacus and rose combined.
An icy sweetness fills my mind,
A sense that under thing and wing
Lies, taut yet living, coiled, the Spring.
-Jacob Bronowski
“Those who believe in the ‘balance of nature’ are those who don’t get eaten.” -Charles M. Schulz (Charles Monroe ‘Sparky’ Schulz (1922 - 2000))
“Man’s heart, away from nature, becomes hard.” -Standing Bear
But in the mud and scum of things
There always, always something sings.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)
“No one should be able to enter a wilderness by mechanical means.” -Garrett Hardin: as quoted in “The Ecologist” (February 1974)
“Discover wildlife, have children.” -Author Unknown
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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The North Wind Doth Blow
The North Wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what shall the poor robin do then?
Poor thing!
He’ll sit in the barn,
And keep himself warm,
And hide his head under his wing,
Poor thing!
The North Wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will the dormouse do then?
Poor thing!
Rolled up like a ball,
In his nest snug and small,
He’ll sleep till warm weather comes in.
Poor thing!
by Author Unknown
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l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
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“Those who wish to pet and baby wild animals, love them. But those who respect their natures and wish to let them live normal lives, love them more.” -Edwin Way Teale
“We talk of our mastery of nature, which sounds very grand; but the fact is we respectfully adapt ourselves first, to her ways.” -Clarence Day (1874 - 1935): “This Simian World” (1920)
“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.” -Eleanora Duse
“God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees, and flowers, and clouds, and stars.” -Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)
“The world has enough beautiful mountains and meadows, spectacular skies and serene lakes. It has enough lush forests, flowered fields, and sandy beaches. It has plenty of stars and the promise of a new sunrise and sunset every day. What the world needs more of is people to appreciate and enjoy it.” -Michael Josephson
“Man’s heart, away from nature, becomes hard.” -Standing Bear
But in the mud and scum of things
There always, always something sings.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)
“No one should be able to enter a wilderness by mechanical means.” -Garrett Hardin: as quoted in “The Ecologist” (February 1974)
“Discover wildlife, have children.” -Author Unknown
══════════════════════════════════════════════════
l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
══════════════════════════════════════════════════
The North Wind Doth Blow
The North Wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what shall the poor robin do then?
Poor thing!
He’ll sit in the barn,
And keep himself warm,
And hide his head under his wing,
Poor thing!
The North Wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will the dormouse do then?
Poor thing!
Rolled up like a ball,
In his nest snug and small,
He’ll sleep till warm weather comes in.
Poor thing!
by Author Unknown
══════════════════════════════════════════════════
l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼ l i v e ☆ l a u g h ツ l o v e ♥ g r o w ☼
══════════════════════════════════════════════════
“Those who wish to pet and baby wild animals, love them. But those who respect their natures and wish to let them live normal lives, love them more.” -Edwin Way Teale
“We talk of our mastery of nature, which sounds very grand; but the fact is we respectfully adapt ourselves first, to her ways.” -Clarence Day (1874 - 1935): “This Simian World” (1920)
“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.” -Eleanora Duse
“God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees, and flowers, and clouds, and stars.” -Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)
“The world has enough beautiful mountains and meadows, spectacular skies and serene lakes. It has enough lush forests, flowered fields, and sandy beaches. It has plenty of stars and the promise of a new sunrise and sunset every day. What the world needs more of is people to appreciate and enjoy it.” -Michael Josephson
“Though you drive away Nature with a pitchfork, she always returns.” [English translation]
“Naturam expellas furca tamen usque recurret.” [original Latin]
-Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 B.C.E. - 8 B.C.E.)): “Epistles”
“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home . . .” -Gary Snyder
“I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees. The trail has strung upon it, as upon a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets.” -Hamlin Garland (1860 - 1940)
The butterfly is a flying flower,
The flower a tethered butterfly.
-Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun (1729 - 1807)
“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.” -Alice Walker (born 1944)
“There is sanctuary in being alone with nature.” -Jonathan Lockwood Huie (born 1945)
“Let us a little permit Nature to take her own way; she better understands her own Affairs than we.” -Michel de Montaigne (Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (1533 - 1592))
“But, the natural world is the old river that runs through everything, and I think poets will forever fish along its shores.” -Mary Oliver (born 1935)
“One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken.” -Leo Tolstoy (Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828 - 1910))
“The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.” -e e cummings (Edward Estlin Cummings (1894 - 1962))
“Thou canst not stir a flower without troubling of a star.” -Francis Thompson (1859 - 1907)
“We cannot pluck a flower without disturbing a star.” -Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)
“Nature is the technology of God.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
“Study Nature, Love Nature, Stay Close to Nature. It Will Never Fail You.” -Frank Lloyd Wright (born Frank Lincoln Wright (1867 - 1959))
“Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake.” -Wallace Stevens
“You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters.” -Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 - 1153)
“I would rather be amongst forest animals and the sounds of nature, than amongst city traffic and the noise of man.” -A. D. Williams (Anthony Douglas Williams)
“Nature does nothing without purpose or uselessly.” -Joseph Addison (1672 - 1719)
“Jungles and grasslands are the logical destinations, and towns and farmland the labyrinths that people have imposed between them sometime in the past. I cherish the green enclaves accidentally left behind.” -E. O. Wilson (Edward Osborn Wilson (born 1929))
“Go forth under the open sky, and listen to Nature’s teachings.” -William C. Bryant (William Cullen Bryant (1794 - 1878))
“Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.” -Hal Borland (Harold Glen ‘Hal’ Borland (1900 - 1978))
“A stern discipline pervades all nature, which is a little cruel that it may be very kind.” -Herbert Spencer (1820 - 1903)
“Every now and again take a good look at something not made with hands - a mountain, a star, the turn of a stream. There will come to you wisdom and patience and solace and, above all, the assurance that you are not alone in the world.” -Sidney Lovett
“How glorious a greeting the Sun gives the mountains!” -John Muir (1838 - 1914)
“If I were to choose the sights, the sounds, the fragrances I most would want to see and hear and smell - among all the delights of the world - I think I would choose these: the clear, ethereal song of a white-throated sparrow singing at dawn; the smell of pine trees in the heat of noon; the lonely calling of Canada geese; the sight of a dragon-fly glinting in the sunshine; the voice of a hermit thrush far in a darkening wood at evening; and - most spiritual and moving of sights - the white cathedral of a cumulus cloud floating serenely in the blue of the sky.” -Edwin Way Teale (1899 - 1980): “The Lost Woods” (1945)
“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” -Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)
What if you woke up one morning to find that you had a trunk like an elephant, a pouch like a kangaroo, wings like a canary, a tail like a beaver . . . You would fit right in at Make Fun Of Life! because we’re all-mixed-up, too, like what is coming up next . . .
“Naturam expellas furca tamen usque recurret.” [original Latin]
-Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65 B.C.E. - 8 B.C.E.)): “Epistles”
“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home . . .” -Gary Snyder
“I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees. The trail has strung upon it, as upon a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets.” -Hamlin Garland (1860 - 1940)
The butterfly is a flying flower,
The flower a tethered butterfly.
