Ware Were We?

There was some free time during our Conference this week - and on Wednesday afternoon, Bob and I drove to Ware, a small Hertfordshire town, famed for its Great Bed.
I found a fabulous little woolshop "Crates of Wool" where a busy group of women were sitting round a table learning pompom crafts. They were so friendly, and we talked about their projects. "Do you knit?" they asked. I showed them my pictures of the Christmas Tree which turned into blankets for Romania.
I was interested in the cupcake wool - I hadn't seen that before. I'm a bit cynical though - it is simply wool which knits up into stripes, and it seems quite expensive. But it did look fun

We drove back, stopping briefly at the Garden Centre.
This was a fantastic edifice with a high glass roof, reminiscent of the Palm House at Kew.

We are not great gardeners, but do enjoy looking at what is on sale and what the latest trends seem to be.
Lots and lots of 'candles' which are battery powered and have flickering plastic 'flames'.
Wellies in all colours under the sun, and those for toddlers have little handles to help pull them on.
And barbecues big enough to roast an ox, with digital gizmos and fancy add-ons.

And the opportunity to get somebody to design your garden for you...at a price. We did laugh at the sign on the Venus Flytrap Plants. Presumably the flies in Hertfordshire can read
Returning to the Conference Centre, I popped in to the room where there were some exceedingly busy ladies all sitting behind their sewing machines. These were the Log Cabin Quilters of Langford. This group meets weekly in their church hall - but annually they have a 3 day break together and sew continuously. They stop for meals - but as it's a conference centre, someone else cooks and clears up - so the sewing was going on from before 8am till after 9pm

These good ladies were so cheerful and friendly, very happy to display their work to those of who stuck our noses in the door. They make all sorts of items - and support Project Linus by making security blankets for sick and traumatised children.

I guess this post could have been called teacakes and jellyrolls.
Where were we? Bob and I were at High Leigh Conference Centre in Hertfordshire with a group of other Baptist Ministers and their spouses.
It was a wonderful break and I caught up with some old friends, and made some new ones [and we swapped craft and thrift ideas] 
The grounds of the centre are lovely- and it was fantastic to wake up and see a little bunny hopping outside my bedroom window. At one point before I went to breakfast, I counted fourteen of them nibbling the grass.

I feel truly blessed and refreshed - time away, with the opportunity to enjoy the beauties of creation [the woodland cathedral and the happy little rabbits] to chat to craftswomen, watching their knitting and sewing - and above all, to spend time reflecting on our calling to ministry and where God has led us and may yet lead us.