Twenty Five Years Ago

 

Goodbye, Dolly!

The wonderful Dolly Parton has left us, to go and sing with the angels! She will be greatly missed by so many. Her nephew paid a moving tribute.[see video below]
I loved her, for her music, her honesty and her openness about her faith. I loved her generosity - helping children in the US get to College, and her worldwide Imagination Library [my own grandchildren benefited from the books they received through that] I am appalled that the hypocritical President says flags will fly at half mast for a week at the same time as his Republican Party is withdrawing funds from the I.L.across the States.

Here's Rosie, ten years ago, with her first Dolly Parton Book!

When she learned that the doctor who once treated her after a car crash was working on a vaccine for Covid, Dolly's immediate response was to pull out her chequebook and donate $1M to help. Thanks Dolly, I had my Moderna Jab!

Dolly once said “God has a plan for everything. I think it probably was his plan for me not to have kids so everybody’s kids could be mine. And they are now.”

She brought joy throughout her life, to so many people. but never forgot her humble roots, and was always generous to others. She had a very long and happy marriage. RIP Dolly- we will always love you!

I did love the tribute from the band outside Buckingham Palace today! 

Tune The World Out

A few weeks ago, I treated myself to a pair of noise cancelling headphones. They have proved useful in lots of ways - helping me relax, enabling us both to sit in the same room, but listen to different music, 

they are brilliant for listening to radio plays when the sewing machine is humming, and also managing my tinnitus.

So much has been happening in the last month. Some good, some bad, some joy, some sadness. 

• Huge things, global issues - wars and wildfires. 
• Political turmoil, comings and goings, 
• Burnham and Binface, and more.
• The deaths of famous people, ordinary people, and friends and family I know and love. 
• Unexpected illnesses. 

And those lovely events which have made me smile - 

• The Tunnock and Tardis at the Commonwealth games, 
• Punch the Macaque [look him up] 
• Happy moments with the family, 
• Unstoppable, enthusiastic grandhildren

Sometimes these things can overwhelm us .The strapline on the ad for my headphones says "Tune the world out" and I confess there are days when I want to do just that. Singing this hymn to myself helps... 

What calms your soul? 

What I've Been Watching...

If you like sport, then the last few weeks have provided some good TV. Tennis, Football, Grand Prix...and more.(sad that England lost last night) If you are like me, and don't really like watching sport on TV at all, the programme listings have been a little dull. 
However, I did manage to catch some of the Penelope Keith programmes, following her recent death. How I loved her wardrobe - both as Margot Leadbetter and Audrey Forbes-Hamilton! She was so tall and statuesque and could really pull off those fabulous silk kaftans, satin evening gowns and glorious millinery. At a diminutive 4'11" with a small budget, I was more at home in the old jumpers and dungarees favoured by Felicity Kendall. PK was a brilliant actor and I can watch re runs of The Good Life any time. 

At last Quizzy Mondays have returned. This week we had to deliver something to a friend, and we were delayed, so it was just after 8pm when we arrived "I thought you two would be the sort of people at home watching Only Connect right now" she said. Our friends know us too well! We watched it later, when we got home. Good to see Clive, Amol and VC-M quizzing away as before. 

We have been watching the 2010 reboot of Hawaii Five-O on Netflix. Quite enjoying it, altho it can get a bit violent.  But we are particularly grateful to Liz for alerting us to a policeman called Panda

NO not Peppa Pig's Policeman Panda, voiced by VCM's husband David Mitchell, but a French crime drama on Channel 4's Walter Presents

Panda [aka Victor Pandaloni] is an ex-cop, turned relaxed vegan pacifist, who is reluctantly dragged back to the force. But he insists on working on his own terms. So no early morning callouts, cycling rather than using a car, no weapons or violence.
It's so clever and so witty. Providing you can cope with subtitles , it is easy viewing for a warm summer evening. Set in the Camargue [yes there is a pony, sunshine, sandy beaches etc] It has all the usual tropes...