-Ponce Denis Écouchard Lebrun (1729 - 1807)
“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.” -Alice Walker (born 1944)
“There is sanctuary in being alone with nature.” -Jonathan Lockwood Huie (born 1945)
“Let us a little permit Nature to take her own way; she better understands her own Affairs than we.” -Michel de Montaigne (Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (1533 - 1592))
“But, the natural world is the old river that runs through everything, and I think poets will forever fish along its shores.” -Mary Oliver (born 1935)
“One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken.” -Leo Tolstoy (Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828 - 1910))
“The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.” -e e cummings (Edward Estlin Cummings (1894 - 1962))
“Thou canst not stir a flower without troubling of a star.” -Francis Thompson (1859 - 1907)
“We cannot pluck a flower without disturbing a star.” -Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)
“Nature is the technology of God.” -David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
“Study Nature, Love Nature, Stay Close to Nature. It Will Never Fail You.” -Frank Lloyd Wright (born Frank Lincoln Wright (1867 - 1959))
“Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake.” -Wallace Stevens
“You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters.” -Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 - 1153)
“I would rather be amongst forest animals and the sounds of nature, than amongst city traffic and the noise of man.” -A. D. Williams (Anthony Douglas Williams)
“Nature does nothing without purpose or uselessly.” -Joseph Addison (1672 - 1719)
“Jungles and grasslands are the logical destinations, and towns and farmland the labyrinths that people have imposed between them sometime in the past. I cherish the green enclaves accidentally left behind.” -E. O. Wilson (Edward Osborn Wilson (born 1929))
“Go forth under the open sky, and listen to Nature’s teachings.” -William C. Bryant (William Cullen Bryant (1794 - 1878))
“Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.” -Hal Borland (Harold Glen ‘Hal’ Borland (1900 - 1978))
“A stern discipline pervades all nature, which is a little cruel that it may be very kind.” -Herbert Spencer (1820 - 1903)
“Every now and again take a good look at something not made with hands - a mountain, a star, the turn of a stream. There will come to you wisdom and patience and solace and, above all, the assurance that you are not alone in the world.” -Sidney Lovett
“How glorious a greeting the Sun gives the mountains!” -John Muir (1838 - 1914)
“If I were to choose the sights, the sounds, the fragrances I most would want to see and hear and smell - among all the delights of the world - I think I would choose these: the clear, ethereal song of a white-throated sparrow singing at dawn; the smell of pine trees in the heat of noon; the lonely calling of Canada geese; the sight of a dragon-fly glinting in the sunshine; the voice of a hermit thrush far in a darkening wood at evening; and - most spiritual and moving of sights - the white cathedral of a cumulus cloud floating serenely in the blue of the sky.” -Edwin Way Teale (1899 - 1980): “The Lost Woods” (1945)
“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” -Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)
What if you woke up one morning to find that you had a trunk like an elephant, a pouch like a kangaroo, wings like a canary, a tail like a beaver . . . You would fit right in at Make Fun Of Life! because we’re all-mixed-up, too, like what is coming up next . . .
- Published on
Blessings
As rising Sun strikes fiery jewels
In morning drops of dew
I stroll amidst the garden
To watch the Earth renew.
The flashing vibrant cardinal
Trills his prelude to the day
While radiant beams of sunlight
Melt shadowy mist away.
He tells me it’s a lovely day
With him I must agree -
For his joyous song of morning
Showers blessings down on me.
by Rea Williams
As rising Sun strikes fiery jewels
In morning drops of dew
I stroll amidst the garden
To watch the Earth renew.
The flashing vibrant cardinal
Trills his prelude to the day
While radiant beams of sunlight
Melt shadowy mist away.
He tells me it’s a lovely day
With him I must agree -
For his joyous song of morning
Showers blessings down on me.
by Rea Williams
- Published on
Oh, Rainbow
Oh, rainbow, oh, rainbow,
How lovely are your colors.
Oh, rainbow, oh, rainbow,
How lovely are your colors.
Purple, red and orange, too,
Yellow, green and blue so true.
Oh, rainbow, oh, rainbow,
How lovely are your colors.
by Author Unknown: sung to the same tune as that of, “Oh, Christmas Tree”
Oh, rainbow, oh, rainbow,
How lovely are your colors.
Oh, rainbow, oh, rainbow,
How lovely are your colors.
Purple, red and orange, too,
Yellow, green and blue so true.
Oh, rainbow, oh, rainbow,
How lovely are your colors.
by Author Unknown: sung to the same tune as that of, “Oh, Christmas Tree”
- Published on
Sea Shell
Sea shell, sea shell,
Sing a song for me;
Sing about the ocean,
Tell me about the sea.
Sea shell, sea shell,
When I hold you near,
I can hear the ocean
Whispering in my ear.
by Author Unknown
Sea shell, sea shell,
Sing a song for me;
Sing about the ocean,
Tell me about the sea.
Sea shell, sea shell,
When I hold you near,
I can hear the ocean
Whispering in my ear.
by Author Unknown
- Published on
Outside My Window
As I stare out of my window
Through the exquisite blue patterned curtains
I see a brown wooden fence
Next to a tall immense tree
full of hidden secrets!
A barn owl inhabits a hollow in the tree
when the sunsets along the horizon
the owl shows his self by broadcasting
a continuous message.
