A cold and frosty morning ... Eliot's breath hangs in great clouds as he surveys the Parish Hall grounds. Autumn colours and heavy frost combine to make a beautiful day with blue sky and sunshine.
The mutt, with complete abandon, rolls around on the frozen ground ... clearly delighting in the freedom he has to play.
It was awfully tempting to join him but wondering what the neighbours might think kept me on my feet with the camera pointing in the dog's direction. Forty five pictures later (with one very wet and cold animal) I came home for a warm coffee before getting ready for this morning's service of Holy Communion.
Don't you just wish that humans had the same freedom of expression without a care in the world?!
And aren't you glad that I'm not about to post all forty five photographs?!
There were a couple taken in the back garden too ... Eliot returned to his watching post beneath the beech tree just in case the squirrel decided to put in an appearance!
It really has been a most beautiful day and the colours of autumn are still vibrant. It is now possible to see the difference between the ordinary beech tree in my garden and the neighbour's copper beech. It is also their holly (covered with berries) in the bottom left corner of the daily sky picture.
Meanwhile ... as the day began the candles were lit and Saint Nicholas gazed down on me ... I do love to have some time with this icon and think often that, if there were one item to save from the house, then this would be it! Spending time quietly here is good preparation for the service in Saint Nicholas' that follows.
The church too was looking beautiful this morning as I arrived. Blue sky without a cloud and the warm stone welcoming all who come. What a joy it is to be here with God's people and to enjoy fellowship around the Holy Table.
Today's Gradual Hymn ...
Bread of the world, in mercy broken,
wine of the soul, in mercy shed,
by whom the words of life were spoken,
and in whose death our sins are dead;
look on the heart by sorrow broken,
look on the tears by sinners shed;
and be your feast to us the token
that by your grace our souls are fed.
Church Hymnal number 403
Reginald Heber (1783-1826)
5 comments:
oh that we all could approach life with such abandon!
I don't know how you managed not to join him - except- the getting up off the ground bit can be a bit tricky for us mature ladies! It's a pleasure to see these photos of him - thank you!
Next time, you gotta roll with him, Elizabeth!
Wonderful pics of Eliot and love the sunlight on stone of the church.
Never too many pictures of dogs! Eliot is adorable. Dogs just know, don't they.
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