The more it snows tiddely-pom

The above is a line from The more it snows, which is featured in the Hums of Pooh (as in Winnie the)

It is catalogued as an outdoor hum for snowy weather and it is very good for keeping the feet warm.

I sung it (in my head obviously) whilst walking to the village shop this morning for milk and bread. Due to the snow I'm at home today and, despite several attempts, have been unable to get my work laptop to function on my home dial up connection, so am enjoying a free day of pottering around the house.

The snow scene outside is very picturesque and peaceful. There is something very calming about snow when you have accepted that you aren't going to necessarily do the things you planned or be able to get to work. If we're not too adversly affected, it's like a free pass from nature to stop and enjoy a welcome break from the usual routine.

I for one will be watching a DVD this afternoon and reading more of The Box of Delights with a cup of tea and a biscuit!

Childhood memories

In the run up to Christmas this year I am re-reading The Box of Delights by John Masefield. I remember watching the BBC adaptation as a child  and being utterly entranced. The desire to re-capture the feelings of wonderment that a child connects with Christmas gets stronger the more commercialised and diluted this season becomes. Christmas is where the story starts, so reading a children's book in which the landscape is wintery and covered in snow, somehow helps me to re-capture the hope of new beginnings where everything is pure white and magical, with a hint of the adventure to come.
The Box of Delights is also a classical tale of good versus evil, which perfectly reflects my sense that the true meaning of Christmas is fighting back to be heard above the clamour this year.
We did have a brief flurry of snow here this morning so I may yet be treated to the beautiful sight of snow covered fields and trees before the year is out.  

Feline friends

Having cats around the place, for me, is an enourmously pleasureable thing. I think all pet owners would agree that animals do have individual character and personality, perhaps not to the degree that we do, but certainly every cat I've ever owned has distinctly different personalities. I do find them fascinating - especially the feline obsession of sitting on cardboard/paper (see picture of Purde below!) I'm trying to take more pictures of them to capture the life of cats - getting action shots is tricky though, sleeping ones are much easier as they spend alot of time doing that!

Cliveden

To make full use of my National Trust membership, I went to Cliveden, a local NT property,a couple of Saturdays go to take some images of Autumn. I became quite fascinated with the shadows created by the late afternoon sun. It was lovely to wander round looking for photo opportunities. The only downer on the trip was a hosiery malfunction - the elastic on my tights went baggy and I had to keep hoiking them up in a most undignified fashion. In my mind I was still the elegant girl about town of course.....

The point is......

My nearest and dearest are well used to my enthusiam for Autumnwatch and all things natural. I know I bleat on about it, but I am amazed and awed on a daily basis by the beauty we find around us. Having moved three years ago to a spectacular rural location I have become increasingly more passionate about nature. What I love about the presenters on AW is that they are equally as excited about a flightless moth or dung beetle as they are about a bird of prey. 
Following a conversation with a work colleague about 'what is the point of wasps?' (a conversation I seem to have on quite a regular basis) an interesting thought struck me. Does a wasp actually need to justify it's exsistence to us? Have you or I ever stood at the bottom of a mountain or at the top of a hill gazing across a landscape and demand to know just what it thinks it's doing there? Nope. I have since come to the conclusion that the best response to creation is just to let it be and watch...closely. 
Be brave and look carefully at the picture of the wasp below.  They're not that scary really, and though I have been stung three times this year, that only makes a total of 4 occasions in my entire lifetime, so there is no danger of wasps and I having a falling out anytime soon. It's my challenge to everyone I know to have a closer look at something you would normally dismiss and take a different approach (yes Mrs M, you may even find something beautiful about a spider...though you might want to start with the wasp and work up to it!)

I have found that this approach has cured me of my fear of daddy long legs - I still don't want to pick one up and employ my trusty bug catcher for the removal of mini intruders but I find myself quite at ease sharing my world with all the 'mini monsters'.

Autumnwatch comes with a high recommendation from me as a great source of inspiration and information. I finally discovered what species the little yellow birds are that I sometimes see in the garden. A thorough exploration of a book on british birds hadn't found me the answer but AW did - they are Siskin and utterly adorable - if I'm quick enough there may be a possibility of a photo but they are really, really fast so may equally be a delightful still life of the fence!

Make it a habit...

