My Tree In November

A Day In Autumn

It will not always be like this,

The air windless, 

A few last leaves 

Adding their decoration to the trees’ shoulders, 

braiding the cuffs of the boughs with gold; 

A bird preening in the lawn’s mirror. 

Having looked up from the day’s chores, 

pause a minute, and

Let the mind take its photograph

Of the bright scene, 

- Something to wear against the heart in the long cold.

Ronald Stuart Thomas 

Autumn Leaves

🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁

First of all, thank you everyone for the kind wishes you've sent for Bob's birthday. He is having a great week [as am I] More on that later...

🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

Among all the post for him was a small envelope for me. My October 2x2 patch from Kirsten. As often happens, we have been thinking along similar lines. As I was making autumn leaves for a cake, she was stitching them.

Inspired by some leaves stitched by Karen Turner, Kirsten did this piece.

What a diverse collection of stitches: backstitch, seed, stem, split, chain and satin. And among the regular stranded floss,  some rainbow glittering thread to catch the light.

So charming!

And my flat gift was  a stack of little origami envelopes each contains a folded sheet of paper [15x15cm] These will make lovely gift tags, or little notelets to tuck inside a greetings card. UPDATE See Kirsten's comment below about notelets

    🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

Such lovely colours, a joyful,celebration of the season. Maybe you can describe being in our 70s as "the autumn of our lives" - but that is no reason for the days to be dull and colourless and lacking in beauty and happiness...

   🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁

Good Hare Day

Two weeks ago we realised we needed to cancel our holiday. On the Sunday afternoon I decided to do a jigsaw to cheer myself up. A few months back, my lovely BIL Kevin had given me some puzzles which had belonged to his late Mum,  Ruth. I chose this Angela Harding 500 piece square one.

It was fun, but challenging. 

It took a few evenings, and I was glad I'd used my felt mat so I could roll it up and put it somewhere safe when the family arrived. 

Once it was finished Bob said how much he loved the picture, and I did too. It shows two beautiful Irish Hares on Rathlin Island [Details here] We decided to frame it. A couple of coats of Ravensburger Puzzle Conserver, and a spare picture frame and here it is on the wall. Thank you Kevin, I love it!

The Tenth Tree Picture

Can you believe it - 10 out of 12 pictures have been taken. A few leaves are yellowing, there are definite signs of autumn in the foliage around the field. 

It was a much greyer day yesterday morning

Here is the first photo from the beginning of January 2025. Sometime in the next 12 weeks, all those green leaves will fade and fall and My Tree will look bare again.

But the basic shape of the tree and its branches has remained constant. Each month it has been beautiful in a different way...

 

The Summer Is Ending

 

Here are the last 6 months of tree pictures - from barely any foliage in April up to this week when we got back from Manchester. My tree has stayed pretty much the same shape all year
The ground below is looking very parched, and I think the leaves are just on the edge of turning to their autumn colours.
We were very conscious as we drove up  and over the Pennines last Monday that there were clear signs of autumn the further north we went - and when we came back on Friday, this was even more apparent. 
The fig tree crop is over, the children are back at school, and next Sunday will be Harvest Festival at chapel...
I am glad for our climate here in the UK, each season has its own special beauty. [but for me, Spring is my favourite, with  new birth, fresh starts, Easter...]

What is your favourite season? Why?

How Did THAT Happen?

"Has the 2by2 square arrived?" I asked Kirsten, and she replied "Yes, but mine is bigger than yours, it's 7cm², yours is 6.5cm²" I was baffled - all our precut paper templates were the same, cut on my die cut machine. 

Then hers arrived. I lined up my rainbow, my Practice Patch and her square. How odd...

The last two [I've blurred her stitching]were the same size, 7cm² - but the rainbow one was smaller. Somehow I'd stitched those two ark-themed pieces using smaller papers.  How did I do that, where did I find the wrong sized squares? ? I have unpicked mine, pressed it, and restitched to the correct size.  Thank you Kirsten for correcting the error on the square I sent you. Not a very auspicious start. Here are our two squares

My rainbow, and her seascape. Kirsten used the swirling blue and green  waves of a Hannah Dunnett picture, plus her own drawings of the sea and the South Downs to create this lovely piece. A very different patch from mine. 

Find Kirsten's full explanation on her blog. 

I think we are both already aware of the constraints of a smaller area to work on. Not much room for intricate detail.

Do you like Hannah Dunnett's pictures? She and her husband Ben are very gifted people.

Meet The Minidonks!

