Music and Amusements

‘I’ll be loving you, Always.’” – Irving Berlin (Gemma and Daniel’s love song)

“Siciliano” – Bach (Jesse practiced this on the piano.)

“Put another nickel in, in the nickelodeon, all I want is loving you and Music, Music, Music!” – Teresa Brewer’s pop hit (Charlie sang this at the creek.)

Gemma’s morning music: Baroque – Bach (Gemma played her records on the old Victrola every morning.)

“‘This little Light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!’” Waving good-bye to Matts, everybody sang with Tilly: “Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!” (written by Harry Dixon Loes, early 20th century)

Angus gawked, “You mean you all play … music?” — Rose answered, “Jesse plays piano, David plays violin, Joshua plays clarinet, and I play flute.”

At Restful Rock, David had his violin and played Dvořák’s lively “Humoresque.” (And the squirrels danced to it!)

At the Square Dance, David noted, “Fascinating. We hear music, yet we cannot see soundwaves!”

At the Square Dance, Kentucky Blue ‘called’ the dance: “Promenade left – promenade right – on you go – and do-si-do. Ace of Diamonds, Jack of Spades, swing your partner – now promenade. And here’s a tricky one – don’t be a picky one! Allemande left. There you go! And do-si-do!”

At the Square Dance, the band played Julius La Rosa’s hit, ‘Eh, Cumpari’!” Dancing, laughing, singing the chorus: “A zing a zing, u violin, A pling a pling, u mandolin, Tu tu tu tu u saxofon a, U friscalette— tipiti tipiti ta!”

At the Square Dance, the clarinetist asked, “You kids know klezmer?” — “Yes,” David answered. “In New York, Dave Tarras taught us.” — “Really! He’s a legend. Can you play a freylekh?” — “Fray-leck!” David smiled. “The lively circle dance! Yes.”

Tilly & Ben’s Wedding:
— Bach: ‘Sleepers, Awake’(bright and joyful wedding procession)
— Bach’s “My Heart Ever Faithful” (As Tilly tossed her bouquet. Ellie caught it!)
— ‘Sheep May Safely Graze.’ (Hendrik invited: “Come, ye sheep! Feast and rejoice with Mr. and Mrs. Dorking and their boys!”)

Duet: “Evening Prayer” from Hansel and Gretel. Gemma and Amanda’s voices wove a stunning harmony:
“When at night you go to sleep, fourteen angels watch do keep:
Two your head are guarding, two your feet are guiding,
Two are on your right hand, two are on your left hand,
Two who warmly cover, two who o’er you hover,
Two whom it is given to guide your steps to Heaven!”

SHA-BOOM, SHA-BOOM! (Life could be a dream), by The Chords (1950s) (Charlie’s favorite song – he took Siobhan in his loving arms, twirling her round-and-round.)

The Weiss kids played Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” for Bertrand and Ellie’s wedding.

There was more wedding cheer when Gabe grinned, leading a playful song to the tune of “Frère Jacques”:
“Bert-and-Ellie, Bert-and-Ellie, wedding bells, wedding bells! Joyfully they’re ringing, joyfully they’re ringing, singing love, singing love!”

The Sisters of Mercy home soon buzzed with people in wheelchairs or guided by Sisters, all impeccably neat. The phonograph played the glorious “Air on a G-String” by Bach.

With candles lit, Gemma, Conor, and Amanda sang the old Pilgrim blessing:
“‘We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing …
Sing praises to His name, He forgets not His own!’”

For more Thanks Giving, Margarethe, with Greta and Matts, sang Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” in German: Freude schöner Götterfunken. Matts’ voice stunned them into awed silence … then wild applause.

Handel’s Messiah: “For unto us a child is born … ” [Tilly’s eyes shimmered with tears, her voice trembling: “Unto us a child is born!”] “O Holy Night.” Mr. Lutes paired Murphy and Gemma for a duet and Jesse was enraptured, while Gemma’s eyes glistened as she sang.

School gingerbread house event — Gemma invited everyone back to Windy Hill for tea and caroling: Mac played piano, beginning with, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” — Everyone sang, but at the final line, Gemma’s tears welled, singing, “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.” — Jesse’s heart crinkled and he took her hand, “Gemma, we have to believe. God has a plan.”

“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.” It was an exquisite harmony in a German hymn from 1609, with Isaiah foretelling the birth of Jesus, from his lineage, the family Tree of Jesse!” — The tree of Jesse! Smiling, Jesse thought, Serendipity.

The Star: “‘Hanging over our roof, there is a star as large as a window; And the star has a tail, and it moves across the sky like a chariot on fire!’”

In a fog, Jesse went to the piano, and played Bach’s, “If Thou Be Near.” Bit by bit, he felt it. Love. Serene Love. Serenity. A small laugh tickled his heart, Serenade-dippy.

The Sussex Carol (Ralph Von Williams)
On Christmas night all Christians sing, To hear the news the angels bring;
News of great joy, news of great mirth, News of our merciful King’s birth.
Angels and men with joy may sing, All for to see the newborn King.
All out of darkness we have light, Which made the angels sing this night:
‘Glory to God and peace to men, Now and for evermore, Amen!

