Easter Sunday

Hope you all had a very Happy Easter time. I had my family over for the day on Easter Sunday. We tried to get Oliver to sleep in the travel cot but I think it was his Mummy who succumbed in the end. Mummy just sent me a comment to say "Has anyone noticed the clump of hair in O's hand which he uses to pull every so often to ensure that Mummy does not get to sleep. Can click on this whole sentence to get to Janie's blog. Something strange happening with the link!

So, into the garden instead where Oliver enjoyed his Grandma's lounger far more than his travel cot.

Out in the garden the fish were enjoying the sunshine. If you look carefully you can see small black shadows. These are baby fish - there are dozens and dozens of them. We have just taken the net off the top so are hoping the fish will be safe. The tadpoles are a wriggling mass. After removing the Winter net last year a Heron came and reduced the fish population from about 60 to about 12. These fish breed so well that without the Heron it would be vastly overcrowded so perhaps nature knows best in the end.

The Arrum Lillies in the pond are beginning to flower too but do need some tidying up.

Took a photo of the Red Robin again just to show how different it looks in the evening light. So different to how it looks in the sun. I prefer the evening colour I think.

Thank you to all my blogging friends for the good wishes received over the Easter period.

Blogging Help

This beautiful tree with ever so delicate flowers (they last less than a week) is growing in my neighbour's garden but it does overhang mine so I can enjoy it too. I do not know what it is called, neither does my neighbour. I took it yesterday late morning.
Then last evening at about 8.0 pm I spotted this very pretty sky. The sun had set before then but the rays were still catching the clouds.

Thought I would share with blogging friends out there something that I have found helpful. When one gets Post Comments coming through via. E-mail, only a name is shown and until I get really familiar with the blogsite of that person I may need to look up the site to check who it is.

So I took a notebook and have made an entry for each one. Things like name, location, age if known, blog name and site, E-mail where appropriate and any other relevant details that are of particular interest to me. I have found this really helpful. I am a 'list' person who likes things organised as you can see. So I hope this is helpful to someone.

The Donkey

A Poem for Easter

THE DONKEY

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born;

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! for I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.


by G K Chesterton

Spring Lambs

Here are some cute 3 and 4 week old lambs as my contribution to Easter pictures. These are on the grounds of a Christian Retreat Centre, Pilgrims Hall, that I am involved with. They are a flock of Jacob Sheep and yes they are supposed to be descended from the time of Jacob. They are different in colouring to the sheep that one generally sees in the fields and on the hills.
There were 36 lambs born and all but 2 are black. Baa Baa Black Sheep! These baby lambs remind one so much of new birth and new life and with Jesus Himself being the lamb slain for us it seemed very appropriate to use these on an Easter blog.

Some centuries ago Pilgrims Hall was part of the route that the pilgrims took on their way to Canterbury and it was a place to stop off and rest. These days many people come to take time out either overnight or on a daily basis. The Hall also hosts conferences and various church away days as well as being a counselling centre.

Did not get back to any Spring cleaning today. After breakfast I was hanging washing out on the line when my next door neighbour called out to ask if I would like to join them for a time of praise and worship. This to me is real organic church. There I am hanging out the washing, having not even done my face, and I am called to worship. We had a good time of worship and prayer along with about 8 other neighbours before ending with coffee and then each back to our daily routines.

After lunch I decided to forget the house and take a trip out. First stop was to take pictures of the oldest wooden church in the world as I had promised these to a fellow blogger (These will be going on another post) and after that stopped off at Pilgrims Hall to have afternoon tea with the resident team there. What better way to spend a day. Hope you like the pictures.

The Mind of God

Warm enough for afternoon tea in the garden today. I resisted though as I was cleaning out wardrobes and bedroom cupboards as part of my spring cleaning regime (the regime that usually takes until August to finish as I do it so sporadically). However I did pop out to snap the Photinia(Red Robin) again as it looks so much more colourful than when I posted it a few weeks ago. I have 2 of these and they are so beautiful. The secret is to prune hard as soon as the red leaves fade to green then one gets lots of new red growth.


While cleaning and sorting I was thinking of a time in 1982 when things in my life where very diffferent than they are today. At that time I was struggling emotionally and spiritually. I was depressed and anxious and feeling a total failure and just not experiencing the abundant life that the Bible promised me. I looked out of my bedroom window and saw a lady from my church bouncing down the street looking so happy and together. (Of course I know that was looking at appearances and not knowing what was going on inside). However it frustrated and depressed me more. I began to sob and cry out to God and I suddenly realised that my conversation with God was coming out like a poem. So, I stopped and wrote it down. It has, since that time been a source of revelation and inspiration to me and to many others that I have shared it with. So thought I would share it here.


O my God, why do you leave me in despair and desolation
When all around is seemingly glory and triumph
The very essence of life appear and disappear
As though they were just puppets, on a string
You mock me, You tantalise me, You hide your face.
Is it a game that you are playing?

Child, you have forgotten your prayers of yesteryear
What, me give up the things I hold so dear?
Lord, you know I want to change
But, how can You and I achieve the impossible?
It only seemed impossible to you
Because you did not have My infinite mind.

Remember the prayers that went unanswered at the time
The prayers you prayed that were impossible for me
For had I answered in the way that you had wished
Those other prayers of yours, the most important ones
Would have vanished like a vapour in the sea
And never would have brought you the life you long to see.

My love for you is more than just a fleeting feeling
To lose you would have been too great a price to pay
Your suffering has been your greatest treasure

To keep you close to me so come what may

The Mind of God would be instilled within you

So you can live the life for which you pray.

Barbara Rogerson 1982

Adventure in God

A true walk with God will do more to awaken awe, wonder and

amazement in your soul than would a century

of travel thru the sights of this Earth. Your guide will keep to no beaten

path. He will lead you by a way such as you never dreamed your eyes

would look upon. He knows no fear and He expects you to fear nothing

while He is with you. To take you to His end

by a way you know would profit you little. He chooses for you a way

you know not, that you may be compelled into a thousand experiences with

Himself which will make the jourmey forever memorable to Him and to

you. Difficulty is the very atmosphere of miracles - it is Miracle in it's

first stage. If it is to be a great miracle the condition is not difficulty but

impossibility. It is our business to learn to be peaceful and safe in God in

every situation for we may be absolutely sure of an unperplexed and

undismayed Guide and Saviour.

Author Unknown

Vanilla Melting Moments Recipe

Having invited my blogger friends to afternoon tea yesterday I have again been asked to supply the recipe by Isobel. So here goes.

Biscuits: 6oz self raising flour, 4 1/2 oz cornflour, 2oz icing sugar. 8 oz butter, cut into pieces. 1 tsp. vanilla essence. Butter icing: 2 oz butter, softened. 4 1/2 oz icing sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla essence.

Preheat oven 160C/gas 3. Place flour, cornflour and icing sugar in a food processor and whiz for a second. Add butter and essence until it comes together. Roll mixture into balls the size of a big marble and place on baking tray with space between each. Dip a fork in cold water and press down on each ball to flatten slightly and score top. Bake 15 minutes until still pale in colour but slightly firm. Remove from tray and place on wire rack. When cool spread with icing mixture and sandwich together. Dust with icing sugar . Can add melted chocolate if liked.

Extracted from Rachel's Favourite Food at Home by Rachel Allen.

Isobel also suggested I do a separate blog for recipes like Cherry. Maybe something to think about for the future, but I am not committing to that right now. Sorry.