Sunday

May 18, 1997

328 A Bird came down the Walk

by Emily Dickinson

SUNDAY 5/18

Today's Reading:"A Bird came down the Walk" by Emily Dickinson.

Today is the Christina Feast of the Pentecost, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit unto the Apostles, 50 days after Easter.

The Cape May Music Festival begins today in Cape May, New Jersey.

In 1980, after rumbling for two months, Mount Saint Helen in Washington state erupted, spewing a cloud of ash 60,000 feet in the air and blowing 1,600 feet off the summit.

It's the anniversary of a heroic action in World War II, the Italian Campaign in 1944 when Polish troops captured Monte Cassino, the Benedictine abbey the Germans were using as a bunker.

Today is the 77th birthday of Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla), born in Wadowice, Poland, in 1920; the 246th pope and the first non- Italian pope in almost 500 years.

English ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn, who danced for audiences for 45 years, was born in Surrey, England, on this day in 1919.

It's the birthday of blues singer Joseph Vernon Turner, better known as Big Joe Turner (" Shake, Rattle and Roll," " Flip, Flop and Fly" ), born in Kansas City, Missouri, 1911.

Composer and lyricist Meredith Willson (THE MUSIC MAN) was born on this day in Mason City, Iowa, 1902.

Academy Award-winning director Frank Capra (IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT; YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU; IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE) was born 100 years ago today in Palermo, Sicily, 1897.

It's the birthday of English philosopher Bertrand Russell, born in Ravenscroft, Monmouthshire, 1872. Once asked whether he would be prepared to die for his beliefs, he replied, "Of course not. After all, I may be wrong."

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

 

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