stepping stones of truth

Slumbering Dorset hills shift gently in their winter sleep

2010-02-07T15:49:00.003Z

This snowy scence is my garden a few weeks ago. Since then it has been cold, but sometimes the sun shines and there is change in the air. The birds are singing their spring songs and robins are having boundary skirmishes.

In the woods by the river the snowdrops are now in full flurry, and there is a definite shift towards longer days. Light at the end of the winter tunnel, I can almost feel hopeful that spring will arrive. And then they have forecast more snow tomorrow! I guess the earth will go dormant again for a while.

In felt making class, we were challenged out of our comfort zones and had to produce a large cylindrical shape in wet felt - but using two colours from the opposite sides of the colour wheel + either black or white. I usually like to use toning colours. Oh well, its only an exercise, so I flung myself into it. But I had to use the citrus yellow in the centre even so!

To give it a lighter feeling, I used white as a sort of feather theme and included real feathers for emphasis. I used the sections I took out of the top edge yellow-side up, and put them lower down for weight.

I photographed it next to some yellow and mauve flowers I bought the Man Of The House for his birthday. I actually quite like it now! But its proved to me that I prefer to make things in felt that have a use rather than purely decorative objects. I dont think a felt vase is a good idea. What else could I use it for I wonder?

Freezing

2010-01-07T06:42:00.004Z

I am so glad we have a boiler that works to warm the house, and that I have an electric blanket for my bed during this long cold "snap" of freezing weather, although as yet we only have a light dusting of snow. Enough to make my stepping stones look pretty, with their tiny Japanese lantern ready to light the beginning.

My collection of acers in pots may not like the temperatures, but the Buddha looks good with a snowy hat! Some tender plants just won't recover - hebes. bamboos and others will just not survive consistently being frozen.

In Britain we are warmed by the Gulf Stream and - as my geography teacher used to say - warm wet westerly winds in winter. But since Christmas this has not been so, and the warm westerlies have been thwwarted by a large immovable airmass, and we have been having totally different winds blowing in freezing air from the arctic and Siberia, and it has been literally freezing.

We use the term loosely usually. to just mean cold. But temperatures have been below zero for nearly two weeks and we are not used to it! I feel a bit trapped as I really enjoy getting out and about in the countryside or even in the garden, and the ground is icy, slippery and treacherous underfoot. And I havent got strategies to deal with these sort of conditions built into my psyche or my way of life!

But I walk up into our field whenever I can. Youngest Daughter and I, and behind us you can see the group of new houses (our Old School is out of view just to the left)

Isnt he handsome?

We are very protected in this part of Dorset, and often have warmer weather than areas just a few miles away (we are close to the sea) and its been like it this time. No deep snowfall yet, despite other parts of England having had snow since before Christmas. But enough to get the sledge out - we have had it for over forty years and for some of that time it was used as a TV stand.

This is my future Son in Law and his dog about to descend from the top of the field (his pigs are behind him) We have at least another few days of this weather to come, and maybe more, but the stubborn air mass may be shifting soon. I doubt our nation will ever get used to "freezing" for more than a day or two at a time. Hopefully it will just be an interlude to remember.

Christmas in envelopes

2009-12-29T16:43:00.003Z

Taking time to admire the variety of cards adorning the shelves of dressers and all flat surfaces, I think this poem sums it up. Nearly time to recycle them, and I have four years' worth of cards ready to recycle this year after a foray into the Christmas chest!

CHRISTMAS IN ENVELOPES

Monks are at it again, quaffing, carousing;
And stage-coaches, cantering straight out of Merrie England,
In a flurry of whips and fetlocks, sacks and Santas.

Raphael has been roped in, and Botticelli;
Experts predict a vintage year for Virgins.

For the theologically challenged, Richmond Bridge,
Giverny, a lugger by moonlight, doves. Ours

Costs less than these in money, more in time;
Like them, is hopelessly irrelevant,
But brings, like them, the essential message.

by U.A Fanthorpe

And Ive nearly finished my felt creation of holly - just some more silver sparkly lines to do......

Blue skies on Christmas Day

2009-12-26T22:10:00.008Z

This was our view on the 25th December!

Christmas Day in our house was on 20th December! My eldest daughter and family spent a whole week with us before going to spend the actual holidays with her husband's parents. Last time they did it the other way around, and were with us on the real Christmas Day.

It was quite comforting to know that if you ran out of any vital commodity you could pop to the shops to get it - rather than have to wait for several days.

The weather has been very cold and icy (though not the snow that the rest of the country is having) but it was through this time and with a toddler in the house, that the heating oil ran out. Well we thought it had run out, and (having no woodburning fire right now as the chimney is under repair) we had a chilly weekend just using three electric fan heaters to heat the whole house. I was not a happy bunny.

However, our local supplier who has always managed to help us in the past when we ran out unexpectedly, turned up as soon as they could. We have two small fuel tanks that feed into one line, and it was discovered that on the last delivery, a valve was not reopened after filling the tanks. So we actually had one tank empty - but one tank full ! How annoying was that?

Anyway, youngest daughter and her fiancé could be together and spend Christmas Day with his family (having spend our early Christmas Day with us). So that left the two of us - I was happy to treat the day as a lazy Sunday, but the Man of the House wanted to spend the day at his favourite place - Lyme Regis - even though everything would be shut.

We rustled up a picnic, put our warm coats on and headed for Lyme Regis, only 45 minutes drive away.

It was a beautiful sunny day, more like summer. Difficult to believe that a lot of the country still has snow lying on the ground! No clouds in the sky, and the town and seafront were protected from the wind. The view is looking east back along the Dorset coastline (now known as the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage site)

The lamp standards are custom built for Lyme Regis and depict a fossil. These two gulls were using it as a vantage point - I really out to straighten the photo a bit!

This is the view back towards the Regency town, favoured by Jane Austen. It looks very sheltered by the harbour wall that is behind me, known as The Cobb (famous in the French Lieutenant's Woman) The car is parked in sea front car park in the middle of the buildings.

This is a view along the last bit of The Cobb. I find it fantastic that, apart from a few disclaiming notices, that they still let us walk along it. No rails, no nothing. The highest point on the coast is Golden Cap - doesnt look so golden today though, but we've climbed the path up to the top this summer, great views.

After our stroll, we went back to the car for our lunch (I had avocado, tomatoe and brie in pitta bread, mmmmm) and a cup of tea from the Thermos flask. This was the view through the windscreen.

This is the Man of the House walking towards his car (the low white one) The clock is a war memorial to all those who died in the 20th century from Lyme Regis.

We climbed up the hill to the new gardens (the old ones were slipping into the sea, so some major stabilising work has taken place, meaning the gardens were revamped.) Another view back towards Golden Cap.

The gardens have a low maintenance theme, with drought resistant plants. Past the grasses you can look west and see the harbour and The Cobb behind it, sheltering it from the prevailing south westerly winds and the strongest seas.

The sun set on a most unusual Christmas Day, with near perfect weather - difficult to believe it was December. And although Lyme Regis isnt my favourite part of the Jurassic coastline, it was a good day out.

Adventures with felt

2009-12-03T10:36:00.010Z

To create felt, first take some carded wool (well, first find your sheep) but best of all, take some fine merino wool. Actually you could just take a nice wool sweater and put it in a washing machine. Thats all it takes to make felt - wool, hot water, soap and rubbing!

I decided to learn how to do it properly, and enrolled at an Adult Education afternoon class of a six week course. This is all you need.

1. One old towel on the table.
1. Plastic "bubble wrap" on the towel.
3. A length of machine carded merino wool (this is a natural coloured "roving" on the right.)
4. Some old nylon net (like you have at windows sometimes)
5. A squirty bottle containing warm water and a small amount of liquid soap. Ive got Stergene (ith the blue cap.+
6. A bar of Olive soap - because it is natural, and kind to your hands.

Small tufts of wool are placed on the bubble wrap, each layer is at right angles to the last. The more layers, the thicker the felt will be.

Then the nylon net is placed over the wool. Next soapy water is spread on the net - and you press it down lightly till the wool is all wetted through. Then the hard work starts. Pretend you are a washingmachine, and rub the wool through the nylon net, with extra Olive soap. And rub. And rub.

These are my first test squares with different numbers of layers. The smaller ones above have been through the washing machine! The hand made felt has shrunk by about 20% but the machine does radically more than that.

We then made a base layer of white wool and created small circles of colour - blending colours just as you would mix colours with paint - and laying them lightly on top.

Then we put the nylon net on top and created felt as usual. As you can see, they did not eaxctly stay as circles! But nearly.

Having made plain coloured felt and experimented with colours, we had to create this sunset picture. We laid down base layers of white merino wool, then "painted" with coloured wool tufts on top of the white background. Put on the net, and continued as usual. Then were asked to decorate or embellish the scene. I'd never used beads before so used some silver thread and seed beads and some larger red ones. Fun.

Last summer I went on an afternoon workshop to learn about needlefelting, because I couldnt find any wet felt making courses. This uses a ready made pre-felted base and barbed needles that push fine wool layers into the base felt. The heat and friction of the needles are used without any of the water. You can make pictures or indeed small 3D objects. The needle holder on the left is used and the felt base is laid on the brush pad, and you jab the needleholder through the base felt into the pad. Very safe.

This was the picture I created on the needlefelting workshop. It was of an image of a Dartmoor hill against a blue sky, with an old wall on the top which had yellow gorse falling down over it, and some wonderful silver birches too. I saw this on a walk on Dartmoor and had no camera, so have had the memory stored in mind only!

So when we had to make our own landscape, I decided to see how the same image would look when created with layers of coloured felt created within the wet felt making process. Then I will add highlights with embroidery. Still a work in progress.

As a finale to the wet felt course we created a folder in which to keep all our samples and small pieces. We learned to insert sections of different textures and colours when the felt was damp, as a top layer. Then came the fun of adding buttons and decorations, and I needlefelted some small curly bits of raw wool too.

This is a needlefelted bag under construction. A long piece of black ready made felt is folded into three, and I bought the most amazing knitting yarn (merino wool of different width and rainbow colours) and needlefelted it to the front flap. Ive sewn up the sides to make the bag, and will add a thin shoulder strap. I think it looks beautiful, almost like silk.

Believe it or not, these are the two sides of the same bag that I made on an afternoon workshop with the same tutor as the wet felt course. It is a very very dark brown colour, almost black, but showed up quite brown under the flash! Its a bag with no seams, very clever. Lots of layers, and including a flap (one side of which becomes the pocket on the back. Neat idea! It is very sturdy and used lots and lots of layers and "elbow grease" ie rubbing to make it. The decorations were fun to do, I just love spirals!

And this is a small bag I made at home for a Christmas gift for my 18 month old grandaughter, using the skills acquired at the bag making workshop, with needlefelted flowers on both sides done afterwards. I am really pleased with it, I hope she will be.

No this isnt mine! But was created by a lovely friend of mine, who was a brilliant potter and a lovely lady. She died (at a tragic early age) two years ago, and I wanted to buy some pottery to remember her by, but there was none left that her husband wanted to sell. But after the thanksgiving for her life (what a glorious occasion that was, with a joyous handpainted cardboard coffin bedecked with ribbons and flowers) we were having tea and cake in her local tearoom, when I spotted this for sale on the wall. I love poppies and bought it on the spot. And it sits on the wall in my quiet room, glowing and radiating her happiness and joy in life. But I never realised, truly realised it was felt until last week! Now I treasure it more, and aspire to make something as lovely.

Where Mummy grew up

2009-11-22T22:13:00.005Z

Off to feed the pigs at the top of the field with Mummy and Aunty Lucy. Its good when the field is outside the back door and you can put wellies and a jacket on over your pajamas!

Saying Hallo to Timothy the Sheep, who is hoping for a present of a spinach leaf.

First puddle in first wellington boots!
And yes that is a Halloween sleepy suit underneath, Mummy is very practical. Spooky clothes are not just for Halloween!

Ramble around Cerne Abbas

2009-11-10T17:42:00.012Z

My walking companion and good girlfriend wanted to "recce" a walk she would later be leading with the local Ramblers. We had already tried out another walk in the area, but - on taking tea afterwards in a local tea room - had seen another suggested walk printed out, which looked more interesting. Our previous walk had taken us up the nearly vertical hill by the side of the Giant. Killing climb!

The walk started from the car park with this view of the Cerne Abbas Giant. Panoramic view from the starting point at the car park

Interesting information about the Cerne Abbas giant

So on a misty autumn day, we were going to try the new one, from the instructions but also taking a map. Instructions can be ambiguous! If you want to follow our walk, Ive found a version on the internet - but it goes the opposite way around. Walk details, only the wrong way round the circular route

It started off with a hairy few yards along a main road, but even main roads in Dorset can be fairly quiet, and we didnt see one vehicle in the few minutes we walked along it. Luckily it turned off after only a few yards onto this lovely peaceful road to the hamlet of Up Cerne (yes there is a Nether Cerne too!)

The stately trees lining the lane belong the parklands of the manor house, whose lands we were walking through. Their leaves had already fallen.

Then we turned onto the approach road to the house with its outlying estate workers cottages and church. All the roads and paths we used were official public footpaths. The problem with our previous walk was that a section of it was not - and ramblers always stick to the legal paths!

We passed the gateway to the big house, and leaned on the gate a while. If you click to see the larger version you can probably make out its church to the left. Each manor house would have had its own church nearby, so the lord of the manor would not have to walk far on a Sunday morning.

Then, after a pleasant stroll along the valley by a stream, the foot path led up through a wood to a junction of paths on the ridge of the hill between the two valleys, This photo looks down the path on the right which we had just climbed. A lovely leaf littered path.

The path then turned away from Cerne Abbas, along the top of the ridge and gave us glimpses of Minterne Magna House in the valley below. As we turned down off the top of the hills down towards Minterne, we had an unfortunate meeting. A tractor in a nearby field was spraying. A broad leaved herbicide maybe, but although a fairly still day, we caught some of the drifting nastiness and put our jumpers over our mouths for a while.

My companion remembered walking in the French countryside around vineyards, when the aircraft that was crop spraying deliberately flew at them and let fly with his spray, which was choking. This tractor driver didnt do anything like that, and plodded his way up and down the hillside.

We came down into the village of Minterne Magna that surrounded the big house, whose lovely wild gardens are open in the summer, and closed on the very day we were there - but we had no time to visit. We had our coffee stop on a thoughtfully provided picnic bench in the grassy car park.

This lovely acer was in the garden of one of the estate cottages, on top of a wall alongside the footpath as we crossed the valley bottom. We had a look around the small church in the village with lots of memorials to the Churchill family (lots of Winstons going back centuries).

My companion crossing a thoughtfully provided bridge over the small River Cerne that flows through the valley and provides lakes and fishing.

And here is a waymark right in the middle of a field beside a "blasted oak". So far, so good. No problem seeing which way to go so far.

We had turned back down the valley towards Cerne Abbas but got some more views of the lovely house and gardens which are home to the Digby family and can be used as a wedding venue.

It was about this point that we lost the plot (and the path) a bit. We backtracked a few times, and always discovered where we had gone astray! We reckon we had probably put a good couple of miles on the route by mislaying the path. Once we even crossed a main road, as we were supposed to, but the path we were expecting on the other side was not to be seen! We didnt eat our sandwiches until we were reasonably sure of being on a sensible route. And at this point we finally looked at a map.

