Wednesday, September 05, 2007

IF by Rudyard Kipling.

Post 305 - - - - - - Wednesday, 5th September, 2007.

Hello Everyone ~~ How are things with you tonight/today?
I hope all is going as well for you all as it is here for me. I have
spent quite a bit of time cooking today - some Lamb chops,
and Pork steaks and lots of vegetables.

My usual lawn mowing man has not been well and has given
up lawn work, so I have a new man coming in the morning.

I saw an article in the Shepparton News - If forced to go
to an ATM and withdraw money by a robber, to enter your
Pin number backwards and the police would be notified.
Well apparently this is untrue, so I am quitting giving any
further warnings. I do think it would be a great idea, but the
Police here say the e mail about it is fiction. Sorry folks !!!

The photos tonight are all camellias - - - -



Smallish red one, a gifr from Geoff and Joanne.



A creamy white one which is covered in flowers.





I think this one is called " Margaret Davis" - it is nice.


A large flower, a deep pink camellia.

This poem is an old one, but a good one. Hope you enjoy it.
"IF" by Rudyard Kipling - - 1865-1936.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise :

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster,
And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools :

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them "Hold on !"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill thhe unforgiving minute
With sixty second' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - what is more - You'll be a Man, my son !
<><>

Time for a few jokes - - - -

In the dead of Summer a fly was resting on a leaf beside
a lake. The hot, dry fly that said to no one in particular;
"Gosh. If I move down three inches, I will feel the mist
from the water and I will be refreshed."

There was a fish in the water thinking, "Gosh. If that fly
moves down three inches, I can eat him."

There was a bear on the shore thinking, "Gosh, if that fly
moves down three inches, that fish will jump for the fly and
I will grab him."

It also happened that a hunter was farther up the bank of the
lake preparing to eat a cheese sandwich. "Gosh," he thought,
If that fly moves down three inches and that fish leaps for it,
that bear will expose himself and grab for the fish. I'll shoot
the bear and have a proper lunch.

You probably think this is enough activity on one bank of a lake,
but I can tell you there's more !

A wee mouse by the hunter's foot was thinking : "Gosh. If that
fly moves down three inches, and that fish jumps for that fly and
that bear grabs for the fish the dumb hunter will shoot the bear
and drop his cheese sandwich.:

A cat was lurking on the bushes took in the scene and thought,
"Gosh. If that fly moves down three inches and that fish jumps
for that fly and that bear grabs for the fish and that hunter shoots
that bear and that mouse makes off with the cheese sandwich,
then I can have mouse for lunch."

The poor fly is finally so hot and so dry that he heads down for
the cooling mist of the water. The fish swallows the fly. The bear
grabs the fish. The hunter shoots the bear, The miuse grabs the
cheese sandwich. The cat jumps for the mouse. The mouse ducks.
The cat falls into the water and drowns.
<><>

A man escaped prison by digging a tunnel from his cell to
the outside world. Emerging in the middle of a pre-school
playground, he shouted "I'm free, I'm Free !!"

"So what, " said a little girl, "I'm four !"
<><>

Doctor examines wife and says to the husband, "I don't
like the look of your wife."

"Me neither," says the husband, "But she's a great cook
and good with the kids,"
<><>

Sorry folks I have to close now as I have just got too tired.
Hope to do better tomorrow, Love and best wishes to all.
Cheers, Merle.

Post 305 - - - - - Wednesday, 5th September, 2007.
<><><>















15 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautiful photos, Merle! Kipling’s “If” has long been a favorite of mine.

Anonymous said...

very nice pics indeed! and I'm sure you're cooking was good to, though I can't eat lamb anymore... long story.
Ciao from Rome
br.Freddie

Tammy said...

A lot of the forwards we get in email are hoax's according to my brother in law...he said to run everything through a snopes.com seach before believing it.

The smallish camillia is my favorite!

I loved the prison escapee into the playground...laughed out loud at that!!

Have a great day!
:)

Deborah Wilson said...

Dear Merle,
The photo are good but the deep pink camellia is especially beautiful. Kipling had it all right - and the fly joke is a keeper. Wishing you and your friends well.

Lee said...

Beautiful camelias, Merle...thanks for sharing them with us. :)

JunieRose2005 said...

Beautiful flowers! You have a lot of different colors!


....That poem "If" has always been a favorite!


Take care,


Junie

Leann said...

those camelias are lovely.dont think I have ever seem them before.do they grow wild there?they look like roses.I just love fowers.
glad all is going good for you.how is John?
glad you found a new guy to do you lawn.that is a hard job.I use to have to and it was hard.a riding one is better.but it still is a hot sweaty job on a hot day.and your ears hurt when done.

do you remember those old push ones that just about killed a person to push?we had one once.hated the thing.

have a great week.
:)friends(:
God bless..

mreddie said...

Hope the new lawn man works out. Enjoyed the beautiful flowers. The fly joke was a good one, my wife was not upset about the fate of the cat - she has a terrible phobia. ec

Jeanette said...

Hi dear Merle, Love your camelia's especially the red one laying on the sink.Nice poem, good jokes, Haha the poor cat.
Hope your new lawn mower man does a good job.take care enjoy the nice weather. Love Jan

Janice Seagraves said...

Hi Merle,

I made my husband stay a little longer before leaving for work for me to read your long joke "by the bank of the lake." And the cat fell in and drowned? Good one we didn't see that one coming.

Take care,
Janice~

HORIZON said...

Merle- your camellias are just spectacular- l love all the different colours and closeups- thanks.
Pity about the ATM number- l think that something like that would be a great idea for people, however you can bet that if we knew about it so would the robbers.
'I'm free, I'm four"-lol- liked that.
I'm of to get wee S to school this morning- he is still in bed and not the easiest one to drag from it either!
bests and hugs xx

Carole Burant said...

Hello dear Merle:-)

Would you believe I've never had lamb meat? It's not something that is easily available in our grocery stores here and if they do have some, it's very expensive. Hope your new lawn mowing man works out well!! Your camellias are absolutely gorgeous...those are flowers we can't grow over here, our summer season is too short for them. Such a pity because they really are lovely.

The Robert Kipling poem is a beautiful one. I loved the jokes as well, still laughing at the cat drowning one! lol

Take care my friend, may the sun shine upon you today:-) xoxo

Ava said...

I hope that you have a great weekend, my dear!

Lucy Stern said...

Love the poem and the flowers..

Lady Di Tn said...

What beautiful flowers to enjoy. The red was my favorite. So long ago and Kipling hit the nail on the head.
I am saving up for the next luncheon. LOL at I'm Free.
I hope the new yard man works out.
love and prayers