The church organ and choir uncorked Handel’s Messiah, “For Unto Us a Child Is Born!” It was like a mighty host of heavenly angels exalting in joyous, thunderous ovations: “And His name! Shall be called: Wonderful! Counselor! The mighty God! The Everlasting Father! The Prince of Peace!”

In that moment, Daniel’s voice rose, clear and tender, singing: “O Holy Night …” — Gemma’s voice intertwined with his, and Jesse couldn’t resist—he joined in too. — Below, everyone sang! — The stars seemed to be singing—like a heavenly host of angels! Singing God’s song, in the music of this dark, shining, sacred night.

O Holy Night, The stars are brightly shining!
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth!
A thrill of hope, The weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine !O night when Christ was born!
O night divine! O night! O night divine!

Sure Lock Homes – M. Mealy, Locksmith

“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana” – Groucho Marx

Buick. Why do we say, ‘B-you-ick’? Why not ‘Bwick,’ like ‘quick’?

“So, the prince awakens,” Gabe laughed with a smile the size of a banana. “I was gettin’ worried I’d have t’ kiss ya t’ wake ya up!”

“If only all children were mathematicians and could just go solve their own problems.”

FISH JOKES:

• How many tickles make an octopus laugh?” – “Ten! Tentacles!”
• He lobster before he flounder!
• Charlie thought he’d sea-stars with her, but she bolted with a mussel-man!”
• But eel break her heart!
• Whale, that mussel-man was Charlie’s anemone.
• Okay, squid it!
• Act-u-a-lee, Charlie didn’t punch him. He just said, ‘I octopus his nose in!
• Diddly-ahten-dah! That’s it, Charlie was left holdin’ the wrong cod.

“I’ll be standing outside, so if anyone asks, I’m outstanding.” (Peter)

“Viola!” Billy blurted. “She puts the ‘ab’ in normal!”

Billy shouted, “Viola, your bread box is a vermin trap!” Viola blinked, flustered. “An ermine wrap? For me?” She frowned. “Why is it in the bread box?”

Billy apologized to Viola with droll sincerity. “I beg your pardon, Viola. I’m truly, deeply sorry for criticizing your … bread box.

Grams fretted, “What the devil have I done? I thought I had my ducks in a row, but they’ve turned into squirrels. And they’re everywhere!”

“Tilly captured wicked Earl Pickford. She crept up behind Earl and stuck the broom handle in his back.” Jesse imitated Tilly: “Don’t move or I pull the trigger!”

Jesse sat up straight. “That’s exactly what I did when I was hunting for Gemma—when I was six, back in our apartments in New York City.” He paused and shrugged. “Actually, I was six everywhere, not just in our apartments.”

Mateus laughed lightly, “Good job, Jesse! Rigging up an elevator to come down from the third floor!”

“Our chariot’s driven by a gladiator!”
Peter laughed. “That’s what the farmer said about the vulture and the snake: ‘I’m glad he ate her’!”

When don’t paper airplanes fly?” The kids shrugged. “When they’re stationery!”

Dominic had Amanda all to himself. He looked like a frog just kissed by a princess.

Siobhan used a playfully mocking tone, “If I had a nickel for every time he says, ‘The clock is ticking! I must finish before Professor Eiseley arrives.’”

Before the Square Dance, Margarethe twinkled, “Vell! I must find my dancing shoes!”

Jesse brought Gemma to Gabe, “Would you like to dance with Gemma?” Gabe’s face lit up like the full moon.

‘Morton’s so poor, he can’t even pay attention.’

Mrs. Wilton popped out at Jesse! “BOO!” — Jesse was in a fit of giggles. “Mrs. Wilton! You got me!” — She hugged the feathers out of him, and Jesse laughed, “Oh, how much fun hide-and-seek was with you!”

The old Tinker’s eyes sparked when Jesse asked him to block the MG from escaping. He grinned like a jack-o-lantern and stayed right where he was.

Tinker to Jesse: “Boy! I hafta say, yer a fast thinker!” He guffawed, “An’ that man in his silly little car! He looked more confused than a blind man at a movie!” The Tinker hooted, “Oh, I h’aint had this much fun since I chased a fox outta my wagon with nothin’ but a whoop and a prayer!”

Amanda’s laugh was musical. “Fallen in love? I’ve stumbled through it a time or two.

About Siobhan and Charlie fooling around at Lyla’s party: Great-Granny Lyla sniffed a laugh, “You two go where you won’t be missed,”

Murphy chuckled at Ellie catching Tilly’s bridal bouquet and being ‘next’ in line to be married.
“Tell y’ what! At my funeral take the bouquet off my coffin. Then throw it into the crowd to see who’s next!”

Gabe: “Tilly says …” — Jesse laughed, “Tilly says a lot!” — Gabe grinned, “Yeah! And thank God for Tilly!”