I had an email from the coordinator at Voluntary Norfolk. Could I do an extra session at the Hospital on Tuesday? The donkeys were coming and more helpers were needed. It turns out that the Minidonks visit hospitals, care homes and schools, to promote health and wellbeing. The company was founded by Sarah, who realised how much her elderly parents, suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's, benefitted from interaction with the gentle beasts. It is called Minidonkeys for Wellbeing 

Some patients were brought outside in wheelchairs, others looked through the window of the day room. Then it started to rain a little. Everyone - including Millie [aged 6] and sister Pixie [9] came inside. They trotted up and down the corridors and went into the 4-bed bays. Many of the patients grew up on farms or had close links with Norfolk's agricultural past - they loved seeing and stroking the girls. 

You will notice the last with the bucket [she has a pair of the rubber gloves in her right hand] You can guess what her job is! What a joyful experience for those people in bed to be visited by these animals. For many it brought back childhood memories. They were telling us stories from 50, 60 and 70 years ago. A good afternoon all round. Heehaw!

Peregrination

So yesterday was our wedding anniversary - Liz, Steph and families are now all in Holland - so it was a day by ourselves. We began early with a celebratory breakfast at The Goat Shed

That was really good, then we filled up the car with fuel, and bought an M&S Dine In Meal for the evening. [We had a cool bag with ice packs in the car all ready]

 

Bob said he'd like to go to Cromer...so off we went. Peregrination means wandering and comes from the same root as pilgrims. Being good pilgrims, we parked in a blue badge space behind the big Parish Church.

And discovered we were right next to the Peregrine Project which is a well-supported local charity

A team of enthusiastic volunteers have three telescopes focussed on the church tower, and I was able to watch Poppy, the mother bird, perching on one of the buttresses. They also have a live stream and youtube videos available to watch - this pair have been here since 2019. Utterly fascinating

This little one is just about ready to leave the nest now. The PP volunteers talked about the territorial nature of these birds - and how there is another pair living on top of Norwich Cathedral. After a good chat, we had elevenses at Art House Café , our favourite place for a good coffee in Cromer.

We strolled down the Pier in the sunshine.

My new dress was cool and comfortable but its cute pearl buttons are a little bit too small, and whenever I put my bag across my body, the strap pushed them open. I shall have to add a couple more hook&eyes at bust level. We shared a portion of chips, mooched round a few CS and then drove home. What a lovely day!

The family have arrived safely in The Netherlands too. All is good!

 

Tree Picture Number Eight

It was grey and damp on Friday when I drove into Dereham for my Volunteering session at the Hospital. But I stopped to take a picture of the tree. The crop has been harvested, so you can see the base of the trunk, and the bare area around it. But the foliage remains lush dark green. I've arranged the 8 pictures anticlockwise, starting at the top left with January so you can see how the leaves have developed.

Four months bare branches, four in leaf. I am loving this project!

Don't Tell 'Em Pike!

Julian came to stay for a couple of days, which was wonderful.  As ever he was really helpful, lifting things and shifting things. On Friday afternoon, Bob was feeling a little stir-crazy after his bad eweek. We went over to Thetford for the afternoon once I got back from my volunteering at Dereham Hospital.

Lunch in Tall Orders was delightful. Portions were generous, salads fresh, staff friendly

We walked round to the Ancient House Museum, passing a WW2 Sentry** - and once inside, Bob put on a helmet and became a Viking soldier!

We went in search of an icecream, stopping to sit briefly with Captain Mainwaring [it had to be brief, the bench was Very Hot!]

Thetford has been working hard in preparation for the visit of the judges from Anglia In Bloom. The statue of Thomas Paine, holding his book upside down, has been regilded, and was blinding in the sunshine!

A local business has built a loco plus tender, another company donated paint, and the gardening club from the secondary school have planted it up. There are planters and hanging baskets all over the town. They have clearly tried very hard - I hope they win!

We came home via Beck's and had a chippy tea. A great day all round!

Isn't the sky amazingly blue?

Do people put out lots of floral displays in public spaces where you live? They take so much watering in this very hot weather, and wilt so fast!

**the TV series Dad's Army was filmed here - sadly the Dad's Army Museum only opens Saturdays and occasional Sundays.

The Green Leaves Of Summer

The tree does not really seemed to have changed since June - but notice that the crop beneath continues to change colour.

The music is the song from the 1960 film "The Alamo" . The lyrics have nothing whatsoever to do with that historic siege, nor yet Davy Crockett!

 

I Will Hold Your People In My Heart

This beautiful hymn, written by Daniel Schutte, a Jesuit Priest in San Francisco, has resonated with me since I first heard it about thirty years ago. It reminds me that God is Lord of all creation, and cares for all humanity. And He asks me to share in that mission of love and care for all creation and for all people [whether or not they consider themselves Christians] But the last line of the chorus "I will hold your people in my heart" has always been associated in my mind with caring especially for those in the church fellowships to which I have belonged down the years. 
Last Sunday, I was elected to be a deacon in our Baptist Chapel, part of the leadership team - called to seek God's will and way forward for those friends who worship Sunday by Sunday. There are 5 other deacons plus Nick our Pastor. I've never been a deacon before [it's not appropriate if your parent or spouse is the Pastor] If you are the praying sort, 🙏 please pray God will give me grace, strength and wisdom for this new role. Thank you 🙏

I, the Lord of sea and sky,

I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them – whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me;
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne My people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them; they turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My Word to them – whom shall I send?