I've been enjoying reading a Nun's life - http://anunslife.org/ - there is something utterly adorable about it - especially that Monday is changed to Nunday. So lovely.
I defy you to resist smiling at such entries as 'I’m not one for run-of-the-mill angels (especially the little baby-faced ones which kind of scare me) but archangels? That’s my kind of angel!'
It is an interesting window into a way of life that I know I could never lead but nonetheless has it's attractions.

Oh but it's good!

Inspired by the lovely DM, I have been consciously watching less television. I do love it as a creative medium but am very aware that it can quickly become the focus for an evening in or even an addiction. So, I've reduced my viewing to those programmes that I really love.
However I was tempted by the teasers seen on C5 over the past few weeks for the pilot of Flash forward - a new US series starring our very own Joseph Fiennes and featuring Jack Davenport.
The basic premise is that all the people on the planet blacks out at the same time for 2 minutes and 19 seconds. During this time everyone sees a vision of their future at the same point six months ahead.
Mr Fiennes character is an FBI agent and is part of an investigation that begins to explore the reason behind this event. The first episode ended with one of the FBI agents studying random CCTV footage from the event and she sees the same thing over and over again, at the same time everyone blacks out....except on a football field in Detroit they see one man walking around awake - who is he?
You see I'm gripped already - when TV is good, it can be really good so Flashforward may be included in my limited viewing hours. It's actually based on a book which I like, there are so many brilliant stories out there, it's nice to see one adapted for screen.
Still a programme is going to have to be amazing to steal me away from all the things that I have so much more time to do now that I'm not watching TV!

Dreams can be dangerous

In my dream last night I received the little known advice that when powdering one's nose, better coverage is achieved by sweeping the powder brush towards the forehead rather than away from your face. In a slightly sleepy state this morning, I thought it would be a good idea to test this theory. I simply succeeded in flicking loose powder into my eye.
There are times when it is good to follow your dreams and others when it's just plain foolish - note to self - try to learn the difference...or at the very least do not attempt to act on anything seen or heard in a dream until after at least one cup of tea.

There's been a murder

Last night I went to the South Bank Centre to attend a panel discussion on Agatha Christie. It was chaired by Simon Brett and featured authors Kate Mosse, Japser Fforde and Val McDermid. Jasper is one of my favourite authors, I'm in the middle of a book by Val and have enjoyed the TV adaptations of Wire in the Blood and though I haven't read anything by Kate Mosse, I intend to as, she is such a lovely lady!
It was an entertaining evening - listening to writers talk about an author they find inspiring is so interesting. Kate Mosse made an interesting point that your reading voice isn't necessarily the same as your writing voice, which I found most comforting as I LOVE crime thrillers but don't think I could ever write one. The added bonus was that Jasper signed my well loved, rather beaten up copy of The Eyre Affair. He seem quite pleased by the fact that my name was written in pencil on the inside (a request made by the very wise Mrs R when borrowing the book so it could be returned to it's correct owner) so he could seem mystical by knowing my name without me telling him. It also meant that he spelt my name correctly - it always feels a little odd if I am addressed on email as Clare, it just isn't me! Jasper is well known for giving away postcards at book signings so I know have one advertising his new book Shades of Grey which is definitely going on my Christmas list. All in all it was lovely to spend an evening listening to other Christie enthusiasts share why they love her work.

Those who know me well are aware that I possess the Miss Marple box set of the BBC adaptations, aside from Pride and Prejudice they are the most likely DVDs to be bought out on a dull or rainy afternoon, it's so comforting to snuggle down with a cup of tea and slice of cake and watch something so quintessentially English. Despite the fact that there is murder involved I find them very relaxing and it doesn't matter a jot that I know who did it.
One lovely anecdote to finish, an actor who had starred in couple of Christie adaptations was travelling in a taxi with the Agatha herself to a new theatre production of one of her plays. As she settled into the car, Agatha she beseeched her companion - 'Don't tell me who did it will you? I've forgotten so it will be a nice surprise'

I made that!

Having finally purchased some baking tins I've been enjoying trying out some cake recipes that I've been drooling over.
I was pleased that this looked and tasted good! There is something very satisfying about eating something that has made from scratch by your own fair hands.
Though I may have to now invest in a hand mixer as the blending of ingredients is quite hard work!

I'm recommending......

