The Rev and a Dog

Saint Brigid's Day

2012-02-01T19:31:00.000Z

Pictures first at this coffee break ... text to follow at the next coffee break ....

Waiting ... and more waiting ...

2012-01-31T21:03:00.000Z

Sometimes waiting is a real trial of patience! You need to get on with doing something ... and the computer runs so slowly that you'd be quicker to do some time travel and find a Gestetner or a Banda machine! Now, who remembers any of those?!!
In the "old days" that's how things were copied. The wax coated stencil often ended up spotted with bright pink correction fluid dots ... but it worked and many sheets of paper were produced for school children, including the internal examinations.
Much more interesting was the Banda - it could use colour - though the print runs were shorter. This was a spirit duplicator and extremely useful in Geography where maps and diagrams ended up in multi-coloured layers.
Actually, I'm not trying to copy anything like that just now (though the next edition of The Messenger is moving towards that need. The present trial for my patience is the transfer of photographs from one computer to an external hard drive and then from there onto another computer ... for some reason the minutes are moving very slowly ... a stated minute on the screen can last five or six minutes in real time! So, here I am blogging away to fill in the spaces between checking on progress.

Random things come to mind ... like the family of five little Trauma Teddies that were waiting for me at church yesterday!

Or the price comparison ... where the larger size with the label "Better Value" is actually 17p per litre more expensive than the small one ....

And of course there's last week's WOW where we sat down together to enjoy fellowship over a meal.
However ... the Parish Magazine calls and the photographs are now transferred ... so ... off to "Publisher" to put the bits and pieces together.

Lord, you bless with words assuring:
"I am with you to the end".
Faith and hope and love restoring,
may we serve as you intend,
and, amid the cares that claim us,
hold in mind eternity;
with the Spirit's gifts empower us
for the work of ministry.

Church Hymnal number 456 verse 5

Jeffery Rowthorn (b. 1934)

Between meetings ... an Eliot treat!

2012-01-31T11:08:00.000Z

Good morning gentle reader. Apologies for the long absence ... life a tad busy! There's half an hour before my next meeting so let me bring you up to date with life in the Rectory ... and ... in particular ... the Chronicles of Eliot!
Nearly every day there's a photograph of the adorable (and adored) companion ... so ... working back from yesterday ...
The beggar! Waiting for a crumb to fall from the table.

Eliot wasn't nearly so happy on Sunday when he got soaked in the rain and long grass ... or maybe he just put on "the look" for effect?

You could imagine him staring out at the rain and thinking of long summer days and running wild in the dry grass. Or perhaps he's assessed his owner as a complete wimp who won't take him out when it is pouring!

Guard duty at the church hall is always part of his job ... on Saturday morning he kept a sharp lookout for someone that we were meeting there.

At home he has a regular spot on the small landing near the bottom of the stairs.

As evening falls there's sometimes a chance for a wander around the church grounds ... catching the amber lights on this shot pleased me.

However, more often than not you'll find the dog in his resting corner ... a chair dedicated to his use where he can curl up and sleep!

His habit of resting on one paw strikes me as a very "human" characteristic!

Last Wednesday he came to WOW (at least for a while before most of the folk arrived ... he's not encountered much lipstick before and I think he assumed it was a treat for him! It is awfully hard to apply it when you're laughing at a dog!

And even worse when the dog decides that he'd like to jump up! Poor Linda! Though she did cope admirably with his attention.

There are times when "Do Not Disturb" should be attached to Eliot's collar. Eating is one of those occasions. If dogs can give a "dirty look" then Eliot has perfected it! Maybe he's communicating the idea that I may photograph but not touch ... ?

In between eating, guarding the property and sleeping Eliot turns into a total clown ... doing headstands on the sofa (strictly forbidden) is one of his favourites ...

... and the cushions all get pushed off onto the floor so that he can then stretch out in comfort. It probably isn't good training for me to take pictures of him before sending him off the furniture! But he is amusing!

And so to bed ... he claims the right to jump on it ... even is he is pushed off later! I guess it must be one of the most comfortable places in the house ... it certainly is for me!

So again ... pictures are taken first and discipline applied afterwards. It's a wonder he doesn't have some kind of "Confusion Complex" ...

