Farewell April

Hasn't this been a glorious month weather-wise!  Well, maybe not where you live but in my corner of Lincolnshire it has been wonderful.  

April saw the end of the hibernaculum project for this year.  It was a great idea and I shall do something very similar this year.  And as the hibernaculum time ended (Easter Sunday) my Hare Days began.  The theme for this period is "Hare today, done tomorrow" and it is proving to be a much more active time than the relaxation of hibernaculum days.  Nothing much to show you yet as bags packed for the charity shop, bags for recycling and (sadly) bags destined for landfill, don't make for pretty pictures.  

For the first half of the month I was covering for a priest friend who went on an eleven week cruise.  I enjoyed doing my bit to help, which was quite demanding as it included Holy Week and Easter.  Another friend (who is to retire shortly) is rather ill so Plan B (aka me!) is again stepping in.  One day the congregations will say I am too decrepit to take services, but at the moment they seem happy to welcome me and I am happy to go.  I conducted funerals for a friend and for a cousin.  It's good to be able to do that one last thing for them by offering comfort to their loved ones. 

Only four days dog sitting this month but they were four very nice days.  Holly and I get on very well with each other.  

Drawing April

 I do wish I could draw something original but until that day happens, I'll join in the monthly drawing class with Women's Institute on-line.  

I forgot to show you this month's creation.  Easter egg hunts are but a distant memory now but I have preserved the memory for you

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April

 Sue from Suffolk mentioned a poem about April in her post today and it sparked the memory of a poem I learnt when I was at school.   Enjoy!

Home-Thoughts, from Abroad

Oh, to be in England

Now that April's there,

And whoever wakes in England

Sees, some morning, unaware,

That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf

Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,

While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough

In England—now!

 

And after April, when May follows,

And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!

Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge

Leans to the field and scatters on the clover

Blossoms and dewdrops—at the bent spray's edge—

That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,

Lest you should think he never could recapture

The first fine careless rapture!

And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,

All will be gay when noontide wakes anew

The buttercups, the little children's dower

—Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

Robert Browning

Caistor Heritage Centre

 

I remember the first time I went into the building which is now Caistor Heritage Centre.   I went to my aunt's wedding there around 1960 when it was Caistor Primitive Methodist Chapel.

A few years later the chapel closed and the congregation joined up with the Wesleyan congregation as Caistor Methodists.  The building then became Caistor Youth Centre but eventually it became very little used and a local group applied for (and got) lottery funding to create a wonderful centre including a cafe, an exhibition room and our local library.   

That was around 2012 (I think) and the centre is still well used today.  There is a paid manager but most of the work is done by volunteers.  There's a charity shop in Caistor which raises the necessary funding and the coffee shop does a very nice line in tea, coffee and cakes.

The centre is really important to our community.  The library is a lovely place to go and books are supplied by the county library service but the library is staffed by volunteers.  Volunteers do most of the work in the cafe too and I can vouch for the deliciousness of the cakes!

Today I went to see an exhibition and sale of artwork by a local artist.  Charles Blake is autistic and non-verbal but his artwork is stunning.  He does all sorts of crafts as well and I was delighted that he has accepted my commision to decorate a very tatty old table of mine with decopatch.  I'll show you when it's done.  

The (outdoor) tree in April

"My" tree

 Once again Holly Dog has invited me to stay so I have been looking at "my" tree.  I chose it back in January but I wasn't too sure what it was!  I thought it was probably a beech but didn't want to commit myself.

Anyway, I've now been close up and have looked at the bark.  (It would have been dangerous for me to walk across the rather soggy grass in January.)  And now I've looked at the tree, the leaves and the bark and have decided that it is, indeed, a beech tree, Fagus Sylvatica f. purpurea.

The bark of "my" tree

It's a copper beech (that's the purpurea bit), one of my favourite trees.  The leaves are currently only half formed but they are so lovely.

In Celtic mythology, Fagus was the god of beech trees. It was thought to have medicinal properties – beech leaves were used to relieve swellings, and boiling the leaves could make a poultice.  I think I will just enjoy my tree for itself.  

Hare Time

 Many thanks for the suggestions about my next period of time now that my hibernaculum period has ended.  

I decided to go with the suggestions of a fifty day period, ending at Pentecost which this year is Sunday 24th May.  In the Anglican liturgical calendar (and many more), all this time is Eastertide.  It's fifty days and that seems like a good period to work with.  