Above the owl are cicadas, and in the hot summer sun
they unleash their unceasing sound that never ends.
At the pinnacle of the tree is an oriole accompanied by a blue tit
the duet they sing together puts cares at rest.
by Joshua Pari
As I stare out of my window
Through the exquisite blue patterned curtains
I see a brown wooden fence
Next to a tall immense tree
full of hidden secrets!
A barn owl inhabits a hollow in the tree
when the sunsets along the horizon
the owl shows his self by broadcasting
a continuous message.
Above the owl are cicadas, and in the hot summer sun
they unleash their unceasing sound that never ends.
At the pinnacle of the tree is an oriole accompanied by a blue tit
the duet they sing together puts cares at rest.
by Joshua Pari
- Published on
Far from the Madding* Crowd
It seems to me I’d like to go
Where bells ne’er ring or whistles blow;
Where clocks ne’er strike and gongs ne’er sound,
But where there’s stillness all around.
Not real still stillness - just the trees’
Low whisperings or the croon of bees;
The drowsy tinkling of the rill,
Or twilight song of whippoorwill.
’Twould be a joy could I behold
The dappled fields of green and gold,
Or in the cool, sweet clover lie
And watch the cloud-ships drifting by.
I’d like to find some quaint old boat,
And fold its oars, and with it float
Along the lazy, limpid stream
Where water-lilies drowse and dream.
Sometimes it seems to me I must
Just quit the city’s din and dust,
For fields of green and skies of blue;
And, say! how does it seem to you?
by Nixon Waterman
*Madding means ‘frenzied’ or ‘affected with madness’ and is often used in describing the behavior of crowds or mobs of people.
Nixon Waterman was born on 12 November 1859 in Newark, Illinois, United States of America, as the son of Lyman Waterman and Elizabeth Waterman. He lived on a farm until he was 20 years of age, teaching school during the winter months, and began his newspaper career at 21 years of age in the mechanical department of a country weekly in Creston, Iowa. Mr. Waterman was married on 14 March 1883 to Nellie Haskins of Menasha, Wisconsin. Weary of being a press operator, he tried his hand at other branches of the business, and made rapid progress. He first won flattering recognition as a newspaper editorial writer in Omaha, Nebraska. He moved to Chicago in October 1889, where he supplied the editorial page of the Chicago “Herald” with witty and catchy rhymes printed under the caption, “Small Change,” which were copied in publications across America. When the proprietors of the “Herald” started the “Evening Post,” he was one of the coteries selected to create for that venture the conditions of popularity with the public. After seven months on the “Post,” he went back to the “Herald,” but a year later resigned to work for “Puck,” “Truth,” “Youth’s Companion” and other popular weekly newspapers and magazines. Nixon Waterman was a newspaper writer, a poet, a book author, and a Chautauqua lecturer. His first wife Nellie Waterman (maiden name Haskins) passed on sometime in 1940, and in November 1940, he married Grace Sanford Leavitt. Nixon Waterman passed on at 84 years of age on 1 September 1944 in Canton, Massachusetts, United States of America.
It seems to me I’d like to go
Where bells ne’er ring or whistles blow;
Where clocks ne’er strike and gongs ne’er sound,
But where there’s stillness all around.
Not real still stillness - just the trees’
Low whisperings or the croon of bees;
The drowsy tinkling of the rill,
Or twilight song of whippoorwill.
’Twould be a joy could I behold
The dappled fields of green and gold,
Or in the cool, sweet clover lie
And watch the cloud-ships drifting by.
I’d like to find some quaint old boat,
And fold its oars, and with it float
Along the lazy, limpid stream
Where water-lilies drowse and dream.
Sometimes it seems to me I must
Just quit the city’s din and dust,
For fields of green and skies of blue;
And, say! how does it seem to you?
by Nixon Waterman
*Madding means ‘frenzied’ or ‘affected with madness’ and is often used in describing the behavior of crowds or mobs of people.