Rokia Traore - I heard on Jools Holland a while ago and have finally listened to her album for free on http://www.we7.com/#/ (other listen without download sites are available!). One listen has prompted me to buy it! I'm looking forward to checking out other music and deciding whether to buy a whole album or wait until I have purchased my MP3 player (a treat to myself with the reclaimed car tax from the old car) and just download the one or two stand out tracks.
I just finished We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver and it's well worth the read. One of critics blurbs says that this is a harrowing book and it is but in addition is completely absorbing and thought provoking. I guarantee you will be shouting at her husband in your head (or even out loud depending on reading location) as the story progresses.
I'm really enjoying getting back into the reading habit but I do (as I'm sure Mrs R will remind me) need to do some writing of my own! Here's hoping for a sunny Saturday as I have nothing planned but sitting in the garden.

Sometimes it doesn't matter what you do

On his radio show last week Chris Evans was talking about gout, as he was concerned that he may have it.
One listener called in to say that he had visited his GP as he also thought he had developed it.
On receiving confirmation of this suspicion, the listener was slightly perplexed and explained to the doctor that he went to the gym three times a week, ate a low fat diet and drank plenty of water. The GP's response? 'Unlucky!'
Whilst having sympathies for the poor unfortunate man that made me laugh out loud for quite some time....

It may just be time for a small rant. In my search for a relationship I have tried Internet dating. I'm on a break at the moment as the struggle with the lack of spontaneity and banter depresses me too much!
One thing did occur to me as I was thinking about the difficulties with dating in cyberspace - what did we do before the Internet? In churches there is now an expectation that dating websites will provide singles with all the opportunities required to find a relationship, for those that have been on their own for years on end, the success stories are cited as a reason to join the websites and 'get out there'. Now, I am not denying that there are a multitude of success stories and that trying as many different solutions is necessary, it won't just fall in your lap.
However - my question is - where is the community in this approach? The emphasis is all on the single person to find the relationship in their own strength and everyone will celebrate with them when they reach their desired goal. But it isn't that straightforward. Managing to get a date via Internet dating is labour intensive and a lonely process - not the ideal solution when you spend a high amount of your time alone anyway. Personally, I think there needs to be a switch in the churches attitude to how to deal with singleness. If someone is alone and wants to be in a relationship, then that is a need. Steps should be taken to meet this in the same way as a food cooking rota meets the need of someone who is at home recovering following an operation. Obviously there is a point where the single person is on their own in the search for love, however I simply think that much more could be done to support them along the way.
Here endeth the rant!

VROOM VROOM!

I received an email this morning confirming that my spangly new car has finally arrived at the Citroen garage and hopefully will be ready for collection tomorrow morning. The salesman did ask if a 9am pick up time was too early in case I prefer a lie in on a Saturday morning. I am that excited that I suspect he will arrive tomorrow morning to find me already there with my nose pressed up against the glass! There is much grumbling about the government at present but I will be eternally grateful for the scrappage scheme as it has enabled me to have a new car which wasn't even a vague possibility in normal circumstances. I can't get on the property ladder but at least I'm on the new car ladder!
Once it is in my possession and I have worked out where all the essential controls are, all that remains is to decide on a name. A very important point, it is a fact not often acknowledged that cars work better if they have a name. It is a Citroen so a French name is in order - I may have to enlist Mrs R's help on that one....

Who owns who?

This morning was damp with drizzling rain. The cats having been fed spent quite some time crouched by the cat flap staring out, as if by glaring hard enough they could change the weather.
As I was getting ready for work, I saw Oscar seemingly trying to climb the curtains - behaviour he surely left behind over a decade ago when he was a kitten? I went to untangle him - the climbing curtain attempt hadn't gone well - and was rewarded with a miaow and a definite request to exit the building. So I did what all self respecting cat 'owners' do in this situation and opened the flap for him. Oscar gracefully leapt through and pottered off. Sometimes I think they have an idea that if the flap is opened for them or if a non-cat door is used to exit, then it won't be raining.
Oscar has also developed an obsession with the hall cupboard and will mew loudly outside it until it is opened. He takes a brief look in and then wanders off. They do keep me entertained but at times I wonder what is going on in their little cat brains.......