Would you believe that's just a week of pictures! And those are simply the Eliot shots ... there will be others to come from the life and work of a rector ...
WOW (Worship on Wednesday) had a quiz last week ... how many of the flags can you identify? The little buns are the smallest size of the "Dainty Little Cupcakes" production and are delicious!

If you want the answer sheet then you'll see it at the bottom of the WOW page of the Parish website:

http://saintnicholasparishchurchbelfast.shutterfly.com/wow

As for me now ... a meeting when we'll prepare the last few details for the Lent "Faith Seeking Understanding" services which will be held on Sunday nights this year. Details of that are on the Worship page of the Parish Website under the relevant dates.

'Lord, thy glory fills the heaven,
earth is with thy fullness stored;
unto thee be glory given,
holy, holy, holy Lord.'

Church Hymnal number 316 verse 6

Richard Mant (1776-1848)

New Parish Centre at Bangor Abbey.

2012-01-21T20:39:00.000Z

This is where I served as Curate Assistant ... the Parish of Bangor Abbey in north Down. It was about that time that people began to dream of a new parish centre to improve the facilities. There were two old halls, both in great need of refurbishment.
Today a new phase has started - the old halls have been modernised and made energy efficient and accessible ... and a new annexe has been added to provide an attractive meeting space, a number of small rooms and offices and an enclosed courtyard garden. It is magnificent!

A welcoming entrance.

Lady Sylvia addressed the crowd after lunch.

Aprons made for the opening!

Many friends gathered from the current parish and those who have moved away to other places.

Bishop Harold dedicated the building.

The Rector, Canon Ronnie Nesbitt ....

Three former curates Ian, Jerome and Elizabeth! Why didn't the photographer notice that my scarf needed to be adjusted!

Lots of smiles, laughter and greetings.

The floral displays were a treat ... this one is perhaps my favourite.

And, against the sun, the Abbey looked magnificent. Worship on this site for over 1500 years ... what a witness!

Now thank we all our god,
with hearts and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mother's arms
hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

Church Hymnal number 361

Martin Rinkart (1586-1649)

Friday nonsense.

2012-01-21T09:41:00.001Z

How much more posing can the poor dog take before he decides to leave home and go live somewhere less stressful? Yesterday it was one ceramic dog ... only to be joined by a second one for this endurance test!
Perhaps it is a relief to know that there are no more!

I had fun ... and Eliot might even have had pleasure from this new "game" as well.

The licking of lips is perhaps a clue as to how I managed to keep him in situ for so long! Once the treats were gone ... so was Eliot!

God, give us peace;
if you withdraw your love,
there is no peace for us
nor any hope of it.
With you to lead us on
through death or tumult, peace will come.

Church Hymnal number 510 verse 6

Alan Gaunt (b. 1935)

The dog of a hundred faces!

2012-01-18T17:12:00.003Z

Scundered!

Today ... the embarrassed look! Totally mortified! Thanks to Ali for the perfect word to describe this ... Eliot is scundered!
It's another posed shot ... this time with a ceramic dog! If dogs have feelings ... then I think Eliot is less than impressed with the photo-shoot. He didn't sit for long!

The model shows one of Eliot's characteristics ... holding the lead in his mouth! Do all collies do this, I wonder?

Without the context of Eliot the ceramic dog looks quite large ...

Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of the living God,
teach us to walk in your way more trustfully,
to accept your truth more faithfully,
to share your life more lovingly,
so that we may come
by the power of the Holy Spirit
as one family to the kingdom of the Father,
where you live for ever and ever. Amen.

From "The Promise of His Glory"

Dog, teddies and the BBC.

2012-01-17T20:08:00.002Z

Yesterday .... Tuesday ... since I'm adding the text on Wednesday ... even I'm getting confused when the commentary is separated from the uploading of the pictures!
Anyhow ... these were Tuesday's shots ... an early start in the garden for Eliot with the usual sniffing around and fixed staring at the trees. Doesn't he know by now that the squirrel won't come out to play?

Eliot did a bit of running around and shaking his fur ... for the first time in ages the camera was on "sport" mode so managed to catch the tossing of his head! I like that.

It wasn't so easy to get the running straight at me picture ... will keep trying. Sometimes when I read that a friend has taken 500 shots to get just one perfect image I realize that my ten or twenty pictures don't really stand a chance! I'd not have time to edit through all 500! The Kenya shots are still waiting for that kind of pruning.

