More from the inspiration of my book by Eddie Askew, but not snails this time but Squirrels. Eddie says how lovely they are to watch their acrobatics especially to get at the peanuts! I agree with him, but they are eating me out of house and home.  There are 3 of them and I presume…

I have most of Eddie Askew’s books and now his daughter is bringing together many of the writings she found after his death.  One of the fairly recent ones is “Snails have no reverse Gear” which my husband, Ray, gave me for Christmas. Eddie Askew has the knack of bringing the ordinary everyday things to…

I was interested to read in the paper last year an article headed “Birdbrain magpies outwit scientists by removing trackers”. It appears that researchers in Australia fitted harnesses with tiny trackers to the birds in an attempt to learn more about their flying habits and social dynamics.  In order for the birds to remove the…

Here we are in what should be the depth of Winter.  Plenty of hard frosts but no sign of snow yet in East Anglia.  Christmas is over and we are into a New Year. Already the bulbs are coming up – a sure sign of Spring. The birds are eating me out of house and…

On 27th January every year we are asked to remember the Holocaust and the theme this year is “Ordinary People”.  It is a time when we seek to learn the lessons of the past and recognise that genocide does not take place on its own; it is a steady process which can begin if discrimination,…

I have been going through some old Methodist Recorders to refresh in my mind some of the things I had read and then to throw them out. I came across an article written by our President (and ex-Chair of our District), Rev Graham Thompson headed “Expect to be Surprised”.  He says “as we stand on…

This thought was first published in July 2020 What e’re I say or doThy glory be my aim (Charles Wesley, H&P 793) This excerpt from the hymn is on one of my tea towels.  I have quite a collection and have decided to use them rather than keep them in a drawer! I attended many…

Have you ever thought about Walking Sticks? When I was younger I thought they were only for older people – as I get older I know that is not always the case. In the Bible a staff or stick was commonly carried by Shepherds and also those people on journeys.  This could have been to…

Do you ever find you have a hymn or song running through your mind for no apparent reason?  In the last week I cannot get out of my mind: Through all the changing scenes of life, In trouble and in joy, The praises of my God shall still My heart and tongue employ.  It’s not…

When Ray and I were married over 30 years ago I was introduced to Boys’ Brigade.  Ray was brought up at People’s Hall and was a member of the 2nd Ipswich Boys’ Brigade.  He progressed through the ranks, became an officer and gained the King’s Badge.  Two of his sons also were in the Brigade,…