Monday 30 March 2009



I was given an Amaryllis bulb for Christmas, already planted in a lovely white pot, and after a bit of TLC it has turned out a lovely bi-colour pinky-red. There are already two blooms, with another two coming on that head and a big fat bud nearly ready to split.



I love getting Christmas presents that last. And not just last, but change as the weeks go on! I am getting a lot of pleasure from my plant. But then the best presents are the ones that last, aren't they? And not always the most expensive. Just something that shows love, thought and care in choosing, or even just being with a friend or relative you don't often see.

Speaking of relatives, I am soon to become a great-grandmother which sounds sooo old! Don't suppose I will see all that much of her (yes, she's a little girl) but I will follow her development with great interest.

Saturday 28 March 2009

Calligraphy and other crafts



When my daughter mentioned handwriting onher blog (wwww.mousenotebook.blogspot.com) I remembered that many years ago I had taken classes in Calligraphy, and enjoyed it very much. So I hunted out my pens and nibs, and found some pieces I had written all that time ago. Not too bad, I thought, so I must have another go sometime!



As if I hadn't got enought to do! My sister gave me a "starter" pack for Scrapbooking last Christmas, and at last I have got to grips with paper, card and photographs. I decided to do a "Happy memories" type of book, and started with "Holidays". We always went to the same place, every year, but I have some very happy recollections of holidays there. I'm sure its better to think of the happy times, than to harp on the unhappy periods in one's life, and having started I am remembering so much more, especially as I go through old photographs.



Trouble is, I am neither very crafty or arty! Will have to pick up some hints from Sue!

Monday 23 March 2009

Beautiful things I saw this weekend

Visiting my daughter for Mother's Day (or Mothering Sunday, as I prefer!) I was very envious of the beautiful things she had - just ordinary items, but the way she arranges and displays them fills me with a longing to be able to do that myself!

A simple arrangement of flowers by a mirror looked fantastic.



To say nothing of a Samovar found in an Antique Shop! (It is a samovar, isn't it?)

We all had a lovely Sunday together, and it made me realise yet again, how valuable family relationships are. Edges might rub together and cause friction, but in the end its family that counts.

I felt very much for my sister, who lost her son last September, and for his wife and two little girls who lost a husband and father. Not all Mother's Days were happy ones.

I hope you all had happy ones, though. Oh, and I got a pot of lovely daffodils too!

Saturday 21 March 2009

Promises, Promises.....




We went to our local garden centre yesterday. I didn't buy anything, we really just wanted to see what alterations were being made now it has changed hands. But this display of plants took my eye - the labels look more enticing than the plants! As far as I am concerned, plants often fail to reach the display the labels promise. Sometimes they just die on me.

But life is like that! What we are urged to buy promises far more than is actually delivered! Especiallty if, like me, you have to do a lot of mail order shopping. It turns out to be smaller, tackier, or simply doesn't work. But I find the big stores, like Marks and Spencer, do deliver what they show.

Its a good thing God always delivers what he promises, though!

Thursday 19 March 2009

Park benches





By popular request (!) here are the new park benches. The three new ones are set under flowering cherries, but still look rather brash to me. They are comforable, though. There are also backless ones round the bandstand, which is falling down, anyway! Though occasionally a brave band plays there. Its lovely when they do, as lots of families come, and sit on the grass (weather permitting!) and just enjoy themselves. This is the formal part of the park. My lovely green, worn benches are further down, at the start of the less formal bits. I still think they look better!

Maybe I just like older, worn things, that have lived, been loved, fit me. Perhaps that is because I am older now, I don't want everything that is new. OK if its just fashion, but if its ideas and thoughts, maybe I could get to being an old stick-in-the-mud! But then I have my daughter to make sure I don't do that!!

Its a question of balancing wisdom with freshness and a willingness to embrace the new. Can be tricky!

Tuesday 17 March 2009

At long last.......

At long last I have got an appointment at the eye Clinic at a Hospital right the other side of Cheshire. I have been waiting nearly 7 weeks, but it is wonderful what a pleading phone call will do! Its horribly early, which means an even earlier start for husband and self, but I am not allowed to drive myself, as I will nead those horrible drops which make your pupils enlarge so you can't see anything for a couple of hours afterwards! Still, once that is done, I will haopefully see the Consultant again and maybe know whether someone can be done, or wheher I must resign myself to squiffy vision!





Anyway, enough of that. The Park authorities have taken it upon themselves to put lovely new benches in at various places. Which is rather nice, but they seem to have forgotten the one above. Its well used, but stands, rather forlorn, with its twin along the path a bit. The paint is peeling, and its been well grafittied, but its definitely the shabby cousin now. Even so, I rather like it like that! It blends in well, which is more than the new ones do, and I've spent many happy minutes sitting there getting up my strength for the hilly bit!