The afternoon was Mothers' Union/Ladies' Guild. This month we're knitting ...

... this was never my best skill! At primary school I never mastered the art and week by week I'd take home the mess that I created so that Mother could sort it out. When it came to knitting socks ... she did the heel, the toe and the top .... and maybe even re-did the straight parts ... and in an entire year only one small blue sock was produced! I wish I'd kept it as a monument to .... something!
No such problem with the folk yesterday ... they beavered away with the knitting needles ....

... fortified with a good cup of tea and some biscuits.
Now that was an embarrassment. I thought Eliot had gone very quiet when I was in the office at the photocopier ... it should have made me suspicious ...
When I came across him ... the tray of cake and chocolate biscuits had been eaten! Enough food for twenty ladies ... all consumed by one dog! No wonder he became a little hyper in the evening and didn't even look at his normal food. Apart from that extra burst of energy he seems none the worse for his gluttony!
It gave the company the opportunity to tell other stories of times when their dogs (or cats) had stolen food ... this appears to be a common occurrence!

The pile of little teddies is growing. These are "Trauma Teddies" and in their bright colours are packed individually for use in ambulances and in emergency rooms. If a child is admitted to hospital from an accident or in an emergency the staff can give them a teddy as a comfort. They are popular and there's a need for an endless supply of them.

It is a good way to use up scraps of wool.

So far we have seven of them ready to go ... but won't send them off until next month when there's likely to be another little pile added.

The pattern is on the MU website ... maybe I'll pop it onto the parish website as well.

So ... that was Tuesday ... the day that actually began in the recording studio at the BBC.

The sky wasn't as blue as this picture suggests ... more a light grey ... but when you're on the fifth floor in a soundproof room you're not really aware of what's happening anywhere else.

Thought for the Day on Thursdays in January ... all now recorded and ready to broadcast ... two have gone out already and two more to go.

So ... a busy enough day with other bits and pieces squeezed in as well ...

Now Wednesday begins ... pictures later! This is the first day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

God our Father,

it is your purpose

to bring your whole creation

into full unity in Christ.

We commit ourselves to you.

Help us to live for others

even as your love includes all;

to seek out from others

the truth they have grasped;

to trust each other

as fellow workers

in the one community you have given us;

to obey your call

to make visible

the unity of your Church.

Come, Holy Spirit, help us. Amen.

From "The Promise of His Glory"

Pictures, pictures, pictures ....

2012-01-16T23:18:00.000Z

... time for photographs but no text (again!).

Shy dog today! .... or fed up with being photographed?

Belfast from the top of the car park at the City Hospital. Love the mixture of housing and land use in this view.

The opposite direction!
and then looking up!

Yesterday ... an early run for Eliot ... or an early stand looking for squirrels.

Evening Bach Cantata at Saint Thomas'.

Bananas and books ...

2012-01-14T23:47:00.000Z

Oh dear ....

2012-01-14T10:26:00.000Z

... the week is flying away and there's not been time to sit and blog ... or even stand and blog!
Thursday ... funeral service at Saint Nicholas'. Friday ... met with friends for lunch and Kenya review ... cold day so the fire made a welcome change ...

Eliot was discovered on the sofa late on Friday evening ... he tried to look invisible! You couldn't blame him ... the room was cosy and dark ... the sofa is a great place for a doze ... but he's not supposed to be there!

However ... he is cute! So I took a few pictures before redirecting him to his own bed!

Thursday was "interesting". Thought for the Day on the radio in the morning and then one of my photographs from the beach at Crawfordsburn on the weather as well! Eliot didn't seem to be in the least impressed.

With a handful of treats I did manage to persuade him to pose for a bit ...

But he makes it quite clear when the photographic session is ended!

This has hardly been a "catch up" ... but ... for those who check in from time to time ... it is perhaps reassurance that I'm alive ... though a tad busy! The diary was quite full this past week ... maybe next week will ease off a little ....
I've used this hymn before ... but was thinking about it earlier this morning so here's a verse ...

Alone with none but thee, my God,
I journey on my way,
what need I fear when thou are near,
O King of night and day?
More safe am I within thy hand,
than if a host did round me stand.