Beautiful words

My giddy Aunt it's cold! It's July and I am wrapped 3 layers topped with a shawl and sporting a pair of cosy socks on my feet. As disappointing as the unseasonal turn of weather is, I have had a productive evening in, sorting through magazines and leafing through my purchases from the 50% sale in Borders over the weekend. I am the happy owner of two new poetry books which reminds me of how inspired I was by the BBC's recent poetry season.
There were two poems that stood out in Robert Webb's programme:

The Thread by Don Paterson
(one of the poet's twin sons had a difficult birth and nearly died)

Jamie made his landing in the world so hard he ploughed straight back into the earth.
They caught him by the thread of his own breath and pulled him up
They don't know how it held
And so today I thank what higher will brought us to here - to you and me and Russ, the great twin engine swaying wing span of us roaring down the back of Curry Hill and your 2 year old lungs, somehow out revving every engine in the Universe.
All that trouble just to turn up dead, was all I thought that long week
Now the thread is holding all of us
Look out our tiny house son, the white dot of your Mother waving.

Without fail whenever I read that I get a lump in my throat.

The next poem is written by one of Robert Webb's girlfriends to woo him early on in their relationship - it worked beautifully, she is now his wife!

All kinds of trouble by Abigail Burdess

I'm in all kinds of trouble now
the kind where you wake up on a train and everything, every thing's strange
And where am I? And when did the season change?
I must have been asleep, I'm sure I must be late
I'm in all kinds of danger
The stranger on the platform is not a proper stranger
You're here with me, he says, isn't it great?
And he's right
The kind where there's too much meaning on the edges of sight, because he might be there
The kind where you randomly weep
I'm in deep deep hot water in a boiling hot geyser in the mists in the midst of ridiculous Icelandic snow
You know you should give up the fags and eat fruit because life should last longer, this life should last longer, if someone like him exists
Everybody lock away the razors and save your lovely wrists, someone like him exists.
I'm in every single kind of trouble now, the kind where a kind man could write himself a significant part
I'm in very grave danger of a change of heart

I love the line 'this life should last longer, if someone like him exists'.
It may be trouble but it is the most beautiful kind and for all the uncertainty, I wouldn't say no.....

Equality not similarity

Over the past few weeks, I have read a few articles about female equality.
Now, I'm not denying that the fight for female equality has been well fought and we owe a tremendous debt to all the women who have battled to be taken seriously in male dominated environments. Looking back just 30 years we can see that there is considerably more freedom and choice for women, for which we are grateful. However, there seems to have been a switch of late were the rise of female equality is beginning to lead to the belief that female dominance is the way forward or that equality between the two sexes means that women can/should behave in the same way as men do and have everything the same. I find this somewhat disturbing and have read some articles with sections which quite frankly amount to female chauvinism. Speaking in broad generalisations the sexes have quite different strengths and weaknesses (though there will always be women that display some masculine strengths and vice versa) So, my point is really, when did we stop fighting for feminine strengths to be recognised as truly equal? When did we cease to remember that we need men? We balance out their weaknesses with our strengths and they do the same for us and surely that is what true equality is? I fully realise that we have lived in a male dominated society for a long time but it doesn't necessarily follow that a female dominated one will be any better. One writer cited the example of some monkeys that lived in a matriarchal society. Forgive me for stating the obvious but we are not monkeys, and, though I'm sure daily survival is a struggle in the jungle, there is nothing more complex than that to deal with. Do monkeys need to deal with the rise of knife crime in cities, global warming, world poverty or a crisis in the NHS? I think not.
I want to see women treated equally and am more than happy to assert that but I see no benefit in a society dominated by either gender. One of the greatest feminine strengths is life giving - obviously that can be taken literally but also in the sense that a woman can breathe life into a situation, revealing what was previously unseen, bringing freedom and new beginnings. I think it's time to stop worrying about what we should/could be doing and just be women with all the wonderful benefits and richness that brings!

