Holiday coming to a close: London 3-4 Aug

Tues 3 August
Today Mike dropped me off at West Wickham station and I headed into town to get some tickets for a show tonight. I went to the discount ticket office in Leicester Square and bought tickets for Jersey Boys. Then I went back to Waterloo and me up with Richard Mallett. I used to work with Richard back in 1988 with the Australian Youth Orchestra. I also stayed with Richard in 1990 when I first came to the UK.

Richard took me back to his place for lunch and I was able to meet his family. We had a lovely catch up, covering all sorts of things, and then Richard took me for a short walk to the Thames, including going through a small market place where Di has a little massage/aromatherapy business.

After that I walked along the Thames past the South Bank arts centre (Royal Festival Hall etc) and then across a footbridge to Charing Cross Station. From there I wandered up to St Martin in the Fields church and had a quick look around. I had arranged to meet M&L at St Martin’s. I had a little bit of extra time so finally got onto Char (boss at New Holland Publishers, 1990-1991) and at least had a telephone chat.

After meeting up with M&L we went down into the St Martin’s crypt, to their cafe, for dinner. Then it was up to the Garrick Theatre for Jersey Boys. It was a great show, and I enjoyed it and found it interesting, not knowing the story of Frankie Valli. But Sister Act is a difficult one to follow, speaking subjectively of course.

After the show we walked back to Charing Cross station via Trafalgar Square. Trafalgar Square currently has a (temporary) hedge maze in the middle of it. Also Lord Nelson has been cleaned since I was last here and is looking very good! There were lots of people around. London really has such a great buzz.

We then caught the train but did not get too far when the driver announced that the line had been closed due to a factory fire further on, and the train would terminate. Unfortunately where the train terminated did not give us many options. We ended up catching two buses to get us back and eventually arrived home about 12.15am.

Wed 4 Aug
This morning I struggled out of bed a bit after 8.30am knowing that I was going to try and Skype my sister about 9am. It turned out Mum was with Karen so I was able to talk to, and see, both of them which was great. During the conversation dear Leslie brought me in a cup of tea in an exquisite bone china cup and very large saucer/plate, along with a liqueur choc. There were lots of FB messages and a couple of text messages. I am very blessed!

We had a very late breakfast. The weather was not looking promising but I needed to go shopping for an extra piece of luggage for my books! So Leslie and I popped into Croydon and I hoped to find something cheap in a Pound shop (equivalent to a $2 shop). I eventually found something that will do that wasn’t too expensive. We needed some sustenance so ended up in the cafe of a local church. They did a great job there. As we left the church to catch the bus home the clouds burst. We had both taken umbrellas and they came in very handy.

When we arrived home Mike had returned from an appointment and we re-convened as to our plans for the day. I had thought about going back into town, having a wander through Hyde Park, and perhaps another show, but the weather was not conducive to this idea. We were all still weary from yesterday’s adventures too, so we had a siesta instead, planning to go to a pub in a country village for supper (dinner) instead.

The drive to the pub was lovely, as was the pub and meal. Then it was home again to a cuppa and birthday cake! A relaxing day really, and in good company!

Holiday: London 31 July - 2 Aug

Sat 31 July

Nicky and I had thought about trying to see a West End show today leaving the boys with Greg, but it all got too hard. Instead Nicky found a free Croydon Summer Festival, just near Mike & Lesley which we thought we’d try. It had a bit of a world music flavour to it, which is always good for me.

It took us about 1.5hrs to get to Mike & Lesley as we came a bit of a roundabout way. However they welcomed us in, cooled us down with drinks and then drove us to the Festival so Nicky could leave the car. As Nicky put it, it was like being dropped off by Mum and Dad! The Festival was great. It’s put on by the Croydon Council and had several stages, workshops, childrens activities etc. We heard a couple of bands and watched a Caildigh (sp?)- a barn dance - before finding our way back to M&L’s on public transport so Nicky could get home. It was sad to say farewell to Nicky, not having any idea when we might see each other again. But it was lovely being back with M&L.

Sun 1 August

This morning the three of us went to Lewin, Streatham Baptist Church, where Mike baptised me back on 1 Dec 1991. Mike retired (!) a few years ago so there’s a new Senior Pastor now but M&L visit occasionally. It was lovely to visit and there were still some people who remembered me from 1991-1992 so it was great to say hello to them. Also great to see 2 of the musicians from back then still ministering.

It was very difficult for M&L to extract themselves as they are still much missed, and loved there. Eventually we did and in the afternoon Sally and Dennis visited. S&D were members of the same housegroup back then, and got married in 1992 just before I returned home. I helped Leslie in the kitchen at the wedding.

We spent a few hours catching up, and reminiscing. They like to remind me of a particular picnic we had at Crystal Palace at an outdoor screening of Robin Hood when I took some homous in film canisters. I obviously didn’t have any other plastic containers so resourcefully used what was at hand, to the great amusement of my friends! Apparently I entertained everyone at a 10 Pin Bowling night as well - I don't remember that at all...


Mon 2 August

M&L had booked for us to go on the London Eye and river trip. We travelled up to London and then joined the masses of people doing the same thing. M&L had done the trip before, but not in peak tourist season! The river cruise went for about 40mins but was great as it went from the western end of the Houses of Parliament to the eastern side of Tower Bridge. There is much to see, on both banks, of that section of the Thames, and the commentary was both interesting and entertaining.

Despite ‘booking’, we still had to join a long queue for the London Eye itself. Essentially it’s a very large ferris wheel, but is an amazing structure, and very tall.

We boarded our ‘pod’ and it takes 30mins to do one complete revolution. If you don’t look down, you don’t notice that you’re moving, but if you do look down, you realise how high you are! It was a great trip, and on a good day you can apparently see for 40 miles. We had a grey day with only bits of sunshine, but it was still great.

After that we wandered around Covent Garden and into a pub well known for its Cornish Pasties, in which we of course had to partake. Monday is not a great day for the markets in Covent Garden, nevertheless there was still quite a good vibe in parts. Again it was nice to re-connect with these places.

Holiday time: East Sussex cont. 28-30 July

Wed 28 July

Nicky worked this morning so I was on ‘lad-sitting’ duties again. We did play a bit of cricket outside but all of us got very hot so had to come inside and recover!

In the afternoon we headed out to Bewl Water which is a large recreation area around a water reservoir. We took Frodo with us so he had fun with all the new sights and smells. The boys had some fun in an adventure playground and we all had a stroll along the shoreline. Then we found a zip-line activity which the boys wanted to try. It was actually quite cheap so they both had a go, being completely harnessed up, climbing a flimsy ladder to the starting podium then jumping off to whizz down the line. Nicky could hardly watch the boys climb the ladder, especially the younger one, James, asking me if he was up there yet???!!! They, of course, had a great time!


Thurs 29 July
Today we set off for Battle, in 1066 Country. Battle is the location of the actual Battle of Hastings in 1066, but Hastings itself is just down the road. Battle Abbey was built under order from William the Conqueror, with the high altar being situated where King Harold was killed. The Abbey itself was closed and subsequently destroyed in Henry VIII’s Reformation activities but much remains of the other buildings including a gate house and dormitories/common room/refectory.