Church Hymnal number 560

Columba (c. 520-597)

More pictures ... no sound!

2012-01-11T23:31:00.001Z

Eliot doesn't watch much football ... but was too lazy to move!

And too sleepy to do anything at all.

This passage from Lamentations seems to be the right text for tomorrow's sermon ... the funeral of one whose life was marked by a quiet trust in God.

The little pink torch was given to me by a parishioner last Sunday ... it is a key fob so that you can always see easily the lock on the door. I like it!

Text to come later ....

2012-01-11T09:28:00.001Z

The Mitre ... I love the logo of the physiotherapy unit at Musgrave Hospital. There I have treatment for a damaged Achilles ...
Lunch is sometimes "interesting" ... here it is Gnocchi with tomato, sweet corn and a poached egg! Very tasty.

Eliot the poser is a constant subject in my photographs ... the handsome lad!

Maybe I have a bias ... I think he's handsome!

Where do the days go?

2012-01-09T21:13:00.000Z

Almost a week has gone by ... granted it has been a busy week ... but no blog! At least there were photographs. So ...
Friday ...

The Feast of the Epiphany and lunch with good friends in the Mournes. Eliot comes too, of course!

He does find unusual places to play ... including the back of a flower bed in the conservatory! Poor squashed plants.

This gorgeous flower is just one of three ... stunning.

Watching the birds is a constant distraction ...

... and the atmospheric misty clouds simply added to the beauty of the day.

A good time ... and a lovely drive.

Saturday ... special service in church followed by party! Great fun.

Eliot was in church early to check out the flowers ... all was well!
Next morning, Sunday, we had a beautiful unaccompanied processional hymn! The choir is so good - I just love to listen to them.

Meanwhile, back at the rectory there was a bit of a repair job to do on a wooden table ... this stuff works a treat and the white mark is almost gone! Another few treatments and it will be back to normal. Polished wood is grand ... until you set a hot and wet pot on it!

The dog really doesn't care ... and simply sat trying to ignore the camera that always seems to point in his direction.

Which brings us neatly to today! Once again the dog features ... I don't think I'd ever get tired taking pictures of Eliot.

He knows when I'm expecting someone to call at the rectory and takes up position just in the hallway ... I love the way he squashes his chin on the ground as he tries to see under the door.

By coming down to his level I managed to catch this rather pensive (or is it sad?) expression. I'm sure he's just thinking about his next meal ...

Then, sure that all is well with the world he curls up on "his" chair beside the poinsettia ... Christmas decorations now gone and the room restored to order with thanks to a friend who gave me a huge hand in packing stuff away. You don't realise just how much stuff comes down for Christmas until it is time to store it for next year. It is nice to get the room back to order and cleaned.

Of the cleaning ... Eliot has no part! In fact ... most of the obvious dirt is generated by him! And he doesn't care!

So ... a few days at a glance ... but now the pictures are up to date ... the hands of the clock are moving swiftly to "bedtime" and ... the dog is already asleep!

Thank you, O Lord, of earth and heaven,
thank you for all your love has planned;
thank you for food and daily blessings,
gifts from your ever-gracious hand.

Church Hymnal number 371

James E Seddon (1915-83)

More bits and pieces ...

2012-01-05T22:15:00.000Z

It has been a strange day ... a meeting at the hall at 9.30 am gave an opportunity for Eliot to have a bit of a run. As we were preparing for a new downpour and more wind there was suddenly a rainbow over the fire station and church ... the camera was to hand ... and maybe not the best picture but certainly a reminder. It might even find its way into a Thought for the Day one of these Thursdays!

There wasn't much chance to catch any other photographs until later in the day. Eliot spent most of the morning and early afternoon driving around with me ... he's getting to be quite patient as I go off and leave him and sometimes doesn't even bark in protest! This is good. Well ... it is good for me! Imagine how it would be if he sat barking outside someone's house!

Through the window at the rectory we had the usual view of raindrops ... but there wasn't time to stand and stare as some friends were due to come for afternoon tea. It is such fun to get out the china and set up the table.

