adventuresofalgy:

Algy sat on the rocks by the side of the loch and thought of Stephanie and her family. As the light streamed through the clouds onto the water, he sang this poem by Goethe for her, in its beautiful Lieder setting by Franz Schubert:

          Des Menschen Seele
          Gleicht dem Wasser:
          Vom Himmel kommt es,
          Zum Himmel steigt es,
          Und wieder nieder
          Zur Erde muß es,
          Ewig wechselnd.

          Man’s soul
          Is like water:
          From Heaven it comes,
          To Heaven it rises,
          And down again
          To Earth it must descend,
          Constantly fluctuating.

Listen to this lovely recording of Gesang der Geister über den Wassern by the Vienna Vocalists and the String Ensemble of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

[You can read the full text of the poem in German and English, but Algy feels that the English translation given there does not do full justice to the original, and nor does Algy’s own translation!]

Once again Algy you’ve touched my heart.  I love this photo and yes, that’s just exactly where I’d sit and where I’d like to sit when I come home some day.  These long hard days will pass, the sun will shine brighter through the clouds and then, one day, I will sit there and feel its warmth and enjoy the warmth of our friendship too.  Thank you Algy and most beloved friends - Goethe even inadequately translated, does say it so well. 

Number Ten Downing Street, a famous house built between 1682-1684 with a particularly interesting history, click on the link to a brilliant blog to read more.  

Ten, my number of today.  A nice round number, the number of fingers on my typing hands and a number of the greatest significance to Christians and Jews alike.  I like this little quote from Faust by Goethe, 

“If nine is one

Ten is none

Here is all the mystery.”

There is no mystery for me though as the significance of ten today is to do with the number of chapters I have completed on my book.  There is a nice feeling to this stage, getting close to the halfway mark and whilst still daunting in its scope, now feeling more possible.  Horray for the number ten!