The Royal Wedding in Westminster Abbey on 29th April was very good indeed. Simple, well planned and beautifully presented. I expect you had some coverage of it yourself? I liked the dignity of Kate Middleton, as she was then, the excellent reading by her brother, and the gentle and serene appearance of her father. Her sister Philippa was an attractive and kindly bride’s maid. This time it is a ‘love-match’: may the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge be blessed, and become a blessing to others. The Bishop of London’s sermon was excellent, and I have a printed copy of it.

On that same day my sister was praying and reading to her dying mother from a Swedish Bible. At first death seems to be a final separation, but after a time a certain awareness of the other whom we loved becomes a form of communion .... life simply flows on within us and around us.

Death and life continue to intermingle. The high winds may well have unsettled a nest of naked, blind birds and one them landed on the grass under the sycamore tree. It was quite dead when I saw it, and ants were disposing of the body .... as I saw them working on a dead earthworm some days before. Ants have their function as a disposal unit of decaying matter. So many insects we don’t instinctively like are the ones who attend to waste disposal and recycling in the natural world around us.

The Royal Wedding HATS must have had an effect upon my mind as I have made a series of HAT doodles ranging from parsnip tops, a tulip petal and empty dandelion seed-cases.

Saturday 7th May

Rain fell during the night and the parched earth has revived, with the short-rooted plants benefiting. There were some beautiful large snails floating like galleons across the wet path, and many little round snails, some the size of a crumb, on which I trod before noticing them. I was sad but glad that their death was quick. After that I walked on the grass to avoid them.

9th to 13th May

The April showers finally fell in early May, leaving flowering bushes standing in blossom, as later they will stand surrounded by their fallen leaves.... It is all happening too quickly: one day the buds begin to open and a few days later the petals fall, leaving the symmetrical beauty of the style, stamen and stigma. Eventually only the stigma remains. All the fruit trees have formed small green fruit, and so have the strawberries, although most arboreal fruit will be self-aborted. The flowers of holly are opening amid the red berries of last year, while whole hands of horsechestnut flowers are torn off either by squirrels, birds or the wind. Nature is prodigal, a lavish giver. We can be thankful that not every flower and seed reaches maturity. If they did, we would be living in a seasonal wilderness.

12th May

Birds are perched on leafy branches. It seems as though the trees themselves are singing. From my cell the bird calls sound harsh, even strident, unlike the sweeter songs of dawn.

We have finally up-dated the library books on the computer catalogue. It was a relief to get it done, despite some mishaps, and then to finally shelve the books. I just hope we don’t get any more books for a while....

After an interval of six years, a married Deacon and his wife came for a visit.. I had conducted his pre-diaconate retreat in 2005. Beneath his humour, and great ability to narrate amusing stories, there is a sensitive and gentle man, whom his wife undoubtedly supports with her good sense and quiet manner. David uses his gifts as a good observer and raconteur to great effect both in his homilies and conversation. He had previously been in the police force. He also told us entertaining stories about his life as a deacon. It is just as well he has such a supportive wife.

15th May

I have just come in from a wonderful, quiet walk in the garden and the Paddock. It is too early for our neighbours to be up. The cats and I wandered slowly along the silent road. The tulips and lilac are over but the climbing plants scale fence and wall, and the first roses are out on West facing walls. From this early morning stillness I greet you.

21st May

We are back to the enigmatic variations of the English weather, with apologies to Elgar. Each day has also been associated with a different person.

On Sunday we watched the much acclaimed "The King’s Speech". It was extremely well done, and very moving. We learned indirectly that ‘Bertie’ developed his stammer after the age of four. He had been severely punished for being left-handed, was afraid of his father, George V, and his first nanny much preferred his elder brother David, and was unkind to Bertie. He became very insecure and began to stammer. You must watch the film for the full story - which shows a man of great courage, married to a wife who truly loved him. It is certainly worth watching.

Monday was reflective and loving, like the friend who came to share time with me. Brunie joined us, having demanded the opening of the parlour door. She followed us to Midday Office, sat on my lap for a while and then relaxed on my prayer books, utterly content, purring gently. My friend said afterwards that Brunie was a picture of contentment in the presence of the Lord, and more conducive to prayer than the Psalms themselves.

Tuesday was a brisk sort of day, a day for energetic walking, and that suited my next visitor. She enjoys walking near water and lives close to an estuary. It is out there, amid natural beauty, that she prays best and senses the presence of God. She is not an introvert but an able organiser both of Guides (as they used to be called) and in practical Church matters.