The rest of the day has been sermon-type work and catching up with bits and pieces! Such a useful term to cover all the miscellaneous things that fill an evening ... phone calls, dishes, ironing, reading, taking pictures ... as well as preparation for Sunday.
The photographs are relaxation ... for me, if not for Eliot. His attitude this evening, having refused to be seen with any props, was to hide! If he can't see me then he doesn't exist! Or at least, he's not sleeping on the sofa!

I imagined he was peeping out from behind his front legs and laughing at me!

Some time later I returned to find him in more or less the same place but no longer pretending that he was invisible.
Meanwhile I looked for subjects for the 365Project photograph. As always ... there are too many things that I find interesting. Tonight it was the coloured pencils. A new tub of them ... why do I need coloured pencils? I've no idea ... maybe it is like having a personal rainbow?
The opportunities were without limit ... so after playing with a number of images ... here's a selection to remind me that it is okay to be a bit daft now and again!

There are friends who know me very well ... this fridge magnet was a gift from them at Christmas! Enough said!

Aren't the colours great ... it reminds me that Winston Churchill said that he was looking forward to seeing his artist's palette in heaven as he knew it would contain colours that we cannot even imagine here on earth. (I used to know the correct quotation ... but that's the gist of it!)

Looking at things from a different perspective can sometimes give new light on a familiar subject ... so here we are ... head on to the tub of pencils!

The daylight bulb gives a great light for taking indoor shots ... it has more uses than just helping to combat the winter darkness!
And now ... to bed!

All praise to him who came to save,
who conquered death and burst the grave;
each day new praise is sounding
to him the Lamb who once was slain,
the friend whom none shall trust in vain,
whose grace is still abounding;
sing, you people,
tell the story
of his glory,
till his praises
flood with light earth's darkest places!

Church Hymnal number 192 verse 3

Philipp Nicolai (1556-1608) and Johann Schlegel (1721-93)

The healthy option ...

2012-01-04T23:40:00.001Z

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Well, that's what we were told anyhow!
So today began with a healthy bowl of porridge.

In my opinion the best ingredient is "White's Organic Jumbo Oats". They're not available in every shop so there tends to be a little stockpile in my cupboard ... a bit like coffee ... you'd not want to run out of either!
The morning turned out to be quite busy so maybe having a good breakfast was wise after all. Then lunchtime Holy Communion ... a good crowd turned up in spite of awful weather ... though the rain was going to become much worse later on.

Taken at around two o'clock this little angel against the sky is a COLOUR PHOTOGRAPH!!! It was such a dark afternoon that you needed lights on almost the entire time.
Later, while waiting to go in to the BBC to record "Thought for the Day" the weather turned awful. My umbrella will end up in the bin and I spotted a number of others that had been abandoned along the streets. In a short walk to Broadcasting House I got totally soaked! For the next four Thursdays I'll have a spot on Radio Ulster at 6.55 am.

As often happens, I was a little bit early for the recording appointment so had fun with the camera as the evening traffic built up. Every picture was different ... almost like playing with a kaleidoscope ... and choosing just two to put on here is a challenging task.
Eliot wasn't too thrilled about the wind and rain. Rain he can enjoy ... but it seems that the wind makes him nervous and it is as much as you can do to persuade him to go out into the garden!
His chair is certainly where he prefers to be.

There's time to enjoy the last day of the Christmas decorations before they go back into the various boxes and bags for another year. I love looking at the bits and pieces and remembering where they've come from and who chose them for me, or stitched them with care. Quite a number are the creations of my niece who does cross-stitch.
Now ... bedtime! So many blogs end with that statement. Maybe I should write it, "... and so to bed." Either way ... midnight is drawing very close and I need some beauty sleep!

Through the long night watches
may thine angels spread
their white wings above me,
watching round my bed.

Church Hymnal number 68 verse 6

Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924)

I never did explain ...

2012-01-03T18:15:00.000Z

... about the animals mentioned here: http://therevandadog.blogspot.com/2011/12/twenty-days.html

These little guys (plus a number of pictures of folk in national costume - flat people) were hidden around the church on Christmas Day.
Anyone who had a "Flat person" or an animal near them was invited to bring them forward to the Nativity Scene.
When Jesus was born the shepherds were given the message by the angels and they hurried off to Bethlehem to see what had happened.
The Magi too followed a star to come and see the new King.
That's the story portrayed in the traditional scene.

Flat people and animals gather to visit the stable.