But now we go down a rabbit hole or rather into a hare's form.  Hares are becoming more common around here and that is good news.  They don't like land which has been over-treated with pesticides or fertilisers, so an increase in their numbers means that the land is being treated gently and with  more respect.

My motto for the period will be "Hare today, done tomorrow".  I want to treat my time with respect.  I've got plans for these fifty days (or the forty which are left).  I'm hoping that some time during June to September we will get a very hot period when I won't want to do much but this time should be comfortable and conducive to action.  

I hope you like the Hare Brained Hare above.  It's by Hannah Dale who lives not far from here.  She's created a "wilding" project which you can read about here.    Please visit her website.   

The (Indoor) tree in April

 

During March I had Irish themed charms on my little tree, in honour of St Patrick, and they stayed  up until Holy Saturday (4th April).  

Easter is here now so I have taken away the old and displayed my little eggs.  I've had these for quite a few years.  Indeed, they were the first non-Christmassy themed decorations I had for this tree.  

For Christians, eggs represent the sealed tomb of Jesus from which new life springs.  In the Middle Ages eggs were forbidden during Lent so Easter eggs (of the hen variety!) would have been very welcome after the austerity of the previous weeks.  

I treated myself to a small(ish) chocolate egg on Easter Sunday but I made sure I had real eggs too for breakfast.  

In search of a word.

 Yesterday my hibernaculum project ended for this year.  It started on my birthday back in October and ended Easter Sunday.  To mark the occasion I bought some alstroemeria (one of my favourite indoor flowers) and reduced the candles from twelve to three.  The mice didn't need the warmth of the fire anymore so they went back to the mantle piece to say their prayers.    Obviously there are other changes in the house but for me this was the symbolic transition.

But it leaves me a (minor) problem.  What is the new period to be called?  It's not summer yet and spring is partly over.  Maybe it will be subdivided: it's over seven months long so that is a possibility.  

Any ideas?  

That was March, that was.

It's been quite a while since I did a monthly review of what's been happening in my life but, today is the day!

A huge chunk of the month (seventeen nights) was spent dog sitting.  Holly and I enjoyed a few cuddles but we neither of us enjoyed the flood.  However, the response by friends and tradespeople was wonderful.  Community is great!

I've been helping make up jigsaws ready for West Lindsey Open Churches in May when we are hoping to have a great display and sale.   It's been an excellent social activity for quite a few people.  

I've lead worship on four Sundays.  Yesterday we couldn't use the church building so we decamped to the village hall.  There is a loo being installed in the church so it was a very worthwhile move!

I conducted two funerals.  One lady was 99 and the other was 101. Each was a celebration of a life well lived.  

I've been out for quite a few lunches or tea and cake meet ups.  These are a great way for me to meet up with friends as we live in various villages so it make sense to meet in Brigg when we go shopping rather than make special journeys to each others villages.

I've completed two scarves which will be sent to the Salvation Army for the residents of its hostel.  I've again been commissioned as an elf for Santa as he needs three scarves for children.  

I've enjoyed my hibernaculum.  But it's been lovely to see signs of spring as well.

Archbishop Sarah

 

Canterbury 2026

Yesterday I watched the Installation of Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury.  It was wonderful to see African dancers, to hear the Gospel read in Spanish, to see Church leaders of many denominations taking part, to watch her being blessed in the Bemba language from Zambia.

It was a marvellous weaving of new music, traditional liturgy.  Her morse on her cope was fashioned from the buckle from her nursing belt but she sat on the ancient Chair of St Augustine.

It was moving to hear her support of all who have suffered because of the actions or inaction of church leaders.  

Celebrations at St Paul's 2024

When the previous archbishop took office in 2013 there were no women bishops in the Church of England.  Two years ago I went to London for the national celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the first ordinations of women to the priesthood.  Bishop Sarah (as she was then) presided at that service.  She thanked those of us ordained in 1994 because without what we did then, she would not be able to do what she does now.  

Archbishop Sarah, I feel proud and humble.  May God bless you.  

Reading about winter

 

Maybe someone would like to know what inspired me to take a different view of winter.  I hope so as I'm about to tell you.  None of the articles or books I list has entirely explained my own hibernaculum experience but all have helped. 

I read "Worried about winter? 10 ways to thrive – from socialising to Sad lamps to celebrating the new year in April"  back in November 2024 but didn't do much about it.  I've added a link so you can find this article in The Guardian.  It's about a book written by Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald called The Gifts of Winter.   And I enjoyed the book.