We set off with our little audio tour guides and did the complete tour beginning with a short film explaining what happened on that fateful day of 14 October 1066. The film was very helpful to have in mind as we went around the site. As we came to different points around the grounds the audio tour then described the events and background. Certainly William’s invading army had quite a hill to climb, especially weighed down with chain mail and weaponry. Of course many thousands of men, (and horses) lost their lives that day so it was a sad place. It was also sad that the Abbey itself was no longer standing but good to see the other buildings and reconstruction models of the Abbey.

I learned a great deal including that William’s army was quite a mixed group of Europeans, and that William apparently had Papal blessing to invade. While a matter of great conjecture, it is interesting to consider how England, and indeed the world, might be different had King Harold and his men won the battle that day, and they nearly did.

Both Ed and James were heading off for a sleep-over at different houses in the evening. Once they were off, Nicky & Greg were child-free for the evening – an unusual occurrence. Nicky’s parents popped in for a short visit to say hello. I had stayed with them once at their place in the Cotswolds back in the 1990-1992 period. They moved down to East Sussex about 8 or so years ago and are now about 5 miles from N&G, with Nicky’s sister Tina just around the corner.

N&G are fortunate to have several nice pubs locally so we walked up to one in the middle of the village and sat outside in the lovely garden, and had a wonderful meal. None of us could manage a ‘pudding’ but even so, we virtually rolled home as the meal was rather substantial.

We then relaxed in front of the TV for a little while, Nicky and I complete with tea and chocolate, then fell into bed.

It’s lovely having a decent amount of time with N&G so that we can casually catch up on things.

We also realised, that this week had been full of ‘B’ visiting – Brighton, Bewl and Battle. Of course Hartfield on Monday could be thought of as the Bridge of Pooh (!) to complete the list.

Fri 30 July

Still child free, Nicky went off to work and as I didn’t have any baby-sitting duties I could have a lie-in. Nicky had made an appointment for me with her osteopath at 11am as I was quite desperate. I’d had about 10 days of not being able to turn my head to the left and although that was much improved, one of my knees was particularly bad and keeping me awake at night so it was worth trying. Laura the osteopath was very sweet but decided she couldn’t do much for my knee. However she stretched and released various other things so that was helpful.
Then I went across the road to the village church, quite a large 17th C church, and found Nicky in her office. I had a wander around while she finished off her work (the last day before she herself goes on 4 weeks leave) and ended up running into Father Nigel, the Vicar. Nicky had told him about me, and introduced as earlier, so we had a nice little chat. Then we came home, let Frodo out for a few minutes, then went to the closest pub, all of about 100m up the road, for lunch!

Tonight Nicky and I looked at her photos from Australia back in 1989/1990 and reminisced (and cringed at my hairstyle!)

Tomorrow, it’s time to head back to Mike & Lesley for the last few days before returning home.

Holiday time - Mayfield, East Sussex with Nicky & Greg

Brother Sam drove me in to Sherborne station and I then had a 3-train 4.5hr journey to Crowborough, one of the nearest stations to Mayfield. Nicky and 12yr old son Edward met me at the station. It was a short ride to their home where I then met 9yr old James. I hadn’t met either of the children before so that’s been lovely, rather than just hearing about them. They also have a 4yr old black lab cross border collie called Frodo. Frodo quickly found out I was a soft touch for games etc so I have a new friend. Greg recently finished renovating an outside building that was originally built to house a printing press. It’s now a guest room and a games room, so I can have fun!

Mon 26 July - Winnie the Pooh adventures.
Nicky works for the local Vicar 3 mornings a week so I “lad-sat” for 3.5hrs. My instructions were simply to ensure the boys didn’t kill each other! Together we filled in the time with X-box games and real, outside games including tennis and cricket. The only problem was they told me the cricket rules were that if you hit the ball, you had to run. Mmm ‘run’ – what does that word mean??? I figured that I should be allowed to have Frodo as my runner but he wasn’t particularly helpful in that regard!

In the afternoon we went on a search for Poohsticks bridge, the bridge where Pooh and his friends played Poohsticks. We knew this was not too far away in the village Hartfield, so we set off on our search. We arrived in the village and asked for directions at the Pooh tea shop and set off again into the forest and then on a 20min hike, mostly downhill to Poohsticks bridge. The water level was very low, and a lot of people have been playing Poohsticks so many of our sticks got stuck. Nevertheless we can still say that we played Poohsticks at the Poohsticks bridge. After the hike back uphill we felt it was necessary to return to the Pooh tea house for appropriate refreshments such as Piglet’s cream tea.

Back home Nicky organised ‘supper’ (translation ‘dinner’) which we enjoyed in the balmy, yet still overcast, outdoors.


Tues 27 July - Brighton

Today Nicky drove the boys and I down to Brighton. We walked along the (pebbly) beach front for quite some way passing various amusements and carousels along the way, to get to the famous Brighton Pier. It really is a very long pier. The majority of it is filled with amusements and arcade games which the boys enjoyed for a little while. Then it was fish and chips on the boardwalk before a few moments sitting on the ‘beach’ while the boys went and got their feet wet. It was still quite dull which seemed to mean there were only a few on the beach and even fewer venturing to get wet.

We then headed up into the shopping area which was very, very busy. It was like a completely different Brighton. After a successful little shopping spree for the boys, it was time to return home. Both boys fell asleep in the car so incriminating photos were taken and one has now been uploaded to the desktop of the family PC which, at the time of writing, the boys are yet to see!

Caring for Creation in Crisis, Hilfield Friary, 23-25 July

Fri 23 July: Sheffield to Hilfield Friary

Today I travelled from Sheffield in the middle of the country, to Dorset in the south west. It took 4 trains and just over 5 hours to do so. The connections were all excellent and the most I ever waited for a train was about 10 mins. One needed a few minutes to get from one platform to another anyway! I really am generally impressed with the public transport system, particularly the rail network. The trains themselves are privatised and there are noticeable differences between the companies. (Virgin Rail are definitely the best but they have only been on one of my routes – sadly!) And, today I’ve really noticed the difference of a first class ticket. The 3rd leg was a train with no first class carriage and it was not so pleasant in terms of it being full, hot and very noisy. The other 3 legs I have been in quiet carriages – very nice. First Class is not an option for a lot of people here but the Britrail pass purchased in Australia was a bargain – well worth it.

On arriving in Sherborne I tried to call the Friary to see if someone could pick me up but only an answering machine (for the 2nd time), so I wandered into the village, lugging all my gear, for a quick look around. (I've decided to call my duffle bag Daryl) I went into the Abbey which is rather famous in these parts but didn’t feel like lugging all my gear any further so returned to the station. This time I did get onto the Friary but they didn’t have anyone available until later so I got a quote on a cab fare and chose that option. Of course I then got the cabbie who didn’t know where the Friary was but started driving saying he knew the way to Hilfield. He had to have been one of the most frustrating cabbies ever, at least for me. Anyway, the Friary is well sign-posted so we actually found it without any problem, apart from attitude! I did try and make small talk and have a laugh before we arrived at the Friary, but all with me having to shout!

At the Friary, Brother John showed me to my room which is upstairs in a little thatched cottage so I have diagonal (ie eave) bits either end of my room. There’s a nice little view over to another building with the chook run inbetween. This is only a very small conference ie about 15 of us – so different to last weekend. Andy Lester is the main speaker and Andy has a science background, and is the Conservation Director for A Rocha UK. A Rocha has 5 core components in its work – conservation, community, cross-culture, Christian, co-operation. No projects are purely about conservation, they are all about community and conservation. Their vision is thus: “The transformation of people and places through a movement of individuals and communities caring for God’s world.”