Saturday 14 March 2009

Science and Faith




I'm reading a great book, "The Language of God" which is by Francis Collins. Dr Collins was the scientist reasponsible for the Human Genome project, and is not only a brilliant scientist, but also has a deep Christian faith. His book is helping me work through the problems I have had regarding God, the Bible and the Cosmos (to put it in a nutshell!) I am only one third the way through and am so looking forward to reading the redst of it.

I think a lot of non-Christians think Christianity is totally irrelevant to today's life, in the same way many regard Muslims as terrorists. Neither of course is true. The way some Christians present Christianity in regard to scientific fact is irrelevant (although the basic message of the Gospels is always true, whatever age, culture or time we are in) and some Islamists are terrorists, though very few. They, of course, are the ones we hear about.

So I am enjoying this book immensely, and doing something I usually abhor - unlerlining and making notes in the margins! Still, its my book, and I can do what I like!!

Thought the daffocils looked cheerful!

Thursday 12 March 2009

Counterpoint




Counterpoint

The roundness of a pebble warmed by the sun
fitting comfortably in your hand.
The coldness of a snowball moulded and firmed
by bright red fingers in soggy gloves.
The comfort to toes of a sheepskin rug,
warm on a winter’s night.
The pain to your feet of a shingle beach
as you stumble up from the sea.
The sting of salt water on a grazed knee
sore and red from a fall.
The bliss of a hot bath, scented and steamy
after a long hard physical day.
The softness of skin only a few weeks old
crowned by a toothless smile.
The callouses and scars of leathery hands
that have worked hard for 80-odd years.
The quietness of dawn when day holds its breath
the silence increased by a blackbird’s song.
The noise and intrusion of the strimmers’ roar
as neighbouring men get their gardens in trim.
The fear and confusion brought on by dreams
weird, disorientating and real.
The bliss of sleep to a tired body, and a mind
at peace with the world.


.

Wednesday 11 March 2009

Headers

Well, everyone else seems to be changing their header photo! ;)

Sunday 8 March 2009

Raindrops



I took this photo of rain drops on the leaf of a big Phormium we have in a pot on the patio. I love the colour of the leaves, especially when the sun in shining through them.

I was thinking as I took the photo that probably that drop contains a huge amount of miniscule life that we cannot possibly see. Bacteria, and other things that I can't name. If we have any microbiologists around they could probably tell me! But it is all God's world. We look at mountains, majestic scenery, crashing waves and praise God for his glories. Rightly, of course. But he is there, in the small, invisible things as well. Probably hard to get excited about them. But he needs our praise for the small things in life as well as the obvious.

I'm going out with my magnifying glass now!

Thursday 5 March 2009

Spring is here!


The birds are singing, the sun is shining, the trees are budding, and the flowers are coming out and enjoyhing the sunshine.
We might have had a sprinkling of snow this morning, but all the signs of spring, plus the sunshine, make me feel loads better! :)
Thank God I can still get out, even with sticks/crutches, and enjoy things. I feel so much for those who can't.

Tuesday 3 March 2009

Roll on Spring!

Decided a bit of brightness today was needed. I love looking inthe centre of flowers. This was almost the first time the crocuses had been properly open. So I padded across the wet lawn clutching my camera and got a result!

I really hope this terrible bout of depression will go once the real Spring arrives, and we can get some sun. Was heartened to read on another blog of wobbly lambs in the fields. But then we have had such cold wet springs in the past.

I really need someone to talk to that I can say real things to! Somehow don't think the Vicar meets those needs! ;)

Oh well, back to the kitchen. Though maybe its time to take the dog out. He thinks so, anyway.

Sunday 1 March 2009

A bright surprise!

The tulips that got left in a pot after last spring have surprised me! They have come up exceedingly early, and look absolutely gorgeous, come rain or shine. The poor things were just shoved down the side of the house (a sunless, windy place,) and now look at them!

Flowers and plants never cease to amaze me! I can't call it a will to live, because as far as I know, plants don't have a consciousness. But live they are jolly well going to. Sometimes even putting concrete or tarmac over them won't stop them coming up through cracks that seemingly weak little shoots have made.

Maybe I should take a lesson from them! It is so easy to give up, and say well, I can't do this that or the other, I'm stuck with not being able to walk properly, moan, moan, moan! Maybe I should get my weak leg and worm it through difficulties, like the shoots of plants, and just get on with things!




As its Sunday today, thought I'd give myself a 5-minute sermon!