Saturday, February 26, 2011

The Crystal Butterfly Lovers



Jack Frost
                -by Helen Bayley Davis

Someone painted pictures on my
     Windowpane last night --
Willow trees with trailing boughs
     And flowers, frosty white,

And lovely crystal butterflies;
     But when the morning sun
Touched them with its golden beams,
     They vanished one by one.

* * *

I took this video of Abby and Bonbon (both ten-years-old) in our back yard on Thursday--our one day of falling snow this winter. It did not last long, but it was enchanting. The three giant Sequoias seemed pleased to welcome "crystal butterflies" where, in a few months, other butterflies of various colors and sizes will settle onto the boughs for sheltered naps on hot days.



Music (my latest favorite classical CD):  "Lagrimoso" movement from The Butterfly Lovers - Concerto for Violin, by Gang Chen and Zhanhao He. Gil Shahan-violin, Lan Shui-conductor, Singapore Symphony Orchestra


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10 comments:

Sage Ravenwood said...

Delightful video of the pups and the snow. Loved the poem. Give me new insight to the weather outside my door. (Hugs)Indigo

mythopolis said...

Aww, I loved seeing your shaggy pups and the crystal butterflies everywhere. My dog is 12 now, and I still call her 'my puppy'.

Kristen Haskell said...

That is also a favorite piece of music. Isn't snow enchanting? Wonderful post.

Lydia said...

Indigo~ Thank you for appreciating instead of laughing at our tiny "snowstorm." (We won't tell the dogs about how much snow other dogs get to play in!)

mythopolis~ Bonbon's nickname is "puppy," which is what we called her when she was one, but it seems she will always be our pup. We picked her up at Customs at the Portland airport when she was 12 weeks old, and she loves it when we chant: "Thank you for coming all the way from Canada to be our baby girl!"

Kristen~ Yes snow is indeed enchanting (even without musical accompaniment) and it is great to know that you also love The Butterfly Lovers! I can listen to it when I am in just about any kind of mood and find something special and new.

susan said...

Lovely video and wonderful music. We're still frozen in here and I'm missing the Portland spring.

Lydia said...

susan~ Happy you appreciated the post. If you had not moved from Portland I would be suggesting tea at the Chinese garden downtown... :(

Jinksy said...

Love the poem and the music. Unless I'm mistaken, that is being played on an ehru or ehru (can't decide which spelling is correct). I've a different recording of The butterfly Lovers and have enjoyed it tremendously for years!

Roxana said...

lovely lovely, a pleasure for the eyes and for the tender soul - thank you for introducing me to this wonderful music as well!

interesting that we both used the snow flakes-butterflies analogy :-)
this is an older video of mine, if you have time: here

Hattie said...

The dogs in their raincoats, the wet snow and lovely trees and what sounds like Japanese music.
Really something.

Lydia said...

Jinksy~ When I first heard The Butterfly Lovers on our classical radio station the announcer mentioned that it is so loved around the world, and now I know by you as well. I am so glad to now know it.
I looked at the CD cover and the instruments played are the gu ban, cello, flute, harp, and violin. I now wonder if the gu ban is what you are calling the ehru and so must do some googling!

Roxana~ Oh, how fascinating about the analogy, and I am on my way to view your video. Thank you so much for mentioning it and providing the link.
You will love the entire Concerto when you hear it, I am sure of it.

Hattie~ Your comment was rather haiku-like itself! The concerto is Chinese, my newfound favorite (and as you can see by Jinksy's comment, long appreciated by others).

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