"Winter is coming, but don't panic!" was another article in The Guardian, this time in November 2025.  The main source for this one was  Kari Leibowitz who wrote  "How to winter".  Not as helpful to me as The Gifts of Winter but I still enjoyed it.

One widely recommended book in, "Wintering: the power of rest and retreat in difficult times" by Katherine May.  It didn't do much for me though.

I've included links to the articles and to the books on Amazon UK.  Actually, I listened to the books rather than reading them - my knitting has come on a treat!

Spring is sprung, the grass is ris'

 I wonder how the hibernaculum is?  

It's still lovely, thank you for asking.  And it will continue to Easter Sunday as I have previously decided. I know most people will be feeling heartily sick of winter and are happy to welcome spring.  I'm happy to welcome spring, but winter has been very different for me this year.

Don't get me wrong: it is lovely to see spring.  It's just that it was also lovely to see winter revealing its treasures too.  Back in the autumn I realised that if I spent winter wishing for spring, I could be wishing around a third of my life away.  Instead I would try and see winter as different and yet still good.

I watched clouds, raindrops, snow and also bright sunny days and very windy ones.  I loved getting out when it was sunny and was happy to remind myself on foggy days that I had a perfect excuse for knitting and listening to a book.  I decorated my sitting room with (LED) candles but I fetched snowdrops from the garden and daffodils from the supermarket and gloried in them.  

I cooked soups and casseroles, fish pies and warming tagines.  I drank lots of coffee and fruit and herbal teas and had salads only occasionally.  I welcomed friends and was happy to visit or meet them in a local hostelry but I also relished my solitude.  

Some days I felt low but I could observe myself non-judgementally and have an occasional duvet day, confident that things would be better the next day.  

Quite honestly, the main change was in my attitude and, maybe, my beliefs.  Winter is what it is. I am who I am.  We rubbed along very well.  

Four slices of bacon and a maulifuff

Bacon butties are the tradition when Jack comes.  I use very nice bacon.  Dry cured.  From my butcher.  It's rather expensive but I buy a kilo at a time and wrap packs of two rashers which makes a very generous filling for a bread roll.

Last time he came I took two packs from the freezer the day before so they could defrost overnight.  And could I find it next morning?  No way.  I searched in all likely (and quite a few unlikely) places but it had disappeared.  I thought it might have got caught up in rubbish for the bin.  I took two more packs from the freezer and we had those.  

I said a few weeks ago that my plan was to sort the dining room before Easter.  Well there are are still two weeks to go but I have to report that I have been an excellent maulifuff.  (Maulifuff is an old Scottish word for a woman devoid of energy, who would happily do nothing for hours on end.)  Very little has changed in the dining room.  I hope this is no surprise to my fellow maulifuffs.  

However, a somewhat drastic situation meant that I decided to collect all stray paperwork from all over the house.  I'm sure you will have guessed what comes next.  I'd put the four slices of bacon, carefully wrapped in greaseproof paper, among a heap of papers.

I think that makes me a gold star maulifuff !

This is definitely not a holiday!

 

I'm staying with Holly again and this time it is definitely not a holiday! G (Holly's regular human) has gone to visit her family in South Africa so I am here for eighteen nights.

Holly lives about seven miles from my own home, so, when I am here I go home every couple of days to use my wet room and sort whatever needs sorting.  Just after I stepped out of the shower this morning G rang from South Africa (a Mermaid had rung her) to tell me that the header tank in her house had leaked and the house was flooded.  I dashed back and found water running down the walls and stairs and all the electrics had failed.  Oops.

But the response was amazing.  The other two Monday Mermaids were there in minutes with buckets mops and towels.  We got a plumber within the hour and an electrician within two.  Soon the plumbing was repaired and the electricity supply restored for most of the house.  We had even sorted emergency accommodation for Holly Dog if needed!   (If the electricity hadn''t been restored I would not have been able to stay here.)

But I can stay.  The hallway is still soaking wet but I can bypass that.  The central heating won't come on but I have a couple of electric heaters.  People have lent a dehumidifier and a carper shampooer to suck up the water.

But no way could this be called a holiday.

The Tuneless Choir

 

Debbie insists we must breathe!

I am sure that all Brits of a certain age will remember Eric Morecambe telling Andre Previn that he always played the right notes but not necessarily in the right order.  Apparently there are choirs full of Erics.

A Tuneless Choir director came to our Women's Institute today to talk about her singers.  They all come along saying they can't sing but somehow she has formed them into a choir.  Their motto is "Sing like no-one is listening".  I've added a link to their web site.