-longsuffering boss [permanently tired due to young family]
-attractive but highly-strung female partner, who is his polar opposite
-younger idiot cop who worships Panda 
-teenage son whom Panda 'accidentally' adopted

C'est Très Drôle

Bits And Pieces

Thursday was busy, and hot! We began by going into Norwich, as Bob has a follow-up session with his consultant regarding his recent back treatment. We got there early, and had time for a coffee in the Priscilla Bacon Hospice Coffee Shop, which was close by.
Bob's doctor was very pleased with his progress, and made helpful comments about lifestyle and exercise . We are so grateful for the improvement in his health and relief from constant pain.

We went into the city and mooched about a bit, and found a couple of CS bargains. Bob found this for £5 - a large frame, big enough for the Hockney Print! The sticker on the back says it came from the Nelson Hotel - which is due to be demolished soon and rebuilt.

I guess they will have lots of new pictures! I spent £1 on this pretty Italian sweet tin - I shall put some of my haberdashery in it. Home via Aldi, and the first Big Shop of July.

Then long cold drinks of water, and time to sploot on the bed with our books
Bob fell asleep so I tiptoed into the lounge. He came through later and asked if I'd looked at Facebook. Why?

My cousin Miriam in Perth, Western Australia had posted that her Mum, my Auntie Jean has died. She was 101! this photo was taken just three weeks ago. Uncle Ted died in 1997. They had ten children - so the Hall family in Perth now numbers somewhere around 100 people!
She was my last surviving aunt - so it marks the end of an era, but I am not sad. Her faith was strong to the last, and she was confident Jesus had a place ready for her in heaven. Such a positive lady, leaving many happy memories behind. But I guess it will be hard for Mim - they did so much together especially since M retired [she is 72] 
Today is another busy day - I doubt I will live to 101, but I am determined to make the most of every day God gives me. 

I hope your day is good, and even if the weather outside is blistering hot, try and follow the words of George Fox [founder of the Quakers] who said 

"Be still and cool within thy soul"

I've Lost The Cat!

 

Last Thursday, Yorkshire born, world renowned artist, David Hockney died. He was 88. He began life the son of an accountant and grew up in Bradford. He went to art college, and as his career took off, he went to the USA. He was a leader in the Pop Art movement. In 1967 he painted A Bigger Splash, a glorious blue swimming pool and hot summer sky in sunny California. 

I love this painting. When Liz worked at Tate Britain 20 years ago, she gave me two Hockney prints. This one, and my favourite Hockney painting - Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy. 

This was painted around 1970. The couple are fashion designer Ossie Clark and his wife, textile designer Celia Birtwell. Clark and Hockney were best friends, and David was best man at their wedding.

Celia is wearing a dress called Heavenly Twins which Ossie designed for her [in

2015 it sold for £11K and is now in Manchester] I saw this dress before that at a exhibition in London with Steph, alongside the painting. The cat was actually called Blanche [Percy was their other cat!]

On Monday I decided I would get my prints down from the loft, and display them for a few weeks as a tribute to the newly deceased painter. I picked up the cardboard storage tube. It was neatly labelled "Tate, Splash, Percy"

But it was empty!!!!  Neither print inside. I cannot work this out. If I'd decluttered and donated them, I'd have given away the tube too. If a mouse got into the tube and ate the prints, there'd be evidence [we had mice up there a few years back] If they didn't go to a CS, where have I put them? Maybe they will turn up. 

I shall just read all the obits and enjoy looking at his pictures [his later ones of Yorkshire are lovely] RIP David Hockney July 1937- June 2026

Do you have a favourite Hockney painting? 