Ellie patiently wrote out a model for every letter, every word, keeping it simple. Painstaking though it was, Dominic did it. — He goggled, “It ain’t bad!” — “It isn’t bad,” Ellie corrected. “It is quite fine.”

Sitting outside the porch window at Linger Longer Farm, Gabe didn’t expect a long, lingering talk. Inside, neither did Tilly and Ben. But, well, there you are.

Professor Eiseley offered a tale of his own. “Picture a dark, fog-drenched night. A ship’s lookout spots a light dead ahead, on a collision course!
“The captain signals the unknown ship: Change course ten degrees east.
“The light replies, You adjust ten degrees west.
“Bristling, the captain snaps, I’m a Navy captain! Alter course, sir!
“I’m a seaman, second class, comes the response, Alter your course, sir.
“I’m a battleship! the captain fumes. I won’t budge!”
“I am a lighthouse, the final reply crackles. Your call.”
Laughing, the kids scrambled up the rocks, chanting, “I’m a lighthouse! Your call!”

Peter’s eyebrows danced, “But we still have the three bones we most need: our wishbone, backbone, and funny bone!”

Bertrand and Ellie have a new name: The Bertanellies!

Jesse tugged Greta away from Anne of Green Gables. — Greta: “No, Jesse!” Anne just dyed her red hair black! But it came out green!” — Jesse: “You’re on your second time reading Anne! She’s not going anywhere. But you’ve got to see this.”

Dominic told Grams their hike to the POW camp would be, “Easy-please-y.” Grams repeated it, and all-at-once, clicked her false teeth out at Dominic! He screamed and just about fell on the floor!

“Everyone is coming,” Matts spoke, with only a slight hesitation. — Margarethe hugged him—again.
“Mutter,” Matts laughed. “You cannot hug me every time I speak.”
She kissed his cheek, “Yah, I vill stop … someday.”
Chuckling, Conor said, “Margarethe, there are seven days in a week, and ‘someday’ is not one of them.”
“Yah, gut.” Margarethe twinkled and kissed Matts again.

Jesse hesitated. “This might be too much to do before– ” — “Hogwash!” David cut in. “Cogitate outside the quadrilateral 6 parallelogram!” — “Whaaat?” Jesse laughed, feeling David’s Imaginator magic. — “Think outside the box!” David grinned. “We’ll split the tasks. It’ll all get done.” — And it did.

The gang marched in to perform Children of the Mayflower, and Jesse could not believe his ears, as Gemma exclaimed, “Oh, goody gumdrops!”

More cheers… and jokes:

• Murphy quipped, “Does it get any butter than this?”
• “I ain’t seen stuffin’ yet!” Angus grinned,
• Ellie giggled, “What’s blue and feathered? A turkey holding its breath!”
• Finally, it was Ben and Tilly’s turn. She chuckled, “Let’s give ‘em pumpkin to talk about!”

Margarethe cornered Conor. “I vas wrong.” She twisted her button. “Matts vas born to sing. So, Conor, you help him.” — Conor wrapped her in a bear hug, “Thank you, Margarethe!” — “O– okay!” She sputtered, “Do your best!”

Conor pulled Jesse into a hug, laughing, “And YOU! Stop growing up so fast! Just be a kid for a while!” — “I can’t help it,” Jesse laughed. “It’s God’s magic!”

Warm day for late November – playing Chinquapin:

• Gemma whacks pin – gets to run the base 3 times!
• Out of breath, she sits on stone wall – and is chased by a big fat frog!

Amanda successfully made arrangements for choir practice at Windy hill. Smiling, she turned to Gemma, “Now don’t get your tinsel in a tangle, Gemma! No time for broodin’!”

Curtain opens: Angus blurts, “That’s Matts!” he nudged Joshua. “There’s Matts!” — “SHHH!” hissed a chorus of voices around him. — Well, it IS Matts! Jesse thought, grinning. Amahl! — There he was! Matts! Alone on stage!

Jesse exclaimed. “These pizzelles cookies – they’re like lacey snowflakes! Delicioso!”
— Angelina chuckled with affection. “Jesse, you’re like nobody’s lasagna!”

Hearing the ‘coincidences’ from Rob Dana – You can bet, head to toe, Jesse was a mess of goosebumps!

At the dinner table, Daniel saw a figure he had never in a million years expected. “No! Not Mrs. Maguire!” He burst into laughter. “Maude! You haven’t aged a single day!”
“Oh, now, careful, sonny!” Grams-Maude teased with a giggle. “Yer nose’ll be growin’ like Pinocchio’s with talk like that!”
“And could this be your son, Liam?” He clasped Liam’s hand, grinning as he borrowed Maude’s favorite phrase: “Glory be to Heaven and fifteen saints!”
The table burst into giggles and chuckles, especially when Grams-Maude shot back, “Aye, and now yer stealin’ me finest dictions, y’ cheeky lad!”

The night sky whirled with gorgeous Lights and Jesse climbed up to the Star Cupola — startled by a cardboard skeleton waving to him! (Hendrik must have left it there from Halloween!)