Creepy Crawlies

Why were slugs created?!
What useful purpose can they have?

I think I`ve said before that I don`t like “creepy crawlies”…. This afternoon I was potting up some plants I`d bought the other day, and to do so had to empty some containers which had had bulbs in during the spring. On turning one upside down to get them out, and when it dropped out – ughhh there were several slugs and a lot of woodlice at the bottom but now on the top as it sat on the ground. But, what to do about them…. I didn`t want them getting everywhere, in the end I resorted to putting some slug pellets on them and hoping that would do the trick. It took me a long while to risk turning another pot up, eventually I did and found exactly the same, so at that stage I gave up emptying the pots. I know, don`t tell me! - I`m a coward. But why do such tiny things (against the size of us) manage to make one feel so creepy?!

Get Cooking

I`ve been working with some recipes today, and it`s amazing how although the majority have at least 4 basic ingredients in common, they all turn out completely different dishes. It may be the different mixing methods, the different cooking methods, differents heat used. What four ingredients am I talking about?

Inspiring Worship

Although I attend worship almost every Sunday, so often I find it very ordinary, sometimes dull, sometimes seeming to be `in the past` irrelevant to life today (I know it depends a lot on who the preacher is). But, this morning`s, to me, was a really up-to-date inspiring service. The organ sounded so good, the singing went exceptionally well and really uplifted one. No, the hymns weren`t modern, they didn`t need to be, some of the older hymns do have lovely and meaningful words which are still very relevant today. The sermon, linked to the theme of computers was very well thought out and put across. It really was a good morning`s worship. Normally I prefer evening services and find more in them, because they are quieter and more thoughtful, but it will take a lot to beat that service.

I somehow think its going to be one that sticks in my mind for a long time.

They`re back!

Yes, the grockles are back!, they`re everywhere!,
but I think they`ve left their brains behind.
Walking along the pavements one is very tempted to say “Look where you`re going” or “Go where you`re looking”! they all seem to be looking one way and walking in a different direction.
And, Why, oh why, on a beautiful sunny warm day does it take mother, father, all the children a grandparent or two to all wander round a shop to buy one small item, maybe a packet of crisps, a pint of milk, a loaf of bread, then to all decide to stand in the queues at the checkouts, making the queues appear much longer than they really are. Surely commonsense would be for one to come in and the rest to wait outside?
Or is it the novelty of small shops after the big supermarkets that`s the attraction?
I don`t think so, by the way they moan about the length of the queues – don`t they realise its them and others like them making the queues look so huge?!

Fascinating needlework

Visiting the Quaker Tapestry the other week, reminded me of another great piece of stitchwork that I went to see a few years ago. Done in a totally different style to the Quaker one, it too was very, very impressive. No, it wasn`t the Bayeux one, to see what it was, have a look at this. I enjoy stitching, and have done 4 fair size tapestry pictures, but nothing on the scale of these. I`m full of admiration for those who can produce such a wonderful piece of work, and so large. The hours and amount of stitches that go into them, is astounding.

Speeding along

What a different conception to speed one has when driving to being pedestrian. Driving along on holiday recently on the motorway, I`d been going with the speed of the traffic and the road limits, then I stopped for a break and sitting there munching on a sandwich idly watching traffic passing, it seemed to be going so fast. And it struck me (no not the traffic literally), that I too had been going at that speed, yet from inside the car and driving it was totally different.

What makes it seem different? It`s still the same speed.

Gardens

I`ve just been watching the Chelsea Flower Show on TV. What wonderful gardens and not a weed in sight!
How different to mine. Still, as they say a weed is a plant, only its in the wrong place. But, why is it that the weeds grow quicker, taller and stronger than the plants I want to grow?! My garden really wants to have something done to it, to make it more interesting, but I`ve no skill for that.
Looking at the programme, what wonderful plants there are, what a variety of colours, sizes and types. Isn`t nature wonderful. Even when it does get a helping hand from all the growers and seedsmen to produce the unusual colours and shades.

If it ain`t broken, don`t mend it !