Chatsworth

I know, I know it has been too long since I posted anything but what with car traumas and lovely weather I seem to have lacked inspiration of late.
Early in June I went for a a few days break in the beautiful Peak District. the weather was utterly glorious with sunshine every day which greatly enhanced a visit to Chatsworth. It is the stately home that apparently inspired Jane Austen for Pemberley, Mr Darcey's country seat in P&P.
The whole day was just lovely, the house is splendid and the grounds breath taking - there is so much to see and it is very well loved and tended.
I can't remember the last time I visited a place and fell so immediately in love with it. There is so much to discover and the little details are exquisite - it is so other worldly that instead of pigeons begging for scraps around the tables of the outdoor cafes there are ducks. Somehow terribly British!
It has been a few weeks since I was there but feel that a little piece of me is still wandering happily round the grounds. If I was ever fortunate enough to live in such a place I'm sure I would achieve absolutely nothing and would spend my days wandering dreamily.

The funniest thing

There are a number of films that are billed as comedies that don't make me laugh. I suspect that this is due to the lack of subtly in the more brash offerings from Hollywood where I feel that I am being grabbed by the scruff of the neck, shaken and told 'You WILL laugh!'
So,it was refreshing to watch OSS 117, Cairo, Nest of Spies over the weekend, which I heartily commend to the house.
It is a French offering and seems to be a spoof on James Bond or it could be how Bond would be if he were French. It is silly without being ridiculous, slapstick without being painful, risque without being crude and generally suave in a manner that only the French can truly pull off.
The leading man, Jean Dujardin, has a slight whiff of Sean Connery about him and has joined my list of favourite actors.
I am going to try and but the DVD forthwith and that is a recommendation indeed as I only ever purchase DVDs that I'm going to watch more than once.

Subliminal messaging

Each weekday morning the radio is set as an alarm to wake me up, so one of the first things I usually hear in the morning, is the news.
The on(and on and on and on)going revelations of MPs and their inappropriately claimed expenses has obviously lodged itself in my brain if a recent dream is anything to go by.
I dreamt that David Tennant needed to marry me in order to get elected, not quite sure of the reason for this but details like that are never explained in dreams. When his election attempt failed, he unceremoniously dumped me - well, really!
It's a good thing it was just a dream otherwise I could really take umbridge over such behaviour.

A smile a day

On my last post I mentioned that I had posted a letter without putting a stamp on the envelope.
Well, I often use that post box and happen to know that the collection from it is at 4.30. I finish work at 4 on Friday's so was able to go and wait for the postie to open the letterbox.
I did feel like a bit of a tit but the postie was very affable about it all and despite his concern that the box may already have been emptied that day, my letter was still there and a stamp was duly affixed to the envelope!
A small triumph I grant you but I smiled all the way home - in these doom an gloom times you need to cherish the little victories!

Poetic licence

The BBC (good old Beeb) is running a poetry season at the moment. Griff Rhys Jones presented a programme on Poetry the other night.
Watching it I was reminded how much I love the rhythm of words and, with poetry, it doesn't matter that I understand every last syllable, the joy of it is the feeling that it evokes.
The programme discussed how a poem expresses the emotions that we cannot necessarily put in to words.
Andrew Motion along with some others has set up the poetry archive - http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/home. - which not only allows the user to read the poetry but also hear it read. After all what else was it made for? I didn't grow up in a generation that was schooled to learn poetry off by heart but I might try and learn! Tyger Tyger is one of my favourites (I love the pace and sense of wonderment) and biblically I spend a lot of time in the Psalms as they are poetical in nature so maybe I'll start there - what point words if we do not make use of them?
Apropos of nothing, still enthused about the idea of letter writing, I posted one to my God Mother this morning as she hasn't been feeling well recently and I wanted to cheer her up. As I drove away from the post box I realised that I hadn't put a stamp on the letter. Sigh, forget being out of practice writing letters, I can't even post one!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I've recently finished the above book by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows and would heartily recommend it (though JR don't buy it as I'm going to send it to you!!). It's set in 1946 and author Juliet Ashton is stuck on a subject for her next book. Out of the blue she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams of Guernsey - by chance he's aquired a book that once belonged to her - and, spurred on by their mutual love of literature, they begin a correspondence. She is intrigued by his membership to the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and soon letters are flying back forth between Juliet and the other members of the society.
It's a charming, warm, funny read and the story is told entirely through the letters.
Letter writing is a lost art that maybe we should try to revive (JR - spooky that I was thinking this having finished the book and then read your letterpress love post) - I find that if I try to write now that I get cramp in my hand farily quickly as I only really take notes now rather than hand-writing any long passages. What I loved about this book is that it told the important details of the story but as had time for the little incidentals. It is those small moments that are the fabric of life and we should talk about them more.
I think we sometimes don't write as we feel that there is nothing to 'report' and that we should only communicate on a larger scale. However, I find the little incidents of life heart warming and love it when I get an email from a friend commenting on last night's episode of Ashes to Ashes and her concern that, due to the blustery wind blowing that day, she will soon see her pants out of the window flying down the street, having been torn off the washing line. But should they end up in a neighbours garden at least they would be clean - dignity at all times!
It those things, the shared humourous moment with a stranger, the sound of birds singing in the morning, the elderly couple holding hands in front of you, the seemingly unaccompanied herd of cows crossing the bridge over the motorway, the woman driving past you with her curlers in, obviously maximizing her use of time whilst driving to a night out and the list goes on. I want to know those things about my friend's lives (which is why I love reading DM and JR's blogs).
These instances will pass and they won't change the world but they do create a richer fabric which doesn't just consist of the doom and gloom that we hear on the news everyday.
I'm off to write a letter now in my bestest handwriting.......