Nixon Waterman was born on 12 November 1859 in Newark, Illinois, United States of America, as the son of Lyman Waterman and Elizabeth Waterman. He lived on a farm until he was 20 years of age, teaching school during the winter months, and began his newspaper career at 21 years of age in the mechanical department of a country weekly in Creston, Iowa. Mr. Waterman was married on 14 March 1883 to Nellie Haskins of Menasha, Wisconsin. Weary of being a press operator, he tried his hand at other branches of the business, and made rapid progress. He first won flattering recognition as a newspaper editorial writer in Omaha, Nebraska. He moved to Chicago in October 1889, where he supplied the editorial page of the Chicago “Herald” with witty and catchy rhymes printed under the caption, “Small Change,” which were copied in publications across America. When the proprietors of the “Herald” started the “Evening Post,” he was one of the coteries selected to create for that venture the conditions of popularity with the public. After seven months on the “Post,” he went back to the “Herald,” but a year later resigned to work for “Puck,” “Truth,” “Youth’s Companion” and other popular weekly newspapers and magazines. Nixon Waterman was a newspaper writer, a poet, a book author, and a Chautauqua lecturer. His first wife Nellie Waterman (maiden name Haskins) passed on sometime in 1940, and in November 1940, he married Grace Sanford Leavitt. Nixon Waterman passed on at 84 years of age on 1 September 1944 in Canton, Massachusetts, United States of America.
- Published on
One Day When We Went Walking
One day when we went walking,
I found a dragon’s tooth,
A dreadful dragon’s tooth.
“A locust thorn,” said Ruth.
One day when we went walking,
I found a brownie’s shoe,
A brownie’s button shoe.
“A dry pea pod,” said Sue.
One day when we went walking,
I found a mermaid’s fan,
A merry mermaid’s fan.
“A scallop shell,” said Dan.
One day when we went walking,
I found a fairy’s dress,
A fairy’s flannel dress.
“A mullein leaf,” said Bess.
Next time that I go walking -
Unless I meet an elf,
A funny, friendly elf -
I’m going by myself!
by Valine Hobbs
What might you find on your next nature walk?
One day when we went walking,
I found a dragon’s tooth,
A dreadful dragon’s tooth.
“A locust thorn,” said Ruth.
One day when we went walking,
I found a brownie’s shoe,
A brownie’s button shoe.
“A dry pea pod,” said Sue.
One day when we went walking,
I found a mermaid’s fan,
A merry mermaid’s fan.
“A scallop shell,” said Dan.
One day when we went walking,
I found a fairy’s dress,
A fairy’s flannel dress.
“A mullein leaf,” said Bess.
Next time that I go walking -
Unless I meet an elf,
A funny, friendly elf -
I’m going by myself!
by Valine Hobbs
What might you find on your next nature walk?
- Published on
Who Has Seen the Wind?
Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you;
But when the leaves hang trembling
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I;
But when the trees bow down their heads
The wind is passing by.
by Christina Rossetti
Christina Georgina Rossetti was born on 5 December 1830 in London, England. She became a poet. She is known for “Goblin Market” and “Remember,” among other works. Christina Georgina Rossetti passed on at 64 years of age on 29 December 1894 in London, England.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you;
But when the leaves hang trembling
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I;
But when the trees bow down their heads
The wind is passing by.
by Christina Rossetti
Christina Georgina Rossetti was born on 5 December 1830 in London, England. She became a poet. She is known for “Goblin Market” and “Remember,” among other works. Christina Georgina Rossetti passed on at 64 years of age on 29 December 1894 in London, England.
- Published on
The Clouds
“Clouds that wander through the sky,
Sometimes low and sometimes high;
In the darkness of the night,
In the sunshine warm and bright.
Ah! I wonder much if you
Have any useful work to do.”
“Yes, we’re busy night and day,
As o’er the earth we take our way.
We are bearers of the rain
To the grasses, and flowers, and grain;
We guard you from the Sun’s bright rays,
In the sultry summer days.”
by Author Unknown
“Clouds that wander through the sky,
Sometimes low and sometimes high;
In the darkness of the night,
In the sunshine warm and bright.
Ah! I wonder much if you
Have any useful work to do.”
“Yes, we’re busy night and day,
As o’er the earth we take our way.
We are bearers of the rain
To the grasses, and flowers, and grain;
We guard you from the Sun’s bright rays,
In the sultry summer days.”
by Author Unknown
