Dancing Glory

'Dancing Glory' photograph by Ryan Ridge

'Dancing Glory' is my name for this amazing capture. On January 2, 2009 Ryan photographed a beautiful aurora near Homer, Alaska.

 

Dancing Glory

Dancing glory in the sky

Aurora undulates.

Alive!

It dances.

Sparkles... shimmers

With delight of being.

As it touches all.

It whispers,

'Remember... magnificence'.  

~Inspired by the photo above.

 

Several of Ryan's photos of this display were featured in the January 2009 Aurora gallery at Space Weather.com. You can read about Ryan's life in the big woods of Alaska on his blog or see more of his amazing photos at flickr.com.

~Bonnee

12/31 Happy New Year, ABBA

'Happy New Year' sung by ABBA

Ringing in the New Year! May we hold thoughts of Peace, Love, Happiness and Prosperity for all in 2009 and always. We are One... one family, one society, one world... beloved Humanity. Beautiful diversity... perfect symmetry!

ABBA, Song: Happy New Year, Album: Super Trouper (1980) Label: Epic, TV performance: Stockholm, Sweden 31st December 1980 and every year at midnight in Sweden.

 

Sparkling rays

The sky's alight.

With dancing colors to delight.

And sparkling rays in dark of night.

Thank you God for this awesome sight.

A gift of magic for new years bright...

~ inspired by this beautiful image.  I am in awe!!!

The beautiful photo above I call, 'Sparkling Rays' is by Sauli Koski from Kittila, Finland. You can see more of his wonderful photos at studiotunturi-lappi.fi.

Have a delightful, safe and joyous New Year's eve!

 

ABBA a Swedish band formed in 1971 and officially named in1973. ABBA is an acronym for the given names of the band members - Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid. The band members were Benny Andersson (born December 16, 1946 in Stockholm, Sweden), Björn Ulvaeus (born April 25, 1945 in Gothenburg, Sweden), Anni-Frid Lyngstad (born November 15, 1945 in Ballangen, Norway), Agnetha Fältskog (born April 5, 1950 in Jönköping, Sweden). From 1976 - 1981 they achieved superstardom. ABBA's last public performance together was December 11, 1982 on the TV show The Late, Late Breakfast Show (live from Stockholm). The official website for ABBA owned by Universal is abbasite.com.

~Bonnee

12/24 O Holy Night, Merry Christmas

'O Holy Night' sung by Mariah Carey

Amazing, inspired, WOW! I can feel Spirit moving through Mariah and all her back up singers and the room. Whew! I love this rendition... it gives me chills and brings tears.

Mariah Carey, Song: O Holy Night, album: Merry Christmas (1994), label: Sony, Official Music Video by: Columbia/Sony (2008). Words: Placide Cappeau (1847), music:Adolphe-Charles Adam (1847)

'O Holy Night' was written in 1847 by Placide Cappeau (1808-1877) as "Cantique de Noel'. He was a wine merchant in Roquemaure, France who wrote poetry for enjoyment.  The music was written by his friend Adolphe-Charles Adam (1803-1856) who is best known for the ballet Giselle (1841).

'Cantique de Noel' premiered Christmas Eve 1847 at the midnight mass in Roquemaure. It wasn't popular, in fact one bishop said it had a "lack of musical taste and total absence of the spirit of religion'. Here is an English translation of the first verse of the original Cantique de Noël (Minuit Chrétiens). You can read more about the song here.

Midnight, Christians, it is the solemn hour
When God as man descended among us
To expunge the stain of original sin
And to put an end to the wrath of his father.
The entire world thrills with hope
On this night which gives us a savior.
People, on your knees, attend your deliverance.
Christmas! Christmas! Here is the Redeemer!
Christmas! Christmas! Here is the Redeemer!

Cantique de Noël was first translated to English as 'O Holy Night'  in 1855 by John Sullivan Dwight (1813-1893) a Unitarian minister and music critic from Brook Farm, MA. 'O Holy Night' has been said to be one of the most beautiful Christmas carols of all time. The first verse of 'O Holy Night' as translated by John Dwight follows... you can read more about it here.

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world¹ rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Chorus

Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine.

The beautiful photo above left I call, 'Christmas Aurora' is by Sauli Koski from Kittila, Finland. You can see more of his beautiful photographs at studiotunturi-lappi.fi.

Another beautiful gift from Creator. Thank you, thank you, thank you Beloved God for all of your Glory and Wonders.

Have a wonderful, inspired and happy Christmas Eve.

 

Mariah Carey born March 27, 1970 Long Island, NY is a singer and actress. She moved to the City one day after high school graduation in 1987. In 1990 Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola took her under his wing and the rest is history. Mariah married Tommey in 1993. In 2000 she was named the best-selling female pop artist of the millennium at the World Music Awards. You can read her bio at myplay.com or see the latest news and more at her website mariahcarey.com.

~Bonnee