The Rosemary Tree: Rocket Powered

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Rocket Powered

The rallying call-and-answer cry at Lincoln Northeast High "the Rockets" at baseball, football and basketball games goes like this: ROCKET!!! POWER!!! ROCKET!!! POWER!!!

Two out of our three now grown-up children shared LNE classes with a certain big Winnebago kid who loved to play baseball...

And as LNE's golden son Joba wins his first World Series, a heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS! On so many levels, this is a huge victory for a family touched by hard times, as so many LNE families are.

ROCKET!!!

POWER!!!!!

Harlan and Joba Chamberlain hug after Yankees win.

Why the Rosemary Tree?

Also known as the herb of grace, and rue, rosemary has deep associations with penance, resurrection, nativity and joy. In Europe, it is considered the Christmas herb. In its native land (the Mediterranean area) rosemary grows as a tall hedge. Legend has it that rosemary shrubs grow to 6 feet tall in 33 years (the height and age of Christ) but ceases it vertical growth once it is 6 feet so as never to stand taller than Jesus did. Another tale says that during the flight to Egypt, the Virgin Mary draped her blue cloak over a white flowering rosemary bush to dry. The blooms have been blue ever since to represent Mary’s blue cloak.
"Legend abounds around this lovely perennial known as the "herb of remembrance." It is said that rosemary will grow particularly well in gardens tended by strong-willed women.
Greek scholars wore a bit of the pungent herb in their hair when engaged in study as an aid to increase concentration."

The Old Knight

His golden locks time to silver turned;
O time too swift,
O swiftness never ceasing;
His youth 'gainst time and age hath ever spurned,
But spurned in vain; youth waneth by increasing;
Beauty, strength, youth, are flowers but fading seen;
Duty, faith, love are roots, and ever green.
His helmet now shall make a hive for bees;
And, lovers' sonnets turned to holy psalms,
A man-at-arms must now serve on his knees,
And feed on prayers, which are age's alms;
But though from court to cottage he depart,
His saint is sure of his unspotted heart.
And when he saddest sits in homely cell,
He'll teach his swains this carol for a song;
"Blest be the hearts that wish my sovereign well,
Curst be the souls that think her any wrong."
Goddess, allow this aged man his right,
To be your beadsman now, that was your knight.
~ by George Peele

Welcome To The Rosemary Tree

I am hopeful of providing a little respite from the junk-food of politics, finance, doom & gloom, peak oil/climate change and celebrity hoohah.

Here we strive for a rest in the shade, some cool water and a little civility, if not chivalry. This blog is dedicated to Our Lord Jesus Christ, Mother Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint Patrick, Saint Deborah and the glorious Bridget of Kildare. I very much like the line about the ancient knight - "His helmet now shall make a hive for bees;"probably because my name Deborah means "the bee" in Hebrew, so I have always enjoyed references to them. It's also reminiscent of " beating swords into plough shares" a sentiment I also approve of.

Thank you for visiting the site, hope you return!

~ Pax Christi, Deborah

The Rosemary Tree

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Rocket Powered

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