Some enterprising parishioner managed to put a giraffe in the hay loft above the stable!

The whole scene takes up a large board and when services are held it is lit with dozens of small candles.

We took the Nativity Scene to the next stage ... all people from the entire world now come to worship Jesus ... so the animals and flat people represent the way that everyone gathers to adore the Christ child ... the one born to die ... and born to be King.
Saint Nicholas' Nativity Scene therefore looks rather different from the "normal one"!

So ... for those who were curious ... that's why the animals were gathering!

I guess they're going to be a feature of the Nativity Scene from now on!

Come and join the celebration,
it's a very special day;
come and share our jubilation,
there's a new-born King today.

Church Hymnal number 152

Valerie Collison (b 1933)

Maybe if I write something else ...

2012-01-03T17:37:00.000Z

... inspiration will come? Four "Thought for the Day" talks to write and all ideas have gone away with the storm! This wouldn't be a major problem - except - they're to be recorded tomorrow as the first one is aired on Thursday! Oops ... time to get creative.
With camera in hand that's not such a major problem ...
Rain on the window and hey presto - some odd pictures emerge.

The dining room is reflected in the window ... photographer and all!

By moving the camera deliberately while taking the picture it is possible to end up with these crazy shots!

But that doesn't help me progress at all with TFTD ideas!
Being creative with food is possible too. It's been a while since I've had sardines on toast ... so that was today's lunch. With some finely sliced onion underneath and a strong Cheddar topping ... a tasty meal in a few minutes.

I don't think that the average listener to TFTD is going to want a sardine recipe at breakfast time ... so I'm no further forward.
As for the dog ... he's just ignored me from one of his favourite sleeping spots ... on the small landing near the bottom of the stairs. Even he has looked out of the door today and come straight back into the house. Rain isn't the problem ... it's the strong winds that he's not too fond of.

So, where does that leave me?
Still sitting looking at a blank sheet of paper!

So, it is time to stop blogging and start "Thought for the Day-ing" ... I need to concentrate and focus ... or should I start thinking about the evening meal first?!! Procrastination is so much easier ... though I'll not be saying that in the 'wee small hours' if there aren't four short talks ready by bedtime!

There is no moment of my life,
no place where I may go,
no action which God does not see,
no thought he does not know.

He knew my days before all days,
before I came to be;
he keeps me, loves me, in my ways;
no lover such as he.

Church Hymnal number 19 verses 1 and 4.

Brian Foley (b 1919)

Wet, wet, wet!

2011-12-30T23:40:00.000Z

Wet day ...

Raindrops on the clothes line and the web ... it's been a few days since you could hang out washing.

Wet sky ... grey and dull ... not in the least inviting!

Almost all the leaves have gone and again it is too soggy to go down to the usual photographing spot ... so this was taken from the shelter of the wood shed!
Wet dog ...

Even Eliot wasn't too keen to spend much time in the garden. I wonder is it uncomfortable for a dog to lie around in a wet coat? I'd not want to do it ... but do dogs feel the same? He does appear to enjoy his bed beside the radiator so maybe he like his creature comforts too!
Apart from the weather it has been a busy sort of day and still "stuff" not done that was intended to be done. An early start in the morning should sort out a few odd bits so that I can have a quiet New Year's Eve. Having the New Year begin on a Sunday is rather special ... Parish Holy Communion at 10.15 am!
Now ... before midnight ... on the eve of New Year's Eve ... it's time for bed!

Lord for the years your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided,
Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today.

Church Hymnal number 81

Timothy Dudley-Smith (b 1926)

Slow Day Off!

2011-12-29T22:56:00.000Z

Today ... wet, dull, windy ... and a long sleep! Bliss. A lot of "nothing" all day ... coffee with a friend, dozing with the telly and eating marshmallows with the dog! The latter probably wasn't the greatest idea of the day ... even if there were only a few in the bag.
Eliot tried out his new food mat ... it is supposed to soak up all the water that he spills. Well, it is usually me who spills most of it ... but when the kitchen floor has been cleaned the mat will have pride of place under his dishes.