I had a telephone call the other day from the doctors receptionist to inform me that they wanted me to have a routine blood test. Am I the only coward over this? Even the thought of it makes me go pale.
I also am thinking, but I feel fine, so why should I go and have one, my normal tablets must be ok, and if they change or mess about with them then maybe I won`t feel so well.
After all, if ones washing machine, kettle or whatever is working fine we don`t take it to bits and interfere with that do we. As the saying goes, if it ain`t broken, don`t mend it!
So, do I go or not?

Along the cliff top 

A Sunday Afternoon Walk

The sun was out, there was a breeze but it was a warm one so I took myself off for a walk this afternoon, along the cliff top path, and it was beautiful, the sea was calm and pretty shades of blue. Wild flowers growing along the side of the path were gently moving in the breeze, skylarks were darting about and the sound of bird-song could be heard. I watched the birds for a while, their swooping and diving at speed so fascinating to see. Such a beautiful world and just five minutes drive away. It was peaceful, there were a few other people walking, but no noisy radios or chatter, all just enjoying the natural surroundings.
It made me remember how as a child, that was the thing to do on a Sunday afternoon – go of a walk. We always did it on each Sunday if the weather was fine. Strange, I`d forgotten that till now.
As I walked along, I resolved to myself, that I really must make time to do this more often, to get out and enjoy a walk. To make time to do it, and time for myself. It only took an hour, but did a lot of good, as well as the exercise (badly needed!) it gives time to think, to clear ones mind and just Be.
Maybe those older folk whose habit it was to have a Sunday afternoon walk, knew a thing or two!

Intelligent Creatures?

If you read my blog entry for yesterday, you may have thought
“what a load of old squit!”

But, I think there`s also a serious question behind it… do crabs think?

We know that dogs are intelligent and can be taught to do useful things, like guide dogs, hearing dogs for the deaf, police dogs etc. Other animals and creatures show signs of being clever too, like the way squirrels can work out how to get a nut from various tests set for them. Even my canary knows how to ask for a bath, he`ll go to his water, start splashing his beak in it and then start shouting, he`s discovered that if he does that we give him what he wants.

So, do crabs and other sea creatures have brains and intelligence?

Crabs eye view

Ooooh, come on Sis it`s time to play and see the big wide world again. Look, there`s all those long things coming down from above us again. Do they think we`re hungry? Which do you fancy - the bit of bacon, the crust of bread or that smelly old bit of fish? I like the look of the one on that orange string, I`ll get hold of that. Here we go, have you got hold of one too?..... up we go…. Now, let go! Let`s do it again, before we let them get us right to the top! Suppose we`d better let them pull us right up this time, ready? I`m racing you, mine`s going up quicker.
Oh, aren`t those children big against us, I`m going to wiggle my claws and my feet at them, listen how they squeal ! Funny isn`t it, how we can frighten them small as we are. Now what`s happening to me, my feet are getting tangled up in that boy`s mesh on a stick – O I see, he`s afraid to get hold of me, to lift me off the bacon, not like the brave girl whose gently lifted you off.
Well, I`m on my own now in this bucket of water, funny, its not like one I`ve been in before I can see out of it, still I can crawl round and see all sorts of things, don`t know what they are, some of them make a noise too. Wonder where Sis is. Oh hello Uncle Salty, have you come up to play with the children too, wonder who else will end up in here with us.
It`s getting crowded in here, there`s Crabby, Oneclaw, Brac, and some I don`t know, wonder how many more of us he wants to catch, I`m getting hot too under the sun.
Now, we`re moving, don`t swing that bucket so much, I`m getting bucketsick, slow down boy. Oh, at last, now just a gentle tumble and roll, we`ve out!, now I can crawl slowly back into the water and go and find my friends and hear where they`ve been and what they`ve seen up there today.
It`s quite an exciting life being a young crab!

Talking about catching crabs yesterday, made me think and wonder what its like from the crabs point of view, so have let my imagine run with it!

