When the Mountain Touches the Valley...

IF I COULD HAVE been cast in any Jim Henson production, I would have chosen my all-time favourite,

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
(original airdate: 1977),
based on

the same-titled children's book
written by Russell Hoban
and illustrated by his then wife,
Lillian Hoban.

OF COURSE, I would
have wanted to play

the lead (Emmet),

but being that dirty laundry holds me hostage my interest most of the time, Jim would have probably encouraged me to try out for the when-I'm not knitting-socks-and baking-pumpkin-pies-for-a-living-I'm-washing-other-people's-duds "Alice" part. There's no denying I most certainly have all the motions down pat, and since I no longer suffer from Tide Bottle Elbow (which is similar to racqueters' tennis elbow, only I "caught" mine from lift-and-pour-the-Tide overuse. "Just say yes to 'OUCH!'" snickered the heavy, couldn't-care-lessy orange detergent flask, to which I replied, "cLiCkY-cLiCkY--<-- HERE."), it would have been a breeze, I tell ya. A BREEZE!

BECAUSE EMMET OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS is so very special to me--Not only did this special special (<--HBO) utilized a number of different puppetry methods and featured extensively platformed-up sets, all created with great attention to detail, but the psychiatrist I use to go to (<--Imagine that! ME?! With a mental "problem"?!?! Yeah, I know what you mean, it is to laugh!) bears a striking resemblance to Jim Henson (Hm. SparkleFarkle switched to present tense. Does that mean she's still seeing "someone"? ENQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW. Perhaps SF is merely mistaken and thinks the court-appointed psychi-guy is her friend.), except my since defunct doctor wears a handlebar moustache and one of his fingers (WARNING: bad word choice ahead-->) cripples (<--strangely short and bent at the tip in the exact same way

--Sorry, folks, Telly hides his candy cane-shapey fingy in this picture. I just wanted to point out that "Living Doll" (1963) is one of my favourite Twilght Zone episodes, is all. I thought Enquiring Minds might want to know. FYI, though: Mr. Savalas plays a mean mean stepfather (Erich Streater), who has to battle it out with Talking Tina in this one. It's a Must-See, I Telly you, a Must-See!--

Telly Savalas
wore his deformy digit.)

WAIT. Where was I again? (<--Just call me "Stray.") Oh, yeah. Because Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas is so very special to me, as are you, the video-clip experience, below, is my Santy Claus gift to you!

"When The River Meets The Sea"
written by Paul Williams and sung by the quartetty members of the Frogtown Hollow Jubilee Jug Band: Emmett Otter (washtub bass), Wendall Porcupine (jug), Harvey Beaver (kazoo and washboard), and Charlie Muskrat (cigar-box banjo), Alice "Ma" Otter, and Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. AKA John "Far OUT!" Denver.

When the mountain touches the valley
All the clouds are taught to fly
As our souls will leave this land most peacefully
Though our minds be filled with questions
In our hearts we'll understand
When the river meets the sea

Like a flower that has blossomed
In this dry and barren sand
We are born and born again most gracefully
Plus the winds of time will take us
With a sure and steady hand
When the river meets the sea

Patience my brothers
And patience my son
In that sweet and final hour
Truth and justice will be done

Like a baby when it is sleeping
In its mother's loving arms
What a newborn baby dreams is a mystery (a mystery)

But this life will find a purpose
And in time we'll understand
When the river meets the sea
When the river meets the almighty sea

O Holy Night cow!
I just now found us a blooper "reel," too!
Man, this is like having two Christmases, isn't it?!

(Think of it as a little something extra in your stocking!)
Emmet Otter's
Jug-Band Christmas Bloopers

TWO WORDS:

You're welcome. Merry Christmas!
Love,
SparkleFarkle~~~~~*
Rest in peace, my Mollo, ZuZu, and Mr. Henson.