After dinner tonight (thanks to Brother Paul), Andy showed us some photos to introduce both himself and the work of A Rocha. He’s invited us to go on a little walk at 6am. Mmm not sure I’m up for that one... Meanwhile we’re invited to join the community in their daily chapel services, all 4 of them, if we would like. They chant quite a bit of the liturgy – it’s almost a shame to have female voices spoiling the wonderful sound of men singing chants and plainsong.

There’s a bell somewhere just outside my room which just rang and made me jump!

Sat 24 July
Surprisingly to all, including myself, I did manage to get up and join the 6am walking group. For the first part of the walk Andy identified many different bird calls. We were a bit late for the ‘dawn chorus’, nevertheless there were quite a few different birds singing. On our return Andy asked us to reflect on all the different grasses there were, and on the creativity of God.

On our return I had a shower then promptly went back to bed for an hour or so! Up too late last night. Our morning session included a time of silent meditation and a reflection on rest, play and work by Simon Bignall, local Parish Priest. (For those who know Bishop George Browning, Simon replaced +George, which of course also means that +George is well known and well-loved here).

Simon had been asking himself what he in his role, and the church can contribute to environmental concerns. The answer he came up with, was worship because worship leads to transformation.

Andy’s next session was set in the framework of a story of a particular swallow family. I’m going to write this out in full as I think it’s worth it. This family was tracked in 2009.
5/4 Hugo returns to last year’s nest
12/4 Carine returns and starts repairing nest (the female does most of the work!)
20/4 Carine lays 5 eggs
23/4 eggs eaten by rat
5/5 Carine lays 4 new eggs
20/5 3 eggs hatch
12/6 Donald, (first of the three), leaves nest
14/6 Suzi and Whisky leave nest
20/6 parents Hugo and Carine stop feeding them
5/7 Hugo departs on the long journey to S.Africa
8/7 Carine follows. The youngsters depart together soon after. It’s a 20,000km round trip and it’s a mystery how the youngsters find their way. They often end up within 15 miles of their parents in a country and continent to which they’ve never been. Incredible.
20/7 Hugo shot at over France, but survives with damaged tail feathers.
9/8 Suzi shot dead over Spain. Both France and Spain shoot swallows and pickle them as a delicacy.
12/9 In Morocco 2 children watch Donald drink from dirty water.
3/11 Hugo arrives at Shaken Rock Natal, Sth Africa. Carine arrives 2 weeks later – she was held up by a sandstorm in Namibia.
19/11 Donald arrives
20/11 Whisky found dead by a vulture.

Do swallows matter? Should we care? Scripture suggests yes. (eg Is 40:11, 40:26)

These little birds weigh less than 1 oz, and yet have a 20,000km migration route. 90% of them don’t make it, and their numbers are declining principally due to loss of habitat. This is just one story of very many.

Outside the chapel entrance here at the friary is a little nest of swallows. (You have to be careful how you walk under it!) There are 3 chicks in it. It is hard to imagine that soon they will be out flying, and then heading off to South Africa. Say a prayer for them.

This afternoon we had a couple of options and I did a little yoga session with Andy and another lady. Tonight we went hunting for bats with a bat detector. Andy was able to identify 2 different species from their sounds. We even heard their warning noise when their sonar detected us! A moth trap box has been set up and we’ve just been viewing what moths are around. So far there have been at least 6 different species – some very pretty such as the Mother of Pearl.

Again, there is much to reflect on. The topic is different to last weekend, and yet what is so clear, is humanity’s need to do something about the problems humanity has caused. One of my concerns and observations has been that so often addressing any of the biodiversity and climate change issues, has been for the sake of humanity – if we don’t address this, humanity won’t survive. What I like about the A Rocha and Franciscan approach, is that all of creation has value in itself. The sparrow is of great worth to its Creator, as is all of creation.

Sun 25 July

The day began with checking out the moths in the moth trap. The moth trap consisted simply of a light, a box, some glass and a bunch of empty egg cartons for the moths to hide in. This morning there were moths in the egg cartons, on the glass and on the outside of the box. One of the people on the weekend is someone who does surveys of moths and butterflies so she and Andy together set about identifying them and counting them. They identified over 40 different species – some of them were extraordinary. Hopefully I will continue to be more appreciative of moths in the future.

We joined the community for Sunday Eucharist service followed by breakfast. Andy offered the opportunity of joining in a structured meditation outside in which we spent time on our backs looking at the sky, then upright looking at the mountains, then on our tummy looking at the grass and the hidden life within it. Near me emerged a gorgeous beetle, possibly a mint beetle, which glistened in the sunlight.

I walked through the fruit and vegetable garden in which there were some beautiful butterflies. I tried to photograph them but they tended not to settle so I had little success.

We again gathered with the whole community for lunch, which was the only meal in which meat, in this case chicken, had been offered. I couldn’t eat the chicken.

Our time together then concluded with a simple sharing session of any reflections people wanted to share with the group. I ended up sharing about a Psalm that was set for Morning Prayer on Saturday, Psalm 57. When I read it, I read it from the perspective of a creature, and in particular a swallow as we had been talking about, and watching, them. I read it to the group with this in mind which they all appreciated.

During the meditation time I also wrote a poem. I never write poetry so perhaps I shouldn’t call it a poem. Nevertheless, it is what came to me in the meditation as I could hear a chainsaw in the distance and the cracking of a tree.

Chainsaws beating,
Beating very fast.
Chainsaws cutting
Carving
Destroying
Illuminating
Felling

Chainsaw refugees
Birds, insects, lichens
How far must they travel?
Will they be welcomed
Or turned away?

They say home is where the heart is.
What homes have we destroyed?
What homes have we provided?

The heart of creation beats,
Beats with the heart of Christ
Slowly,
Tenderly,
Majestically.

Chainsaws beating,
Beating very fast

Creation bleeding.
Christ weeping.

Beat

Beat


Beat

Thurs 22 July - Castleton, Peak District

This morning it was pouring and not encouraging to venture out. However, I did take David’s advice and caught a local bus up into the Peak District, to a little village called Castleton. This is a popular village, for day visitors and hikers alike, principally due to its cave systems, a castle and a mountain. The trip out there was on a standard double-decker but so I went upstairs, at the front, to get the best view. Opposite me were a couple from Fisher, Canberra! We couldn’t see very much due to the rain but what we could see was lovely. As it was a domestic bus route, there were various detours into villages, some with such narrow streets that if there were no windows, I could have touched the wall on either side of the bus.

Castleton itself is a lovely little village and has made the most of tourism with many pubs and cafes, jewellery and gift stores. It wasn’t quite lunchtime so I thought I’d have a ‘cream tea’. Sadly I chose probably the one place to have it that was a total disappointment. It was in a pub and the pub itself was gorgeous, and award winning for the last 2 years, but I suspect the awards were not for its cream teas. The scone was cold (felt refrigerated), was very flat and had been cut in half. It was served with a pot of cream and one of those little packaged tubs of jam, and the tea was served with long-life milk. Now I can understand long-life milk in hotel rooms, but not in a place offering in-house meals. It was so unnecessary to have all that packaging, and surely there is plenty of home-made jam around even if they didn’t make it themselves. So, I left most of it. Of course just a bit further along the road was a place advertising home-made scones, home-made jam etc!

