Ladies Go Dancing At Whitsun - Alun Rhys Jones

It's fifty long springtimes since she was a bride,
But still you may see her at each Whitsuntide
In a dress of white linen with ribbons of green,
As green as her memories of loving.

The feet that were nimble tread carefully now,
As gentle a measure as age will allow,
Through groves of white blossoms, by fields of young corn,
Where once she was pledged to her true-love.

The fields they stand empty, the hedges grow (go) free--
No young men to turn them or pastures go see (seed)
They are gone where the forest of oak trees before
Have gone, to be wasted in battle.

Down from the green farmlands and from their loved ones
Marched husbands and brothers and fathers and sons.
There's a fine roll of honor where the Maypole once stood,
And the ladies go dancing at Whitsun.

There's a straight row of houses in these latter days
All covering the downs where the sheep used to graze.
There's a field of red poppies (a gift from the Queen)
But the ladies remember at Whitsun,
And the ladies go dancing at Whitsun.

on Bok, Trickett, Muir record. FSI- . Also Redpath Philo
and Tim Hart and Maddy Prior on Summer Solstice

Whitsun Carol

Now Whitsuntide is come you very well do know
Come serve the Lord we must before we do go
Come serve him truly with all your might and heart
And then from heaven your soul shall never depart.

How do you know how long we have to live
For when we die oh then what would we give
For being sure of having our resting place
Since we have run our simple wretched race.

Down in those gardens where flowers grow in ranks
Down on your knees and to the Lord give thanks
Pray unto the Lord that angels he may bring
And then in heaven your soul shall sit and sing.
(repeat the tune for the last two lines on the following two lines)
Down on your knees and pray both night and day
Pray unto the Lord that He will lead you the right way.

Both young and old, both rich and poor, give ear
Don't allow your children to lie, boast curse nor swear
Do not allow them to keep ill company
For that will surely bring them to shame and misery.

Come all those children all in the streets we meet
All in their pastimes so even and complete
So its how you may hear them lie, boast, curse and swear
Before they do know one word of any prayer.

Now we may bring you the royal branch of oak
God bless our King and Queen and all the royal folk
God bless our King and Queen and all the world beside
Then the Lord He will send us all a merry Whitsuntide.

Today is the birthday of Christ's Church

by Annie Karto

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Pentecost (Ancient Greek: πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], pentekostē [hēmera], "the fiftieth day") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year, celebrated on the 49th day (7 weeks) after Easter Sunday - or the 50th day inclusively, hence its name. Pentecost falls on the tenth day after Ascension Thursday. Historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot or the day, fifty days after the Exodus, on which God gave the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, Pentecost now also commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the Book of Acts, Chapter 2 in the New Testament. For this reason, Pentecost is sometimes described as "the Church's birthday".

In the story recounted in the Acts of the Apostles, the apostles went out into Jerusalem prophesying and speaking in languages that all the visitors to Jerusalem could understand ("God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven... each one heard them speaking in his own language."). This is where the name of the Pentecostalist Church denomination comes from, since Pentecostalist worship often includes the practice of speaking in tongues.

Pentecost is also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, Whit Sunday, Whitsuntide, especially in the United Kingdom.

A depiction of the Descent of the Holy Spirit in the Rosary Garden of San Carlos Seminary, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City, Philippines.

According to legend, King Arthur always gathered all his knights at the round table for a feast and a quest on Pentecost.

So ever the king had a custom that at the feast of Pentecost in especial, afore other feasts in the year, he would not go that day to meat until he had heard or seen of a great marvel.

Cameron calls for Scots 'respect'

David Cameron said he wanted to govern with respect

Prime Minister David Cameron has called for a "fresh start" in relations between the Scots and UK governments, as he met First Minister Alex Salmond.

During a visit to Holyrood, Mr Cameron said he was open to a request from the SNP administration for a £700m package to boost the economy.

But he warned the UK spending deficit had to be tackled.

Mr Cameron also called for an "agenda of respect" between the Westminster and Edinburgh parliaments.


David Cameron said this was his first visit as prime minister to a parliament anywhere. He has yet to go to Westminster.

His talks with the opposition leaders were held in Queensberry House, where the second Duke of that ilk crafted and propagated the Union Treaty in 1707.

And the PM had to enter Holyrood via a side door because of a noisy protest outside against public sector cuts.

Alex Salmond said after the talks that he had been surprised that the new PM was ready to engage, seriously, about financial issues such as new borrowing powers or Scotland's demand for a comparable share of the money currently being spent in the east end of London in association with the Olympics.