Under the Surface

I was watching some children dangling fishing lines into the water the other day, they were hoping to catch some little crabs, and they were succeeding. Looking down into the water, it was murky and opaque, you couldn`t see the crabs, you couldn`t see anything below the surface but there were things below the surface.
And it struck me, we can be like that water. People only see the outer side of us that we are prepared for them to see. But yet there can be a lot going on in our lives, with our emotions, our feelings, our doubts, our uncertainties, our worries, that are hidden from view.
It made me wonder, how well do we really know people that we think we know? People we work with, people we meet, people we live with. Do we need sometimes to do like those children and delve under the surface, to really get to understand others better?

Selfish?

Thinking about the thoughts and feelings I`ve got of wanting to be a bit freer, to do less, and to be me.
I`m also wondering today though, am I being selfish in wanting space and time to myself?
Yet, God has given us so many good things, shouldn`t we make time to enjoy them, and make use of our gifts and skills in hobbies etc.
But on the other hand, shouldn`t we use His gifts for the benefit of others and so keep busy that way and not for oneself?

I`m confusing myself now!!

Hold on? or Let go?

I seem to have done a lot of thinking and discovering on this holiday. Without consciously being aware of doing it!
It has been good to be free for a few days of the responsibilities I have.
The break has really done me good, not only in the sense of helping me unwind, but in making me really stop and think.
What am I doing with my life?
What should I be doing with my time?
Am I making the most of it?
Should I be spending more time making the most of my free time, instead of being busy all the while?
I know that there are “lifelines” which have been invaluable to me over the past years, but, I wonder now, is it time I let them slacken, maybe even let go of some of them?
Dare I take that step?
My instinct is to feel that I am being led to do less, to make the most of the precious free time that I do get to do what I want to do, follow up some of the hobbies and interests I now have. To make time to relax too.

Changing Views

Isn`t it strange how one`s views of a place can be changed.
For years and years I`d wanted to visit the Lake District, it sounded such a beautiful place, but each year`s holiday came and went and we never went there. Then years later, I learnt to drive and went to my “dream” place. Was it as I`d imagined it to be, no. The scenery was there, but it seemed disappointing, flat, it just didn`t do anything for me.
Yet, having been into a little of the area last week, (yes, some of the same area as before), my view of it was completely changed.
That set me thinking and wondering, why. Looking back, I can see now that it wasn`t the area that was wrong, it was me that was wrong, my feelings and emotions were at a mixed up and sad time in my life, that everything was looking grey and that coloured my view of where I was. That wherever I`d have gone at that time it would have seemed the same.
So I`m glad I`ve had the opportunity to go again and really appreciate the beauty of the area. And discover something about myself at the same time.

Inspiring Tapestry

One of the highlights of my holiday was a visit to the Lake District and in particular to visit the Quaker Tapestry. To realise that people in many countries had all taken part in stitching part of the 77 panels, telling the story and history of the Quakers and insights into life in the early centuries, was quite inspiring. Also, enjoying needlework, it was interesting to look closely at the way they had been stitched to give depth to them. (the panels can be seen at www.quaker-tapestry.co.uk/panels.htm)

Refreshing Holiday

I`ve just had a wonderful weeks holiday staying with some friends the other side of the country. I didn`t realise how much I needed a holiday until I got there. I do feel so much better for it. Just time to relax, to not rush around, to unwind. To have someone to have a leisurely walk by the sea with, for a day out touring the beautiful countryside, To be in the easy company of friends and after catching up on news, the ability to spend an evening just companionably sitting with them without any of us feeling the need for any conversation much, but just feeling at ease.

It`s not until one stops that one realises how much that break is needed is it?

I feel totally relaxed now, infact I`m finding it difficult today to put my mind to doing anything now I`m back, I`m wandering aimless round the house, wondering whether to go out, whether to just sit down, whether to do bits around the house, but yet feeling inclined to do nothing!

Bluebell time

Can`t think what to write today, so here`s a photo of a Bluebell wood for you to enjoy instead.