It was still raining quite heavily and my daypack was getting soaked, despite my umbrella, so I had to go into an outdoor store and purchase a cover for it. I walked to the nearest cave. For me it was very disappointing – I’ve been spoiled by Jenolan Caves. The best thing about this one was its resident border collie, Jake. Jake requested someone throw a stick for him while we were awaiting the tour to start. Guess who responded to his request??? He was then part of the tour and went ahead and sat in particular places for the guide to point to, or demonstrate something. A miniature poodle was also on the tour with his family but he got a little distressed by the experience so was carried from time to time! I do so love how dogs are welcome everywhere. Even the village church has a sign on the door saying dogs (on a lead) were welcome.

By the time I got on the bus to return to Sheffield, the rain had stopped and there were a few breaks in the clouds. I came back on a different bus route which was just lovely and saw some picturesque landscapes.

Tomorrow it’s about a 6hr journey down to Dorset (SW England) for another conference.

I have only had access to a TV for a few days on this trip and there are a larger number of free-to-air stations but the programming is appalling. The Brit’s can make such good television, yet that’s not what they are showing.

Liverpool and Sheffield

Tues 20 July - Liverpool

Today again began overcast but at least wasn’t raining so I walked back up to St Luke’s to take photos of the garden. After that I walked to Crosby train station (I should have had a pedometer today!), and caught the train into Liverpool. As I emerged from the station, I discovered it had begun to rain. My new umbrella was to get a good work-out. I walked down to Albert Dock which, amongst other things, is home to “The Beatles Story”. I figured I could not visit Liverpool without doing something Beatles-esque. The exhibition was good and when I came out, it was absolutely pouring. I then headed up to the Anglican Cathedral. This Cathedral is the 4th largest in Europe, and the largest Anglican Cathedral anywhere in the world. And big it certainly was! The architect wanted people not to admire his stonework, but his spaces. I did the audio tour (wear a headset and listen to commentary at various spots) which was very good. The last ‘station’ was to climb a bridge in the middle of the cathedral. A guide took me up and it certainly gave a different perspective of the space. After I said goodbye to my guide when we were on the ground again, I heard a voice say “Hello, Leigh”. It was Mark Burnett, a student at St Mark’s. How bizarre is that?! I knew Mark was doing some travelling through Europe but had no idea Liverpool was on his itinerary, nor when.

It was then 5pm so time to head back to Jan & Steve’s. I found my way back to the station to discover there was chaos with trains being cancelled etc. “Don’t look at the boards” said one staff, “just listen to the announcements.”! I did get a train quite quickly as it turned out. Jan picked me up from the station and drove me to the beach to have a quick look at the “Other Place” iron men. This is a public art work of 100 (?) life-size figures standing along the beach at various intervals. They all look out to sea and at various depths so, depending on the tide, some may only have their head showing. Due to the rain we could hardly see any, and chose not to get out of the car - I was already damp! Interestingly there were also wind turbines that they have put about 5km out to sea. We could scarcely see those either.

It turned out that the rain was so heavy that Steve had a great deal of trouble getting home. Later we saw news that streets of houses were literally flooded, people had to be evacuated etc and only 2 suburbs away.

Steve & Jan and other church leaders were gathering for dinner at a local Italian place, and they invited me along. I caused a great stir when I asked for a “Lemon, lime and bitters” to drink. The waiter said he would go and ask the bar. The barman came over and asked if I was Australian! I didn’t know the drink would have given me away. The barman had worked in a bar in Australia so knew what to do. When my drink arrived, at least half the gathered group had to have a taste to see what it was like. Various expressions such as “oooh that’s nice/refreshing” etc followed. It was a lovely evening. Additionally Agnes, whom I’d met yesterday, gave me a copy of a book from their local Bishop, “Jesus and the Earth.” Steve and Jan also gave me a copy of a book by the Director of A Rocha. Such lovely people, hospitality and generosity - I am very blessed.


Wed 21 July - Sheffield

This morning I said waved goodbye to the lovely Jan & Steve as they went off to work. I packed up and headed off on my journey back East, to Sheffield. I came to Sheffield to meet with David Hughes, the Eco-Congregation coordinator for England/Wales. I didn’t arrive until 2pm but David kindly had starved himself waiting for my arrival to have lunch! We met up and had a good chat and then when David had to go, I had a little wonder around the city, and managed to get a little lost, for a short while. Sheffield is not set-up for tourists like Liverpool which was very well signposted.

Tomorrow I hope to go for a little trip into the Peak District, as suggested by David.

Mon 19 July - Crosby (Eco-Congregation)

It may have been a day-dream, but I really thought I saw the sun this morning. However by the time I began walking up to St Luke’s, it was overcast, but very humid. Steve had kindly arranged for me to meet with 2 people. The first was Paul Beardsmore who is the leader of the Eco-Congregation team at St Luke’s. The Eco-Congregation project is actually separate to the grounds project, yet of course there are many overlaps, including team members. Paul and his wife Jillian first launched the idea of taking up the Eco-Congregation scheme only 2 years ago. Initially there was very little interest in joining his team, but there was general encouragement for the ideas involved. Slowly but surely a team was built and they now have 9 on the team. The first thing an Eco-congregation must to is complete a check-list / audit. Paul asked each ministry team leader to complete one for their group. Compiling these allowed Paul to identify the common areas that could become their focus for the first 3 modules required to complete. Each church is different but St Luke’s chose to focus on worship, grounds and personal lifestyle. When they felt it was appropriate, the audit forms were completed for the second time and compared. Representatives from Eco-Congregation then came out and assessed the church as to how much had changed, or been achieved in that time, and whether it was sufficient for their first Eco-Award. It was! This then encouraged them to tackle other areas.

As I spoke with Paul several aspects began to emerge with more clarity.
1. The Eco Congregation system provides an overall tool, or a lens, for all green issues.
2. It provides achievable steps.
3. It teaches people what difference they personally can make.

This diocese has a pro-active Bishop, +James Jones, and a very encouraging Priest, Pete Spiers.

Together Paul and I then met up with Agnes. Agnes is head of the Welcoming Team for St Luke’s, and a passionate member of the Groundforce team. She first showed me a display of the progress of the garden in their hall, and another display of old bottles they had found when digging the ‘bog’ garden. Someone had researched the history of these bottles and consequently provided very interesting information on each one.

We then had lunch at Crossroads Cafe. Crossroads Cafe is a story in itself. It’s run by the ‘Great Crosby Group of Churches’ which consists of 6 Crosby churches. Crossroads Cafe is on the edge of the site of St Luke’s, but has been built by, and run by this ecumenical group. There is one paid manager but the rest are volunteers so prices are very low. It gets used by all sorts of groups out of normal cafe hours as well. Back to lunch.

We conversed on various topics, meanwhile watching the rain increase. Another lady, Ann, was working furiously outside the window as well. Sometimes the local council drops off pots of flowers which are leftovers from when they replace all the ones hanging from lamp-posts etc. This morning they had dropped off 2 big trays of pots but asked that they be planted in public space, almost equivalent to a median strip. So, Ann was busily doing so! She personally cares for this particular area of the grounds so takes special care of it.