In Loving Memory

 

Peter's service went well. I allowed plenty of time because of all the roadworks along the A47 and arrived 20 minutes early. I stood under the trees chatting with Roger [aka Spronk], who had known Pete since Primary School. Like me, he did not really know anyone else there apart from the immediate family. The Yarmouth Crem is relatively modern, light and bright, with comfortable seating!
Daphne had written a piece about her brother's life - growing up, his love of motorbikes, [shared with his best friend Spronk], his work on the ambulance crews, his love of dogs, and in retirement his unwavering support for LIB Dog Rescue. His great nephew gave a lovely tribute to the man himself - how everyone had loved Uncle Pete. 
Roger and I sat together in the chapel and again at the Wake - mostly discussing motorbikes. Well, he talked about all the bikes he and Peter had owned, and I added relevant comments where I could. I never did pluck up the nerve to ask him why he was nicknamed Spronk  though.
One older relation was looking at me with that "I ought to know you..." expression. I smiled and said "I'm Angela, Hilda and Stan's daughter" "Of course!" he replied. Then his daughter said "I was at your wedding, it was brilliant, Uncle Stan conducted it, and the balcony upstairs was full. Everyone was happy and the music was good" She can only have been about 10 at the time. But I fully agreed with her description. 
Lots of Pete's LIB friends were there - and said they should have brought the dogs to form a guard of honour outside the Crem [possibly not....] They'd printed out lots of lovely photos of Pete-with-rescue-dogs which had been on their Facebook page in recent days.
Happy memories

Saying Goodbye

Thank you for all your good wishes for Bob. The meds have kicked in quickly and he is recovering well [I know this because his appetite has returned!] This is a good thing, because we are both due to be at funerals today - he is going to one locally [a friend from Men's Shed] and I am driving over to Yarmouth for my cousin Peter's funeral. Unfortunately both services are at 1pm.
My cousin Daphne, his older sister, has been helping him so much in recent years since his wife died suddenly. Fortunately she and her husband Cliff live close by. Cliff has had two other family bereavements since Christmas

Whilst it will be good to meet up with my cousins, it is for a sad reason. I hope the love and support of family and friends will be a comfort to all those who are bereaved at this time.

It Is As If Infancy

 ...Were The Whole of Incarnation

One time of the year
the new-born child is everywhere,
planted in madonnas’ arms
hay mows, stables, in palaces or farms,
or quaintly, under snowed gables,
gothic angular or baroque plump,
naked or elaborately swathed,
encircled by Della Robbia wreaths,
garnished with whimsical
partridges and pears, drummers and drums,
lit by oversize stars, partnered with lambs,
peace doves, sugar plums,
bells, plastic camels in sets of three
as if these were what we needed
for eternity.

But Jesus the Man is not to be seen.
There are some who are wary, these days,
of beards and sandalled feet.

Yet if we celebrate, let it be
that He has invaded our lives with purpose,
striding over our picturesque traditions,
our shallow sentiment, overturning our cash registers,
wielding His peace like a sword,
rescuing us into reality, demanding much more
than the milk and the softness and the mother warmth
of the baby in the storefront crèche,
(only the Man would ask all, of each of us)
reaching out always, urgently, with strong
effective love
(only the Man would give His life and live
again for love of us).

Oh come, let us adore Him—Christ—the Lord

This thought provoking poem was written by Luci Shaw, the gifted American Christian poet who died this week aged 96. She lived in Bellingham, Washington State [which is also where my dear friend J. lives] Maybe she rest in peace and rise in glory.

Both Good And Difficult Memories

November is a month full of remembering -

On the 1st it is All Saints Day - remembering the saints who have died

The 2nd is All Souls Day - remembering all others who have died

The 11th -Remembrance/Armistice Day for those who died in wars

And for me personally, cousin Gill born 8.11.56, died 14.11.21

Her Mum, Auntie Peggy had her birthday on 17th

Kirsten described it as 'good and difficult memories all mixed together'

She is absolutely right. Here is her November 2x2 patch

Stitched on a blue cotton print is a red felt poppy. The centre is black satin stitch with black pistils around it. And the edge is cleverly defined by two lines of black stem stitch which make the flower stand out. 

My flower has a circle of stem stitch and a second of chain to define its place on the blue field of daisies.

The combination of the bright red for blood, the black for sorrow made these flowers of Flanders Field a good symbol of remembrance

But in these cold winter months there is warmth and brightness to lift our spirits. This is already one of my favourite patches. Two colours of thread, two different fabrics - so simple yet so effective when put together like this.