Just as it was getting a little bit dark (and I was getting a little weary) we found the path that led us along the valley and beneath the feet of the Giant. Plenty of laughs - mostly at our blindness on missing paths as we were too busy looking at the scenery or following cattle tracks! A good walk if ever you are in the area. And of course a lovely teashop in the village of Cerne Abbas.

Autumn at the national arboretum

2009-10-19T11:24:00.003+01:00

I had long wanted to vist Westonbirt but it is a bit too far away for a day visit, but my brother and his wife invited us to stay the weekend, so that we could all go together - and they only live a short distance away. My sister-in-law cooked lovely meals, and my brother and I compared notes on computer games and shared family stories from the past!

He had researched the best time to visit for autumn colour and the weekend had arrived. Many many people had the same idea, and there were queues of cars at the gates. But there was also an extra temporary entrance with three booths, and acres and acres of extra parking. Very well organised. It was more like visiting a festival or outdoor event. Everyone was in good spirits, and I didnt even hear one child whining with boredom (and there were plenty of children). It was hard to believe that the thousands of people were there just to look at trees!

We were happy to follow the well signposted Seasonal Trail, which took us in two loops (one before lunch, one afterwards) through the National Collection of Japanese Maples and through well kept woodland and splendid specimens.

I realised that this is the first year in quite a few, that I havent been to Kyoto in the autumn. The cold air on our faces made me quite nostalgic for misty mountainsides and temples surrounded by delicate flame coloured trees, with leaves like tiny stars.......

My husband walking past a particularly delicious Bhutan pine, very Himalayan.

Nothing as beautiful as an acer against pine trees!

The hunter gatherer searches for fallen edible sweet chestnuts!

I have this one as wallpaper right now.

Taking a rest, flanked by my brother and my husband.
Thanks for a great weekend!

Charminster bellringers' day out

2009-10-04T21:38:00.008+01:00

The leaves are beginning to turn and the sun has started to lose its heat - it is autumn and time for the Charminster Ringers' annual outing to six towers in Wiltshire! In fact the day stayed dry but we didnt see any sun.

The day began at 8.30am and we all got in the hired minibus and were on our way to Wilton. The parish church (full length photo) is Italianate and looks strange to my eyes, being in a sleepy Georgian town. The stone work was decorative, but not old enough for my liking.

After a very pleasant coffee in the town square (you can tell this trip was organised by a woman!) we were off to Salisbury. There are no bells in the cathedral, but I had often sat in the café opposite St Thomas Church, (off to the left out the photo below) eating cream cakes and wistfully looking at the tower. I never thought I would have the chance to ring there.

Its always a bit nerve wracking, ringing in a town centre, with thousands of shoppers hearing the bells (and any mistakes - of which there were very few) The bells were majestic and sounded deep and sonorous - the tenor weighs 27cwt, luckily we had experienced ringers who could handle that!

We had only one ground floor ring, the rest were up in the towers, but I was able to take the time to put my head around the door and see a choir practice going on and admire the harvest festival flowers.

I wanted to make a recording of the ringing, and my mobile phone could only pick up the hiss of the rope ends as they hit the floor at the end of the hand and back strokes. So I used the camera. Sorry for the bad quality too, shooting into the light of the window. Oh well you get an idea, and can hear people being put right, as they threaten to get out of place

And then, joy of joys (I told you this was organised by a woman!) a long lunch hour in the town centre itself. Coming from a small town, this was a delight! Shops; market; ahhhhhh.

I had brought home made egg and tomato sandwiches for lunch - a childhood favourite and a must for me for days out! And I sat and had my picnic in the cathedral square and enjoyed the beautiful architecture, not only of the cathedral but these wonderful houses. Mompesson House was right behind me, as a National Trust member I can get in for free - and use the nice clean toilets - but I didnt!

After lunch, we drove through small river valleys and open countryside, more open and with bigger fields than Dorset. Broad Chalke, Coombe Bissett and the delightfully named Ebbesbourne Wake were tranquil churches and pretty villages.

The last stop was the church of St Peter ad Vincula ( means in chains, and one of only fourteen churches of that name in England) This was in Tollard Royal on Cranborne Chase, it dates from medieval times - 13th century - and is tucked into a fairly remote hillside.

There is a memorial to a knight inside the church and it should depict a crusader knight (his legs are crossed) called Sir William Payne who died in 1388, but a local lady told us he was cheating and he wasnt a crusader, as his dates are all wrong! I cant remember what his feet resting on a dog rather than a lion means.

This is part of the Rushmore Estate, formerly the home of the 19th-century archaeologist and ethnologist General Pitt-Rivers, and the "royal" part refers to King John's Hunting Lodge which was next to the church and used for hunting on the Chase for many centuries. (Madonna and Guy Ritchie have a mansion nearby on the Ashcombe estate!)

We had a good day out (there is me third from the left) A very enjoyable outing with interesting churches and bells, good company. We had an evening meal at The Inn on the Chase, and I felt very relaxed, full and sleepy as we drove back down to Dorset through the dusk.

I must go down to the seas again......

2009-08-30T23:57:00.006+01:00

...to the lonely sea and the sky.... So goes the poem Sea-Fever by John Masefield that I had learned at school. And I really did have to go and walk by the sea one day last week. Quite a strong need I had. It was a bit of a wild day, with sudden sharp showers blown in on blustery winds, between sunshine and blue skies.

This is my nearest bit of coast, about twenty minutes drive, thats all. And this is a hidden bit of coastal path, off the beaten tourist track. A narrow lane to nowhere with an amazing view.

You can look back south along the pebble ridge of Chesil Beach, (and the section of water behind it called The Fleet) to the Isle of Portland, which is actually attached and not an island at all. It looked a bit wild and desolate as I dodged the showers.

Also with the same view is a layby at the top of the hill out of Abbotsbury, where in summer an icecream van is usually parked. The lady inside needed the aerial to provide her with some entertainment - it was a quiet day for tourists and a bit lonely up there.

However, someone stopped. But the cows on the other side of the road were extremely interested - perhaps it was local ice cream, maybe even from their herd? Who knows!

I decided to go to the small car park on the coast at West Bexington - just a car park, a small café and the public toilets with the best view in England! Its on the Chesil Beach which shelves steeply and the waves had been whipped up by the wind.

The second verse of the poem came to mind...

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

The air was damp with sea spray, exactly as in the poem. The waves crashed onto the pebbles sending the spray into the air and sending foam up to the bottom of the first ridge where I stood in safety.

But despite the strong wind (I had trouble opening the car door against it) a couple were determined to enjoy a day on the beach. They used several windbreaks to huddle behind, to create an almost totally enclosed space, I think they were reading the papers. But the dog had heard me crunching along on the pebbles and had come outside to see who was mad enough to be out on a day like this - apart from his hardy owners that is!

I had a wonderful time, and came back with the cobwebs blown away and with salt spray tasting on my lips.

Sumi - Japanese ink work

2009-08-25T21:55:00.007+01:00

This is Christine Flint Sato, who I met in England but lives in Japan, in Nara (quite close to Kyoto of my heart) She had come to Dorset to exhibit some of her work with Hands On Art and also give a day workshop in Japanese ink work (sumi is the Japanese word for Chinese ink). Her website gives some more details and background.

We were a select bunch of four ladies, and the setting was the light and airy barn classroom at New Barn, Bradford Peverell. Everything was laid out for us. Christine explained the use of the elements - ink, brush and paper. It didnt feel like a workshop, rather a conversation between someone more experienced and us less experienced.

Our first task was to create our own ink with by gently grinding the block of ink with a little water on the inkstone. The fragrance of the ink was very delicate, but instantly took me back to Kyoto and I was inside a temple. The very essence of Japan was released under my nose. Bliss.

We played with dense ink and then much lighter ink, and at first just made lines on the paper and watched the ink spreading - or not if it was more ink than water, and got used to different tones. Then we made wavy lines, spirals (my all time favourite - as you can see on my workspace above) and watched how the ink spread on the soft rice paper.

Just watching Christine create marks on paper was a lesson in itself. It was fascinating to see how the brush was part of her, and how she moved her body rather than just her hand as we do in the west when we use a brush on paper. These are the characters for mindfulness that she created for us - very appropriate!

All of sudden it was lunchtime, and we went to the small cafe within the New Barn site. I had egg and chips, with chips that were light and crisp. Mmmmm. Followed by honeycomb flavour ice cream. Food was included in the price of the workshop, as were tea/coffee and cakes. Perfect.

In the afternoon we moved on to trying out a few simple Japanese characters, and some of the calligraphers amongst us were totally involved. Not having any experience (apart from learning the basic few at my Japanese conversation class a few years ago) I was more taken by using patterns. All these photos were taken on my phone, apologies for the quality, and the one above was taken by Avril on hers. We spent a moment sending the photo from her phone to mine. Wonders of the age eh?

Christine suggested I could create a pattern using a Japanese gravel garden as a theme. I had great fun, and it all felt a bit familiar. I realised that, at school, I used to spend time in class doodling - I would take a word or group of letters, quite small with space between, and create shadow shapes around each letter, spreading out like ripples - just like Japanese stones in a gravel sea! Weird or not!

At the end of the afternoon, we were invited to do a hand print with purple ink as the people doing workshops had done last year too. This is mine - it had quite dark patches of ink, and an amazing hollow in the palm. They were all so different.

Christine does some beautiful paintings, that show what can be done with sumi, but I just had fun and was very happy with my spriral.

Colmer's Hill

2009-08-18T11:33:00.007+01:00

A warm summer's afternoon - what better way to spend it, than going for a walk with Eldest Daughter, Life Long Friend and Wilson, the springer spaniel. ED and LLF hadnt been to the top of Colmers Hill so we drove to Bridport in ED's new car, with Wilson giving excited little yelps all the way from the very rear of the car.

The photo above (taken on another day) was shot through the windscreen of the car as I waited for traffic lights to change in the middle of Bridport. It can be seen from miles around.

It is near the village of Symondsbury and all the land around is owned by the Colfox Estate (even the seconday school in Bridport is called The Sir John Colfox School).

We didnt walk up the permissive footpath (granted by the estate) but along an ancient and deep track around the back. It is a very special site because of the geology that can be seen on the banks. A very mysterious place, even in high summer.

Once off the track and onto the hill the going was much steeper. The ground was nicely nibbled grass, thanks to the sheep that graze it. But we stopped to admire the view many times - apart from ED who had Wilson to pull her up - being on his lead due to sheep and his tendency to race off around the boundary of any field he finds himself in. He is only two after all. A legacy of his genes and training as a working dog, flushing out and retrieving game.

It was much cooler on the top, and a stiff breeze was blowing that couldnt be felt as we climbed up. There is a trig point up there on the little plateau (we could see another two points on the map, despite the nearness to the coast) It was a handy point for a quickly taken delayed action photo. I will not show you the one that went off "early" and caught me running back into position!

I used to be the Line Manager of someone whose father helped plant the trees, apparently during World War I. But I was glad to see that there are more smaller pine trees that have been planted to replace them eventually. They are heavily guarded against rabbits and sheep!

If you can see the hill from miles around, then the view FROM the hill will also be good - and it is! We spent a happy few minutes orienting the map so that we could locate what we were looking at - from the coast to villages and hills way inland.

There is no "boot shot" as I forgot my boots (well it was a warm and dry summer afternoon) and managed to climb up and down in my mules well enough). But I did take a 360 degree quick video to compensate for its lack! You can see the late summer countryside and a glimpse or two of the sea. Lovely!

Summer

2009-08-14T10:53:00.005+01:00

I find it quite difficult, after a lapse in blogging, to restart. And the longer the gap, the more difficult it is somehow! I dont know if other people find that too?

Anyway - here goes. Four photos, now that a warm few weeks has kicked in at last....

My lovely grandaughter, one year old! She has a sunny nature and is such an accurate mimic of movement I think she must have been a dancer in a past life, if not this one surely. I spent a happy few days with her in London.

And then she, and her parents, came down to Dorset. And her doting grandparents (and Aunty and her fiancé) got to look after her while they celebrated their second wedding anniversary with a night at Summer Lodge (though she got to go and splash and swim with them in the sophisticated spa pool!)

Sorry this image on its side, I uploaded it straight from the camera! This is a wonderful sight - I thought, like Zen, that my black bamboo Phyllostachys Nigra had died in all the snow we had last winter. It was his post that reminded me to go and look at mine. And yes, I have new growth too!

And Keri's post about her daylilies made me go and take a photo of my main variety, that was (as she puts it) a passalong. I do so enjoy it. And I have no idea of its name. Any ideas?

Summer days

2009-07-02T13:32:00.004+01:00

Well I had a totally amazing, refreshing, inspiring and relaxing 21 days Zen mindfulness retreat in the South of France at Plum Village with Thich Nhat Hanh (of which more in a later post!) and am now enjoying the summer in delightful Dorset.

The weather has been deliciously warm, but with a few showers at night. I am very aware that my retired status has been well earned, and enjoy every moment of relaxing in the garden - and have just about got over the guilt of "not doing anything" and having no apparent schedule for the day.

So that you can share my enjoyment, here are a few photos of my sitting area aka patio.

The trusty (and slightly rusty) old swing seat - still going strong after many summer's of lazing and reading. It looks out onto the rest of the garden. Its in a very shady and cool spot, protected from the wind.

The table and chairs, right outside the patio door. I love to be able to step outside with the first cup of Earl Grey of the day. I shall probably still be doing it when I need an overcoat and umbrella! The garden shed has seen better days but still serves it purpose to keep all the tools and lawnmower out of the elements.

Close up of the hanging basket on the shed - purples this year, though I am not sure what colour the climbing/trailing nasturtiums will be. Tropaeolum majus 'Jewel of Africa' The packet of seed said " climbing nasturtim with cream marbled foliage and bright colour range" - perhaps the growers dont know either!

The first sweet pea to flower. Ive planted it with some climbing French beans (and some of the climbing/trailing nasturtiums too) in a pot next to the shed. The beans are the first to have made it to the top of the small metal pergola which you can see in one of the photos, but the sweet peas are first to flower. Round One to them!

The rest of the patio - I really must sort out the pots, but the new hebe in the front is doing very nicely. Red geraniums in their pot are still doing very well - they are on top of the barbecue which consists of the bottom of the cast iron stove that was still used for heating the school in the winter up until 1972. Two of them were the only heating in the school (built in 1863).

It makes an excellent barbecue - the logs (we dont bother with charcoal!) go in the top and get fired up, and the amount of air can be adjusted by the hinged lid - which can also be used for clearing the ash out if needed. The whole body gets red hot and holds the heat for hours - very good for chillier evenings.

One of their catalogues of Smith and Wellstood in the National Library of Scotland has the notes against it :-
"The firm of Smith & Wellstood was established in Glasgow in 1858 to sell American-style free-standing stoves in Britain. Outlets were subsequently opened in Liverpool, Dublin and London. The firm was the driving force in persuading the British public to invest in efficient, slow-burning stoves in place of open fires. These stoves used less fuel and produced more heat than the type being used in Britain in the 1850s. The founders were James Smith and Stephen Wellstood, both Edinburgh-born entrepreneurs who had begun their business careers in the United States. Smith decided it would be more economic to produce the stoves in Scotland than to import them from the United States. In 1855 James Smith had contracted the services of George Ure, an ironfounder of some repute and a partner of Crosthwaite, Ure & Co. of Camelon. Ure opened his own foundry - the Columbian Stove Works - in Bonnybridge in 1860 to make the castings for the stoves. The finished products were transported down the Forth-Clyde canal to Smith's warehouses in Glasgow."