I had wanted to take photos (having not done so last night hoping for better light today), but the rain kept getting heavier, and I didn’t have my coat or an umbrella. I decided to have a wander around the little village, ducking into a few shops for cover, hoping that the rain would ease and I could go back to the garden. I wandered in circles for nearly 2 hours, and, much to my chagrin, was forced to purchase an umbrella!

Finally I gave up on the rain clearing so heading back to Steve and Jan’s. Apart from heading in the completely wrong direction to begin with, I also realised that I had no idea what street number they were. Normally I have quite a good sense of direction, and am quite sensible about making at least a mental note of things like house numbers, local landmarks etc, but today I hadn’t. Travelling from the west coast, to the east coast, and back to the west coast, has got me quite confused, especially without being able to see the sun for assistance! Many of the houses look alike so I had to try and remember what the front door looked like. I tried my key in one door but it failed. So I kept going until I found what I then knew to be the right place, and the key worked!

Sun 18 July: Peace & Justice Conference, Day 3, plus Crosby.

Another very full, and thought-provoking day.

The first session began with two ‘witnesses’. It is great to hear these different stories. The first represented ‘Transition towns’ and was a farmer who has chosen to return to traditional farming methods including the use of horse-drawn plough. He has an aim of producing bread with a nil carbon footprint. The second was a young woman who had begun a wholefood shop called ‘Soundbites’. They support alternative models of food. Not only do they support LOAF principles but when the big chains introduce a Fair trade item (which is good), they will source other items from smaller producers.

Then came the most amazing lady, Vandana Shiva with a plenary entitled ‘The Future of Food’. Vandana had been part of ‘The Big Food Debate’ last night, but hearing her in full swing was amazing. What a powerhouse!

Vandana is a scientist by background and been an activist for justice since the 80’s, particularly for her local Indian people. She was particularly affected by an event in 1984 when the Army invaded a temple. Extremist violence followed with 20,000 killed.
Vandana suggested that agriculture had turned into warfare, and then explained her reasoning. She spoke of GMO crops and how scientists actually concluded this was not a good process, it was not science at all. Science actually says that genes are in relationship. Genetic modification is not science. But the big companies promote it as they are making big profits, at the expense of the poor farmers, and their communities. The so-called ‘high yield’ crops are only high yield under perfect conditions, are extremely water demanding and creating a public health crisis through the use of fertilizers and herbicides/pesticides, and limiting the variety of crops grown to rice and wheat. Pesticides were originally created with the purpose of killing people. They still do, and certainly make them sick, and of course, like with antibiotics, ‘super’ bugs and weeds develop.

Vandana spoke of her distress over her people in Punjab, in northern India. There is now a daily train known as the cancer train. Every day it is crowded with people travelling to a cancer hospital. The rates of cancer in this area are extraordinarily high. Here is just one link to a story on the cancer train. This is due to the pesticides used in the so-called Green Revolution in the 60’s and 70’s when farmers were told to switch to the American way of farming with pesticides, herbicides and high-yielding seeds. Check out the following for a report. Apart from the cancer rates, what is very telling is the loss of wildlife, and hence biodiversity, which is so crucial.
http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=103569390


The fertilizers are produced in old bomb-making factories. As we know, fertilizers are still used as a component of bombs. It is a fallacy to think that soil fertility comes from commercial fertilizers, as the PR machine says.

The big companies take out patents out on seeds preventing others selling seeds. These seeds are full of chemicals.

Vandana reminded us of Dolly the sheep – claimed to be a miracle at the time and the company who produced her claimed to be God. Dolly is dead and so is the company.

Scientists who do present findings of adverse affects such as brain shrinkage, increased pancreas etc as was found in rats from GMO food, are thrown out. This happened to a UK scientist who was employed by the British government. There are many other such stories.

A US study produced a report titled “Failure to Yield” about the failure of GMO crops and biotech methods. The report and various other comments etc can be read here (amongst other places)
http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/science/failure-to-yield.html
One of Vandana’s projects has been to establish seed banks. They have gone to many isolated places to get the best, purest seed possible. They now have 54 seed banks.

Vandana said that we needed to not try to cheat nature – that would never work. Instead if we implement ecological agricultural methods, this will address climate change, unemployment, water use, health issues and poverty.

At the end of this plenary Vandana received a standing ovation.

We then had a final Plenary in the form of another Panel session in which members responded to questions submitted previously, and from the floor. There were several interesting things that came up in this session. One was on population control. It was noted that, at least in some countries, populations were stable until people started losing their land. When that happened, they had more children. As one farmer said “The landlord can buy a tractor, the dispossessed can only have children.” That was eye-opening to me. I often wondered why starving people would choose to bring children into a starving situation. (The same happens in our own society with some unemployed struggling people having more and more babies. Is it just for the welfare payments? Or is it because it’s the only thing they have control over, the only thing that might bring some joy and dignity?)

Some might blame the lack of availability of birth control in some nations (especially Catholic nations), but this offers a different perspective. And it wasn’t said by a Catholic, but a Quaker! (Interestingly he noted that Italy was not actually replacing itself in terms of population. So either they were all being naughty Catholics, or there was some other reason for it.) He also mentioned that some places have barbaric regulation methods. Women will be forced to have and IUD or equivalent inserted which she cannot remove. Others go to the GP with a cold and come out sterilized.

There was much more, but I’ll finish this with a story from one of the Panel, Mary Colwell. Mary used to film wildlife documentaries. Above the Arctic circle there is a species of eider, called the spectacled eider. On a particular small island they filmed 4 females nesting, hatching etc. The females returned to the same nest each year. The year after filming all 4 were found shot in their nest. That hadn’t been killed for food, just, presumably, sport. Mary asked: “Would Jesus, had he been walking on the island and discovered them, have wept?”

Most, if not all of the 400 conference delegates responded in the affirmative.

Vandana concluded that justice and peace are entwined with the integrity of creation.

Again, so much to think about. I hope this taster gives you some food for thought also.

After lunch we were taken back to Derby train station. I then had a 3.5 hr journey with 2 changes to get to Crosby, north of Liverpool. Steve and Jan Matthews, with whom I’d only been in contact with via email, had offered to host me for a couple of nights which is just lovely. They met me at the railway station and we went straight to St Luke’s, Crosby, for the evening service. Some people reading this will be surprised to hear me say this but, it was good to be ‘home’ again with an Anglican liturgy. ( I surprise myself!)

It was a pity that there was a clash, but only that very morning the St Luke’s grounds project had been officially launched or opened by the Bishop of Liverpool Diocese, +James Jones. So they’d all had a very big day too. After the service I had a good chat with Rev Pete Spiers, Vicar of the Parish, who gave me some of the background of the grounds project, and also Eco-congregation.

Steve and Jan then took me to their home, via another couple from the church, and consequently we all had a very late evening/early morning!

Sat 17 July – Food glorious food ...or is it???

What a big day, with much to reflect on. I’m still at this Peace & Justice conference with its theme of Food Security. What follows will be a bit of a summary of the day but I cannot attempt to put everything in.

As mentioned yesterday, this is predominantly a Catholic event, however an ecumenical Morning Prayer service was held this morning, led by a female Anglican priest, Sarah, and I read one of the readings. It was a mini ‘Lamas’ liturgy.