My patch will be appearing tomorrow

Celebrating A Special Friend

These two pictures show Ray Brown - aka Rev Dr Raymond Brown. A Baptist minister and scholar, a pastor, preacher and writer, who became Principal of Spurgeon's College in London.

The photos show him in the 50s, when he began ministry, and then in his retirement. 

He became friends with my Dad, when they were accepted, on the same day, to become Baptist Ministers. I first heard Ray preaching when I was five, and still vividly remember what he said to the children then,
Ray was Bob's principal at College in the early 80s. He retired in 1986, the summer that Bob left College. I thank God for the privilege of knowing him and his family. He and his late wife Christine were wonderful people. Both incredibly clever, wise and gracious, generous and thoughtful, full of humour and humility. He died last month in his 90s. 

Today we will be joining many friends in Cambridge to celebrate that amazing, grace-filled life.  He had an impact on hundreds of people down the years. A man of faith, a disciple of Jesus, who spent his entire life sharing the good news of God's love. May he rest in peace, and rise in glory.  

Well done, good and faithful servant - enter into the joy of your Lord

Keeping Up Appearances

That fabulous TV show ran from 1990-1995. How we loved watching bossy Mrs Bucket [pronounced Bouquet] She reminded me of a WI woman I met in Warwickshire in the 70s, surname Sidebottom, who insisted on being called Mrs Sidday-Bot-Tome. Was that programme really thirty years ago? In 1994, we were on holiday in Sussex, and we took the girls [aged 12 and 10] to the Festival Theatre, to see Patricia Routledge in the farce "The Schoolmistress" by Pinero. She was clever, and witty, a consummate professional. She enjoyed a long and glittering career, on stage, radio and screen. A longtime resident of Chichester, she was a patron of the theatre, and a faithful member of the Cathedral. She gave generously of her time and resources to support both. She will be greatly missed 

Since we bought Cornerstones in 2009, the original neighbours around us have all moved on. [I don't think its our fault, many were very elderly]

I remember driving over from Leicester by myself one day in early summer. I needed to do a few odd jobs and tidy the garden.

As I pushed the mower up and down, I thought about the other residents of the Close.

One lady liked everything just right [Hyacinth] another seemed less confident [Elizabeth] a temporary resident was actually described to me as "No better than she ought to be" [Rose] and one old chap loved to just sit in his armchair, beer in hand, watching sport on TV [Onslow] As I cut the grass I thought  They could do a remake of Keeping Up Appearances and  my neighbours could be the cast. But of course, they'd need an overworked member of the clergy and his slightly crazy wife..." Then I realised that would be Bob and me!

She may have played snooty, snobbish characters [Lady Bracknell] or salt-of the-earth Northerners [Hetty Wainthrop] but at heart she was a good woman who loved acting and loved bringing joy into peoples' lives. She died two weeks ago, aged 96.

Thank you Dame Patricia for all that you gave us. RIP

A Canterbury Pilgrimage

A picture taken from the door of St Vincent's Church in Littlebourne - the village where Bob and his family lived from 1963 - his father died in 2001.

His grave is under the trees. We visited last Sunday - it was so peaceful, and good to stand in the shade, listening to the birdsong, and remembering 

a wise, loving father - and talking of the happy times shared by all the family,

On the Saturday morning, we'd visited St Thomas Church in Canterbury city centre. A short walk from the cathedral, this Roman Catholic church is where Bob's Mum worshipped. Here Bob was confirmed, his sister was married - and Mum's funeral was held in 1986. It was cool inside, and I was able to spend a few moments sitting quietly in prayer, thanking God for all his blessings. Grateful to have become part of this family when I met and married Bob. 