Thence to a new school that the Lord of the Manor was opening in a small village in Dorset for his villager's children! I bet the makers never thought when it was made over 136 years ago, that it would be used for cooking outdoors!

Colours of the garden

2009-05-30T23:16:00.003+01:00

No its not Kerri's blog, Ive just borrowed her title because my small garden is probably at its best right now. The bluebells and daffodils are over, but all the cool pink and white flowering shrubs are at their peak.

The white wisteria sinensis shows my careful twice yearly pruning (usually when the Man of the House is out and cant see me high up a ladder against the wall) I would dearly love an arbour over which to train it, so that the blossoms hang down and make a perfurmed chanderliered ceiling. But second best, I put a rug on the grass underneath, lean my back against the flint wall and inhale deeply as I look up at the blooms against a clear blue sky. Bliss.

This is a new bleeding heart dicentra spectabils which I have in front of the patio windows, so that I can enjoy its elegant wands of hearts. My old one just didnt show up this spring, probably the snow and cold soils were not to its liking.

The variegated wiegela is a mass of flowers. Every year I tell it that it may be its last year as it getting too big and tall (over six foot). I prune it down just to test it, and have even bought a new smaller one to replant next to it. It rises to the challenge so well that I havent the heart to take it out. Anyone want a year old variegated wiegela still in its pot?

An allium surfaced this year, I havent seen it for years. Normally (when not retired) I havent had the time to keep the area around it weed free. How lovely, now I shall have to buy it some friends!

My "hot" border, next to a warm wall. Hot in colour you understand. I cant put all the yellow day lilies in with the cool pinks and mauves of the other area. The red perenial oriental poppies have gradually increased over the years, and this spring I bought papaver orientale "Patty's Plum" a sort of faded elegant burgundy colour. She reminds me of an elderly lady of the manor somehow, I am sure her name is not Patty but Lady Patricia.

Now here is the view from the patio looking across the dappled grass (hardly a lawn, too many daises and dandelions) towards the front path/drive that leads down to the road - where the children would have walked up when it was a village school. You can see the entrance porch on the right, where the children would have hung their coats on pegs.

And the view back across from just in front of the big evergreen tree - that should really come down but the neighbours and I both like the way it screens walls and buildings. So difficult to prune as it is only green on the very edges. I have the umbrella up over the table where we tend to have meals if at all possible. It gets the very last sun of the day, but is shaded most of the day by a large ash tree (not mine) and a variegated holly that is taller than the house (mine!)

I am off on a 21 day Zen mindfulness retreat in the Dordogne area of France. I have never been before and am quite excited, but I am sorry to miss the delights of my cool garden in the lovely warm sun of an English summer. It will be quite a different three weeks I think!

Dancing jewels

2009-05-29T16:12:00.005+01:00

Ive taken the title from this wonderful piece from Cate aka Kerrdelune. It contains so much wonderful information and poetic insight, that I wont even bother to quote, but ask you to visit and enjoy! But eagles' talons isnt the first image that springs to mind for me!

But it got me thinking about the more humble aquilegia/columbine/granny's bonnets that I have in my garden. A few years ago, I saw a wonderful colour variety and gaily scattered the seed around for the future. Only to find out (as you probably all know) that the colour does not "come true". Totally random it seems.

However, I was inspired to go and take photos of all the different colours.

I also took a few more images to share with you the delights of a summer's day in my garden..but so many it had better be in a separate post. Also it bliss, enjoying that first cup of tea, strolling on the stepping stones and the grass, knowing that I dont have to tear myself away and spend the day in a hot office. Hurrah for retirement!!!

Today while sipping my first cup of Earl Grey, I realised that the flowers of what I call cornflower (really centaurea montana) were not just amazingly coloured, but were perfect helipads for the troops of bumble bees out on morning patrol. How could the bees refuse the invitation?

Right, thats long enough indoors, back to the book and my comfy rug under the white wisteria. Mmmmmm.....

Fifth Annual Crocus Walk

2009-05-23T20:33:00.005+01:00

Yes its the time of year that The Ladies hunt around Dorset for a fine tea room, and then plan a walk in the countryside around it. All in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Previous year's walk are chronicled in 2008 Gifts from the gods or passing planes ; 2007 Wonderful walks and before that, 2006 Time for tea.

This year we decided on a coastal walk, but of course first we had decided on the Egg Cup Tea Rooms. There is a poem and review on this website for Dorset Tearooms! One of my good walking friends from the village and I went on a recce to see if the walk was suitable, and my friend Gill and I went on a separate excursion to check out the quality of the tea room!

Here we are, gathered for the start (you can see an old fashioned telephone box behind us) complete with Breakthrough balloons and Rebecca's dog Finty. The weather was so bad in the morning that I had people phoning up to see if it was cancelled. Never!!!

The rain stopped, and we were on our way, but it was still quite windy. Gill is pulling a face and pretending the hill is steep (it wasnt really, but there was a steep hill ahead to climb at the half way point though!)

Jean was the proud wearer of this year's Breakthrough Tshirt, which she shows nicely as we neogiate a stile. We already quite high, and the views were good with the rain in the morning clearing the air.

We took a halfway rest at The Lookout on The Knoll which is a hill just south of of Puncknowle (pronounced 'punnel'). On top of the hill is an ancient round barrow, and on top of the barrow is this late-18th Century building. It is listed, and was originally used as a coastguard lookout. (I always thought it was a lime kiln however) It is in good condition but is just an empty shell with an uneven earth and stone floor. What amazing views it has though.

This is the view to the west, along Chesil Beach towards Bridport and eventually to Devon. If you look carefully in the foreground, you can see an errant Breakthrough balloon that decided it wanted its freedom!
PS Sorry you cant click to biggen these photos, Ive linked to my Flickr photos, which was quick to do, but means you cant see the detail. Sorry.
PPS I uploaded the originals, so you CAN see more detail.

The clouds look threatening, but we made it back to the cars without mishap or rain. And in good time too.

Front left is the LLF (my Life Long Friend) who was down from London, visiting her parents who live in Dorchester. Her mother is in hospital right now, recovering from two major operations. So Get Well Soon Kate!

And here is the well beloved Boot Shot - of which there have not been many recently. The cream tea was up to standard and I promise that I kept my boots on the floor for the rest of the time.
We raised £90 and had a great afternoon.

Spring wonders

2009-05-16T19:41:00.004+01:00

Its spring in London too, and I spent a happy couple of days visiting my lovely granddaughter, who is now 10 months old.

Also visiting her were two amazing visitors - I couldn't believe my eyes. Two jays are setting up home in the silver birch tree at the bottom of the garden. In central London!

I watched this one sidle along the fence and bend down and extract the snails that you can see, hiding under the top rail. One was a bit difficult, and so he attempted a sort of hummingbird manoeuvre - that was not only inelegant but unsuccessful.

Ive lived in the country for over thirty five years and only seen a glimpse of chestnut and turquoise as one disappeared into woodland. What a privilege to watch these two at close quarters (from the comfort of the house) collecting nesting material, and even screeching at the local cats who also use the fence top as a means of travel.

"Although they are the most colourful members of the crow family, jays are actually quite difficult to see. They are shy woodland birds, rarely moving far from cover. The screaming call usually lets you know a jay is about and it is usually given when a bird is on the move, so watch for a bird flying between the trees with its distinctive flash of white on the rump." say the experts. Hmmm.

Here she is, plus two bottom teeth, with another huge one at the top that you cant see and one only days away! She is an incredible mimic, and can copy movements in an instant (such as her mother shaking her massage oil out of a container onto a palm, luckily the lid was firmly back on!)

It only seems yesterday that she couldnt understand how to make the lights and buttons on this work, they were totally unfathomable to her, and now she is a smooth operator - even if her standing is a bit shaky!

What beauties they are, I love them to bits.

Being Peace Cottage

2009-04-22T15:45:00.012+01:00

Being on mindful retreat with the Community of Interbeing means you get up early.

Your reward? Seeing the sun rise over the gentle hills of Dorset. We follow the Zen tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, and the early morning chant before the first meditation of the day is softly heard on the still air:-

The Dharma body is bringing morning light.
In concentration , our hearts are at peace, a half-smile is borne upon our lips.
This is a new day, we vow to go through it in mindfulness.
The sun of wisdom has now risen, shining in every direction.
Bring your mind into meditation.....

The CoI has bought a small cottage in a quiet spot in Dorset, to act as a place to practice in small groups of up to six (or in solitude if you wish). They have been fundraising over many years, and had grand ideas of a big centre, but realised that small beginnings are easier to live with.

Monks from the monastery at Plum Village came to stay for a while and join in the celebrations on the first retreat.

We all walked in silence up to the cottage where the monks had offered to ceremonially plant a tree (an amelanchier, a small tree ideally suited to the chalky downland soil and windy conditions)

There was a respectful atmosphere, but great fun too. They had put traditional bowls of fruit and incense in what was the small front room, but is now set aside for quiet meditation. Some of us did wonder if the smoke alarm would go off with all the incense being wafted around!

They carried bowls of water with small flowers sprinkled on top of the water to water in the new tree. A very happy time. Great views from the cottage too!

The area around the cottage is used as a field study centre for children, and has a small collection of old fashioned animal breeds and an orchard. The blossom is gorgeous among primroses.

They also ensure that the cowslip meadow has excellent conditions. I dont think I have ever witnessed such a mass of cowslips ever before. A path through the field has been mown so that you can walk down the hill without worrying about crushing the delicate flowers.

An amazing sight today. But you can also see modern farming on the hill opposite - this bright yellow splash of a rape field is a crop that is very recent in English farming.

Its very lovely to have such a place so close to my house - only ten minutes drive away!

Like the first morning

2009-04-08T04:54:00.006+01:00

This spring somehow seems to be the first spring I have seen. Maybe I have new eyes. Maybe I have the time now to see and appreciate it in. Maybe it is the contrast with the cold dark winter when I was housebound....

These are snapshots of an early Sunday morning as I walked to bellringing, while the rest of the world seemed asleep in their beds, missing the freshness and newness and the sparkling air.

The small village lane is bordered on one side by the wall of the manor house kitchen garden. You can just see the magnolia tree peeping over the top. Lovely! Old Dorset walls always reminds me of the walls of Japanese gardens, which are tiled in just the same way. I think English ones would have been thatched in the old days though. The small river runs under the small bridge, then through their garden, and they have cleverly grown a green living wall above the railings,

Looking upstream, away from the manor house wall, the peaceful church yard borders the river. Only the fir trees are showing any green. No leaves yet on the bare branches.

I was late and so had the delight of hearing the bells as I walked along the lane. Only six bells were being rung though, and one ringer is listening and leaning on the ancient stone font. The framework above the ringers is to hold the guiding rings to keep the ropes straight. Only needed in tall towers like ours. The fluffy blue bit on the ropes where your hands go is called a sally. Its such an ancient thing, some of the names and terms are quaint, even to my ears.

Soon we were ringing all ten bells. This number of bells is unusual in a small village, and mostly found in large city churches or cathedrals.

Back home for breakfast and a wander in the garden to see what is bursting into bloom and the first cutting of the grass.......

Spring has sprung

2009-03-23T22:07:00.004Z

The last two weeks have been totally wonderful - blue skies, warm sunshine, spring blossom everywhere and birds singing - even skylarks spiralling high above the downland fields. It feels like emerging from hibernation, the winter seemed particularly dark this year somehow.

Now I can really appreciate retirement. Its as if the winter was a waiting time. How empowering to be be able to do a couple of hours relaxed gardening, and then say to myself " I will do the rest tomorrow" and not have to worry that it will have to wait until the next weekend. Hurrah!!!

There have been many happenings since I last blogged, and they can wait. But one event wont wait.

My youngest daughter's boyfriend proposed to her on Valentine's Day, on the beach where they went on their first date, (and where his Springer spaniel drank too much seawater and threw up magnificently at her feet! ) They chose the ring together, its an old one which they both think is much nicer than a modern one. I agree.

I expect the weather will revert to a chillier normal state for March, but these have been happy times.

Housebound again

2009-02-08T18:17:00.004Z

This time its snow and more particularly, ice. Both the drives to the house have been like skating rinks for the last few days. I havent been out in the car for nearly a week (good job I got some provisions when I did!) I started to walk to some friends on Friday night, but gave up - even with my walking boots and poles. Too slippery.

The snow is very pretty, but we are not used to so much, nor temperatures below freezing for so long. This part of Dorset is very close to the sea, and I had to remember where the sledge had been put for safe keeping, it was so long ago we used it last.

I looked after Wilson, the Springer Spaniel, for a day - and I dont think he had seen snow before.

Many of the plants in the garden will not handle such hard frosts very well. A couple of nights, yes - but a whole week?? I suspect the agapanthus and some of the hebes wont like the prolonged cold. But the variegated holly tree looked wonderful in the morning sun, viewed from the warmth indoors.

Some days have had lovely clear skies, and this sunset was a joy to behold.

Now we have a warmer evening, and I hope to get to the shops tomorrow morning - before the forecast "winter storm" is with us in the south west of England during the afternoon, and the roads are closed again!

Do you know Atisha's cook?

2009-01-24T09:38:00.006Z

No. This isnt Atisha, or his cook. Its Bodhidharma! But he does share something with Atisha, they were both famous and respected Indian sages who travelled long journeys to bring Buddhism to foreign lands.

Arent these amazing images? I found them in a couple of temples in Kyoto. This first one is about six foot sqaure, and glowers at you as you turn a corner in a corridor in Toji-in (part of the Myoshinji temple complex). Very unexpected to see something so contemporary in an ancient setting. But that is very Zen in itself. And Bodhidharma is the person who brought Buddhism from the West (India) to the East (ie China and Japan) early in the 5th century. I believe he went to the Shaolin Temple in China (but my friend Zen) may be able to confirm that.

He is shown with a big nose, I believe this is to emphasise his Indian origins, (the Japanese have cute small noses) I only found three portraits in this calligraphic and modern style. This one was hidden up in the rafters facing a delightful Japanese temple garden with lakes and winding paths.

This too was up high and I had to hold the camera above my head and hope for the best. I havent been able to find out why he has red robes. But he looks less fierce in this one. Quite a guy!

Right! Back to Atisha. He too was an Indian sage, apparently in a university in Bengal in the 11th century. He was asked to go to Tibet, to help bring back Buddhism there, which had suffered under the hands of a nasty king. So he took his cook with him on the journey, and he stayed there with Atisha.

The cook was quite a nasty character. Disagreeable. argumentative, rude and obnoxious to everyone. Including Atisha. The Tibetans said "Look, no-one likes this fellow. You dont need him. We can cook for you. For heaven's sake, send him away! He is upsetting us all."

Atisha calmly replied "He isnt just my cook. He is my teacher. I need him to teach me patience"

Do you know Atisha's cook?

Work in progress

2009-01-13T22:53:00.001Z

Looking up our one acre field with some of the new fences. In the foreground, Timothy the sheep. In the middle ground, Eldest Daughter. In the background, the white blob that is Wilson, the springer spaniel. To the left is Timothy's house.

Looking down the field, the Man of the House has brought tea out to the workers. In between them you can see Eldest Daughter's boyfriend (and owner of Wilson) tending the fire. He has been remaking all the fences and clearing scrub, rubbish and unwanted fences (like the one on the left) ready for some new arrivals.

