September 2017 |
Once again the trees are swaying against a dull sky. The weather is uncertain, with short periods of sunshine and longer periods of rain. * Thursday 7th September Dave has been working in the meadow area, slowly cutting down the shoulder high plants and helping the meadow to become a meadow again. The three apple trees are doing well, and the one with an injured bough - due to the weight of the apples it bore - is now carefully held in place and we hope it will survive. While he was carefully mowing the area Dave found two frogs, and moved them to another place. He also heard the sound of a natterjack but did not see it.
The natterjack is a British species of toad with a yellow stripe down its back.
Friday 15th September This last week has been busy as there was an order for cards from Buckfast Abbey Book Shop. This kept both Sister Monica and I well occupied ! The order was for 365 cards. I did the printing and cutting down and Sister Monica inserted the envelopes into each card, and later adding the transparent cellophane covers. The parcel now awaits collection in our silent hall. * The weather here has been very strange lately. It rains heavily in the night and intermittently throughout the day. The wind has been very strong, too. A heron has been visiting the lower pond, seeking nourishment, and flying away when human beings are detected in the vicinity *
We are re-reading THE MILLERS TALE and Other Parables by Margaret Silf. On the back cover of the book these words are found: Today, no less than in Jesus day everyday incidents can show us what the Kingdom of God is like. In The Millers Tale and Other Parables, ordinary experience reveals shafts of Gods mystery, tracing creations story, from original blessing, through brokenness and restoration, to a vision of a new and never-ending Kingdom in which we are called to be co-creators.
In this unforgettable book, we discover Gods meanings in the words and pictures of our human stories. * Sunday 17th September The days are drawing in - a rather strange expression - rather like drawing curtains at nightfall - and the sun rises later and sets earlier. After days and nights of torrential rain and strong wind, when trees swayed and the wind howled, we seem to have reached a calmer period of time. Would that this were equally true of the world at large, which is ravaged by unexpected attacks of violence, with storms and hurricanes reaping a harvest of destruction, desolation and death. * The activity in our garden is not so harrowing. A young fox is seen now and again in the early morning, when the birds are being fed. After supper on most days some food remnants are put out for creatures which forage in the night. The grass is now patterned with early falling leaves from gently wind-tossed trees. The day looks rather dull. * 19th September A solitary lesser black- backed gull was foraging for food on the lawn this morning. We first noticed these birds in the June of this year. The day is misty and cold and the Welsh hills are not visible. *
20th September Our magnolia tree has grown tall and strong. We went out in the afternoon to look at the red seed cases. A ladybird rested on one of them, enjoying the afternoon sunshine. While we watched it raised its protective wing shields flew away.
Friday 22nd September My calendar tells me that Autumn begins today. The day began bright and promising but by early afternoon the weather was overcast and it began to rain. Dave was able to cut the grass while the sun was shining. Only some of our trees are glowing with autumnal colours. The old horsechestnut tree would win the prize. The autumn flowers are beautiful : some have golden petals while others are opening their seed-cases and allowing the seeds to fall into the receptive soil. * This reminded me of the The Parable of the Sower. Matthew 13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky soil, and they sprang up quickly because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seed fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let those with ears listen. * Sunday 24th September The weather has become warmer and the colours in the garden are brighter. Some of the lily-in-the valley close to the House have orange berries and remind me of my own small garden patch when I was a child, and we lived in Worcester Park, Surrey. Our garden was close to a railway line. It is surprising how soon one can adapt to the sound of trains. Some flowers still remind me of my childhood, and so do certain poems.
The photograph, taken by Sister Monica, shows the nibbled edges of the leaves, possibly eaten by small snails. * The lower photograph shows the aspects of autumn beauty in a flower-bed close to the lawn at the front of the House. We are very fortunate to have such variety in our acre of land. *
|
Ingathering |