Hey girlfriend!

I recently finished watching the last two ever episodes of SATC - I missed it when it was on TV so have been working my way through the seasons via the online DVD rental I subscribe to.

I have to admit that shed a few tears when Carrie said Goodbye to her friends and left for her new life in Paris.
It has occurred to me whilst watching the series that I will never have what Carrie has (no, not her fabulous wardrobe of outfits, though I do covet that!) a group of girlfriends who share everything together. I have my quartet of best friends - the lovely DM, LK, MG and JR - but they all live in different places in the UK or across the ocean. I count them all as blessings of course - as Carrie says to her girls - what would have my life been like if I hadn't met you? Mine would certainly been poorer without these and my other friends. However as a single gal there is no one set of friends that are involved in all the small tragedies and triumphs, what tends to happen is that you see people for a 'catch up' which has been organised weeks in advance where all the news is shared. This is lovely and valid but sometimes I miss conversation, just about everyday, topical nonsense. It is something we've lost in modern society, in our offices we are in the habit of emailing colleagues who sit a matter of feet away. It seems that with all the modern conveniences which save us time, we actually have less of it - how does that work?
There is a general consensus that though the economic downturn is hard, there are some positives as we all begin to re-evaluate what we think is important. So if I want this to change it begins with me. It is doubtful that I will ever have a group of friends that live in a close vicinity again but I can make effort with the ones that I have in different places. I can phone a friend instead of worrying about my to do list, I can prioritise relationship instead of doing, I can engage my creative brain and think of ways to socialize that allow time to talk. Despite all the advances of modern technology there isn't anything that can replace laughing with a group of friends around the dinner table. Sometimes it can be good to be all talk.......

Let sleeping cats lie

Cats are like marmite it seems, you either love them or hate them and I am most definitely in the 'love' camp.

They are often misunderstood creatures, people consider them to be anti-social and indifferent when they are quite the opposite. I know they do have a tendency to please themselves but you have to respect an animal that persuades a human to give them their own door!

There is something very endearing about my girl cat Purde sitting neatly on the bedside table, taking a playful swipe at a pen left on the side and seeing the look of surprised disappointment when it ends up on the floor and out of reach.

A friend's cat learnt a trick to play on any guests they had staying at the house. At breakfast he would seat himself on the table, opposite the guest and look wistfully over their shoulder at something of apparent great interest somewhere in the garden. When the hapless guest finally turned round to see what he was looking at, they would turn back to find Dougal with his head in their cereal bowl, happily licking up the milk!

And there are the two cats who managed to bring a live lobster (obviously ready to be cooked as it had it's pincers taped up) through the cat flap. Given that a lobster has a pretty robust armoured shell to protect it from cat claws and teeth, they got bored, wandered off and left it scuttling around the living room for the family to find when they returned home.

Cats are quite clever, it's just that they don't often employ their intelligence for anyone else's benefit but somehow you love them all the same.

All of creation is precious to me and speak to me of the Creator (I did think there was a verse in the bible which said that all of creation reflected God' glory but I can't find it, so have to conclude I imagined it!) but watching a cat is a lesson on how to just 'be' and how to relax.

Every time I see either of my two cats asleep it makes me smile, they are simply a picture of perfect contentment!

What a picture!

