A Study In Scarlet

It's rather hard to focus on blogging this week, with all the sadness and suffering in Manchester. My heart aches for all those mothers whose daughters will not be coming home again.
Very grateful that Steph [who is O negative] was able to go and donate blood in Manchester on Tuesday afternoon, and Liz gave in London yesterday [Rosie got a sticker!]

Life goes on- here in Ferndown they are repainting all our pillar boxes. A group of us were walking back from a Care Home Service last Friday when we met a guy painting a box just outside the old [closed] Post Office, which has just been sold. He said that he was painting the box, but it was due to be relocated somewhere else now the PO is out of use.

So I began checking the postboxes to see which ones had been given a fresh red coat. 
On Saturday I saw that one just round the corner was bright and shiny. On Monday morning I went out on my bike, and noted that the one on my route to church was dull and rusty - but when Bob and I returned to church in the evening for a meeting, it had been painted.
What a difference!

Also on my bike ride, which took me along the Castleman Trailway, I saw some lovely spring blossoms and fresh green foliage.
Unexpectedly there was a small honeysuckle bush growing in among the brambles. I plucked 3 flowers and brought them home.
Having just finished up a tin of Brasso, I decided this scarlet and blue container would make a very quirky flower vase.

I just love the retro sunburst design of the Brasso tin. It has been around since before WW1. During WW2 there was a metal shortage and Brasso briefly was in glass bottles. Now it is in tins again - but they have a red plastic 2-part screw cap. Once that's been removed, and it has been well washed, you have a cute container for a few blooms. 
Just as my heart was gladdened to see the beautiful blossoms growing amongst the brambles, so it has been great to see many good deeds shining out in the darkness this week.