I received an email today from Google telling me that my account is half full so I decided that I would really need to delete some of my thousands of emails. This might seem like a simple job to many but for me there is a problem. I start to read all the emails before I delete…

We’ve just returned from spending a few days in Cornwall. While we were there, we visited the Merry Maidens Stone Circle which dates from 2500-1500 BC. It consists of 19 stones equally spaced except for a gap that was probably the entrance. The stones vary in height from 0.9m to 1.4m, graded so that the…

In 2010, for the first time, World Homeless Day was held. Unusually for special days, this one does not have a theme although it could be argued that its very name is its theme. The website gives a simple overview and can be found at www.worldhomelessday.org – it states the purpose of the day. “This…

Today’s contributor prefers to remain anonymous. The following was written after a holiday in northern Scotland. What a wonderful world…. With a nod to Louis Armstrong I’ve seen eagles soar, heard a cuckoo call Saw a Dipper dance in a waterfall I’ve seen mountains high, and valleys s deep And a rushing river that can…

This brief extract from the well-known hymn, “Abide with me”, came to mind following a short news item recently and made me reflect on a comment heard at a Bible conference, “We all want progress but we do not like change”, Something in the news comment made me reflect on the changes, especially for those…

I was recently dead heading a rose bush and noticed how a branch had grown across the top of a brick wall and had in fact eroded part of the brick. Admittedly the bricks are soft red bricks, but it seemed surprising that a plant with supple green branches could “overcome” the inanimate hard brick.…

I was sorting through my car boot the other day and I came across a penknife that I’d clean forgot about. Now with all the discussion about knives it set me thinking about the uses of my penknife. There are some helpful things we can do with this knife? (“Carve a piece of wood,” “Peel…

The photo with this message is of a little seed which was planted some time ago. It was in Trinity Church and I have no idea who planted it or where it suddenly appeared from. I must confess that it was forgotten about until a couple of weeks ago when I realised that it was completely…

For the last couple of seasons, I have attempted to grow tomatoes. I’ve been bought three plants from the Spring Church plant sale – carefully chosen by people who know what to look for in a healthy plant. We’ve bought the correct peat-free grow bag, selected an appropriately sunny location, cut the pack and planted…

When Julien Alfred won a gold medal in the 100m at this summer’s Olympic games it was an Olympic first. Many other athletes won gold medals, but she had not. Three other countries achieved their first gold this year, namely, Botswana, Dominica and Guatemala, and three other countries won their first medal of any colour,…