It was to be a Big and Exciting Day - at least for Harvey and Honey our Hounds. For a most important Dog Show is on - Crufts! Harvey had told us all about it earlier this week, and although a good 'ole Chicken Show is more our cup of tea, we could well appreciate his discomposure. Well different sorts of dogs have different days - Every Dog has his Day - as they say. And today is the Hound and Terrier Day. The day you find Top Dog, if you are of that kind. Not very well explained I know, but Harvey was gabbling and spinning around in circles as he was telling us and to be honest we lost half of the tail. And not that he has qualified. It probably is fortunate that we don't have to qualify to be entered in a Chicken Show on hindsight. So you have the crème de la crème of hounds and terriers on parade today and Harvey and Honey have reserved their chairs in front of the television for the programme tonight.
So he is one wild dog. Honey is more calm and matter-of-fact. But Harvey doesn't need much of an excuse to go Nutty Bananas.
Little Gemma meanwhile was scratching amongst the leaves on the verge and uncovered some beautiful, bright yellow Celandines. So dazzling and radiant in the March sunshine. So brave, given the unpredictability of the March winds and icy showers. She breathlessly hopped and skipped back to us.
"Uncle Gordon - they are so pretty! But I didn't even see them there yesterday!"
I told her that they are very clever at protecting themselves on inclementine days.
The first verse of 'The Small Celandine' which William Wordsworth penned in 1804 came to mind:
'There is a Flower, the lesser Celandine,
That shrinks, like many more, from cold and rain;
And the first moment that the sun may shine,
Bright as the sun himself, 'tis out again!
When hailstones have been falling, swarm on swarm,
Or blasts the green field and the trees distrest,
Oft have I seen it muffled up from harm,
In close self-shelter, like a Thing at rest.'
" What's that you say Young Gemma?!" Harvey whistled and chattered, his ears pricked to their full height and his head tilted as he strained to hear.
"The little Celandine, Harvey. So sweet - a real Darling!" enthused Gemma.
"I know a song about Celandine too!" And in a true Huckleberry Hound off tune key we were (like it or not) treated to a rendition of Harvey's Song.
"In a cavern, In a canyon,
Excavating for a mine,
Dwelt a miner forty-niner,
And his daughter Celandine.
Chorus:
Oh my darling, Oh my darling,
Oh my darling Celandine,
You are lost and gone forever,
Dreadful sorry Celandine.
[Join in with the chorus please, Chickens]
Light she was and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine;
Herring boxes, without topses,
Sandals were for Celandine.
Repeat chorus
Drove she ducklings to the water,
Every morning just at nine;
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine.
Repeat chorus
Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles, soft and fine;
But Alas! I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Celandine.
Repeat chorus [Sing up Pauly!]
When the miner forty-niner,
Soon began to peak and pine,
Thought he 'oughter join his daughter,
Now he's with his Celandine.
Repeat chorus
In a corner of the churchyard,
Where the myrtle boughs entwine,
Grow the roses in their poses,
Fertilized by Celandine.
Repeat chorus [I can't hear you Gordon!]
In my dreams she still doth haunt me,
Robed in garments soaked in brine.
Though in life I used to hug her,
Now she's dead, I'll draw the line.
Repeat chorus
How I missed her, how I missed her
How I missed my Celandine.
So I kissed her little sister,
And forgot my Celandine.
Repeat chorus
Now you Chickens, there's a moral
To this little tale of mine.
Artificial respiration,
Would have saved my Celandine.
Repeat chorus"
"Oh you are funny, Uncle Harvey!" said Drongo. "It should be Clementine! Everyone knows Huckleberry Hound was singing about an orange!"
Excuse me while I take a nap. Gordon xxx
So he is one wild dog. Honey is more calm and matter-of-fact. But Harvey doesn't need much of an excuse to go Nutty Bananas.
Little Gemma meanwhile was scratching amongst the leaves on the verge and uncovered some beautiful, bright yellow Celandines. So dazzling and radiant in the March sunshine. So brave, given the unpredictability of the March winds and icy showers. She breathlessly hopped and skipped back to us.
"Uncle Gordon - they are so pretty! But I didn't even see them there yesterday!"
I told her that they are very clever at protecting themselves on inclementine days.
The first verse of 'The Small Celandine' which William Wordsworth penned in 1804 came to mind:
'There is a Flower, the lesser Celandine,
That shrinks, like many more, from cold and rain;
And the first moment that the sun may shine,
Bright as the sun himself, 'tis out again!
When hailstones have been falling, swarm on swarm,
Or blasts the green field and the trees distrest,
Oft have I seen it muffled up from harm,
In close self-shelter, like a Thing at rest.'
" What's that you say Young Gemma?!" Harvey whistled and chattered, his ears pricked to their full height and his head tilted as he strained to hear.
"The little Celandine, Harvey. So sweet - a real Darling!" enthused Gemma.
"I know a song about Celandine too!" And in a true Huckleberry Hound off tune key we were (like it or not) treated to a rendition of Harvey's Song.
"In a cavern, In a canyon,
Excavating for a mine,
Dwelt a miner forty-niner,
And his daughter Celandine.
Chorus:
Oh my darling, Oh my darling,
Oh my darling Celandine,
You are lost and gone forever,
Dreadful sorry Celandine.
[Join in with the chorus please, Chickens]
Light she was and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine;
Herring boxes, without topses,
Sandals were for Celandine.
Repeat chorus
Drove she ducklings to the water,
Every morning just at nine;
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine.
Repeat chorus
Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles, soft and fine;
But Alas! I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Celandine.
Repeat chorus [Sing up Pauly!]
When the miner forty-niner,
Soon began to peak and pine,
Thought he 'oughter join his daughter,
Now he's with his Celandine.
Repeat chorus
In a corner of the churchyard,
Where the myrtle boughs entwine,
Grow the roses in their poses,
Fertilized by Celandine.
Repeat chorus [I can't hear you Gordon!]
In my dreams she still doth haunt me,
Robed in garments soaked in brine.
Though in life I used to hug her,
Now she's dead, I'll draw the line.
Repeat chorus
How I missed her, how I missed her
How I missed my Celandine.
So I kissed her little sister,
And forgot my Celandine.
Repeat chorus
Now you Chickens, there's a moral
To this little tale of mine.
Artificial respiration,
Would have saved my Celandine.
Repeat chorus"
"Oh you are funny, Uncle Harvey!" said Drongo. "It should be Clementine! Everyone knows Huckleberry Hound was singing about an orange!"
Excuse me while I take a nap. Gordon xxx