Holiday jobs

Why is it, I wonder, that when the prospect of a holiday is looming, there always seem so many jobs to be done in the time before it? Holidays seem to make work! Why do I feel that I must leave every loose end, tied up? Are they really worth it, with all the rush of jobs before them?
Or, is it only me, that feels that everything must be left straight? Why do I feel that? Is it somehow a fear that one might not come back? Or perhaps its subconsciously wanting to come back to a fresh start? I don`t know what it is. But yet, perhaps prospects of a holiday are good in that it makes one finish jobs that have been sitting on the side for weeks?

HURRAY!!!

Hurray!, Three cheers! Success at last!
And grateful thanks to a friend for a suggestion of what to do and for being willing to come and look at the problem.

Do computers have minds of their own?!
Do they like to be mischievous and play us up like naughty children?
I think this computer must have known someone was coming to look at it, because suddenly this afternoon before the friend arrived, it decided to behave and let me get in to read my mail.

I know when things go wrong we often hear people say it’s the computer`s fault, and I`d always thought, no it must be the operators fault, that they`ve put the info in wrong etc., but now I`m not so sure. And I`m not saying that I don`t tap wrong keys or enter wrong items, I often say my `trademark` on a lot of the items I produce contain a `deliverate mistake` (and I`ll leave you to find the one on here!) but I know in this case that I hadn`t done anything different to what I`d always done to open my Inbox.

So my frustrations gone today, and all`s well.

Computer Frustration

I`m going to have a moan today! I`m fed-up and frustrated.

Strange isn`t it how we`ve come to rely so much on computers and technology?
Until about eighteen months ago, I`d not got onto the Internet, now that I have I use it constantly. It`s so handy to just email messages instead of disturbing people by ringing them up, they can read their mail when they`re ready.
But now I`ve got a problem with it and I can`t solve it, and its getting me more and more frustrated. I just keep going round in circles on it.
What`s the problem? I can`t get into my email inbox.
I sign in, yes and remember the right password, then it gives me a security square to tap in, I do that, and it go back to the log-in one, and round and round and round we go on those two screens and don`t get into my mail. I could scream!! Its so annoying and frustrating, and time wasting. And I don`t know what to do to read my mail.

Now it`s giving me messages, something about cookies - is it hungry? does it want a biscuit?! What does it want to let me get into my mail?

In a shower of rain

As I sit down to write my blog today, there`s a large pigeon sitting on the fence in the garden, and he (or she!) is doing something unusual, or at least something I`ve not seen before.

There`s quite a sharp, heavy shower of rain but, instead of flying away, there he (or she) sits, lifting up its wing and spreading the feathers out letting the water get underneath them, as if enjoying a shower! Then it turned round and did the same with the other wing and spread all its tail feathers out too, before settling down to preen all its feathers. I`ve seen birds in the bird bath before - infact there`s a blackbird in it now, (must be bath day!) and I know our canary likes to splash in a bath (no, not the bath in the bathroom!, a special one that goes on the cage), but I`d not seen a bird having a shower before. It looked to really enjoy it.
I wonder if others have seen birds shower, or is it unusual?

Where locals walk

Having written (and had a moan, yes I do have a grumble now and then!), about visitors to the town yesterday, I go to thinking....
When I go on holiday, am I as bad? Do I wander and stop suddenly when I see something of interest? I suppose it`s because one isn`t tied to be at a certain place at a certain time (unless catching transport), that one feels more at ease to just take things at a more leisurely pace. Must remember to be aware of locals who have to get to work, or from A to B for a reason.

(The way to recognise `locals` here, is they`re either out very early before the grockles are about, or else they`re mostly the ones walking along the edge of the road instead of the pavement. I passed as least 3 like that in 5 minutes at Saturday lunch time!)

Recognising locals

Well, its a Bank Holiday weekend again, and the town was jam-packed with visitors yesterday. Why do they wander and meander all over the pavements, stop dead in front of you, stand in the middle of the pavement to have a gossip, with children and dogs at arms length??

How do you tell who are locals and who are the grockles (visitors),? There`s an easy way!....