The late Pope Francis declared 2025 to be a Jubilee Year, with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope". In the entrance was a large banner, incorporating the colourful logo, and the special prayer. St Thomas' Church is one of 102 churches in England designated Pilgrim Churches 

I like the idea of being "Pilgrims of Hope" - and the logo showing the diverse group of faithful people, supporting one another, and clinging to the cross - their symbol of faith. In the rough seas of life, it is shown as bring an anchor. In Hebrews chapter 6, it says "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast". If I can show love, support, and hope to those around me, if I can be a 'tireless cultivator of the seeds of the Gospel' then maybe I can have an impact in my small corner of the cosmos. 

A Wonderful Lady

My phone has this habit of saying "Here's a memory from x years ago..." and up pops a photo. This is from 2011 and shows Ruth and John on their first visit to Cornerstones. Relations-by-marriage, their son Kevin is Bob's sister's husband. 
It is some years since John died - Ruth passed away last month, and this photo appeared on my screen two days later.  Her thanksgiving service is today, Bob feels very privileged to have been asked to take a part in it. We have grown so fond of Ruth in recent years, and been able to call in on her little bungalow, near Kings Lynn, quite often. Even more so since we retired. They were as kind and loving couple, very proud of their family. Always so thoughtful, and so generous. Despite being in her 90s, Ruth mastered IT skills, and delighted in showing us pictures of the grandchildren and greatgrandchildren - and she was always so interested in our girls and their offspring. The littl'uns abbreviated "GreatGrandma" to GiGi, which I think is delightful.
She suffered poor health since Christmas, and Kevin and Denise have been utterly brilliant in their support for her. Today will be bittersweet - sad to say goodbye, but glad her suffering is over and she is at peace. Happy that we will meet up with family, but sad for the reason for it. 
Ruth was always very smartly turned out, and amassed a vast collection of costume jewellery. Denise has arranged that Ruth's brooches and ear-rings will be put on display after the Wake, and friends and family invited to take a piece as a memento.
I think this is a beautiful idea. 

My task was to prepare some little velvet display squares [which are double sided and can be used as pouches] I made a couple of dozen - here are a few [with a few of my brooches pinned on] before I posted them off to Denise.

Rest in Peace, Ruth
- a very special lady, greatly loved and greatly missed.

Just Like That!

Today, the first Sunday after Easter, is traditionally called "Low Sunday" in some parts of the Christian Church. Low because Easter was one of the high Sundays of the year, so this would definitely feel like an anticlimax. Others believe it is a corruption of the Latin laudes or praise,  from the opening words of the Sarum Rite [The form of Latin Rites used in England before the Reformation]
Many new Christians were traditionally baptised at Easter, in white robes, and on this subsequent Sunday, they laid aside these garments. On this Sunday, they were encouraged to follow the words in the first Epistle of Peter - 'like newborn babes desire pure spiritual milk', which, in Latin is translated  "Quasi modo geniti infantes, rationabile, sine dolo lac concupiscite"  So sometimes this is actually called Quasimodo Sunday. 

The protagonist of Victor Hugo's book was thus named, because he was left on the steps of Notre Dame on the first Sunday after Easter. Quasi Modo  means 'in the manner of' or 'just like that' How have I got to be this old without learning that?
I have looked back at my Lenten Pauses, six Sundays entitled
Reflection, Rooted, Repair, Relationships, Readiness, Release
Last Sunday, obviously was Resurrection
So maybe this Sunday, when many of my Catholic friends may be understandably feeling a little low, we should remember in our prayers all those who are bereft, and the Latin Phrase
Requiescat In Pace

The Greatest Story Ever Told

My 70 Things List, item #6 "Go to the Cinema" has been ticked off. On Easter Sunday, Nick our Pastor showed a trailer for "The King Of Kings" which came out a couple of weeks ago. 

After a morning of worktops, it was our Bank Holiday Monday Treat. This film was showing in Norwich - two tickets plus fees, parking etc >£30, or Fakenham <£10. No contest!
This was an interesting film with an intriguing history. In 1849, Charles Dickens wrote a story for his children "The Life of Our Lord" which he then read to his family every Christmas. He bequeathed the manuscript to his sister in law in 1870, and said it was never to leave the family or be published whilst his children were alive. She died in 1917, and it passed to the youngest of Charles' sons, Henry. In his will, he stated that if the majority of the family agreed, it could be published. So in 1934, his widow and children sold it to an American company for £200K....Fast forward 90 years, and an animated film has been produced.