The pointed gable end and the building on the right are the back of our house. The others are outbuildings, and our neighbour's house is on the far left.

Eldest Daughter in the Krushable Kalahari leather hat I bought her for her birthday and pink gloves (you can see her pink wellingtons in the first photo). Timothy her sheep is very interested in her cup of tea, and is trying to persuade her to let him taste it, as he is sure that sheep like tea.

First foray - frosty

2009-01-09T23:10:00.005Z

Its time for me to take a walk outside - a short walk, over the river to have a cup of tea with a friend - without the boot!

The foot doesn't seem to ache too much and the swelling has gone down, though I shall probably always have a small bump at the fracture site. Even after six weeks the bruising is still there, it fell like blue ink down my instep and makes an interesting shape where it puddled at the base of my toes.

It was a lovely bright day but by mid-afternoon the sun is slanting low through the leafless trees.

The overnight frosts have been hard during the last few weeks, and while the setting sun hits the church in a golden glow, the meadows are still white and hard with frost where they have been shadowed by the woods. Those evergreen trees mark the river's course.

My friends' cheeful house name has ice frosted ivy leaves.

And holly leaves are perfectly outlined, but the birds have long since eaten all the berries.

By the time I leave, after tea and a piece of Christmas cake in front of the log fire, the sun has long gone, and the mist is rising over the river and the meadows in the valley.

Walking along the river, the outline of the hill is framed by the alders on the bank.

The lovely moon keeps me company, gliding along silently, lighting my way back home.

Winter frosts

2009-01-07T09:20:00.008Z

The old rhyme of the months of the year says "January brings the snow, makes our feet and fingers glow" - nearly right!

I dont think I can remember such a long hard spell of cold weather like this before. The headlines say "Britain in the grip of longest cold snap for 10 years" but I measure the time by how many weeks on end in the past that I have to break the ice in the animals' water buckets. You can see above how the sun has melted the light frost where it slanted low across the field and caught the top of the tussock, but left the hollow with icy crystals.

Luckily it has been dry for weeks, so no snow for us. But most mornings the frosts are usually harder than the one above. The BBC forecast says things like

Forecast : Hard frost tonight, cold and grey tomorrow.

Today : Much of the night will be cold and clear with a widespread hard frost again. It will turn cloudier from the north by early morning with a few flurries of light snow.

Tomorrow : A few snow flurries at first, gradually dying out. Rather cold with mostly cloudy skies.

And the temperatures hardly rise above freezing.

Leaving present

2009-01-05T19:17:00.006Z

When I left work at the library, even though I disappeared quietly, some of my colleagues got together and sometime later gave me a lovely bouquet of flowers and some cash (in a beautifully hand-crafted envelope, made by the person who took over my job, and who will be much better in it than I was!)

I pondered on what to do with it, and I even took the cash and envelope with me to Kyoto. Just in case I should see any beautiful thing that I normally wouldnt have bought myself. Nothing.

I looked around for something beautiful in this country that I normally wouldnt have bought myself. Nothing.

(some expensive windchimes came close though)

While I was in Kyoto, I had to wander through what must be one of the most well stocked material shops, called Nomura Tailors. Its legendary. Small and cramped, but like a jewel box.

Interestingly and by coincidence, I saw a modern kimono coat (detail above) for sale in the art and craft/antique/flea market that is held once a month in a famous temple grounds. It was exactly the same material (different colourway though) that I bought there on a previous trip, and is being used as a throw while I wait for inspiration. Only a couple of years in the melting pot so far!

There was some cute Miffy material which I didnt buy in the end.

And an amazing version of Hiroshige's iconic "Wave".

This Aladdin's cave of delight made me think that I missed having a sewing machine. So I did my research, decided type I needed, and hunted around the online New Year sales! Bingo! The money almost paid for it. Bargain!

Brother XL2130

"The Brother XL2130 sewing machine is a great starter machine which is suitable for basic alterations and embroidery. This lightweight and compact sewing machine features an auto needle threader, 8 stitch options, embroidery options and 4 step buttonholer. The Brother XL2130 sewing machine comes complete with accessories and a soft cover and is compact - making it easy to transport.

Features:

Auto Needle Threader
Button Holes - 4 steps
Soft Cover
Product Depth 17 cm
Product Height 39 cm
Product Width 29 cm
8 Stitch Options

Instructional DVD"

And it was made in Japan!
Hours of fun. Thanks guys and gals of Dorset Libraries!

The next step on the path

2008-12-31T12:36:00.004Z

I really needed to have a few moments in the fresh air, so I set off on my first small journey across the road, to look at the river and see if any snowdrops were poking their green shoots through the hard earth yet.

I never realised that the sun set that far away from due west at midwinter. I cant believe I have never seen this sight before. It took my breath away.

And yes by the river there are tiny green shoots among the leaf litter - the first signs that spring will follow winter. And I too will follow my path from one step to another. Despite the progress being unpredictable.

Happy New Year. I hope it is a good year ahead for all of us.

Her first Christmas

2008-12-29T23:31:00.003Z

Her Christmas stocking contained a lovable furry Loch Ness Monster and an orange.

Miffy is still a firm favourite, and I managed to find this wooden mobile. Love her smile!

New moon, new year

2008-12-27T10:04:00.004Z

It may not be the recognised New Year, but I am a bit grounded in Mother Earth, and always feel that the winter solstice (one of the old midwinter festivals) marks the turning of the year for me.

And today is the first new moon of the new year.

My enforced winter break is creating quite a contemplative feel. After all my time in Japan was almost like a retreat - visiting all the temples with their sacred space and gardens, and trying to be mindful of my reactions to my experiences there. Followed up by the mindful/meditation weekend on Dartmoor. Topped off with five weeks of not using my feet.

I realise that I have had to deal with the frustration of missing out on the fun of the build up to Christmas, and not being able to be out and about in the wonderful crisp clear days of winter. And not dealt with it too well. Or as well I would like to. But maybe my standards are too high! I have to just see that its easy to water the seeds of irritation in me at times like this. And that when irritation and anger arise, I DO have the option not to argue and shout back!

There is some advice on the Plum Village website about on taking care of anger which I can relate to, having just spent Christmas with my lovely grandaughter and her family :-
Thich Nhat Hanh often compares our anger to a small child, crying out to his mother. When the child cries the mother takes him gently in her arms and listens and observes carefully to find out what is wrong. The loving action of holding her child with her tenderness, already soothes the baby’s suffering. Likewise, we can take our anger in our loving arms and right away we will feel a relief. We don’t need to reject our anger. It is a part of us that needs our love and deep listening just as a baby does.

After the baby has calmed down, the mother can feel if the baby has a fever or needs a change of diaper. When we feel calm and cool, we too can look deeply at our anger and see clearly the conditions allowing our anger to rise.

When we feel angry it is best to refrain from saying or doing anything. We may like to withdraw our attention from the person or situation, which is watering the seed of anger in us. We should take this time to come back to ourselves. We can practice conscious breathing and outdoor walking meditation to calm and refresh our mind and body. After we feel calmer and more relaxed we can begin to look deeply at ourselves and at the person and situation causing anger to arise in us. Often, when we have a difficulty with a particular person, he or she may have a characteristic that reflects a weakness of our own which is difficult to accept. As we grow to love and accept ourselves this will naturally spread to those around us.

Now all I have to do, is to do it!!

A winter break

2008-12-11T12:09:00.005Z

But not the sort of winter break you normally think of though. I was in London for a few days, visiting my delightful grandaughter.

The weather has been lovely the last few weeks - sunshine, clear blue skies, but because of this it has been cold. Very cold. Freezing. We walked across the park in the late afternoon sun, but already the puddles were freezing over.

Well, it must be old age....I was walking out of a shop when I didnt see a step! The whole surface was made of brick, and one surface was a brick higher than the other. I wasnt looking basically. Not a patch of ice in sight. Just not walking mindfully!

My foot turned over. Yowch. I felt sick, but I always have the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy spray in my handbag, so that sorted the shock out. Plus the hot chocolate and almond cake that we were on our way to have in an organic shop that has a café.

I was actually on the start of my journey home, so I limped on to the bus after that, and home on the train to Dorset as planned.

Reiki, healing, ibuprofen gel and arnica tablets did wonders with the swelling , it was still swollen in the morning but nothing like as bad as the night before, when I had to go on my bum upstairs, ha ha.

The swelling was still going down, but I knocked a part of my foot and the ouch that went along it, reminded of the time I cracked the similar bone on the other foot about five years ago! I eventually went to A+E as it was obviously more than a sprain, and yes, its a fracture of the metatarsal - the one along the outside of the foot.

I had an appt for the fracture clinic and was given a lovely black samson boot - all velcro and plastic. A cross between a ski boot and an Ugg boot. Very trendy.

No, this isnt MY leg! I am supposed to wear it for four weeks, then do without it for two and go back to them in six weeks.

I bought some walking poles to use for balance on the boot. I was going to anyway, good for steadying when going down hills etc even though my husband thinks they are for showing off but he doesnt walk anyway, and in Japan when clambering about in the hills I used to find a piece of fallen wood was very helpful.

This is the view from my bed in the morning as the sun melts the frosty moss on our neigbour's barn roof.

And the view from the patio window onto the front garden - fairly lifeless and frosty - where I have a sort of day nest of blankets and cushions, and the laptop!

So now I sit and ponder just why I have this winter break, and try not to be impatient and restless. AND make good use of the opportunity. At least tai chi and ballet classes have ended for this term, and it should be on the way to mending by Christmas!

After Kyoto

2008-12-01T15:21:00.004Z

I wrote in Kyoto Postscript "I felt that the trip had the atmosphere of a retreat", and there was the opportunity to go on a retreat with my meditation group on the edge of Dartmoor. I thought this would consolidate the Kyoto experiences nicely, and somehow set the seal on the visit.

It was with the group who follow the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and was based in a Victorian house on a wooded hillside above a Dartmoor valley.

We got there just after dark on a chilly weekend, and woke to find that the world had changed.

It was as if we had been transported to a monochrome world, living within a Chinese scroll painting. No familiar hillside or fields across the valley.

There was a light dusting of frost on every thing in the landscape, and on the hillside garden.

Who needs to go to ancient Japanese temples on a Kyoto mountain? Here was the western equivalent. The Barefoot Barn is created from timber, and has underfloor heating and a crackling wood burning stove. Cosy meditations indeed! And such views from the windows across the valley to the moor - when you open your eyes.

We went, mindfully walking as a group, down the hillside between the bare trees to the still lake at the bottom of the valley.

It could have been Kyoto - but there was only the moor next to us, not a busy city - and no temple with curving eaves nor a tiled wall to surround it. Just a leafless hawthorn hedge.

But hidden under the autumn leaf litter, was this herald of spring. Ive only just come to terms with the chill air of winter. Spring is many cold grey months away.

We found stepping stones across a stream. I walked mindfully across at the back of the group - thinking of the title of this blog!

We stood and looked deeply at the water as it tumbled and rushed over the stones and down a small waterfall. And I was reminded of the words of a poem based on The Diamond Sutra.

You should see this world -
a drop of dew....
a bubble in a stream....
lightning in a summer cloud....
......a phantom, and a dream.

Kyoto Diary : postscript

2008-11-26T08:09:00.005Z

One of the lovely coincidences on this visit, was that the hotel room I was staying in, had exactly the same painting on the wall that gave rise to the name of this blog. (Same hotel, different room) I tell the story in the very first post Its rough golden higlights still gleamed gently out over the room at night, like a gilded icon in a dark cathedral.

I felt that the trip had the atmosphere of a retreat. I feel that I managed to look quietly and deeply at the gardens and temples, and didnt hang on to the past impressions when it was a previously enjoyed place or event. And tried not to be attached to all the lovely new experiences either!

It was with gentle sadness that I learnt, on my return, that one of the members of our meditation group had died while I was away. A lovely young person, she was a shining example of how to live with joy while dying of cancer. I wonder if she died while I was watching this leaf dancing.

From "Peace is every step" by Thich Nhat Hanh

"One autumn day, I was was in a park, absorbed in the contemplation of a very small, beautiful leaf, shaped like a heart. Its color was almost red, and it was barely hanging on the branch, nearly ready to fall down. I spent a long time with it, and I asked the leaf a number of questions....
...... I asked the leaf whether it was frightened because it was autumn and the other leaves were falling. The leaf told me "No. During the whole spring and summer I was completely alive. I worked hard to help nourish the tree, and now much of me is in the tree. I am not limited by this form. I am also the whole tree. So I dont worry at all. As I leave this branch and float to the ground, I will wave to the tree and tell her "I will see you again very soon"

That day there was a wind blowing and, after a while, I saw the leaf leave the branch and float down to the soil, dancing joyfully, because as it floated it saw itself already there in the tree. It was so happy. I bowed my head, knowing that I have a lot to learn from that leaf."

Kyoto Diary : Nine

2008-11-23T13:04:00.006Z

This is the most English of Japanese gardens, Murin-an. It still has all the defining components of a traditional garden eg shakkei or borrowed landscape (the bringing of the distant hillside as if it were a part of the garden itself), rounded clumps of planting, and the stream cascading through the garden. But it has grass, nay verily, a lawn! Its a twentieth century design, and was the garden of a famous artist. Very accessible for western minds.

The fence creates a stunning pattern in the sun and leaf shade. It was in this garden on a visit before, upon seeing the shadows of bamboo leaves against a plain cream wall, that I remembered my Dad offering to put new wallpaper of my choice in my bedroom. I was about eleven. I chose a stylised design of bamboo leaves on a pale cream background. Hmmmm.

Tenju-an is centuries older, and is my number one ichiban favourite of all time. Although I have seen it in autumn before, I must have always seen it in the afternoon. The light was totally different. I could have been visiting a new garden - well, no, not really. But then, yes, its changed. Thus " a change IN thing, is a change OF thing" as my old teacher used to say!

Anyway it is still a delight to my eyes and my heart. How could you not step through the doorway, and walk along those stepping stones? I entered and walked along the stepping stones - enjoying every step, every moment. Going along the path just for the sake of walking, not for the purpose of going somewhere. "I have arrived. I am home. In the here, and in the now." Thich Nhat Hanh

Such unity and harmony. All those separate entities - stones, maples, plants - together make a harmonious whole that is totally satisfying for me. Perfect.

And just when things cant get any better, another small gateway reveals a large pond with a stroll path around it. And the sunlight, shining through the tall bamboos behind, takes your breath away.

Even the smallest stone basin holds the whole world within it. Aaaaaaaahh.

The next day was a free day, and my last whole day in Kyoto. I decided that I would not go to any more gardens, but would ascend Mt Hei or Heizan which guards the north west of Kyoto (one of the feng shui reasons for founding the city here all those years ago).

I decided to go by bus all the way, rather than fathom out the train, mountain railway and cable car version. It was a day of missed buses. Fine usually, but these buses were one every hour. However, "nowhere to go, nothing to do, I'm not in a hurry" another Thich Naht Hanh style song.

The road up is so high, that I saw an airship out of the window, at about our height. I expected everyone in the bus to be amazed like me, but they took no notice and were more intent on looking out for maple autumn colour! Maybe it often comes there?

The hill is full of temples among the trees. And this is a new, small World Peace Bell the sign said.

But this bell was absolutely huge. When the log was swung at it, the sound reverberated around and appeared to die away. But if you listened, the sound came back again, it hummed deeply. And after that it faded into silence,then it happened again. Three times before it became silent finally. Totally amazing. But then I am transfixed by bells.

