Making Something Beautiful

 
This is indeed true [although I am not sure if it was definitely Michelangelo who said it] We were impressed on Friday at the Sandringham Food, Craft and Wood Fair, to see the men and women with their electric chainsaws, turning huge pieces of wood into amazing artworks.

They took a rough hewn piece of wood, and carefully worked on it to produce animals, birds, and figures, taking away spare bits of wood. These stags with locked horns were the back of a bench.

You'd need a big fishpond [lake?] to warrant having a large figure of Neptune guarding it! The prices were high - but if you factor in all the hours spent, and the rising cost of timber, I guess they were fair.

We did not buy anything! [other than two cups of coffee, a bacon roll and a biscuit] 

We had been looking forward to this event, and were a little disappointed. There were fewer exhibitors and the 'crafts' included hardly any textile work. Too many stalls selling ready made items imported from China, not 'proper' artisan items.

And so many places selling "fidget pops" . These strange multicoloured silicon shapes like tough bubble wrap. "There you are, you can pop this as you go round if you are bored" said a Gran to her young charge. 

NO! I yelled [inside my head] talk to her! explain what that man with the chain saw is doing! engage the lino cut lady in conversation about how she makes her picture! discuss the different flavours of the free samples of fudge! But please don't give her something to fidget with, causing her to miss what's happening around her. Rosie will never get one of these from this Grandma!

As I walked down one row of stalls, I noticed that the little one at the far end seemed to get no visitors at all. What was it selling?  As I got closer, I saw it was the Norfolk Fostering and Adoption Service. I stopped and had a chat with the lovely couple there. Between 50 and 80 children a year find new homes through the NFAS [rated Outstanding by Ofsted] The pandemic has made the situation a lot harder for them - and they need more adoptive parents, and also foster parents [no upper age limit for FPs, providing you are in good health] 

"Please take one of our cotton bags, and tell other people about our work" said the lady. 

My friend read this book and was so challenged by it that she and her husband adopted two little girls.

Loving families are so precious - we were able to meet up with another branch of the Almond family last week as they holidayed in Norfolk [I met my new great niece for the first time- and they met Jessica] 

God bless all those who foster and adopt, and show love to children whose earlier family life has been difficult. Not taking away, but adding joy and care.