Our morning session began with a couple of ‘witnesses’ or testimonial stories. One was a refugee from Uganda. She told us how her family and community had been decimated by the cutting down of all the trees. She didn’t say this but I found out later that many of her family were killed, and she fled. It took the UK Government 3 years to consider her refugee application (sound familiar?) and her application for asylum was denied. She was detained in a prison for 3 months but a local MP and charity workers secured her release. However she was not allowed to work, so she and her children were totally reliant on charities – for food, accommodation, everything. There were no choices about food, just desperation.

The next plenary speaker was Fr Shay Cullen SSC, a past Nobel Peace Prize nominee). His talk was entitled “Can fair trade help feed a hungry world?” Shay’s story was quite amazing. He has been working in the Philippines since 1969 where he found a huge sex industry amongst women and children, related to the US military bases there.

Shay suggested that impoverished people have eroded souls. Fair trade then, is not just about buying and selling commodities, but about human dignity, and justice. 1 billion people go to sleep hungry tonight, all around the world in both developing and developed countries with the highest percentage of 642 million in Asia. There has been a very large increase (146 million) just in the last couple of years. Shay explained the importance of nutrition to a child before 3 yrs of age and how undernourished children will suffer brain damage. 5.4 million children die per year from hunger.

Shay then brought things a little closer to home for the locals. Women are being brought in from Eastern Europe and sold at Stansted Airport as sex slaves. Hunger has caused them to be so very vulnerable.

Shay also challenged us with the idea that Food Security exists for developed nations, at the expense of the developing/poor nations. Developed nations purchase much land to grow their own food. Land is often also turned into growing fuel crops eg sugar for ethanol, rather than for growing food.

Part of Shay’s work was to coordinate the beginnings of a dried mango factory in the Philippines as they had had excesses of mangoes which were fed to animals or tossed out. Now there are homes for children and women victims of sexual abuse. Children are rescued from prisons and given a new home and opportunities. We were given a sample of the dried mango that they now export – yum!

Next we had another couple of ‘witnesses’. One was a professional ballet dancer who was taught to loathe food, weighing herself twice a day, taking laxatives and diet pills. Food became her enemy. This story presented a different challenge but one that is prevalent in our society. How do we change people’s attitudes towards food? How can we encourage healthy eating and healthy sizes – even for ballerinas?

The next plenary speaker was Elizabeth Dowler, University of Warwick, member of the Iona Community, and Food Ethics Council.

Elizabeth suggested that we could use food/nutrition as a lens for looking at society.

In the UK and other similar nations, the “world comes to us on a plate”, and we are unaware of sources, components etc. Although many complain that food is expensive here, it is relatively cheap because other people, and the environment, pay the price. The UK imports 50% of its food, the majority of which is fruit/vegetables.

However, for those struggling with money, food is the most ‘flexible’ item on the budget. Utilities bills etc tends to be the priority. This means that people can’t afford to make mistakes with the food that they have, so they tend not to experiment or create variety.

Elizabeth also noted that the Scandinavian and German governments both advocate for eating less meat.

After lunch (speaking of food!) we had 2 workshops. There were many to choose from but I went to “LOAF on a budget” and “Is meat a moral matter?”. LOAF stands for local, organic, animal friendly, fair trade. They are general principles but ones in which we can try to incorporate into our budget and lives. We know that organic and free range food is often more expensive than the alternatives, so one suggestion for LOAF on a budget was to set aside a percentage of your food budget to be spent this way. Give yourself achievable goals but worth making an effort rather than thinking it’s all too hard. Buying as a group is also worthwhile considering eg getting a group of neighbours together, or church folk and buy in bulk, take turns to go to farmers market etc.

The “Is meat a moral matter?” workshop essentially assumed everyone should be vegan or vegetarian. As most people were already, I guess it seemed fair enough. One reason given was that you cannot have a non-violent piece of meat. So there is the matter of the animals themselves, their right to life etc. Then there’s the methane emissions, the amount of water required, and the amount of land required for meat production.

After my vegetarian evening meal, we had “The Big Food Debate”. This was great as it highlighted different issues from different perspectives. They debated whether organic farming could feed the world. They talked about technology and how high technology can be used badly so ends up being very low technology. For instance thousands of people have been killed by pesticides.

There was affirmation that nutrition content is higher in ecological systems.

There was discussion of GM (genetically modified) crops, and whether they had value or not.

They did however seem to agree on the need for good soil. Carbon can be buried. Water can be conserved by the biggest dam in the world – humous enriched soil. Whereas, fertilizers strip the soil and it can no longer hold any moisture increasing the amount of irrigation required.

There was a call for funding into soil/crop biodiversity rather than GM crops. For instance, 5678 species are said to exist in a rice ecosystem.

We were challenged to be change merchants and to be conscious consumers.

After all of that was the option of a dance or a drink at the bar (this is a very civilized church conference centre!). I went and watched the dance for a while – essentially a barn dance, then came in to write this. It’s late and I’ve realised how sleep deprived I really am!

So, with all of that food for thought, I bid you good night.

Fri 16 July – Conference 1

Fri 16 July – Conference 1

I said goodbye to the Reid family, and Gill, and Ewan kindly drove me to the train station but took the country laneways route, rather than the motorway. It was lovely to see a bit more of Kirrilee’s ‘charge’ and their setting.

Train then to Derby with a change in York. I had to settle for a view of Yorkminster from the train and a glimpse from the station! It was an all day journey and finally arrived at the conference centre around 6pm. This conference is the annual Peace & Justice conference put on by the National Peace and Justice Network, a Roman Catholic organisation. The conference is entitled: Our Daily Bread: Food Security, People, and Planet.

After a vegetarian dinner (all meals vegetarian except Sat night if one chose to have the ethically locally sourced lamb – I’m still to find out what ethical slaughtering really is...) we went up to the main hall for the opening session. There are approx 400 delegates here in all. Most are Roman Catholics but there are certainly others, but I am the only Aussie as far as I can tell. Tonight’s speaker, Alistair Macintosh, was originally a Presbyterian, now Quaker. He grew up on one of the Hebridean islands (Isle of Lewis) and has a particular focus on soil and community. Entitled “Food as Sacred Relationship”, he began with a quote from George McLeod (founder of the Iona community)
“Only a demanding common task builds community.” I was reflecting on this a few months ago thinking how disasters build community – common experience of grief, loss, rebuilding (eg Victorian bushfires), but what are the good, positive things that really build community? (Rhetorical question for now!)

Something else I had been reflecting on a lot recently was the saying of ‘grace’ before/after meals and how, to me, it misses the mark. Alistair commented that ‘we struggle to say grace because we have no relationship with the food’. We have no knowledge of its source, whether exploitation was involved in its production, etc. He did not elaborate on what he meant by exploitation, but to me it includes – human labour, animals (eg factory farming in particular), the soil itself.

Alistair gave us all much food for thought, so to speak. He spoke of how our food supply is driven by oil – many shops only carry stock for, possibly 2 days – they rely on daily deliveries. He gave examples of shopkeepers on the islands having great difficulty if the ferries do not run, such as in unforseen bad weather. Because we are all importers and exporters of goods, the fuel miles are astronomical.