Enryaku-ji is a temple that once spread right out across the mountain. I know it is still spread out, because instead of the bus down, I caught the shuttle bus by accident. And spent a happy (and free) half hour on the bus, going along tiny roads next to huge drops, between pines and maples, from distant temple site to distant temple site. Which is how I nearly missed nearly the last bus down the mountain. And with no signs in English at all, it was a bit unsettling. Especially as the temples were closing, and the fleets of Japanese tourist coaches departing. And it was freezing up there. It snowed that night on the mountains just north of here. Brrrrrrr.

But earlier in the afternoon, I got off the shuttle bus at the top of the mountain and found not a Japanese garden, but a French one. It tried to interpret famous French Impressionist paintings. And so, bizarrely, I visited a representation of Monet's garden in France, that was inspired by gardens in Japan!

Kyoto Diary : Eight

2008-11-19T13:58:00.007Z

The weather gods have been kind to us, and we have had only one shower of rain during our whole stay. But we have been promised that the temperatures will plummet a frightening amount shortly, but on this day it wasnt too cold yet, even up in Ohara - a small village, and our destination for a day out in the hills to the north west of Kyoto.

We went most of the way by train, as the buses get very busy during maple viewing time momiji. Once off the bus that wound its way up the lovely narrow vally, hugging the small rushing river at the valley bottom, we ended up at the bottom of a small lane that followed an even smaller stream up the mountain. Thats Robert, with the back pack and a head taller than most Japanese.

On one side they are shops and kiosks selling pickles (a favourite souvenir) and all types of alluring Japanese touristy things. I could spend a lot of money there, beautiful jackets and bags, and things - lovely things. I dont think we saw one Western tourist all day - a very local affair. But crowded!

Every bit of flat space is used, this is a tiny terraced plot where the path flattens out for just a few yards.

There are just a few temples up there, where the crowds thicken to admire the autumn colour and burn incense at the shrines. We had taken lunch with us and this was the view from our picnic bench, a few yards up a trail into the hills. It is a gate, now unused, into Sanzen-in, a lovely temple with the best incense for sale in Kyoto. One of my favourite places if it wasnt for the people!

We went for a short hike up the trail which more or less ended here. Apparently the sign tells that it is one of the stops on the circuit that the austere monks from a local temple still take. I seem to remember that they do it every day for a year, but I will check up on that. I know very few complete the training! They run in the traditional clothes (rope-soled straw sandals and straw hats) around a stiff and arduous mountain trail, with stops for prayers - often under waterfalls! This waterfall didnt look very full this time of year - more a dribble, said Robert.

But as you can see, as he and a couple of party cross a bridge, it has the potential to carry a lot more water down the hill side.

Water of a safer nature, but water nonetheless. This stone basin in Sanzen-in seemed to have grown its own mountainside vegetation.

The view from a smaller temple, a stone's throw from the busy lane.

The doors slide back to give lovely views of a small but harmonious garden. There is a small pond right outside, and it is a lovely tranquil spot to take green tea and just admire the view. Aaaaaaah,

Kyoto Diary : Seven

2008-11-18T14:22:00.005Z

The most famous of all Japanese gardens - Ryoan-ji, created in 1499. And you have to get there within the first hour of opening if you want to be able to sit and contemplate its mystery in relative peace - before the coach parties arrive!

It really does have star quality - I was sitting quietly, just enjoying the sun and watching the way the light changed the whole garden and one stone in particular - and I went off into one of those moments that I had with the stone Buddha in the Miho Museum. The focus deepened and I swear the stone moved! It was most enjoyable anyway.
But this next garden up the road was in a temple that had been the retirement place for a female member of the Royal family. It felt much softer than Ryoan-ji, more gentle.

The attention to detail is amazing, and this did have Imperial connections, so it was beautiful. This is just the corner of a wooden railing, looking down onto the stone floor below on the edge of the garden.

Very satisfying, this combination of tiled wall, gravel and shrubs. So harmonious to my eyes.

This was a path in a less visited temple with several ponds and bright maples. These path borders are made from bamboo that is heated and bent to shape. So useful, bamboo.

This is our group carrying out the regular duty of taking off the shoes when entering a temple. Always good to have mules or velcro and very clean socks! Daiho-in is a sub temple of the large Myoshin-ji temple complex - almost as big as a small town! This was a new one for me - hurrah.

The entry fee included green tea, taken overlooking the garden - very pleasant. A Japanese group followed us in and some ladies were amazed to see me sitting properly on my knees (they didnt realise that I was being very careful!)

I took a photo of this water basin with its little maple leaf. On the way out, I saw Keiko - the group's lovely Japanese "person on the ground" and invaluable friend and helper - picking up a maple leaf. "Did you see the lovely leaf on the water basin?" She had put it there! A one woman mission to place them for our delight! So now, whenever we see one enhancing an object, we say that Keiko has been here before us!

This really is a country that you cant get to grips with. Who else, outside a lifestyle shop selling classy kitchen ware, china and glass would you get wellies with " side strap" next to pottery plaques with a quotation from the gnostic gospel of Thomas "Raise the stone and thou shalt fnd me, cleave the wood and there am I" (click to enlarge). Thats the last thing I expected to see! Very Zen though....

Kyoto Diary : Six

2008-11-17T11:51:00.005Z

Technically a Free Day, but the offer of a trip on the local bus into the hills near Lake Biwa cant be turned down. Especially to the world famous Miho Museum. (the website is worth a look.)

Designed by the architect I.M. Pei (of Louvre glass pyramid fame) every detail of the place is stylish and stunning. The entrance is up a gentle slope through natural woodland, and then this space age curving tunnel which - only at the end - reveals the bridge over a gorge to the museum.

Everything has been thought of, even free umbrellas to use, exactly the colour of autumn leaves.

The clouds were rolling mysteriously along the hills like smoke, outling the ridges and the hollows. What a view from a museum, deliberately framed by pine trees. Aaaah.

An alcove which always contains an exquisite seasonal arrangement. Currently its persimmons.

In order to get planning permission, they had to take the top off the mountain, build the museum and put the mountain back. So the grass and trees above the windows are all replacements, as the galleries go back into the hillside.

This is called hot coffee and Bavarian style green tea cake. There is a long history of good organic food here (some they grow themselves) unusual in Japan. The cake was heavenly. I sighed a lot!

This huge and alien space was a cavern solely for the purpose of allowing the electric shuttle bus to deliver disabled people right to the door, with no steps to negotiate. Those upright walls must have been nine foot. It had an almost religious feel, and had the sound quality of a cathedral.

A visit would not be complete without a visit to one of the most stylish loos I have seen. Not only does it have top notch all singing all dancing Japanese toilets but the woodwork and craftsmanship is beyond belief.

The museum was built to house an exceptional collection of antiquities from all over the world which are superbly lit and displayed thoughtfully.

I always head for the room containing half a dozen Gandhara pieces. This time I found I had been completely absorbed contemplating this Buddha from Taxila (an ancient site 6th BC, near Peshawar in Pakistan which I visited in the 70s). I realised that I had been standing there for over half and hour, totally happy and content in looking deeply. At one point I am sure that the statue was breathing in time with me. Although its made of stone, it wasnt static and seemed to shift subltely. I eventually moved and thinking restarted, yet the spell wasnt broken. I came out of there a different person. Well they say you can never step in the same river twice.....

Kyoto Diary : Five

2008-11-16T14:55:00.003Z

These group of places are in the hills to the west of Kyoto. Its located in a bowl of mountains, with the south being open to the valley where the rivers join and head down into the Kansai plain. From nearly everywhere in the city, you can look and see the forested hills.

This is Tenryu-ji, and old and famous temple garden. Can you see the way the trees carefully copy the outline of the mountains behind? Thats no accident. Its carefully planned, and this garden (like many of them) has been the same for hundreds of years. Imagine planning a garden knowing it will cared for and maintained the way you see it now?

We had fun watching a group of schoolboys (and their teacher on the left) reaching out, trying to gently toss coins to see if they would stay on the back off the stone frog. Apparently success means that your money will always come back to you. Many Japanese keep a tiny pottery frog in their purses to ensure that happens. (like keeping the toilet lid down - but thats feng shui) So we all went and bought some in the next temple shop!

This lovely building isnt a temple. Its a house built by a famous Japanese black and white movie star. It has spacious grounds to stroll around that ramble all over the side of the hills. Absolutely gorgeous. I am so glad it is open to the public now.

The views are just lovely, and at the maples are in splendid colour right now. There are several viewing places, and I could imagine living there quite easily!

Probably my most favourite of all Japanese tea garden paths (and Ive trod few) Its carefully created to ensure that you pay attention to your feet as you walk, very subtle and clever these paths. This is the view from the tea house, looking back along the path. Absolutely Divine.

The price of admission includes green tea and the traditional cake eaten with green tea. (you can only just see the frothy green tea at the bottom of the bowl. You only get a tiny amount, its for savouring not gulping like English style .tea!

Then we left the busy tourist area of Arashiyma and headed south a bit for an important appointment. Robert, our guide, had organised entry to my most all time favourite garden - Saiho-ji or Kokodera (the Moss Temple). You have to turn up at an appointed time with other groups (only twice a day this happens) and everyone goes to the main temple hall first, and listens to sutra chanting and has to copy out Japanese Buddhist scriptures (actually trace over them) with proper ink from an ink stone and a brush. All while kneeling on the floor. English tourists dont have to finish all the calligraphy of the section of the Heart Sutra - but we always do! I have been before and its always a privilege and a spiritual high spot.

After that you can spend an hour wandering around the huge garden. It is famous for its moss which grew up over years of neglect actually. It has deep atmosphere that everyone can feel. Even the bounciest of Japanese tourists (and they are mostly Japanese) become hushed and in awe of the place, and even the young ones stop giggling and scampering.

It could be called gloomy - but the Japanese have a term sabi-wabi, that explains it I think. Very evocative.

A small building in the corner of the area, but always so exquisitely placed - look at the leaf colour!
Nothing happens in a Japanese garden that isnt carefully planned for effect - this boat, aaaaaahh.

If I had to choose one thing to personify my the total Kyoto garden experience, it is this gate into this garden (not used now - you enter just to the left). I have photographed it on each visit to Saiho-ji and have it on my computers and phone as a reminder .... of what, it would take to long to explain and words would not begin to convey it.

Kyoto Diary :Four

2008-11-14T22:24:00.007Z

This was a "free" day, which means no guided tour. So I decided to head out into the north westerly hills and visit an area which promised to be rich in autumn colour, with a deeply wooded river valley and several hillside temples. A bit of solitude and quiet walking I thought.

But while waiting at the bus stop for the half hourly bus, I realised that I would be lucky to find a seat. And I was at the terminus. Good job I didnt get on at my local stop. It is VERY popular with young and old alike!

Indeed it is a beautiful place, as the Japanese tourists know, butI only saw a couple of Western tourists all day.

It was a steep walk down to the river.

And up the other side, up the many pilgrim steps. But I had found a gentle and quiet road up that presumably the monastery vehicles use. This is the final flight to the main hall.

Jingo-ji must be quiet the rest of the year when there is no maple colour, and the sound of the temple bell was very tranquil. I could hear it where I found a quiet place for a picnic by climbing into the pine wood above the main hall, and felt refreshed by the clear air and its sound.

A favourite juxtaposition - temple roofs and maple leaves. Aaaaaaaahhhhh.

I dont know what this said but I admired it style. Again I bypassed the crowds on the steps and strolled back down to the valley bottom quietly. And then headed along to the other temple (via a hot chestnut stall, mmmmmm) which I ate as walked along the lane beside the river.

This was a quieter temple, and seemed to have more katsura style stone lanterns than I have ever seen in one place before. The lovely large leaf was not a random one, but had been placed there artfully by a film crew who were capturing the autumn colour! But nature really does well enough without gilding the lily (or leafing the lamp!)

Even the film crew couldn't improve this!

Those who know me well, will know of my love of bells - of all shapes and sizes - but especially large temple bells. What a beauty, even though I never heard it. Perhaps as well as I may not have been able to leave.

However, in this temple if you paid a coin or two, instead of having it sounded for you, this one was do-it-yourself (someone had left their bag of temple souvenirs behind) How I could I refuse?
It was incredible.

The inviter ( the stick thing - in my Zen tradition you dont "ring" the bell, but "invite" it to sound) felt right in my hand, and the sound lasted minutes. Aaaaaaaah. (I do a lot of contented sighing in Kyoto!)

In the evenings in autumn, various Kyoto temples are lit for night viewing. Ive seen some that are reminiscent of Disney world, very garish with loud music playing. But Shoren-in, is one of my favourite places as you can hit the very large hanging temple bell for a few yen (not at night though, shame!)

But this is very tastefully done, and the stroll around the garden and water was not overcrowded. Some people were given hanging paper lanterns to carry, which looked absolutely delightful and you could imagine being in a different era.

The interior was also open and I was able to photograph these delightful modern screen paintings, as my camera had become full when I was there in the past! Arent the lotuses wonderful? The really seem to be alive and vibrant. And the colours....aaaaahhhhh.

The bamboo forest that acts as a backdrop to the garden had been lit, and was glowing in a ghostly pale grey.

And every evening so far the full moon has shone. What bliss - warm air, full moon, softly lit temples and tranquil gardens. Aaaaah. (there I go again, sorry) Oyasumi nasai (good night)

Kyoto Diary :Three

2008-11-14T14:01:00.007Z

This is what its all about - autumn colour. For me, this is bliss - walking quietly in a Japanese garden, between ancient pine trees and under the jewelled stars of maple leaves against a blue sky. Maybe with a pool of still water, reflecting all that is.

This astounding colour was at Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Temple (or right now, the Builders Plastic Sheet Temple as it is being rennovated) but the garden on a hillside is absolutely delicious.

After coffee (this seems to be a very relaxed tour, plenty of time to sit and stare, hurrah!) we went to the private garden of an artist. I had been before on a grey day, and had dismissed it as unlovely. Well my new eyes did better (the lovely day and sunshine may have helped). It was delightful, and had an entirely different atmosphere.

The lake had some wonderful reflections and showed different aspects around every corner.

The dappled shade echoes the shapes of the stones. I just love Japanese paths. Someone has written a book on them, which is as well, or I may have felt I ought to do it, haha.

After lunch, (our own bento picnics eaten in a thoughfully provided small temple building) we explored some of the sub temples of Daitoku-ji. All of them were old favourites, and I am really enjoying just luxuriating in "being" in them. Not trying to understand them, or take clever photos of them. It feels like I am soaking them up, as if I were in a long hot bath with lots of bubbles and a bar of chocolate!

Astounding. Its just a path next to a soakaway under the eaves of the meditation hall. But how exquisite. The attention to detail. I found it totally satisfying in every way.

This small strip of gravel garden or sansui, called A-Un and represents the breath - which is the focus of meditation and mindfulness in daily living in Zen. Like most Zen gardens it is impossible to capture it in a photo. Not just to represent the qualities of the sacred space, but you cannot just get the whole thing in one frame. There is always something missing. Grasp as much as you like, the experience cannot be distilled into a neat compartment and stored away whole.

However, here the group are pondering the meaning of this tiny garden.

This shape of window is usually only found in Zen temples and monasteries. What a perfect framing for a perfect landscape. Dont you feel calm just looking at it?

The rhythm of life OR the sea of life? Or just plain ole gravel? I dont know but I could watch it forever.