Debbie used to teach music in schools but since she retired she's been inspiring adults to have a go.  This morning we sang "I have a dream" and, while we won't be singing at The Albert Hall any time soon, we had great fun.  There were a few percussion instruments available and one of our members played her kazoo to add to the general cacophony.

And it was good to hear that their linked charity is Mind, the mental health charity, because choral singing is great for mental health.

Update on jigsaws

As I mentioned last month, Normanby Church will be having a jigsaw display as part of the West Lindsey Open Churches Weekend.  And jigsaws are being completed at an amazing rate.

A friend and I hard at work

Last month we had a jigsaw afternoon in a local village hall and about twenty people joined together to complete various puzzles.  It was a real success as quite a few people who live alone (and feel lonely) came along and had three hours puzzling and chatting.  So often older people (me included) can feel a little useless, but everyone knew they had made a valued contribution to a fundraiser for a much-loved village church as well as having a lovely afternoon being fed tea and cakes.  

People have also taken jigsaws home to complete.  I'm dog sitting this week and there's a puzzle which has been left half-done on the dining room table as well as the one I brought with me.

An unusually shaped jigsaw

I was very doubtful about having a jigsaw display as part of the festival as it seemed a very laborious way of raising a little money but I have to admit that it is very successful as a social activity.

The jigsaws will be displayed in the church on the boards we have done them on and most will be available for sale.  

Tea and yarns

 I went to my favourite tea room in Brigg today, Shipley's Curiositeas.  It's vaguely World War II themed but whatever the decor, the food and drink is delicious and home cooked.

There was a glorious hanging basket outside.  

There was a poster advertising the yarn bombing in the window but Curiositeas has itself been yarn bombed.  

And a knitted afternoon tea inside!

The (Indoor) tree in March

 It was still a bit parky at the beginning of February so I left the woolly hats from January on the tree.  We've recently had several lovely days here and, whilst I don't think winter is over, I am happy to redecorate the tree.

March is, for me, St Patrick's month, as his day is 17th March, so I have gone for a Irish theme. 

St Patrick famously used a shamrock to explain the Trinity so shamrock became his emblem.  Somehow, though, the shamrock has morphed into a four leaf clover!  It was quite hard to find trefoils to decorate my tree.  Anyway, I found some proper shamrock (not this aberration!) mixed in with leprechaun hats and pots of gold at the end of rainbows.  

Happy Birthday!

 

It's Jack's birthday.  He has come to visit me as he knows he will get one of his favourite breakfasts (bacon butties) if he comes here.

That might look like some sort of chocolate cake to you, but Jack had said he didn't want a cake.  Instead I made a batch of ducks and put birthday candles in them.  He was quite happy with that.

I also knitted him a new hat so he can proclaim himself to be a supporter of Lincoln City.  And that book he's holding is the history of Lincoln City Football Club.  They are doing rather well this season.

Happy Birthday, Jack.

(He's 83.  I was probably not supposed to tell you that.  Tee hee.)

Brigg's been yarn bombed again!

 Yesterday afternoon was the loveliest afternoon since last summer so I decided to run a few errands.  Including going to Brigg.  What a lovely surprise!

Royal Mail has taken on a Dalek to collect the post.

The pub is offering woolly hospitality.  (Non Brits: "Walkers" is a leading brand of crisps/chips.)

The snake seems to be thirsty too.

All season hanging baskets.

The last one is my favourite.  It might not look much to you but four elderly gentlemen sit on this bench each morning, sipping coffee and watching the world go by.  They are a bit of a local landmark.  Somebody has captured them perfectly in crochet.  

Alzheimer's disease

When I went to the COWs lunch yesterday I sat next to a lady who has Alzheimer's disease.  She is a wonderful woman: she has been a headteacher and a magistrate but that dreadful disease is robbing her of her dignity.    Another friend fetches her from home and we sit either side of her, making sure H doesn't wander off or purloin the cutlery.   The other ladies are glad she can still come but are also glad that someone else will sit next to her and take care of her.

Today I am going out to lunch with another friend who also has Alzheimer's.  J isn't as far advanced with the disease as is H but the conversation may become a little bizarre.

I have other friends whom I would like to visit but I just send cards or letters or make phone calls.  I wish I could do more, but the bottom line is that the person's for whose health I have most responsibility, is me.  