Bob and I sat in the tiny 3rd Screen of Fakenham Central Cinema [F's only cinema] along with just one other family. The seats were comfortable. The film was...vaguely bizarre. Here is the UK trailer to give you a flavour

Why was it bizarre? Well it seems to be sponsored by some US Christian groups, but produced by a South Korean film studio. It has a rather star studded cast - Kenneth Branagh is Dickens, Uma Thurman is his wife, Ben Kingsley is Caiaphas the High Priest, Pierce Brosnan is Pontius Pilate. Mark Hamill is Herod, and Forest Whittaker plays Peter. Oscar Isaac is Jesus and Roman Griffin Davis Is Walter [Dickens' son]

In the film, Walter is obsessed with King Arthur, and Mrs D suggests to Charles that he tells his son the story of The King of Kings and Son of God. So he does, and the boy [plus the cat] gets caught up in the story, and is transported to 1st century Palestine. He warns Mary and Joseph to escape from Herod's soldiers, he sits and listens to the Sermon on the Mount, He watches the Palm Sunday Procession and the crucifixion - and witnesses the Resurrection. 

They have tried to cram too much into 105 minutes - Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection plus Adam and Eve, and the Passover story en route. And how did they decided which Gospel events to put in? They've included Slaughter of the innocents, when young Jesus got lost, The Temptations, Blind Bartimaeus, Resurrection of Lazarus, Sermon on the Mount, Miraculous Catch of Fishes, Walking on the Water, Feeding 5K, Man through the roof, the woman who anointed Jesus' feet, clearing the temple, Judas with his 30 pieces of silver...and even the woman taken in adultery. It is a year's worth of Sunday school lessons and then some.

One minute you see the Victorian child at home in London as his dad tells the story, then next minute they are transported to a dusty, crowded middle eastern street [still in their 1800s clothes] I think if you don't know the Bible narrative very well, you might get a bit lost. And I am not altogether sure about the characters 

All the Pharisees and disciples had HUGE noses and were generally not very attractive. But the Jesus character was slim, with a tiny neck, and lovely hair - but he looked like those bobble head caricatures people stick on their dashboards. And the three Marys all looked the same to me [Mary his Mum, Mary sister of Lazarus, Mary at the tomb]  Over the closing credits, inexplicably, they played the 1896 hymn "I surrender all"

It is rated PG in the UK and USA because of violence.
So who is this film aimed at?

I am not sure I'd use it as an evangelistic tool. But as Bob said, there were some clips that would be good sermon illustrations, or useful to tell a story at Holiday Club [no, we are not doing anymore!] I don't think I'd take my grandchildren - too scary for the little ones, and too complex a story even for Rosie to make sense of. 

It was a fun afternoon out - but I was glad we had not paid over thirty quid for the experience! I am sort of relieved that the Guardian reviewer had similar reactions

*** please let me know if you have seen it and what you thought

Just before we went to the cinema, I heard of the death of the Pope. I am pleased he was able to come onto the balcony in St Peter's Square on Sunday and wave to the crowds. RIP Francis. Having recently read Conclave, I suspect we may now shell out a fiver to watch the film at home sometime.
But a final thoughtful comment from Pierce Brosnan who was interviewed about the film, he simply said
I tell you, this will be good to have a retelling of Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Our Saviour. Why not? We need it....

Yet Another Landscape

On Friday I posted about landscapes by Turner and others
On Saturday I posted the snowscape I had stitched for our CoverStory Collaboration
And yesterday I received Kirsten's January stitching - another landscape!
It is beautiful - a  depiction of a place in Sussex which is a favourite spot where she and her family go for coffee sometimes. And it is tiny - just 6cm x 5cm, but she has mounted it on a piece of her Advent Calendar fabric.