Kyoto Diary : Two

2008-11-12T23:10:00.007Z

The weather is beautiful - warm air, blue skies, perfect for a day of gentle strolling around town to get our bearings; a bus and subway journey to get the hang of transportation; picnic lunch of bento in the shade of maple trees with leaves like tiny green stars against the blue sky; a small Japanese garden to get in the swing of things.... and I slept like a baby till 8am.

This is at Yuzen-in (near Chion-in). A small traditional arrangement at the beginning of a tea garden - the stone with water in is for you to clean your hands and mouth before entering (a symbolic purification, rather like wiping my camera clean yesterday I guess haha!) and a stone lantern for dark evenings.

Robert, our guide shows how he used to prune the pines here, when he was a young apprentice gardener

A tori gate, traditional for showing entrance to a sacred space

A small shrine plus garden in the corner of a modern office development

My least favourite garden - a modern one that uses the shock tactics of block planting of red and white begonias (reminds me of municpal park planting in England) and I fail to leave my perceptions at the gate. But this is my third visit, and I am slowly warming to it over the years! Well I suppose it IS a municpal park, built on an old shunting yard, it also doubles as an evacuation point for earthquakes (tho I think people would have to stand on each others shoulders to fit in!)

A small leaf is caught on the edge of a square stepping stone
(my new computer wallpaper, with convenient space at bottom left for icons!)

Kyoto Diary : One

2008-11-11T20:03:00.004Z

This feels like a different type of visit to Kyoto and its wonderful temples and Japanese gardens.

I have been three times before – in a small group, organised by the same non-profit company and with the same guide and staying in the same excellent hotel. And each time it was a real compunction to come, the place was calling to me to visit. Sounds weird, but some who suffer similarly, laughingly call it an addiction. On a deep level.

But this time it is different.

I had never thought to come again, and said goodbye for ever in 2006. However, I sold some signed first editions of Philip Pullman’s “Northern Lights” trilogy so decided to spend the money on something that I really wanted to do, rather than (as fellow sufferer from New Mexico said yesterday) on healthcare or security in the future). I have seen enough people in my community and among my friends suffer from the effects of old age and sickness to know that I must appreciate the good things in life while I can. When you retire it does focus the mind on the present. The Buddhist scriptures of all traditions emphasise that man is of the nature – like all things – to suffer change, decay and death. Its very liberating once you accept it!

There may well be a parallel set of diary posts and photos over on the Dewy Path, which will try to capture the underlying experiences of Kyoto and her gardens. It was on my last visit that I learned to look more deeply at Japanese gardens. Ididn’t search out that experience, it just happened.

Although I have studied Japanese gardens and their history on an intellectual and academic level (a three year distance learning course) I will view them and understand them this time with the heart not the head – and this spiritual journey is something I may – or may not – chronicle over on The Dewy Path.

Talking of living in the present moment - I just had an interesting experience. Talk about coming with no preconceptions or a clean slate! I had taken only a couple of photos of Kyoto yesterday – street scenes and the modern railway station – and was tidying up the old images on the camera before saving the new ones to the laptop. While I am sure I have saved them all carefully at home, there are a few that I like to keep with me on the camera for nostalgia. But I accidentally deleted them ALL from the camera. Tabula rasa! So no photos with this post!

Normally I am very out of touch here too – a long walk to a copy shop that has expensive internet access, no UK mobile phones would work here and no English language TV channels in the hotel. For this visit, I have a new phone which works here (and is not hugely expensive because Vodafone have a special deal here) and also I brought the laptop with me and the hotel has free internet access in all rooms.

So the circumstances feel different all around.

Maybe it was also the year of Japanese conversation evening classes that I did a couple of years ago? I don’t really remember any of it, but conversations around me in buses today sound familiar somehow. Oh and I didn’t need to take a taxi from the station, I just hopped on a bus! I do feel at home.

Just the food is still a bit of a mystery. Its all delicious, but I don’t know sometimes what I have eaten! Especially in the smaller working men’s restaurants where you can just point at a lifelike plastic replica of your plate of food in the window rather than struggle through a written menu.

I went for a walk tonight in the busy elegant shopping area (shops stay open till at least 8pm) and thought that I saw lot more westerners than two years ago. But realised on closer inspection as they passed me on the pavement, that some were Japanese anyway. I think my perceptions of race are getting blurred. A good sign. Would that the world would follow.

So my lovely and cheap Finnair flight touched down in relaxed style mid morning, and I sauntered along in a casual manner and bought my tickets for the Limited Express to Kyoto. A potentially complicated procedure that used to fill me with dread – two tickets instead of one; non-reserved/reserved carriages; strange currency; strange language etc etc. Although like many countries with tourist areas, the announcements on trains and buses are spoken in English and are written up in lights inside. But I saw this in Kyoto before London! But I just sailed along, not hurrying, enjoying everything.

While walking along I had seen my first autumnal colours on the trees, and smelled the air, and saw the mountains. And realised my cheeks felt strange. It was from the smile that had been on my face since I arrived. Must look like a grinning idiot!

I had happily dozed lightly on the plane for a couple of hours, and felt very refreshed when I got here after the fourteen hour journey, broken in Helsinki for a change of planes. The excitement and adrenalin, I suppose. And although I have lost nine hours somewhere, I don’t feel tired yet.

I went to sleep earlier easily, having tried to stay up in my new time zone. But woke up after three hours, ready to roll even though the clock said 3am! *sigh* So I gave up, and decided to write up my diary (oh and completely clean out my camera ready for new stuff as I said!)

Now I must do the same for my mind – no preconceptions, look through clean eyes ……. though that of course is impossible for us mere mortals. Maybe a life time in a Zen monastery with meditation and mindful living might help. Into the present moment we bring all the tiny yet deep conditionings of past moments, whispering in our ears. But to hear them is a step in the right direction along the path.

These precious days : free time

2008-10-17T00:30:00.007+01:00

Last week, we visited a house and gardens that were built in 1588 and have been lived in by the same family for nearly 300 years!

Sadly photography is not allowed inside Montacute House, but the long gallery (where the ladies could take gentle exercise by strolling) runs the length of the house - 172 ft - the longest in England, and has wonderful views from its position on the top floor.

The guidebook says of Montacute House "Honey-coloured Montacute House is one of the glories of late Elizabethan architecture. Offered 'for scrap' in 1931, Montacute was rescued for the National Trust as one of its first great houses. It has been filled with furniture, fine tapestries and a collection of Tudor and Jacobean portraits on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. Montacute was built in the last years of the 16th-century by Sir Edward Phelips, as a symbol of his rising career."

Peeking through the stone balustraded wall into the gardens in front of the house, well - behind really, as it changed around somewhere in its history. Now its behind the house as there is a new drive up to the other side, the "new" front facade.

Elegant lawns and herbaceous border, still looking good in October

Stone

Wood

Symmetry on the cedar lawn.

Lovely honey coloured Ham stone glows in the afternoon sun.

And because we are members of the National Trust, we get into all these wonderful houses and gardens free. They usually have excellent tea rooms and restaurants. Must try to get out and visit more - but many of the houses are closed during the winter. I had been to the garden before and made a special effort to go on a day when the house was open with its brilliant and helpful band of guides in each room to point out the best things and explain hidden history. Well worth it!

These precious days : how I finally retired

2008-10-09T09:47:00.006+01:00

I am a retired person, finally.

This comes after the most dreadful year in a job I wasn’t suited for and had no qualifications for, but they wouldn’t make me redundant. So I had to wait a whole year till the next round of redundancies.

If I had just retired then and there, eighteen months ago, I would have lost 25% of my pension for ever because of leaving “early”, so I hung in there. But still they would not include my job in the ring of redundancies. But eventually I was cheaper to let go than the poor person who hadn’t got a job in the restructuring but needed one. So I could retire on grounds of "efficiency". This is local government after all. But with no golden handshake or redundancy hand out, just my full pension entitlement now (its only tiny but at least I didn’t lose a quarter of it for life)

However there were still hold ups, because this could all only happen after the person who would lose her job had a months' trial in my job. Daft, but they were doing it by the book, - the only trouble there was no book and they were making up the rules to cover their backs.

During her trial (after giving her a good hand over with loads of helpful notes) I took annual leave to be with Edie when she was only two weeks old, lovely. However Management wouldn’t let me take unpaid leave for the rest of the time! The union advised that I go off with stress – no problem there. I wouldn’t have managed to carry on at work during the last year if it wasn’t for the fact that I can meditate ! Seriously.

As you can imagine I left quietly, with no leaving party or speeches. I just don’t think I could have smiled nicely. However friends gave me a card and flowers last week quietly, and cash totally £50. How good was that? The colleagues were really nice. Most librarians are.

The only good thing about that job was that I had an office of my own. I almost miss it. Almost.

Can you see my mouse mat? Calligraphy by Thich Nhat Hanh " Breathe - you are online" and a bowl of cherries. I wasnt being ironic, I just enjoyed snacking on fresh cherries! And my Iona calendar to keep me calm too.

And photo of Kyoto on the wall with image of a small silk painting of Glastonbury Tor in blues...

The wallboard with inspirational calendar among some mundane stuff and definitions of stress!

These posters even brought a smile to the faces of Management when they came to go out and saw them "Warrior Librarians!"Love it and the scowling one "Why you should fall to your knees and worship a librarian!"

And the view out of the window (shame they had to cut down the pine trees). I personally got all the office new-to-us desks (including this one) as a nearby office was being refurbished and they were throwing these out! Our old ones were the same vintage as the building - 1960s. Honestly.

Previous to this last year, I had the best job in the world doing all that web stuff and exciting e-reference things, cutting edge librarianship. And then, rather than make me redundant and pay me to go, which I wanted, they put me in charge of health and safety, budgets and library buildings (a job which no-one wanted and isn’t usually carried out by a librarian but an administrator), which are all things I loathe and if which I have no knowledge or experience. I cant forgive that really. One's last position in a working life should be where one can be excellent in a job and be confident, not be struggling every day.

However, on to nicer topics! I am enjoying doing all the things I used to squeeze into evenings and weekends, only not rushing and relishing the freedom. I am so lucky. My first actual day of retirement occurred when I was on the first day of a zen retreat in Nottingham led by Thich Nhat Hanh ! A good omen I think.

These precious days : family

2008-09-30T02:18:00.006+01:00

You may have read back along that I have a new granddaughter, I have been up to London to visit several times, and she has been down to Dorset to visit her rural roots.

Its a precious time when all the family are together.

Its seems only yesterday that Youngest Daughter came back down to Dorset, but I think it was two years ago (I know it was in a summer anyway!). A few weeks ago she and her lovely boyfriend (thats him behind the candles in the photo) moved into a delightful cottage - in our village! How wonderful is that! The best of all worlds as far as I am concerned. And he has a young springer spaniel called Wilson, and I know she missed not having a dog.

That's her by the front door. The special thing is that the owners of the cottage live right next door, and have known her since she was born and are excellent and kind landlords. Also some dear friends of ours (almost second parents to her) live in the house two doors away. Everything just seemed to fall into place - the house became vacant as soon as they were looking around for somewhere. Perfect.

These precious days : last of the summer

2008-09-22T00:26:00.010+01:00

I feel as if I have a lot of catching up to do - so much seems to have happened in the short space of time since I posted last.

However, these are precious days (all days are, of course, but sometimes you just KNOW it!) so I shall write a few themed posts, to share the days - the present ones, plus a few memorable recent ones.

We have had such a wet, cold summer here this year. A farming friend started to try to harvest his wheat at the beginning of August (a four day job, he told his lady) This week, he finally got enough dry sunny days to finish it. And that goes for most farmers around here.

I was looking forward to days spent lounging in the garden, doing the odd bit of weeding, but mostly sitting in the sun. (thats the weeding bucket, sun hat and newspaper crossword waiting for me) Didnt happen till now! So these last few days of warmer weather are precious, because I am aware that the fresh mornings and mists of Autumn are waiting in the wings. There have been some chilly dawns already.

The abutilon megapotamicum, clematis seedheads and the crab apples are still looking lovely.
The leaves are only just beginning to turn on a few horse chestnut trees, I have been on some gorgeous walks around our village, and the garden has still got a few blooms.

However, we have a dry spell for the next few days - and I HAVE spent time sitting watching the birds at the feeders . Apart from the usual varieties of tits (blue, great and coal) we have a star attraction. A nuthatch.

I thought it was a woodpecker at first, but his blue and slate colours with pink underside were totally wrong. And he was hanging upside down! (Treecreepers go UP tree trunks, and nuthatches go DOWN.) He really hammers into the peanuts, and seems totally unafraid of humans. But I can never be bothered to fetch the camera (no zoom lens to speak of) so enjoy his company in the flesh. The robin always keeps me company when I am weeding - easy food for him in the disturbed soil.

Ive loads to write about the other changes in my life, but they will have to wait till another post - but its good to be back!

Which have you read?

2008-08-13T22:21:00.002+01:00

Tabor posted this a few days ago, and I couldnt resist. However, you will now discover that I am a lazy reader! My favourite genre is science fiction (or fantasy these days) and my level of reading is about teenage. Adult writing is just too complicated and verbose .....

Which books have you read? Post this list on your blog and embolden the ones which you have!

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkein
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M. Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkein
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On the Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - A.S. Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - E.B. White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

The joy of a new granddaughter

2008-08-02T09:07:00.005+01:00

I am just back from a week in London getting acquainted with the lovely Edie. I know all babies are lovely, but she is quite gorgeous.

You can tell I have joined the ranks of proud grandparents!

I always seem to take photos of her asleep, when she is awake I am too busy cuddling!

It was quite a wrench to leave the new family, but I take heart that if my retirement goes as planned (nothing is certain till the end of August) I shall have more time to spend with her.

Odds and ends

2008-07-12T22:55:00.005+01:00

The Man of the House' first potatoes of the year, in the veggie collecting basket I bought him.

The recent strong winds and rains here have played havoc with anything that is not well staked.
The big yellow things in front of the window have suffered a bit. I did divide them last year and planted a clump next to a fence, in the hopes of being able to remove this original lot from in front of the window. It was given to us a few years ago by a friend with a small garden because "it was too big!. I know what she means.

This photo was taken a couple of days after the first one, and the day lilies have started to bloom. At least thats what I think they are. And strangely all previous years they have been buttercup yellow. I could swear - in fact I shall have to go and look for photos. Do they always do that?

Agapanthus

A favourite of the Man of the House - they remind him of an aunty's garden in years gone by.

Sweet peas are a favourite of mine, but I dont sow the seeds, just buy them as tiny plants. They have done well this year, despite the wind and the damp weather.

Alchemilla mollis - I cant resist it after rain! Who cares that it has tiny flowers too .........

The evening sun just caught my £5 pottery pretend Japanese lantern - next to a mossy stone (watered in the dry spells)

I took myself off to Clouds Hill - where I had never been, in all my thirty three years in Dorset.
It was bought by the famouse T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) as a hideaway when just a primitive gamekeepers hut. An escape from the roughness of Bovington Army Camp nearby, somewhere he could write, listen to music and be quiet. I climbed the small hill behind which looked down on the roof and out over the Dorset valley of the Frome river.

I could stare for hours at the sky beyond pine branches. It touches something very deep in my soul, such a satisfying shape.

Ancient stones in a peaceful garden

2008-07-08T23:23:00.003+01:00

A day out of the office took me to the north Dorset hill top town of Shaftesbury. I was helping the Public Catalogue Foundation record some paintings in Dorset Libraries. But I had a moment to myself while my colleagues were photographing at Shaftesbury Abbey museum.