In the afternoon members of our extended monastic family arrived. One has been coming for years here, having begun with some spiritual accompaniment, and continued both to work in the garden and to make a retreat. Another, quite different friend arrived from Scotland for her annual visit of a couple of days. She is a delightful person, good at narrative, and has a fund of entertaining stories from ‘real life’. We provide a good audience, and much appreciate her humour and her generosity.

Today, Thursday, was a day for repairing our habits (monastic clothing as well as our behaviour!) At Mass today Father Adrian, a former naval chaplain and full of kindness and good sense, spoke about our need for reconciliation. We all have different ideas and opinions, often conflicting, and living together can be a strain. Only one Sister heard him say quietly: "If we were not going to disagree, I suppose we’d all have to take Valium twenty-four hours a day." She smiled broadly, while the rest of us pondered our inevitable disagreements and how hard it all is!

Friday continued with more habit repairs and another Enigma Variation: the company of a perceptive missionary friend. After being blown about in the wind, called to telephone calls, some of us watched "The King’s Speech" again. The second viewing deepened our appreciation, and it was wonderful to share it with two people who had been young contemporaries as the events unfolded.

The Queen has returned from the historic State Visit to Ireland, where the people she met, even on ‘walk-abouts’ were warm and friendly and she seemed to smile more than usual. In the back-ground were those spewing hatred. There always are those around who wish us ill - where ever we are.

25th May

Yesterday was our patronal feast - Our Lady Help of Christians - as she was invoked at the Battle of Lepanto against an opposing navy. Today is the Feast of the Venerable Bede, and Friday the Feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury.

Father Prins gave a good homily on the Venerable Bede, and during it spoke about infused Wisdom and salt. Salt is not visible in cooked meat or vegetables but it enhances the flavour of the dish. Wisdom is not visible but enhances the inner being of the wise person, and reveals itself in perception and insight.

This afternoon another friend came and spoke about her loss of the sensed presence of God, and the challenges it brings with it. This is a very familiar experience, which we all share from time to time. I could only cope with this desolation some forty years ago by deliberately looking at the world around me day by day for a sign of beauty. There always was one, and this became a hidden treasure within me.

One of my Sisters has lately been captivated by the Letter to the Ephesians, especially the Mystery of Salvation as expressed in Eph I :3-14. God is the source of all blessings through his generous love for all creatures. As everything comes from him, so does everything - potentially - lead to him. This is also expressed in the book A WISH TO BE by Cecil Lewis about the wonder of divine reason: "Take any part of Nature - a tree, a tiger or an ant - each is, in itself, a marvellous self-supporting, self-regenerating unit. It grows, it feeds, it breathes, it reproduces itself. Not only for itself but for the whole within which it exists. At every point, wherever you touch it, life is glowing with the divine intelligence, with divine reason, so all-seeing, so profound, it makes the deepest human thought a triviality..." And the whole creation is loved: " Not a sparrow falleth to the ground without my Father" - which means the love of compassion, of profound tenderness, care and pity of God. However, the Divine Pity does not prevent this happening .... we all have to experience pain and loss and death before we can enter life everlasting. Each ending is potentially a new beginning.

28th May

At Mass the yesterday the President of our Congregation spoke about Saint Augustine of Canterbury, and how disappointed an American monk had been to discover that he was the patron of our congregation. He would have preferred Saint Bede. But the President said that it was good to have a patron like us - rather reluctant to set out to a foreign country even under obedience to Pope Gregory the Great, returning to Rome from Gaul after he heard how savage the Anglo-Saxons were, setting out again and actually crossing the Channel, landing in Kent. Augustine then wrote to the pope asking him what he should do next..... Thus followed a correspondence which was recorded by Bede the Venerable for posterity. Augustine was never an heroic figure but he persevered and was a successful missionary. The President stressed that it was the monastic life which was the best witness to Christian values at that time. It is our role, as a monastic community, however small, in today’s society.

THE TABLET this week contained a good article by Christopher Jamison OSB about the cloister in monasteries, a spacious place in which the community can walk, read and sit, normally around an enclosed garden called a garth. Our garth is the enclosed garden around our suburban house, which was built in 1894. Our cloister indoors is a quiet area indoors is full of space, light and house-plants. Dom Christopher wrote:

"......these luminous cloisters speak of purity of heart. People who harbour resentment or anger find these places difficult.... The beauty and light of the cloister challenges us because they are the work of the Spirit."

Before we enter the Chapel we stand quietly in this area, asking God to quieten our hearts and minds, and as we dip our middle finger into the holy water stoup and make the sign of the cross. This may be a reminder of our baptism : we ask God to purify our heart, mind and actions.

Our garden path and cats in summer

some years ago

We retain grateful memories of the loving kindness and spiritual companionship of all our friends - and many thanks to our Oblates.

God bless you all.