Please don't think I spend all my life as a ministering angel, but I have also been a carer myself for someone with dementia and I remember the gratitude and relief I felt when someone else visited and gave me a little time for myself.  It's just that two such meetings occurred on consecutive days and they have left me thinking.  I know my friend is slipping away and I want us to make the most of each other for as long as we can.  

I have to admit there is quite a bit of selfishness in this: I hope that if the time comes when I am housebound, others will remember and care about me.  

COWS

 No, not that sort of cows! Companions On the Wolds, if you please.  

This group has been running for several years and started as a social group for widows.    Although I am not a widow, I tag along as a chaplain.  Not much pastoring is needed from me as these lovely ladies take the newly bereaved under their wings and do mutual caring, but still, I think I am useful to have around.  

They meet monthly.  A meal is often part of the programme but sometimes they do crafts or go on visits.  Pottery painting and a garden visit are on the agenda in the next few months but today we just went to the local golf club for lunch.  

There's a Knit and Natter group as an off shoot as well.  The K & N group also includes quite a few ladies who aren't widows.  I don't often go to their meetings but I do knit for them.  They send items to various charities.  My particular interest is the Salvation Army in their work with homeless people.  I knit scarves for them, bu others knit blankets, teddies, and anything else we are asked for.

Something gained and retained

It was five years ago, in February 2021, that the pandemic started to finish for me.  I went to Louth and had my first vaccination against Covid 19.  It was quite a while before I ventured out very much but it became possible to do far more things.

But as I moved into the new era I wondered what would have been gained and what would have been lost as a result of that dreadful disease.  So many lives had been lost and many of us had well over a year of relative isolation.

During that time we learned new skills.  I learned to do far more on line.  We had on line classes, we had to get used to on line banking and shopping and we learned to "visit" one another on line.  I still lead a weekly worship on line.

But I had to learn to use Zoom and Facetime and the like to communicate with family and friends.  My knitting group (none of our members is in the first flush of youth) held fortnightly sessions to knit and natter.

And I think that is something I have gained and retained.  This morning I will be having a face-to-face (on line) meet up with a friend in Leicester.  For many years we just met up twice a year, and we still do that, but now we have a monthly catch up with each of sitting in our favourite chairs at home.  

And last night I chatted with a friend who is on a cruise ship off the coast of Brazil.

Maulifuffing check-in

It's nearly six weeks since I mentioned maulifuffing but I'm sure many of you have been doing your best for the great sisterhood.  (New readers may not know that maulifuff is an old Scottish word for a woman devoid of energy, who would happily do nothing for hours on end or a woman who appears to keep herself busy but achieves nothing.  The masculine equivalent is maulibum.)  

Even longer ago I said one of my hibernaculum projects would be to sort the dining room.  In the proud tradition of maulifuffs the intention was good but the activity was zilch.  Or rather, there was a lot of activity in dumping more and more stuff in there.

So, for the next seven Mondays, I shall do a maulifuff report of how little I have achieved.  On present showing, it will be very little.  But I may raise a few rueful smiles.

Orchids

Growing house plants has never been my best thing.  I don't buy them now as it seems very cruel to do so.  However, people who don't realise the extent of my "skill" with indoor vegetation sometimes give me plants.  I smile sweetly, say thank you, and wonder how long it will be before the gift hits the bin.  Animals are protected by law, fortunately plants aren't, or yours truly would have a criminal record.  

Jack's daughter gave me this one and I was confident it would soon be dead but instead it has flowered repeatedly.  Last year I decided to split it as the centre of the plant was no longer flowering and I thought it might benefit from repotting but before I could say "orchid compost", it surprised me and flowered prolifically.

A couple of years ago I was given this one and thought I couldn't be so lucky twice.  It flowered generously for several months then appeared to be on its way out, but no, I have the promise of flowers to come.  

Do you think my fingers might, at last, be turning green?  Just for orchids?

Jigsaws

 

At the moment the Monday Mermaids are beached.  We are not keen on swimming when it is too cold.

One of our members had the bright idea of having a Jigsaw Display in Normanby  Church as part of the West Lindsey Open Churches Festival in May.  And the even brighter idea of The Mermaids assembling jigsaws on the Mondays we aren't swimming.  

But, from her point of view, her best idea was to go on an eleven week cruise around the coast of South America and leave the jigsaws to the remaining Mermaids.  Yes, that would be my friend E who has gone AWOL.  

So we've collected a few extra people and we gather each Monday.  

Opinions may be expressed when she gets back.  