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them; My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them – whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me;
I will hold Your people in my heart.

Bored Of The Flies?

So difficult to keep on top of them, they seem everywhere in this hot weather. It's vital to keep food covered. But there comes a moment when the salad has to come out of the fridge, along with the mayo, and it is good to have plenty of water on hand. I've tried to be creative about "lids" and I think I've found some workable solutions.

It was ridiculously satisfying to discover that the silicone lid I use on bowls in the microwave is exactly the right size for my salad bowl. And my small MOOPOP fits the little bowl I use for serving mayonnaise.

I picked up the little glass jug from a CS year ago. It had lost its original stopper, but this inverted champagne cork does the job. [I don't drink champagne, no idea where the cork came from]  Until the other week, I had a cute IKEA water carafe with a silicon lid. Then it slipped and broke! I retrieved the carafe which Bob had kept since his student days. The IKEA lid didn't fit. 

I found the cover I made four years ago from a vintage doyley. Perfect.

I recently picked up a yellowstickered bag of three limes. I sliced and open-froze them. Instant ice-and-a-slice.

One of the ancient names for the devil was Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies.  I was amused recently to read the suggestion that those irritating insects which keep you awake at night. Buzzing round the bedroom, should be called beelzebugs!

Have you any good suggestions for creating no-fly zones?

It's "The Silly Season" At Cornerstones

The term silly season originated in the UK and is used to describe a period, typically in the summer, when the media has a hard time finding significant news stories. This leads them to publish more light-hearted, frivolous or unusual stories, sometimes referred to as "fluff" pieces. Well it has certainly been silly round here the last few days...

Thursday - parcel from Manchester, a garment which needs altering [details to follow] "That's not an auspicious label for a dressing gown" said Bob

Friday - still finding minuscule sequins everywhere. This was the day when there were lots of flying ants too. During breakfast we spotted an ant trotting across the floor with its head stuck in a sequin like a blue halo [sorry the picture is not in focus properly- and moving too fast and I was shaking with laughter]

Saturday  - I read BBC news item about Glasto, and a music teacher called James B Partridge, who does nostalgia gigs where he gets the crowd to singalong to what he calls Assembly Bangers. Shine Jesus Shine, Lord of the Dance, This Little light of Mine etc. I watched the video clip with subtitles so as not to disturb Bob. I shall never sing Cauliflowers Fluffy in the same way again. 

The subtitles changed the broad beans sleeping in their blankety bed  to sleeping in the black goodie bag" Oh I do hope you can access it! [BBC video here]

 

More Midnight Madness!

 Monday, 2nd June I stood on Weybourne Beach at 11pm and watched the Northern Lights. Then on Wednesday 11th June, we drove about 3 miles up the road, and parked at the edge of a field where there was a great view of the horizon. 

As the moon rose, it seemed huge and pink, a "Strawberry Moon" [I need to learn how to do better night vision photos] It was glorious. There won't be another like it over Norfolk for 20 years,  according to the paper.  I'm not sure they'll let me go gallivanting around the countryside at midnight then, when I'm 90...

And now it is 1.30am on Saturday morning. As I switched off the light, three hours ago, I suddenly realised I hadn't thought about Saturday's blogpost. But a massive thunderstorm woke us up around 12.45. Bob remembered that the awning he had rigged up to shade the patio [a large tarp, fixed with carabiners to a taut steel wire] might come adrift in the high winds.

So yet again we were outside - this time in pj's- unhooking the flapping fabric, ducking to avoid the water pouring down from it!

Then we stood inside for a while, watching the lightning through the window, listening to the loud cracks of thunder. Son etc Lumiere as they say in France - a fabulous lightshow! As is essential at such moments, I made a pot of tea.

I hope the weather is drier in the morning for the summer fete at the village school. I have finished my tea now, and the thunder has subsided a little. I'm going to sleep 🛌💤

So Much Greener!

