Tortoise Tales Dear friends, “Like a mighty tortoise, moves the Church of God.” Sometimes said in exasperation, sometimes in resigned affection. But the thing about the humble tortoise is that, although slow by some measures, it is tough, strong, determined, and long-lived. They are incredible objects of fascination, relics of wonder in the natural world. They are both animal, and reptile. We…
The end of the experiment. Dear friends, Do you remember where you were on 7/7 ? Twenty years ago yesterday the whole of Checkendon Primary School were on a grand day out. A number of governors and parents were in the party, myself included. The late Mr John Robinson, of Checkendon Court, had very generously arranged for a heritage train ride on…
The White Spider No, really, there is such a creature. Although if you’d asked me before Sunday I would have doubted it. No more. Picking dessert gooseberries in the weekend early morning, to beat the heat, there it was, peeping out at me from under a bright green gooseberry leaf. I had to stop and stare. It was big – about a…
The destruction layer. Dear friends, I must confess, it’s been a difficult week. My planned trip to the Isle of Man to visit a dying friend was cancelled, as he passed away before I could reach him – the travel has now morphed into a visit for his funeral at St German’s Cathedral next week. Let us do good while we may,…
The Colour Red The feast of Pentecost is, liturgically, a “red” day. Possibly because of the flames of fire which fell from heaven on the heads of the astonished apostles, possibly because the said apostles also share the same liturgical colour. Red is only used elsewhere in the Christian year for Holy Week, and, of course, for any martyrs. It is used…
A new Law Dear friends, Fifty days after the Passover festival, the disciples were gathered in Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Shavuot. This is the celebration of the wheat harvest, and is used to remember the giving of the Torah – the ten commandments – to Moses on Mount Sinai. They were being faithful to Jesus’ instruction to “wait in Jerusalem”…
A Special Place Dear friends, Sometimes the overlooked can be beautiful. When we lived in Carlisle some of the best holidays were not continuing to the far north for the rugged mountains of the Scottish Highlands, or the endless skies of the Isles, but simply to nip “round the corner” for an hour’s drive into the rolling pastures of the Solway Firth.…
Give thanks Dear friends, At the beginning of this new day, imagine a barrier across the road. What is being asked of you that you may proceed? Perhaps you are thinking of a holiday in France, and need to check if your passport is in date. Or you are wondering what the new EU border arrangements will be. Fingerprints? Weight? DNA sample?…
A lifetime of freedom Dear friends, It has only been in very recent years that we have been able to “satellite view” the earth that we share, and look down at things from above from the comfort of home. For those with eyes to see, this gives not only a window into the present, but also one into the past. Former airfields…
Dealing with Dragons Yesterday (April 28th) was St George’s Day. There is a fine memorial in Checkendon Church depicting him triumphant over the dragon. The memorial is to Basil Moon, of Brazier’s Park, who was killed in Flanders in 1915, and also to his (unnamed) brother of the same regiment “who was spared.” St George is a very early saint – he…