You can see trees, patchwork fields, and along the bottom grasses. In the blue sky a very fluffy cloud made from some sheep's wool. The stitching is minuscule! Like my snowscape, her sky is beautiful, joyful blue [skies round here have been very grey lately]

If you read her blog, you will know she has had a tough few weeks, losing her Dad just after Christmas, and then having to deal with all the 'sadmin' that follows a bereavement. 
She has added a photograph in the notebook which accompanies the stitching - a picture of her Dad, looking bright and cheerful, with these fields and trees, and clouds in the blue sky behind him. It was taken at the beginning of December.

K says "this is not a sad piece - it is one of my favourite wintry scenes, and a happy memory of a Grand Old Man!"

What a lovely tribute, I am thrilled he will be remembered and celebrated in our collaborative stitching. 

Advent 2 - Squares

There are quite a few square shaped things right now. Advent Calendars with little square windows or drawers or pockets. Square table napkins [some waiting to be folded into more elaborate shapes] And Christmas cards. Far fewer through the post these days, we've had 6 thus far, and five have been square shaped. One arrived on Friday, and it left me feeling so sad. It just said "Hazel". It's only a few weeks since my cousin lost her husband, and now after over 50 plus years of signing her cards with both their names, she is alone.

We miss these loved ones all year round, but especially at Christmas. On Thursday evening I went with Bob to Norwich Cathedral, for a service of reflection and remembrance organised by the Priscilla Bacon Hospice Charity.The Dean read a collect which spoke of "those who we have lived and cherished in this mortal life, and who we have placed into your tender hands" .and Helen the Hospice Chaplain lit the trees, "as we remember in thanksgiving those whom we have loved and see no longer, giving thanks for the love and time we shared, and the brightness they brought into our lives"

Christmas is hard for many people, I will look at Hazel's square card, and pray for all those who are sad in this season. 

Yes I CAN !!

I definitely think I have earned my classy National Trust Head Gardener's mug. Both raised beds are looking splendid, and I am getting positive comments from passing dog-walkers! That said, my splendid crop of broad beans has been decimated by blackfly over the weekend. 

My stock of gardening equipment is coming along nicely...

Monty Don advises keeping your watering cans full, for three reasons

1. That will free up space in the waterbutts in case of rain
2. It will weigh them down and stop the plastic ones blowing about the garden if there is wind
3. They are ready for a quick dash round watering to tomatoes etc.

Julian was with us three days- and the morning after he went home, his late Mum's "Blessings" rose finally bloomed. Typical! The Egyptian Walking Onions grow more triffid-like than ever. The original bulbils at the top of the stems have developed into little clusters of small red and white onions [size of a spring onion] and then another stem plus bulbil is shooting out from each cluster.

Kirsten advises putting some pots of compost around for the bulbils to plant themselves into. You can break off the little'uns* from the cluster, and eat them as spring onions or pickle them. Or leave them to grow on to shallot size. Eat them as shallots, or replant. And the green stems can be chopped up and used like chives.
* leave some to sustain the new bulbils.

As I have tomatoes, mini cucumbers and salad leaves almost ready to harvest, I can add in a sliced little onion too. As these were a gift from Kirsten, they should be called my Egyptian Walking Onions [Kirsten's] or EWOKs for short!

Just One Thing

Such sad news about Dr Michael Mosley. I did not know him personally - but listened to him on TV and radio, read his books, and even tried his diet plans. I particularly enjoyed his "Just One Thing" programme. I did briefly attempt the cold shower thing, but decided against that becoming a daily habit. 
I do believe he was a good man, who genuinely wanted to help other people to live happier, healthier lives. He always came across as kind and caring, with a good sense of humour.
My thoughts and prayers are for his widow Clare, their four children, and his many grieving friends right now. And with the people of Symi - a tiny island now overwhelmed with media coverage. They really pulled together to search for him [one of their police officers fell and broke his leg] and this is not the outcome anyone was hoping for.
Thank you Michael - for challenging so many of us to think seriously about the way we eat.RIP