Not much difference in size over the past 4 weeks- but look how much lusher and greener the foliage is! And the blossom on the crop below has finished, and that too is getting greener.
I think the trees [and the crops] have benefitted from the slightly cooler days and showers of rain that June has blessed us with.
My Raised Bed is definitely coming along fast, with lots of lush foliage [but my second crop of radishes seems to have disappeared]

 

A Night To Remember

Monday morning, Craft Group. J is just back from a Baltic Cruise. "Did you see the northern Lights?" I asked. She hadn't, I said I would love to see them sometime.
Monday evening, after our meal, and Bob said "I'm saying this just once, so listen" [I put down my book, and waited] "The Northern Lights are due to be visible over Norfolk tonight as there has been a lot of coronal mass activity. Do you want to drive up to the coast to try and see the Aurora Borealis?"  I didn't need to be asked twice!
We set off after 10pm and got up to Weybourne Beach just before 11. It was so quiet. There was a camper van in the car park, and one solitary fisherman further along the beach.
We stood and looked out to sea. We could see lots of twinkling lights from the wind turbines, and a huge vessel with rows of lights moving across the horizon [we thought it might be a cruise liner from its silhouette and rows of lights on many decks] 
There was one area of the horizon with an amazing pinky red glow. I knew that many of the pictures you see in the press have been taken with long exposures, posh lenses and fancy cameras, and what one sees with the naked eye may not be as dramatic. 
But I was happy, listening to the susurration of the waves and watching the twinkling stars and the glow in the distance. I had put "Seeing the Northern Lights" on my 70s List, but I think I didn't really expect to achieve it.
We stood and watched for a long while, but were starting to feel a chill, and our legs ached. Home to hot chocolate and warm bed. Thank you Bob, for a very lovely treat!
Here is my very amateur, unretouched, photo, from my phone.

Truly, a Night To Remember

Here A Dodo, There A Dodo...

 Whilst looking for something else last week, I discovered my 2006 DodoPad. This amazing "memo-doodle-engage-diary-message-ment book" was first devised in 1965 by Sir John Verney [an eccentric bayonet, soldier, writer and illustrator]
I used mine as a calendar and to-do list through the year, then as a scrapbook for clippings and cards and recipes. "I'd forgotten this, **I wonder if they still make them?" I mused, as I read again instructions for making play dough in the microwave, a thank you card from an old friend, a list of "What to pack for a weekend away" and a brilliant article by Rabbi Jonathan Sachs on Assisted Dying. Wildly eclectic ephemera. I will keep the Rabbi's wise words, but much can go into recycling. Here are a few of the pages, with my scribbles and clippings, and the Dodo's doodles...

At the Museum on Friday we saw this fabulous automaton "The Last Dodo". A crew of sailors banging their knives and forks as the captain prepares to carve the roast bird. "I have a notebook called a DodoPad" I told Julian. "It was my diary in 2006 - and I found it again only last week..." 

Then in a charity shop in Lowestoft, there was a sign "10 books for £1 unless otherwise priced" - and on the bottom shelf was a Dodo book [labelled £1] Would you believe it! Unlike the regular ringbound diaries, this was a looseleaf folder dated 2011 - and unused. I suspect it was a gift, which had finally been decluttered. 
It is a Women's Wellness Logbook, with sections on health, exercise, weight, relaxation, etc. Each section has a pocket for cards etc, and there are charts to fill in [food diary, weight loss tracker etc] as well as lots of blank pages with a dodo logo in the corner. I may not use this specifically as a wellness tracker, more as a general notebook.

I have almost filled up the notes and scribbles book I have been using for the last 6 months - a French school timetable. [**yes, they do still make DodoPads. and more besides]
Have you ever used a DodoPad?
Did you enjoy it?

Bearing Fruit

My fig tree is over twenty years old, a gift from Liz in 2004 for our Silver Wedding. It lived in the conservatory in Kirby for 10 years, and from 2008 onwards I enjoyed fresh figs all through the summer months.
Then we moved it to the Cornerstones garden in summer 2014. It has not produced any fruit since it was forced to live outside. 

Then last March, disaster struck - the men came to replace the fence, so I moved the fig in its pot to another part of the garden -and a piece of stacked timber fell and cracked the plastic pot.
I was upset, but took the opportunity to buy a larger, stronger pot, and to relocate it on the concrete base at the side of the summerhouse

And this summer, it has put forth many leaves and dozens of baby figs...
I am ridiculously excited at the prospect of fruit again this summer. Figs are mentioned a lot in the bible. The first mention of sewing refers to Adam and Eve making themselves garments of fig leaves! The growth on a fig tree symbolises the coming of summer, and hope. 
And Habakkuk speaks of faith in difficult times "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I WILL rejoice in the LORD, I WILL find joy in the God of my salvation....The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."
The prophet Micah looks forward to a time when "Everyone will sit under their own vine and fig tree, and live in peace and unafraid"

Look! here are figs on my tree - maybe this summer I will once again have a harvest of fruit.
The summer is coming
I have hope
But even if there are no figs, I can trust that God will provide, and He will give me strength.

Today I am thinking especially of those who are suffering the pain of bereavement right now, may God bring them comfort, and peace, and surround them with love.