February 2019 |
7th February We awoke to lashing rain during the night, accompanied howling wind. * At Mass we listened to the following reading: Continue to love each other like brothers, and remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this some people have entertained angels without knowing it. From the letter to the Hebrews *
Crocuses in the garden * 16th February The weather is now very calm and the trees no longer sway in their strange dance. Serenity has returned: no wind, no rain but signs of Spring abound. * Local foxes come at nightfall to eat what we have prepared for them. They are silent animals who seem to trust us .... *
A cheerless, damp February day. The leafless trees seem twisted, skeletal. The woods look like a cathedral fallen into ruin. No birds sang in the bare boughs, nor flitted through the thorns. Each winter, I reach this point of despondency when everything seems derelict and lifeless. If even the birds appear to have abandoned this world, it is hard to keep hopelessness from the heart ..... JONATHAN TULLOCH * 19th February A full moon shone last night ..... * 20th February It rained during the night. Now the pathways made by the foxes are clear and smooth. * Our gardener Dave is working diligently on over-grown bushes in the garden, clearing away needless growth. He is obviously very happy doing this work. His mother is making a good recovery from her operation. She sent us some jars of jam - how kind people can be.
EMBROIDERY The Herald of Spring * The daffodils are beginning to bloom while purple crocuses unfold. Snowdrops are emerging out of darkness ..... * The sun is shining and the gulls have had their morning feed, accompanied by the sound of machinery in The Paddock. * 22nd February The gulls are circling over the green grass again, seeking the bread which I had broken for them earlier this morning. The are more cautious now, and have not eaten all the bread. *
23rd February The gulls are still with us, waiting patiently for food on the roof of Emmaus - our guest-house. They have now flown away. It is quite warm today, and the sun is shining. * WE WISH YOU EVERY BLESSING
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Ingathering |