As the prime minister spoke inside the parliament, a group of protesters gathered outside to campaign against spending cuts and questioning the Tories' mandate to govern Scotland, after the party returned only one Scottish MP at last week's general election.

But Mr Cameron, who was accompanied by Scottish Secretary Danny Alexander, a Lib Dem MP, said the contest had been "a UK election and a UK result".

The prime minister, who also met Holyrood opposition leaders, said: "I want a real agenda of respect between our parliaments.

"I want to see Scottish ministers able to appear in front of select committees in Westminster and I believe that, if the Scottish Parliament would wish it, I would appear every year at the Scottish Parliament to answer questions."

Mr Cameron added: "This agenda is about parliaments working together, of governing with respect, both because I believe Scotland deserves that respect and because I want to try and win Scotland's respect as the prime minister of the United Kingdom."

On government relations, he said: "I also want to see a fresh start in the relationship between the British prime minister and the Scottish first minister.

"This relationship is important - however much we disagree about issues, we should try to work together for the benefit of the whole of the United Kingdom and for the benefit of Scotland as well. That is what I'm determined to do."


Alex Salmond was "impressed by the Prime Minister's awareness of the issues"

Turning his attention to the SNP government's planned independence referendum, the prime minister added: "We will have our arguments - I will never give ground on my commitment to the United Kingdom and keeping our United Kingdom together, but it's a relationship I want to try to make work well."

Mr Salmond called on the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government to bring forward £350m of capital spending to aid Scotland's economic recovery, and also argued Scotland was owed £165m over five years in "consequential" funding, as a result of public spending in relation to the London Olympics.

The SNP leader also requested the Treasury released cash for Scotland held in the fossil fuel levy, worth £180m, and will press the case to give enhanced borrowing powers to Holyrood, as recommended by the Calman Commission review of devolution.

Mr Salmond, said: "I think it's a good thing that the prime minister fulfilled his commitment to come to the Scottish Parliament and to meet the Scottish government, with the secretary of State for Scotland, in the first week in office.

Tories 'rejected'

"But, as I've said before the meeting and I'll say again now, a respect agenda has to be carried forward in deeds and actions.

"I'm certain the prime minister, as we all are, will be judged by your deeds, and therefore what I would articulate is I'd like to see that respect agenda, which I welcome, to be carried forward into concrete action."

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said Mr Cameron must recognise Labour as the "voice of Scotland" if he was sincere about a new spirit of co-operation.

"David Cameron's visit should not be just a photo-opportunity," said Mr Gray, adding: "He knows the Tories were overwhelmingly rejected by the Scottish electorate as were the SNP.

"I told him there is widespread fear his plans to cut £6bn will throw the economy back into recession, and that Scotland wanted him to drop those plans.

Later, Mr Cameron met soldiers of the Black Watch on a visit to Fort George at Ardersier, near Inverness, which is in Mr Alexander's Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8680816.stm

Dani Graduated May 8 from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

This is a video slide show with bagpipe music of Danielle Lynn Matthews' Graduation from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, May 8, 2010 . Photos were taken on campus and at the Riverside Inn in Cambridge Springs. PA. The Field House was packed with 949 graduates and their families for the commencement ceremony. Dani recieved her Bachelor of Science in Education-
Special Education/Elementary Education

May Song

We've been a-rambling all of the night
And the rest part of the day.
And now we are returning again;
We've brought you a branch of May.
We have been wandering all this night
And almost all of the day.
And now we're returning back again;
We've brought you a branch of May.

A branch of May so fine and gay,
Up at your door it stands;
It's nothing but a sprout but it's well budded out
By the work of our Lord's hand.
A branch of May we have brought you,
And at your door it stands;
It's nothing but a sprout but it's well budded out
By the work of our Lord's hand.

Wake up, wake up, you pretty fair maid,
Wake from your drowsy dream
And step into your dairy house
And fetch us a cup of cream.

Remember us old mayers here,
And now we do begin
To lead a life in righteousness
For fear of death in sin.

Repent, repent you wicked old men,
Don't die before you do.
And when the day of judgement comes
The Lord will think on you.

The hedges and fields are clothed all round
With several sorts of green;
Our heavenly Father waters them
With his heavenly showers of rain.

I have a purse here in my hand
Rolled up with a silken string,
And all that it wants is a coin or two
To line it well within.


The clock strikes one, it's time to be gone,
We can no longer stay.
God bless you all both great and small
And send you a joyful May.