I discovered the peaceful grassy gardens, which contained the ruins of the nunnery dating back to 888 AD. Such history - and such a violent end six hundred years later. Cromwell had a lot to answer for.

The relics of Edward the Martyr were supposed to located there, and indeed some bones that carbon dated to the correct period were discovered, buried there.

Despite the violent end of the nunnery, the garden was an oasis of calm in the sunshine. I was given a hand held audio guide, and found it easy to see the walls of the impressive church coming to life in front of me. The photos taken on my phone pan from left to right across the garden.

I didnt have time to look around properly, or even go into the museum, but this chart caught my eye in a delightful studio at one side of the garden. I hope you can click to read it.

Its a shame that Shaftesbury is an hour's drive away, but its a delightful small market town full of unusual shops and it seems quite isolated, in a time of its own. I shall definitely find time to visit again, and hope to explore the nunnery ruins again at leisure. This time with more knowledge of its amazing history.

Maybe soon I WILL have more time. Retirement is definitely on the cards at long last.

Watch this space!

An important stepping stone

2008-07-04T00:49:00.003+01:00

My Eldest Daughter's first baby - a daughter - my first grandchild.

No words needed.

Notes from Nottingham

2008-05-24T08:53:00.001+01:00

My life has been a bit full lately. Not necessarily busy, just full. There is still uncertainty over my future at work - and at home there has been plenty going on.

However Ive managed to keep up with reading my favourite blogs, but not left many comments. Its been lovely to see how the other northern hemisphere bloggers have been enjoying the arrival of spring, especially Kerri and Cate, and to see how Tabor is handling retirement. Two topics that are of consuming interest to me right now.

I have escaped to Nottingham to spend a week with the Dalai Lama - me and several thousand others! I enjoyed his visit to Glasgow so much a few years ago, and am here with some of the same group of friends.

I am treating it as a holiday, not a retreat - so am staying in a nice hotel with wifi, a lovely ensuite bathroom, fridge etc etc. The room is a bit small but I got a very good deal by not having meals, by booking incredibly early, but they only allocate rooms on arrival - why should they give me the biggest one? We walked around the town centre in the rain yesterday to get our bearings and I bought a few things to make the room seem like home (flowers, fruit, a storage jar for my Earl Grey tea bags and some muesli for breakfast +bowl and cutlery!)

This spring seems to be quite the loveliest I remember for a long time - or is it just me? It was my birthday last weekend and I feel I have the best time of year to be born. Everything is so green and full of blossom, the air is (mostly) warm but the mornings can be crisp. Things are coming into flower in my garden and the hedgerows so fast I cant keep up with the new arrivals.

I bought a new bike and Youngest Daughter and I go whizzing about the lanes and trackways around the village and down the valley. I am so grateful for aluminium frames, modern technology and gears, flexible forks and gel filled saddles. But the countryside goes by so fast when you have only been used to walking around it, and viewing it lazily at close quarters. But I am sure I will get used to it. Its very exhilerating and much easier than my old Witch of the West Raleigh with a basket on the handlebars, that I could hardly lift.

I miss the green countryside and my garden already - and its only the second day - I will post some photos of it when I get a moment. But I have His Holiness cheerful but deep wisdom to soak up. Looking forward to it - and the retail therapy of a huge area of stalls selling all sorts of goodies like books, cards, Buddhas, bags, clothes - mostly from Tibet, India and all places East. And they say that craving is one of the hindrances to spiritual growth.... yeah but hopefully I shall receive plenty from HH's talks and teachings so maybe they will cancel each other out!

“the whitest, frothiest, blossomest blossom "

2008-05-02T10:41:00.004+01:00

When he was dying with pancreatic cancer, playwright Dennis Potter was interviewed on TV by Melvin Bragg. An edited version is still around .

Every time I see my own blossom in the garden I remember watching it, and seeing him drink liquid morphine to combat the pain, but still giving one of the most memorable reasons for me to live in the present moment, right now. Not to wait till I am dying. I realised from what he said and how he said it, that he KNEW the truth. The “nowness of everything”.

I discover also what you always know to be true, but you never know it till you know it, if you follow.

We all, we're the one animal that knows that we're going to die, and yet we carry on paying our mortgages, doing our jobs, moving about, behaving as though there's eternity in a sense. And we forget or tend to forget that life can only be defined in the present tense; it is is, and it is now only.

I mean, as much as we would like to call back yesterday and indeed yearn to, and ache to sometimes, we can't. It's in us, but we can't actually; it's not there in front of us.

However predictable tomorrow is, and unfortunately for most people, most of the time, it's too predictable, they're locked into whatever situation they're locked into ... Even so, no matter how predictable it is, there's the element of the unpredictable, of the you don't know.

The only thing you know for sure is the present tense, and that nowness becomes so vivid that, almost in a perverse sort of way, I'm almost serene. You know, I can celebrate life.

Below my window in Ross, when I'm working in Ross, for example, there at this season, the blossom is out in full now, there in the west early. It's a plum tree, it looks like apple blossom but it's white, and looking at it, instead of saying "Oh that's nice blossom" ... last week looking at it through the window when I'm writing, I see it is the whitest, frothiest, blossomest blossom that there ever could be, and I can see it. Things are both more trivial than they ever were, and more important than they ever were, and the difference between the trivial and the important doesn't seem to matter.

But the nowness of everything is absolutely wondrous, and if people could see that, you know. There's no way of telling you; you have to experience it, but the glory of it, if you like, the comfort of it, the reassurance ... not that I'm interested in reassuring people - bugger that. The fact is, if you see the present tense, boy do you see it! And boy can you celebrate it.

He KNEW. How can I forget so often?

Gifts from the gods or passing planes

2008-04-24T21:37:00.004+01:00

Its that time of year, time for a crocus walk in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Last year's walk with The Ladies is chronicled in Wonderful Walks and the one in 2006 was Time For Tea.
I missed the company of the LLF this year, but it didnt coincide with one of her visits from London.

We set off from the car park that has the best view of the Cerne Abbas Giant, but we were headed away from him towards the high walk around the remote valley of Up Cerne. Yes, its upstream from Cerne Abbas, and Nether Cerne is downstream. Truly. Honestly.

We were rewarded with hidden views of bluebells in the small woods. And startled deer, quietly grazing in this still and secluded spot. We could see other small bands across the valley on the other slopes, but to see them up close is a treat indeed. No time for a photograph, I just drank in the scene with my inboard camera! Also a huge hare in the middle of a field.

We commented that it must be one of the quietest places in Dorset. All we could hear were skylarks - and the wind. Despite the well used track, we actually lost our way. But it didnt matter. We also found some strange crystalline looking objects at the edge of a field, that had scorched grass all around them. Quite large. After much discussion, we reckoned it was frozen loo stuff, evacuated from a passing jet, miles up. Couldnt be anything else really. Unless you have other ideas?

As we got back to the cars, there was a gentle sprinkling of rain - a sort of heavenly blessing on our charitable venture. But later found that in Piddlehinton (yes the real name of the village of most of the Ladies) it had been lashing it down. I drove on down the valley to Charminster for Sunday evening bell ringing to find thunder crashing all around! Blessed indeed by good weather from the gods.

There is nothing quite like a cup of tea in a real Dorset village tea room. That's me with last year's T-shirt. I had a cream tea, the first of the year! Hurrah for spring!

Daffodils

2008-04-19T09:15:00.004+01:00

Wordsworth may have seen a "host of golden daffodils" in the wild, but now they come in so many different varieties. Each autumn I try to buy a few more bulbs that will spread the flowering season and add delight - small, large, multi-headed, wonderful colours. Anything but just golden. I had a nearly pink trumpeted one, but it failed to arrive on the earth's surface this year.

Here is a gallery, taken all on one morning - I havent got a clue of any of their names!

"Im dreaming of a White...........Easter??!!

2008-03-26T22:59:00.004Z

A family Easter weekend promised a traditional picnic in Kew Gardens....... but it snowed! So we had enjoyable time spent indoors. Apparently in England it is statistically more common to have snow at Easter than Christmas!

I offer you a poem by Wendy Cope (whom I had the honour of meeting many years ago)

English Weather

January's grey and slushy,
February's chill and drear,
March is wild and wet and windy,
April seldom brings much cheer.
In May, a day or two of sunshine,
Three or four in June, perhaps.
July is usually filthy,
August skies are open taps.
In September things start dying,
Then comes cold October mist.
November we make plans to spend
The best part of December pissed.

("pissed" is vulgar English slang for very drunk)

Wet willow weekend

2008-03-17T07:19:00.006Z

This is the path through the little wood by the river, which is just across the road from my house. The land is owned by the village, and a couple of times a year there is a working party of volunteers to manage the woodland and tidy up the shrubs etc.

Everyone turns up - whatever the weather - armed with garden tools and enthusiasm. Our work is co-ordinated by someone with good knowledge of local native plants and trees. I was given the task of pruning the willows. Here is one that I am half way through pruning. I am taking off last years growth, so that the new shoots will grow that wonderful golden colour.

Here is a photo of the double row that was planted about eight years ago, and has a "haircut" each spring. The splash of colour can be seen from right over the other side of the valley.

You can see how close the the river the willows are, and a couple of lovely sturdy rustic seats that are so handy for sitting and contemplating the river. In the background is the white fenced bridge that takes the lane over to the southern quieter part of the village, called Southover!

This was my view where I was standing pruning, looking upstream away from the white bridge.

Some of the team having fun with a bonfire of the pruned wood from everyone's efforts. Just what you need on a wet and grey morning. There was a welcome break for coffee and biscuits later too.

Nearly finished!

Looking across the valley. It really was a blissful morning for someone who loves pruning. The gentle sound of the river was a perfect accompaniment. It was so satisfying. Now I shall look with even more pleasure at the striking colour of the willows all through next winter.

A rather stunning blossom tree at the edge of the wood - and I dont know which one. But very natural and graceful and not at all showy.

Love at first sight

2008-03-04T20:45:00.008Z

I was in Southampton, a large town and Shopping Heaven. I was walking back to the train station after taking my employer to an Employment Tribunal (over not being allowed into the local government pension scheme when I was a part time worker - I failed, but thats another story).

The trouble was that I did not actually want nay even desire any clothes! What a waste. All those shops and no Shopping Need.

However my eyes lead me into a shoe shop and the rest of me followed. I was in love.

Utter perfection!

Iwas way out of the demographic and I must have brought the average age down quite a bit. The customers and the staff were all so young! The shoe that reeled me in was a total delight to my elderly eyes. I tried to keep cool, and asked to try them on, but I knew I was going to buy them just to feast my eyes on even if they didnt fit!

Its said of the brand RocketDog (and I quote the website of the shop where I was gazing in wonderment):-

Los Angeles based Rocket Dog have quite simply been something of a phenomenon in the footwear market. Aimed at the female who has a mind of her own and can be found shunning the polished look of the previous generation. Famed for their wacky, cute, weird, wonderful, exciting, original.....you know what? You will just love them, end of story!

Ugh! Nearly puts me off. But at least the company was named after a real dog, owned by one of the founders.

I remember that Tanya and others wrote posts a while back about their favourite shoes, so here is mine. The only other trainers I have owned were old Nikes bought by the Youngest Daughter but too large for her.

How about a back view :-
And a side view:-

Lastly, please enjoy some detail showing the contrast of dark black suede, pink and red blossom print textile, quirky calligraphy and joyous exuberance.

*sigh* it must be love......aahhh

Checking in....

2008-02-28T07:22:00.004Z

.... to say that I feel a little under pressure - not that anything has radically altered in my life. Probably just the contrast with the lovely relaxed holiday recently!

This is how the countryside around my village looks right now. I am facing north east, and the village is in the valley, out of the picture to the right the trees. The sun can be quite warm on a day with no wind.

There is still huge uncertainty over the future content of my job, it will probably be downgraded to even more purely office admin type tasks *sigh of boredom*. I shall find out in a week or two. And it is definitely ruled out now being able to offer myself for voluntary redundancy. I shall have to stay on, as I cant afford to lose any of my pension by leaving "early". So I shall have to get used to the idea of working for a while longer in a job that doesnt appeal to me. My chances at age 61 of being able to get another interesting job at my pay scale in local government (in the same pension scheme) are practically nil - but I am looking. There is only the one public library service in the county (within two hours' drive) and we are cutting jobs!

But I shall have to try to look on the bright side, and enjoy all the other delights in my life!

So to that end, here are some snapshots of Spring!! More things flowering in the garden, AND I took down two old large tree stumps (well my neighbour did it for me!) and that has opened up more possibilites for redesign - should I ever get the time!

One of the hellebore self sown seedlings

A more colourful hellebore - always a shame the flowers droop down shyly

Clematis armandii flowers nestling among the evergreen leaves

Such a welcome sight on the patio - daffodils and tiny early tulips

Three good things about February

2008-02-17T21:13:00.008Z

Snowdrops
Longer days (ie going to and from work when it is light!)
Holidays to Sinai

For a few years now, I've been taking a winter break in the Sinai peninsula of Egypt. A small place called Nuweiba. Firstly with the local Bedouin, in their village by the sea (with Youngest Daughter) - to swim with the wild dolphin who had adopted the village and one young boy in particular. I went with Ruth, who now lives and swims with dolphins in another part of the Red Sea coast. I owe her thanks for the discovery of this amazing place.

Then in a locally run small hotel, and culminating in several all inclusive holidays at the Nuweiba Coral Hilton (with Youngest Daughter and Life Long Friend) It should be called the No Coral Hilton, because when they built it 18 years ago, they damaged most of the coral apparently! (But shhhh, there are still lots of fish and bits of coral off the beach for snorkel beginners and loads nearby)

For a general background , you canread my post over at ArkSanctum

This winter it was just the LLF and me. So here are a few holiday snaps......

The view looking down the Red Sea from the beach.
Ahh those blissful ancient mountains.

Wonderful gardens out of desert sand.
Palm tree maintenance, stripping off the old leaf stalks

Sunrise over the mountains of Saudi Arabia (across the Red Sea)
Rays of shadow are thrown through the peaks, right across the sky just before it appears

Sunrise on "our" mountains opposite. A delicate pink tipped blush to already red granite.
Ive gone with the Bedouin camels through that dip on the left, into a place of total silence.

Palm tree shadows in the sunrise

A trip into the desert to St Catherine's Monastery, a deep stronghold fortified and safe

A remarkable place, a real spiritual sanctuary - despite the tourists (in the morning only)

Looking back on the road to St Katherine's.
Magnificent scenery. My heart sighs just looking.

Outside the boundary of the Hilton, but tolerated by the management, the local Bedouin bring their camels - hoping for a few tourist dollars. The local jeeps in the background held a surprise, which we didnt realise when I took the photo of the baby camel. I was talking with the young camel owner (who recognised our Bedouin scarves) about swimming with the dolphin years ago, and the local people we knew then. "Fallah?" he said, when I gave the name of the young boy who the dolphin loved "but he is over there, fishing". The Bedouin are the only people allowed to fish the Red Sea for their food, as it is a protected area.

LLF on the left, and Fallah in the centre.

When we visited his family two years ago, he was out in the desert with this camel. So its several years since we saw him. What a delight to see him all grown up. (He is dressed in Tshirt for fishing, would normally be in "proper" Bedouin attire I may add) He gave us news of the family, but he isnt married yet. In all the excitement I forgot to ask about his sister - who looks like Catherine Zeta Jones, only plumper.