I saw an interesting programme recently entitled the Genius of Photography. It was screened on 21st Feb is unfortunately not available to re-watch on BBC-iplayer otherwise I would have suggested that all my photography loving friends watch it!
It detailed the invention of the first cameras and film development process which coincided with the explosion of the industrial age. It was as if the concept of time itself altered, as train travel was becoming more popular, journeys were faster. Rather than being restricted by the speed of the fastest horse, it was possible to 'cheat' time and speed past it in a train and with the invention of the photograph it was possible to freeze and almost bi-sect time.
What was fascinating was the rise of the amateur photographer. Prior to this the medium for art was restricted to paint or sculpture but with the production of the first Kodak and Brownie cameras, anyone could afford to document their lives and the world around them on film. It was the amateur photographer who discovered most about the medium as they experimented. Gone were the stiff portraits and in their place were pictures of friends and family smiling directly at the camera.
It reminded me of Stephen Poliakoff's drama 'Shooting the Past' which is all about a photography collection and the fight of those who love it to keep it together (if I could write like Mr Poliakoff I would be very happy - if you get a chance to watch any of his productions - do!).
All this made me feel quite inspired to take more photographs but also to wonder will pictures that we've taken be discovered in a shoe box and end up in a museum? What will these snapshots of moments in my time communicate to those in the future? Will they realise that I am not in fact drunk in most of the photos but that I just have a tendency to blink at the wrong moment?
Cameras are a wonderful invention that perhaps we take for granted a little but I now appreciate the creative opportunity that is so accessible and I vow to take more advantage of it!

No place home

A friend of mine is looking for a new church and I went along with her just for a change of scene (and the opportunity to meet for coffee beforehand!)
The service was much the same format as I'm used to, though the set up was 'in the round' and though there was one large screen at the front, the others were smaller, so standing in the wrong place could give you a nasty crick in the neck.
I enjoyed the worship, the teaching was good, the people seemed friendly, in fact there was nothing offensive at all about the whole experience (even the lack of chairs and the requirement to sit on the floor was bearable). However, I felt overwhelmingly like Dorothy, clicking together the heels of her ruby slippers and whispering 'there's no place like home, there's no place like home...'
I have no intention of changing church, that wasn't my motivation for visiting another, however it was lovely to have the unexpected confirmation that I am in the right place at the moment!

Teeny tiny birds

I arrived at home yesterday in just enough light to be able to see two little Wrens flying about the garden and playfully hopping round the tree branches.
They really are the most precious little things, it is a joy to be living in a place where the less common types of birds can be seen. It is lovely to wake in the morning and hear all the different birdsong, it is a lovely calming sound (as long as the beautiful noise hasn't caused a premature awakening at 4am of course!)
My lunchtime today was spent in a cultural fashion watching Micheal Rosen's programme recently screen on BBC4 via i-player. The BBC had challenged him to create a book loving primary school in 10 weeks. It was heart warming to see children that had never stepped foot in a library, excitedly pulling books off the shelves in wonderment. Michael makes a good case for reading by saying that 'if you read widely, you think deeply'. later in the programme he points out that by reading you can experience worlds that you will never physically visit and understand what it's like to be someone else. We should never underestimate the power of imagination!
It makes me want to go home and read a book and I'm sure if the lovely DM and JG (soon to be JR!) are reading this they will agree.

Into the blue

Following a night of heavy rain (which is VERY loud when it is falling on a plastic roof - I can testify to this as there is one directly behind my bedroom) the skies have cleared and the sun has come out.
I am most definitely an autumn/winter girl and love dramatic weather conditions but a blue sky is a very welcome sight.
Gazing at it I feel immediately peaceful, watching clouds slowly drift over is very relaxing. Our office is stuffy so I have the window open slightly (yes I know it's very cold outside but the a small gust of fresh air every now and then is lovely) and if a plane happens to pass overhead, that slow droning sound coupled with the blue skies makes me think immediately of lazy summer days. Those times when the only thing on your to do list was to lay on a blanket in the garden, stare at the sky and if feeling industrious, maybe read a couple of chapters of a book.
I think that's why blue skies make me feel peaceful as they remind me of times when I could just be.
It also reminds me of the bible verse that talks of His banner over us being love, it makes me think that today the Creator is reminding me that His love is over me wherever I go.
Unfortunately all this sky gazing isn't very conducive for a productive day at work, so I must tear myself away but when the sun is out and the sky is blue I think it's important to spend a few moments drinking it in, it certainly is refreshing.