Alistair suggested we needed to regain resilience, as was known in the first half of the 20th C, and earlier. The advent of technology including rapid transport, has meant we have lost resilience. There were 3 factors:
1. Ecosystems: We need to stop depleting natural resources such as fish stocks.
2. Knowledge: we need to be re-grounded, get our hands dirty, and grow in knowledge of how things work. Past generations knew how to store a crop of potatoes in a ditch, under hay and then soil on top. These days, we have no idea.
3. A resilience of spirit, and of soil. We need to consume in such a way that we can resolve such consumption in our own heart, whether it be animal welfare issues, or fair trade etc.

In the Q&A that followed, although figures vary, it is estimated that we are losing 100 species per day. And it is us, the intelligent (!) human species that is causing it. I suspect that tomorrow will offer many further challenges.

Iona & Glencarse 13-15 July

Tues 13 July
I was up early enough to enjoy a quick breakfast downstairs and then head to Glasgow Queen St station at 8am in order to get the 8.21 train to Oban. This was about a 4hr journey which took us through the most spectacular scenery. At times we travelled alongside lochs and other times inbetween high mountains. Various breeds of sheep could be seen at most heights, and it was all very green. I have not been to Scandinavia but the terrain with the lochs and mountains certainly made me thing it was similar scenery.

We arrived in Oban then it was directly onto the ferry to Craignure on the Isle of Mull, a journey of about 50min. This is a large passenger and vehicle ferry. Like in so many places in the UK, dogs are allowed, so there were several out on one of the main passenger decks. They were all very well behaved, although one gorgeous golden retriever was a little stressed, and I suspect would have crawled onto his owner’s lap if he wasn’t so big.

I met a lovely young American woman on the ferry, Kristin. We then travelled together on the bus across the island of Mull, another hour’s journey, to Fionhport. Iona was now in sight, with only a 5 min ferry road to go. Kristin is a medical student, currently on holidays, and visiting her friend who works on Iona.

Once we reached Iona we went our separate ways. I found my way to the B&B which Kirrilee had booked for us, and Gill was there to meet me. Kirrilee was on a walking pilgrimage tour of the island but returned not long after. We had afternoon tea at a cafe followed by a little walk around including a quick visit to the Iona Abbey shop before it closed. From there we walked to the northern end of the island and, while rather grey and overcast, could get a glimpse of the sun starting to make its journey toward the horizon.

Dinner was at the same cafe as afternoon tea and was amazing. The produce used is all fresh, local, fair-trade produce. We passed several of the gardens owned by various proprietors. The seafood is from around the island, and the meat is from the Isle of Mull opposite. It was just wonderful. How food can taste so naturally good when it’s home grown!

Kirrilee and I went off to Evening Prayer at the Abbey, my first visit to the Abbey. It was a simple but rather beautiful service of prayer for healing (every Tuesday night). We were all rather tired then so it was time to head to bed.

Wed 14 July
This morning we woke to rain and wind. I had managed to sleep in and consequently missed Morning Prayer in the Abbey – will have to set my alarm for tomorrow! Both Gill and Kirrilee made it however and afterwards we went for a walk to the western side of the island (we’re on the eastern side). It was rather blustery but the rain had stopped. The west side has the most beautiful coloured rocks on the sand. We explored and picked up various rocks, and chose a few to bring back with us. The scenery along the way was domesticated in terms of there being occasional farmhouses and quite a few sheep, yet it also felt very wild – possibly something to do with the wind!

Gill and I had wanted to go to Staff Island. (This had been recommended to me by Ron and Marion in Fairlie). They usually have both morning and afternoon trips. After lunch, Gill and I did go off on a trip. Earlier in the day I had given in trying to make do with layers of summer clothes, and purchased a fleece – I just didn’t bring warm clothes with me. Fortunately I did bring a coat, so with the fleece and coat, I was OK. The captain told us when we got on that it would be fairly rough today, and that those in the open air at the back would get very wet, so we decided to sit inside the cabin. We quickly went over to Fionnphort to pick up a few more people, then hugged the Mull coastline for a little while hoping to see some seals, which we did, thanks to the captain. The bigger older seals just lay looking quite bored, ignoring us, but the smaller younger seals jumped into the water and swam towards us to check us out. We also watched a number of gannets who were having the most wonderful feed. They didn’t look that large but their wing span is 6 ft. They hover above the water and then dive suddenly into the water for their catch, then up into the air again. Amazing birds to watch. Then it was out into open sea.

This wasn’t a very large boat and it certainly rolled a lot, and the people at the back definitely got wet. The crewman ensured they all had waterproof jackets on and even provided a couple of tarps to put over them.

I don’t normally get seasick but I was very glad when we got the Staffa. We had hopes of seeing Puffins on the island, but also wanted to see Fingal’s cave (made famous by Mendelssohn in his Hebrides symphony). Gill and I started on the walk to the north end of the island, the most likely place to find puffins, but after about 20 mins struggling in the wind, we decided to head back the other way to go to Fingal’s cave. We at least knew that we would see that, whereas puffins were not a certainty, and we only had an hour on the island. The path to the cave was along this basalt columns. They were just extraordinary. Many of them were hexagonal in shape and all fitted neatly together like in a perfect game of tetris. At times the path was very narrow and we were glad that the wind was blowing us into the cliff face rather than the other way! Once we got to the cave Gill and I had it to ourselves. We sang a little (Shout to the Lord, Duncan Alleluia, Hallelujah chorus) and it had a marvellous echo. It also made its own sounds, we think from a blow hole at the end of the cave.

The return trip wasn’t quite as wet and ‘rolly’ as the way over, but still had its moments. Two of the guests were a mother and child about 3-4yrs old. The child was very seasick on the way over but picked up on the island. They were staying at a cottage a reasonable walk from the Fionnphort jetty so the captain decided we’d try to drop them off. There wasn’t a proper wharf, just an outcrop of rocks with a piece of rope strung along. Our friendly crewperson straddled the water with one foot on the boat, and one on the rocks with his intention being to pass the child over. Unfortunately the boat drifted away from the rocks and he was doing the splits until he had no alternative but to jump in. All Gill and I saw at the time was this big splash, we only found out the details later. We did see him clamber up onto the rocks quickly but then others were fishing for something, we didn’t know what. It turned out to be his yellow wellington boot that he’d lost in the process. So they fished it out, and he tipped it out before putting back on. Poor bloke but he was very good humoured about it, reckoning the water wasn’t cold, and that we should go for a swim!

We had a fabulous dinner at one of the hotels, again with all local and very fresh produce (they too grow their own vegetables), then straight to Evening Prayer in the Abbey. Tonight’s service included a reflection on doors – what was our front door like (we were invited to draw it) and asked to consider how it related to or represented us. Later we were invited to reflect on different doors, and particularly the door of our heart. What is our response when we hear Jesus knocking at our door? A lovely guided reflection. It is still overcast and breezy outside, making it feel wild, but good. We’ve also heard that there has been much rain over much of Scotland so we are very grateful that the rain held off for us after breakfast.

Iona is a special place and I would certainly like to come back and spend more time here. The island also has Fair Trade accreditation, and it is so wonderful to see the local produce, and the taste of it is so very good. Last night and tonight the meals were an experience for the tastebuds, worth savouring every mouthful. I could get used to this... But it didn’t need to be complicated either. A simple green salad can taste so good with various lettuce leaves picked that day. The fish comes from sustainable sources. All very encouraging.