We went on a trip into the desert one evening - NOT on camels - to star gaze in the clear cold air.
This image of mountains, thorn tree and Bedouin rug somehow captures my feelings.

A very different place to stay than the Bedouin village,
where we lived right on the beach in small huts.
But just as blissful, and with as kind a welcome and attention.

A room with a view. *sigh*

The sun on the palm leaves was a constantly changing delight.

LLF in "our" day quarters. It took me several days to get over the guilt of Doing Nothing.

The often requested "boot shot".

One of the best places in all the world.
Along with Iona in Scotland, (of which there are uncanny similarities)
it is my Happy Place
I carry it within me

"Change myself, change the world"

2008-01-28T04:56:00.000Z

That's the trouble with Zen retreats - I find that for some time afterwards you are full with experiences but empty on words!

I must, however, say that Thich Nhat Hahn's wonderful teachings seem far removed from the apparent austerity of the Zen schools of Japan (with which it is closely linked, as he is a 42nd generation Lin-chi (Rinzai) Master of Lieu Quan School of Vietnamse Buddhism). I am continually surprised to be instructed at the beginning of a meditation session "Enjoy your breathing".

I feel very at home with these gentle and compassionate people, and find their good humour contagious. It is such an ordinary, practical and every day useful practice - not ivory temple stuff at all. " A practice of joy, harmony and transformation". That's all I ask. I cant transform people and situations around me, but I can change my "unwholesome mental states".

And yesterday, Sunday, some of the more local of us got together in a Day of Mindfulness in a lovely location on Dartmoor. A warm wooden practice centre called The Barefoot Barn. It has walls of windows that look out onto the rolling hills that lead up to the moors, and underfloor heating and a wood burning stove. But the windows were wide open yesterday, as it was one of those brilliant blue sky bursting days of winter, when the sun turned up its heating by several notches. We did chi gong exercises by a small still lake, fed by gentle streams. It was total pleasure to look up at the sky through open pine tree branches and feel the sun's warmth really heating up your body. I felt very organic just soaking it up like everything else in that soft landscape.

Unusually (and may there be more of it) I was content to wander past mossy rocks and look out on the scene from the hillside without grasping at the delightful experience and trying to capture it and take it with me, to have and to hold. A gentle attention on the continually changing was exquisite and light.

I only fleetingly regretted not having my camera to try to capture it to share visually with you!

Latest time wasting fun

2008-01-15T20:08:00.000Z

(Sorry about the width of the banner, I havent worked out how to narrow it yet!)

After years in Activeworlds an online world devoted to the gentle art of conversation and building 3D houses and gardens (it is so therapeutic once you get the hang of it) I am trying out something not so gentle.

Tribal Wars, so far, is about building up a medieval village - which of course needs to be defended. And they say the best form of defence is attack - but I'm not sure! I am keeping my gender fairly well hidden, as it seems a macho sort of place. However, I feel I may soon be accused of "Sim City" - which is devoting time and energy to farming and building my village and ignoring war and tactics.

I am gently plundering abandoned villages nearby (finding out first, by sending scouts, that they never bothered to build an army) and hoping no-one notices me. I've been invited to join a tribe too, which looks very complicated. Much more so than playing "armies" with the boys in the school playground.

My interest may not last when it gets rough!

By way of contrast I am off on a Zen retreat for a few days. I don't think it will involve martial arts. Maybe some t'ai chi though.......

Fade to grey

2008-01-13T20:41:00.000Z

I posted a short article around the topic of "acceptance" recently over at ArkSanctum, called Silver Bells and Cockleshells But right now I am having a testing time at work, with a future looking bleak in an even more boring job with which I am threatened- and acceptance seems like the most impossible state!

What I am seeking are glimpses of hope - in any shape or form.

Here are some from my garden this winter morning:-

A tiny primrose

A daffodil - blooming way ahead of all the others

Fat clematis armandii buds, nestling among the leaves

And snowdrops too, I just cant wait till we have a ray of sunshine to persuade them to open.

But the weather - and my mood - seems set to unsettled and grey. Ah well, I had just better be quiet and watch things change. As surely they will, whether we like it or no.

End of year reflections

2007-12-30T23:47:00.000Z

A few words from Zen's post struck a chord with me "With the passing of Christmas this season , the sun begins to set on 2007. It was a challenging year. One in which we can be thankful to get through, and learn from our errors, celebrate our joys and sorrows, would be the Zen thought. For without those Yin moments of bitter tea, there would have been no chance to grow."

How right he is, and how wise. Thich Nhat Hanh (the Vietnamese Zen master) says that the most fragrant flowers grow from compost, and our suffering is the compost! But its hard to remember that when in the midst of sufferings - large or small.

One of the reasons why my blog exists is to keep a journal of my "trying to walk mindfully on the path, from one stepping stone to the next."

Cate's beautiful words on her post detail the small wonders of nature and pull me back to mindfulness of my path "Out of such small gifts, random blessings and wild graces, perhaps one can craft a mindful life." I do hope so.

Here are a few images of a walk through my village that show how small hopes and blossoms survive a grey winter.

And a walk by the sea with my Life Long Friend showed how a piece of seaweed survives being thrown on shore (complete with its tiny stone anchor) just as I survive the world with my friends as my anchor. You know who you are - online and in everyday life!

Finally, as suggested by LLF - a boot shot, with a shaft of weak winter sunlight beckoning!

Happy New Year!

Christmas photo journal

2007-12-26T22:49:00.000Z

Candle lit Carol Service before Christmas in the village church

The tree, with the Christmas hamper kindly sent by our American relatives - ordered by internet and full of all sorts of English goodies, very luxurious. A few more presents appeared later, but not many - just a few well chosen gifts.

Carrot cake doesn't only appear as wedding cake in our house (our eldest daughter's wedding in the summer), but here makes a reprise as Christmas Cake!

Christmas morning service.
Children, dressed for their Nativity playlet, show Ken the Rector some of their presents. He is striking a pose for an angel who got a camera. Just to show that the sort of thing referred to in my Sunday Journal on ArkSanctum has changed these days!

I raise my glass and wish you peace and joy this Christmastime.

Turning

2007-12-16T21:40:00.000Z

I am inspired by Cate's post and invitation to write about my thoughts on the word "turnings".

A stone carving on the base of the pulpit of our village church is key to these musings. It is of a monk holding a sunflower. But research proves this not to be so, he is holding a monstrance. And what is a Roman Catholic carving doing in an Anglican village church? It is thought that it belongs the latter half of the fifteenth century - when we were all Roman Catholic I suppose.

Anyway to me it looks like a sunflower. And while delving into this anomaly, I discovered that the Italian for sunflower is girasol (from girare to turn and sol sun)

I've always loved sunflowers. They are the one thing, the sight of which (apart from a dolphin) is guaranteed to make me smile. And to see a field of them is amazing - we don't grow them much in England - too cold I suppose.

(This was taken by my friend Russ in France)

But, and I will get to the point eventually - like us human animals - the sunflowers always turn to the sun. By genetic imprinting deep in their system, their faces follow the sun through the day. And we? We also, I am sure, turn to the Light - in whatever shape or form we perceive it. No-one turns to the Dark naturally. ( I am avoiding all reference to Jedi and Darth Vader)

So at this time of utmost seasonal darkness in our hemisphere, when the world stands poised ready to turn to the Light/Sun/Son that is born, I long for sunflowers nodding in the breeze and turning to the wamth and lifegiving light

Christmas shouldn't cost the earth - recycle!

2007-12-10T08:57:00.001Z

Interesting tips also here

Seven random things

2007-12-07T17:10:00.000Z

I've been tagged by Tabor, whose blog One Day at a Time is always such good reading, I too only go one stepping stone at a time!

I shall join the game.The rules are as follows :

link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
share 7 random or weird things about yourself.
tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs
let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I am a bellringer. I didnt start till late in life, and went out and found somewhere to learn. A compulsion to do it. I think I must have spent a past life being a monk in Japan hitting those huge bells with logs of wood and English church bells is as close as I could get?!

2. I admire, and try to follow the teachings of the Buddha. He was a sensible guy with practical solutions to all life's challenges. I should meditate more - I know its the right thing to do to make life easier and happier. "Peace in oneself. Peace in the world" as Thich Naht Hanh says.

3. I love the Chalice Well Gardens in Glastonbury - an oasis of peace and quiet, which tolerates and welcomes all views and beliefs.

4.I learned ballet almost as soon as I could walk, and still love movement of all kinds including t'ai chi.

5. I completed a distance learning course in Japanese gardens recently - and received the annual senior tutors' coursework prize. I've been to Kyoto three times, and think that the temple gardens there are the most sublime places in the world. They are not all gravel and stones! Bliss. Especially the rare occasions when Ive heard a temple bell being hit.

6. Last year, as well as full time work during the day, I was doing some regular activity EVERY night of the week. Reluctantly I gave up some. I couldn't stand the pace.

7. Its all my brother's fault that I enjoy science fantasy fiction. He is eight years older than me, I used to sneak a look at his Eagle magazines, and read his books too! Luckily I am a librarian so get to find out all the new books. But my reading stamina is limited, so I read teenage or young adult fiction.

I shall tag these 7 people. I hope they find the time to join the game at some point.

Zen on Zen's Sekai I - by Land
Kerri on Colors Of The Garden
Vishwa on A Walk in the Drizzle
Tanya on The Purple Giraffes
Rowan on The Circle of the Year
Cate on Beyond the Fields we know
Jim Otterstrom on Earth Home Garden

A December day out in Britain

2007-12-02T19:28:00.000Z

The weather is always a topic of conversation in Britain. Its never the same two days running. December doesnt seem like winter yet, as the temperatures are still mild on the whole. But we have had heavy showers and strong winds in the last day or two. Enough to make you want to stay indoors.

(photo of Russell-Cotes Museum courtesty www.picturesofengland.com)

But the Man of the House and I went yesterday to Bournemouth by train (nice cheap tickets) and went to the Russell-Cotes Museum (nice free entry). It is tucked on the side of the cliff overlooking the sea, at one of the only surfing spots on the south coast before you get to Cornwall. We could see the surfers waiting for waves, like so many seals bobbing in the ocean.

This gives a flavour of the house, imagine having a fountain in your hall! (at the moment of writing the Museum's own website is down) But a wonderful Victorian house stuffed full of artefacts brought back from their travels to the East plus a new gallery and a modern café, kept us happy and interested all afternoon.

It has some wonderful pre-Raphaelite paintings, which I cant show here as most need permission to use them and I am ever mindful of Intellectual Property Rights (though I have borrowed photos today as I didnt take my camera)

As dusk fell, and the rain stopped, we walked down to the town centre through shops with their lights shining out onto damp pavements. This is what I missed when we were away for a year in the seventies on the hippy trail to India. In the heat and sunshine I missed dark evenings and Christmas lights!?

There was a German market in the pedestrianised area at the town centre, and the smells of German sausages and mulled wine wafted out from small wooden chalets, selling gifts as varied as shiny smooth thuja wood boxes from Morrocco to reindeer fur rugs from Finland. The vendors were not German but every race under the sun! A lively and good natured enterprise that celebrated our European nature these days.

Back on the train to have fish and chips in a pub. Maybe not so European after all!

I'm back - with a few photos

2007-11-19T22:58:00.001Z

Sunrise on our first hard frost of the year.

The thick frost on our field looks almost like snow, and no sheep to be seen. Still in bed!

Even nettles look lovely, tipped with frost.

Hooke Park Woods - miles from anywhere and very quiet

The trees at the entrance to my village - on a main road and not quiet

A small copse nearby looks like stumpwork embroidery, or tweed

The birds aren't hungry enough yet!

Now it is raining non-stop, the leaves will soon go mushy.

A day out with my girlfriends coincides with the switching on of the Christmas lights in Exeter.
This looks really chilly, but its not snow on the ground, just white paving in the square!

Our visitors have gone back to sunny Florida, and back in Dorset, we settle down to winter. The heating is on, and the Man of the House is practising carols on his cornet.

Status report

2007-10-24T20:08:00.000+01:00

Its going to be a bit quiet around here for the next couple of weeks, well it has been already!

We have some visitors staying, and I just dont seem to have the computer time I used to. Images are a bit limited because I am doing this on my laptop which has none of my images loaded (try to keep it clean for swift start up etc) but here are the pebbles in St Columba's Bay on Iona.

I will be blog reading in spare moments, so hope to keep up with everyone else's news. So TTFN as we Brits used to say.

"All good gifts around us...."

2007-10-13T22:20:00.000+01:00

...goes a traditional of hymn that is sung at the celebrations of Harvest Festivals in most village churches at this time of year.

A brief photo diary of an autumn weekend (descriptions under the images)

Saturday : a bellringing outing, which meant leaving home early enough to see the sun rising over the hills of home.

We were ringing bells on Dartmoor, and the first stop is Widecombe-in-the-moor. In the summer, crowded with tourists, but today it was quiet and peaceful.

You can stand in the churchyard and see the a tor (Haytor I think) outcropping on the skyline.

This was taken in another Dartmoor village - Lustleigh. Nice light bells with a lovely sound. You felt like you had stepped back in time as the village was hardly touched by this century, nestled in the side of a valley.

On to Dunsford, where their Harvest Festival service was the next day. The sheaf of oats stood proudly at the door.

Opposite the sheaf in the porch, a colourful medley of veg sat on the bench seat.

The flower ladies had skill and I loved the way the ivy twined naturally around the pillars and linked the flowers over the stone arch. We had a chat - in between ringing - to the ladies who were putting the finishing touches to their creations all over the church. They said that there are no younger people coming behind them to learn all this, and as they get older and die off, the art and expertise will be lost in this church.

The next day, Sunday, Youngest Daughter and I planned to make the most of the good weather and climb Golden Cap (in the background above) the highest cliff on the Dorset coast. Much to our surprise the Man Of The House accompanied us. We bought crab sandwiches at Burton Bradstock ("possibly the best crab sandwiches in the world") and took them with us to eat on the summit.

When we reached the top, it was getting misty (and quite autumnal) in the late afternoon and the views along the coast towards Devon were hazy (the direction that I had been the day before). We had climbed 200 metres nearly straight up. I needed to turn back and look at the view quite often (and catching my breath was purely coincidental, you understand!)

A convenient gate to lean on, and admire the view out to sea.

Blackberries are always welcome snacks along the way, but these were taking their time ripening.Youngest Daughter leads the way, what a relief to being going downhill now.

I have an idea that these are definitely NOT edible, but a wonderfully twined garland.

That evening it was the Harvest Home in our own village and these two baskets had been brought along (by the same person) to decorate not the church but........

...the village hall ! Its such a change from the formal service in a cold church, this must be more like the celebrations of old times - meeting friends and neighbours around a table, offering some prayers of thanks for a good harvest and also for a good lifestyle of plenty when many around the world have so little. I think more people turn up when its not in church. We ate a simple "ploughman's lunch" of bread, cheese and pickle and had an auction of garden produce (inflated prices of course, as the proceeds went to a charity to buy a cow for a third world family, and to send boxes of food to Eastern Europe where times are hard.

The trees are turning colour more now, and there are hints of golds and yellows, but the only reds around the house are the Virginia Creeper that looks so good against the flint. I am standing outside the patio door looking up at the gutter!

And the very last sweet pea is red too, and I just had to catch the droplets of rain.