Lars and the Real Girl

I watched the above film the other day and it was beautiful and sweet. the premise sounds a little creepy as it's about a man who is has a relationship with a plastic sex doll. However the relationship isn't sexual at all, it's a way of Lars processing and dealing with some traumatic memories.
What is lovely about the film is that all his friends, family and work colleagues collectively choose to treat the doll as a real girl, just as Lars does. From essentially quite a weird idea the film ends up being a lovely depiction of a community pulling together to support one man on his journey.
Aside from that it is also worth watching just for the resuscitation of a teddy bear scene!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

I don't care how much disruption it's caused I think the recent snow fall is very beautiful. It also has the added bonus of distracting the media from reporting on the credit crunch. I think we all know how bad the situation is and that there are thousands of people who are in very real trouble in the present climate but I just wish the media would take a more imaginative view and report on success stories of how communities are pulling together and helping each other out. Sadly we seem to have lost our 'blitz' mentality and are quick to criticize but slow to offer a solution. I've known for a long time that my heart is in Britain, not just because I love this country but this is my spiritual home. So much so that I actually feel a bit upset when people complain about the weather! In his documentary 'Sicko' Michael Moore talks of how the NHS was formed. It's easy to forget that it started soon after the end of the Second World War at a time when Britain was still subject to rationing and the country had just suffered 9 months of almost continual bombing. And what is the first thing we do? Start a health service that is available to all - when I heard this, I actually cried. I am proud of my country, not in the sense that I believe that we are better than other nations rather that I see the heart of it a true heart, a lion heart. My prayer for Britain is that the current negative climate will not diminish it's hope and identity. I think we should be praying that this nation would rediscover who it is and know God's purpose for it once again. Oh...and build a snowman and have a snowball fight whilst we have the chance!

Is there a date in 'site'?

I have been challenged by a very dear (and wise) friend to try and spend an hour a day, through the month of Jan, on Internet dating sites to kick start my search for a man. She has kindly allowed me weekends off - though I do have the option of overtime!
Admittedly I do have reservations about Internet dating as it is time consuming and can cause one to feel weirdly more hopeless than hopeful trawling through the pages of results.
On the plus side a few of the entries on profiles have made me laugh out loud. I do admire people that can make the most of the essay questions (these seem to be endless and when you're joining a couple of sites, rather laborious)
I can see that the essay questions to give a broader depth to the profile but I do have one complaint - hands up if you know the favourite bible verses of any of your friends. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Nope me neither and it has no detrimental affect on the depth of our friendships nor on my perception of their personality or character.
I do understand that Christian sites do have to highlight the distinctions between theirs and secular sites but a question about what kind of church prefer or who your spiritual heroes are would suffice. Questions like 'what or who makes you laugh' tells me far more about a person.
If I was creating a dating website that's what I'd ask. In fact that's an idea, I'll create my own website but have the only female profile as my own and then I'll have my pick of the boys and then I shall rule the world with my evil genius!

And another year gone.....

Well, it's 2009 already - how did that happen? New Year is a weird time. The actual celebration of it can be a bit of an anticlimax, though I think as long as you are with a few good friends and not trying overly hard to have a great time you will actually have a lovely evening. I went for a lovely curry this year with a good bunch of friends and that was just perfect.
As much as we all know that making New Year's resolutions doesn't really work, it's hard to resist as the coming year is stretched out before you with 12 full months in which to change the things we don't like and seize opportunities to do things we enjoy.
I managed yesterday to do half an hour of writing which is one of my aims of the year. I don't know if I will manage to finish my first novel in 2009 but I have the opening gambit (it can't really be called a chapter at this stage!)
Every new year starts with the sense of the slate being wiped clean and a new beginning. However I hope I take the lessons of last year with me and continue on the journey that I started then. The hope is always to go forwards and grow, not remain still and stagnant but in order to do that I need to go deeper with God and that's always the challenge. Spending time with him shouldn't be seen as a chore but it does take commitment and a bit of planning. It's managing to find the balance between allowing time to relax and enjoy life but also to make good use of each second.
So that is my resolution to relax, enjoy and succeed, then 2009 will be fine!