Thurs 15 July
I knew that today we had to catch the 10.45 ferry which was earlier than I had anticipated and there was much I still wanted to see and explore. So I got up at 6.30am and was out by 7am hoping breakfast would have started then, but alas it hadn’t. So I went off for a walk intending to go to the northern point of the island. I only walked a few hundred metres into the grounds of the ruins of the Nunnery to take a few photos when my camera battery died. So I thought I’d return to our room, put it on charge and hopefully breakfast would be available at 7.30am. No such luck. So I found a quiet place not far from our room sitting on some rocks overlooking the sea and read my Bible, reflected and prayed, then returned again hoping for breakfast, and at least a partially charged camera battery. Breakfast was finally available at 8am which I gulped down, then headed off with my battery! Back to the Nunnery and then to the Abbey which I hadn’t had a good look at yet. I had the time to wander around, spend some time in a tiny stand alone chapel, light some candles for different people, then head in for Morning Prayer. And aren't cloisters just fabulous places???!!!

This morning I was able to sit in the choir stalls which was much further forward then I’d been previously for Evening Prayer. It was lovely. After Morning Prayer it was a dash around to take a few more photos, and a quick trip into a couple of shops as well. There were so many books I wanted to get but the thought of trying to cart them around was just too much. I am of course hoping that the ones I have bought will be useful once I get home!

It was time to get the first ferry and then jump into Gill’s hire car. (Visitor’s cars are not allowed on the island of Iona, only residents and service vehicles). It was a lovely drive back across the island of Mull with a few sudden stops. It is a single lane road with passing spots. Fortunately these passing spots are regular but even so, sometimes you meet someone just at the wrong time so it can be necessary to stop and reverse a bit. Arriving in Craignure we lined up for the ferry. Although we had time to spare, there were many vehicles already lined up. When the ferry arrived at the wharf we watched its bow rise up, then the ramp come down – quite an engineering feat and very weird seeing the bow of the boat up in the air! Again a wonderful trip back across to the mainland arriving in Oban. Kirrilee cleverly spotted a seal on the way who was obviously on a mission, no playing around or checking us out – s/he was on a course.

Once in Oban we stopped to grab a cup of fresh, and very cheap, seafood from a trailer for lunch then headed to Perthshire. Like the train journey from Glasgow to Oban, the scenery was spectacular. There are so very many streams coming down the mountains – one wonders how there can be so much water up the top of the mountain to feed them. But many of them were covered by low cloud too.

We arrived back at Kirrilee’s home approx 5.30pm. Ewan had prepared a very tasty dinner with 2 Indian curries. The 3 children displayed their joy of having their Mum home again (she’d been away since Sunday night), in different ways. Kirrilee showed me around, including her church which is situated just in front of the rectory.
I feel rather guilty as I’m in Toby’s room ie he’s been kicked out to make room for me!

Off to the first conference tomorrow.

11-12 July

11 July

As I looked across the channel this morning the white-horses told how windy it was out there. Ron & Marion kindly picked me up and drove me to church. I was welcomed and invited to say a few words at the beginning of the service. The Fairlie Parish church is Church of Scotland (Presbyterian). During the Offertory the organist was playing and it suddenly struck me that I was hearing Waltzing Matilda. He looked like he was reading music and there were unfamiliar bits so I was unsure, but it was so like Waltzing Matilda. After the service I was shown around the church, especially the wonderful stained-glass windows. I also met the organist who explained that he just improvised Waltzing Matilda! Apparently he does that with other things such as Happy Birthday on appropriate occasions! Morning tea of course consisted of Fair Trade items.

I was then taken to Ailsa’s for lunch. Ailsa had invited some others over for lunch to speak with me, and share their story. There was Richard and Ann Wilkinson, Nancy MacQueen, Ann Gregory, Margaret Keir, Helen Mitchell and Ailsa Henderson. Ailsa, Margaret, Helen and Ann G were/are the powerhouse behind the Fair Trade movement. It was they that lobbied the community, and local council to convert to using Fair Trade products where possible. Richard was one of the local councillors at the time, but in opposition. He mentioned that this was the only proposal he put forward that was voted for and passed! It is a requirement of any town/village seeking Fair Trade status to have the local council on board, so this was a big coup. Through their hard work, Fairlie became the first town in Scotland to receive Fair Trade accreditation.

The Eco-Congregation connection followed, with many individuals being taught how to compost properly by Ron, leading to the birthing of the Community Garden. Thus far Fairlie is the only eco-congregation in their Presbytery, but they are working hard to encourage other churches to join.

Over lunch I heard many stories, and saw many newspaper clippings etc, of all the different activities and functions they organized. They are a very creative bunch!

Nancy is the head gardener now at the Community Garden. She is not directly connected with the church but is passionate about the Garden. She also has a group of children that come to the garden weekly/fortnightly and is teaching them. Nancy had to leave us after lunch to go to the Garden to meet some bees which were being brought to the garden (actually some trainee bee hives – for training bee keepers). When I was there I saw some bumble bees – the first time I have seen them. They were rather large, but apparently do not tend to sting.

Ailsa’s home (also a B&B) is right on the waterfront and we ate in the front room so had a lovely view. The weather remained fairly discouraging for much of the time, but began to clear up about 4pm. By this time I’d decided a trip over to the island of Cumbrae (opposite) was not going to be feasible. Instead I was dropped back to my B&B just before 5pm, put some walking shoes on and walked along the beach. I happened to run into Ailsa who had taken her aged little dog for a ‘wee walk’.

Ron & Marion then picked me up and we went into Largs to attend an ecumenical Songs of Praise service, hosted by an Episcopal church there. We sang hymns chosen by people from the different churches who briefly shared why they had chosen each one. This particular episocpal church had just finished a week’s holiday club, and we saw the fruits of their labour after the service. The holiday club had a holiday/journey theme. The stories were based on the journeys of Paul but all the children had passports, they went to the airport and had to put their shoes through the x-ray machine, they sat in rows and had snacks served to them from a trolley etc etc. It was wonderful.

Marion, Ron and I then walked along the pier and had some dinner in an art deco café/ice creamery. We watched the sun go down and Ron drove us up to the lookout to watch the sunset. The colours were again very beautiful, and we had a wonderful view over the islands including the Mull of Kintyre. It was still very light at 10pm but time to head home. Ron & Marion dropped me off and I spent a few moments watching the sky for a little longer before going outside. During those few moments, two people who had been at church that morning, walked past me walking their dogs so stopped to say hello. It just seems so odd to be out chatting to people in the street, in daylight, after 10pm!

Mon 12 July

This morning I lingered over breakfast but then got my act together and pulled my bag up to Fairlie station. I arrived in Glasgow about 11am and found my way to my hotel, which fortunately allowed me to check-in early. I’m not convinced about the quality though. It is a fairly cheap hotel, nevertheless I’m in a room in which I can’t open the tiny window which is way above eye-line height anyway, and I wonder when the carpets were last cleaned. Oh well, just for one night!

I’d arranged with the staff at Wild Goose Resources Group to go to their office and view their range of resources. They do mail orders from there, but do not have an official ‘shop’. So I was given free reign in their stock room for which I was very grateful. I emerged a while later with a pile of books which I then posted back to London.

After that I took an open bus tour around Glasgow which was a good way to see a little of the city.

I’m hoping to head off early tomorrow, to Iona and I suspect that I won’t have internet access for a few days.

Thanks for dropping by ‘Leigh’s place’.