Drawing

 I've always known myself to be rubbish at drawing and painting but I've often wished I wasn't.  Wouldn't it be lovely to see something and then"see" how to record it in paints or other media!  

I don't think that will ever be, but I can still derive pleasure from copying someone else's work.  The web is fantastic for this.  So many tutorials on YouTube!  I often read Kirsten's blog and find quick sketches of tulips, an amaryllis, or amaryllis again here,   I sometimes copy them in the hope that one day I will have the courage to draw my own amaryllis.  Don't hold your breath!

But once a month the Women's Institute Learning Hub has a drawing session and last night was the night.  There is no pretence that we are fantastic artists - the instructions given are incredibly simple- but we just copy the tutor.  It's about mindfulness more than anything.  

But I make no aplogies.  Actually that's one of the rules.  We must not deprecate our own efforts, but accept them.  However, for the avoidance of doubt, I will say these are snowdrops!

Jack writes

 

It's a long time since I wrote anything so, as I am going to visit one of my long-standing friends to take her an item she couldn't carry because of the weight, I can kill two birds with one stone.  

Now, the vicar has been worrying about my sanity of late.  It all started last year when she gave me  a forty-two piece wooden jigsaw of a lot of penguins.  That blasted jigsaw just about put me in the nut-house!  It took me three hours to complete it.  Then somebody else gave me a thousand piece jigsaw.  I spent weeks and months struggling with it and if I had any hair I would have pulled it out, but then gave it up as a bad job.  Well, Christmas came again again and guess what my reverend so-called friend put among my pressies?  That's right another jigsaw.  Two hundred and fifty pieces this time and it was a map of my local area which again has me in tears.  I did tell her not to buy me a jiggie for Christmas but did she listen? NO!!!.  So, enjoy this post as it could be a long time before I get enough sanity back to write another one.

When we first started our phone calls (after I lost my wife of fifty three years)it was a ten minute chat, but sometimes now it is forty five minutes.  She will keep butting in when I am in full flow so I blame her for the length.  But we laugh a lot and I hope the vicar enjoys our morning chats as much as I do.  Some of the long words I say may not be quite right but she gets enormous pleasure when she corrects me.  

I hope you are all in he best of health and that the good Lord is taking care of you.  I hope I can write again soon (the vicar is the editor so she gets the last word.  She also gets the last word if I text.

Keep smiling

Jack

PS.  This is the vicar getting the last word.  Jack will read and enjoy your comments but cannot reply to them.

HAF

 aka How about February?  What is planned?  What is hoped for?

First of all, I shall be very busy leading worship.  My dear Friend E has gone on a cruise all around the coast of South America, lucky lady.  This means Plan B comes into operation meaning I have one Sunday "off" per month.  Unfortunately when I saw another friend M in Brigg I thought she looked rather ill, so I'm stepping in to take her service on the "spare" Sunday this month.  I've also got a funeral booked and am speaking at the funeral of someone with whom I have been friends since we met in the sixth form fifty seven years ago.  And there's a couple of midweek things I am needed for.

The Mermaids aren't swimming at the moment but we are helping to make up jigsaws ready for a special event in May.  I am useless at jigsaws.  The other Mermaids can confirm that.  

I've planned three meals out but there may be more.  One is  to celebrate the Silver Wedding Anniversary of a couple I married.  That is a very special joy.  

Jack is coming today to do a couple of small jobs.  He's threatening to write a blog post.

I'm still in my Hibernaculum Project.  My new mindset on winter has been very successful.  I won't say I will be sorry when spring comes but I won't be dreading next winter.   

Candlemas

 

Candlemas is tomorrow but many churches will mark it today.  It’s the day when we remember Jesus’s first visit to the temple when he was just forty days old. 

Candlemas marks a gentle turning point in the Christian year.  It was an end to the seclusion following his birth and the start "getting on with life".  And we see the faithfulness of  an old man and an old woman.   Simeon and Anna each saw hope fulfilled in this child.  There isn’t the noisy joy of Christmas with angels and shepherds and magi but rather a quiet joy showing their trust.

Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:

your word has been fulfilled.

My own eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared in the sight of every people;

A light to reveal you to the nations

and the glory of your people Israel.

 But Simeon went on to say that the child would bring great change and would cause his mother to suffer. His words remind us that this light will reveal hearts and bring both joy and cost. Candlemas invites us to reflect on how we carry that light.

(If you want to read the story, it is in Luke, chapter 2, verses 22 to 38)