Noah`s Ark?

Seen on my walk earlier this week. Could it be Noah`s ark?!

Beauty in the Ordinary

Another picture from my walk at the weekend.

I don`t know why it is, but I alway find the pattern and way the clay soil forms such shapes and patterns when it`s dried out and cracks like this such a thing of beauty. I find myself almost mesmerised to just stand and look at it, oblivious to time and everything else around me.

Whilst looking, and thinking, about the way the pieces were all different yet all belonging to one another, I spotted this brave plant which had pushed its way up through one of the cracks and was growing so fresh and green on the greyness of the rubbery springy feeling surface.

Inspiration of life surviving in a dry and difficult place.

Peace and Quiet

I found peace and quietness here yesterday, as I stood gazing at the large open space before me and all around me. Although it was only a relatively few yards from the car park where there were lots of people, dogs, children and noise, no one had ventured to walk this far and I had it totally to myself. The only sound being that of the gulls overhead and the call of other birds.
As I stood there, the tide turned and began to slowly flow up the creek in front of me meandering its way around filling the dried out bed with refreshing water.

In a way, there was nothing there, yet there was Everything there, bringing a feeling of calm and contentment and peace.

Flames

One of my favourite times in the church year has been celebrated today, and that is Harvest Festival. It`s so good to see the church full of the products of nature - the vegetables, fruit, salt, water, coal etc.. and to make time to remember to say Thanks to God for all that he provides us with.

Today, we had an unexpected added element to the event. I`ve heard of the Holy Spirit being described as flames, (e.g. at Pentecost) but today in one illustration that the preacher was using, things didn`t go quite according to plan and we had flames where we shouldn`t have had flames! I must hasten to add, that no, we didn`t burn the church down, and nothing got burnt, but for a few minutes I think more eyes were concentrating on what might happen than on the hymn they were singing.

I think though, that through that it will be a Harvest service that people remember, and will remember the theme of, so maybe the Spirit was at work, after all as the hymn says - God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform !

Namely....

I`m stuck for inspiration again today, so I`ve cribbed something from someone else`s page! I`ve not been tagged to do it, but thought I might as well as I`ve nothing better to write about. It says.... "players - you must list one fact, word or titbit which is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your name

When you are tagged you can write your own blog-post containing your name facts etc; at the end of your blog-post you can choose the amount of people that your name has to tag (i.e.- 6 letters, 6 people to tag)."

So, here goes on my name.... not a lot to write as its a short name!

I = Ice-cream. I love ice-cream - well, not in a romantic type of love, but in an enjoy eating way. My favourite I think has to be vanilla with a chocolate flake crumbled on top. Or one of these. There`s just something about ice-cream and chocolate that go so great together.

V = Vehicle - well Car really, but there`s no C in Ivy! Learning to drive was the best thing I ever did (I just wish I`d done it years before I did). Just to get in the car and drive off is still a thrilling feeling - no not in the sense of racing along, but in the way of freedom. It`s a "place" of my own.

Y = Youthful. Well, people never think I`m as old as I am, so I suppose that must mean that I look young. I certainly don`t feel as old as I am, and I`ve plenty of energy and enthusiasm for doing things and learning new things, especially new "gadgets" like computers!

"Watch the moths come out"

"Watch the moths come out"... that phrase seems to often be said when people who are a bit tight with money open their purse or wallet. Yet, I`ve never seen any acutally come out.

I was working as normal with money today and put my hand into a cloth money bag to withdraw its contents from the previous day to count. I put the notes and various cheques and bits of paper from it on the desk, then I got a shock, along with all the items I`d taken out there was a large (about an inch long) brown moth sitting on the desk too. I must have got hold of it with the notes ughhhhhhhh ! How it got in there I don`t know, but panic.....what do I do?

I couldn`t bear the thought of leaving it to its own devices in the office, neither could I squash it - it was too big for that. I looked at it, hoping against hope that it wouldn`t start to fly round. I looked for what seemed ages but was probably only seconds, racking my brains of the best thing to do. If I moved would it disturb it and make it flutter? I hoped not as I gingerly got up from my seat and made for the door, not wanting to take my eyes off it incase it disappeared.

Managing to call one of the lads to come to my rescue, he came and got a cloth to get it with, but as he neared it, it then flew off the desk and towards me fluttered round me, I twirled round to avoid it and lost sight of it. Luckily the lad spotted that it had settled on my back. aghhhhh! Keep still, it won`t hurt you, he said, then he then managed to swat it to the floor, when he manfully put his foot on it, and finished it off.

Why do such small creatures have such an effect on us. We`re a hundred times their size, but yet they have this effect.

(Apologies to all butterfly and moth fans, but it was the only thing to do)

Atishoo! Atishoo!

Atishoo! Atishoo! I wonder (Atishoo!) if anyone else has the (Atishoo!) same problem as (Atishoo!) me?

As I sit here to (Atishoo!) write this post, all I keep (Atishoo!) doing is sneezing! No, there`s no need to (Atishoo!) run away, I`ve not got a cold, nor the flu, nor (Atishoo!) any other disease, nor is it hayfever - there`s no hay in sight!, nor has the grass (Atishoo!) just been mown. I`ve just been (Atishoo!) doing a normal household chore - changing the sheets and duvets on the beds. (Atishoo! Atishoo!) and it always has this effect on me.

Other than not changing the sheets (anyone got a peg instead!!?) I can`t find a way to stop it. But if any reader has a solution.....?

A miracle of life

I apologise that this picture isn`t too clear, but I`ve tried to enlarge a portion of the "What is it" picture which I posted on Sunday.

In the tank, as you may now be able to recognise were baby seahorses. It was such a wonderful privilege and sight to see such tiny life forms, they were no bigger than 1 cm and many were smaller than that, this was about the biggest one in there. (yes, I know I usually use imperial measurements, but they weren`t as big as half an inch long).

It was so fascinating to watch them actually swimming about, and to think that as small as they were they had hearts beating - whatever size must they have been?, and eyes so minute as would be all their body parts, yet they had the distinctive shape and features even at so small and young a stage.

It really is a miracle of nature. I could have stood and watched them for hours, I was so transfixed by the sight of them.


And, here`s a fully grown one, aren`t they beautiful creatures.

Know your food?

Do you enjoy your food? I must confess that I enjoy just plain English fare, no foreign stuff for me! But how much do you know about food? For anyone who enjoys these type of quizzes, you may like to see how much you know by going to this quiz.

There are some quite interesting facts to discover on the way through the questions as I discovered.

A Wonder of Nature

Can you identify what these are?

Holiday Images 7

A Last look at the Sea for this holiday

Holiday Images 6

A Sweet Delight - (not eaten by me, I hasten to add)

Exotic Flowers by the sea

Fishing Time

Holiday Images 5

An Underwater adventure today - spot the fish!

Holiday Images 4

Beside the sea!

Holiday Images 3

Beautiful Lake and parkland

Holiday Images 2

View from the Window seat

Holiday Images 1

A French Market Stall - anyone for garlic?!