He took his time to investigate every inch of it this evening!
Eliot seems to have survived the lazy day without too much bother ... having a few treats from his Christmas gifts no doubt helps pass the time!
Meanwhile his owner has been moving furniture around and trying to bring some order to the chaos ... a long and slow job! But little by little there are spaces where once there was "junk". Maybe someday I'll turn into a tidy and organised person ... but I may have to come back in another life for that to happen!
There is, of course, time to do really useful things ...
... like take photographs of a new silver turtle that I was given at Christmas ...

... or watch the bubbles of gel in an egg timer!

There's something very satisfying about the little blue globules going round and round the spiral until they plop off the end into the reservoir! Well ... I find it satisfying!

Finally, a puzzle! Today, Thursday, there have been over three hundred hits on the home page of the church website! That is a puzzle. Most days there are a few. Some days it goes into double figures. But today, in one period of an hour, there were over a hundred views ... very strange! Now, I'm not complaining about that ... but I'd love to know why there is a sudden rise in traffic. Just to make sure that the trend continues I'd better give the address here again!

http://saintnicholasparishchurchbelfast.shutterfly.com/

I do try to keep it up to date so that the next few services or events are listed in case anyone is looking for a place to worship on a Sunday or a Wednesday. Most weeks there are a few pictures added as well and a large number from the Kenya trip at the beginning of December are there already.
So ... a gentle day off ... and a very restful one!

God is love: let heaven adore him;
God is love: let earth rejoice;
let creation sing before him,
and exalt him with one voice.
He who laid the earth's foundation,
he who spread the heavens above,
he who breathes through all creation,
he is love, eternal love.

Church Hymnal number 3

Timothy Rees (1874-1939)

WOW .... the second in the series ...

2011-12-28T22:02:00.000Z

How quickly the months fly past from the last Wednesday to the last Wednesday. The second of the experimental WOW services has happened ... this time on the theme of gifts and celebration.

Champagne and party food gave us the opportunity to relax together ... and candles everywhere emphasized the theme of "light".

The keys, painted yesterday and looking like something from a Dali painting (as one friend suggested) were today given a tag with a short bible verse on one side and a detail from the Saint Nicholas' window on the other. Everyone received a little gift box with a key in it.
As we thought about the beginning of a new year the key becomes a symbol of Jesus who opens the way before us ... who is the key to life itself. We, like the Magi, bring our gifts ... but God has given us the greatest gift of all in Jesus.

Now, having annoyed Eliot with a pair of Santa ears it is time to make my peace with him and go for an early night!
He pulled the ears off almost immediately and began to swing them round ... impossible to get a picture of that ... partly because it made me laugh so much!

Then, just before I stepped in to rescue them, he decided to have a good chew on them! I'm guessing that the "hat tolerant phase" is now over!

Unusual things that rectors do ....

2011-12-27T23:31:00.000Z

Painting keys!
Yes ... that's what I said ... painting keys!

Old keys have now had a couple of coats of gold enamel paint ... and are drying off on a radiator so that they can be used tomorrow at WOW.

Worship on Wednesday is a new style of service in Saint Nicholas' and we try to have some creative activity, shared food and worship all combined in three quarters of an hour! People who don't usually go to church would feel at home just as much as those who regularly worship somewhere. Little by little we are trying to engage with the community on our doorstep. Literally "on our doorstep" as we're right on the edge of the pavement on the Lisburn Road. When the weather gets warmer (though this winter hasn't been cold yet) there'll be a chance to use the tiny bit of grass in front of the church for outreach too.
I might even say how the keys were used when I write tomorrow's blog! And perhaps there might even be an explanation about the animals that appeared in church on Sunday ... toy animals, I hasten to add!
Meanwhile ... Eliot continues to endure and enjoy Christmas. Endurance comes when his owner decides to try to take "cute" photographs!

There was something of a bargain going on here ... Eliot would wear the halo (for a short time) if he was allowed to sleep on the bed!

Posing is such hard work and he needed a rest after a couple of shots. Not long after this one was taken the halo was on the floor and Eliot was still on the bed!

Tonight's verse is from one of the hymns we used on Sunday morning ... Christmas Day. The day when Victoria Anne was baptised in Saint Nicholas'. You've not seen photographs of that yet ... nor of the couple who returned to the church for their wedding anniversary (25th December)! They are Raymond and Bobbie Moore ... and I didn't even manage to get them in the same shot!

I think you'd not easily forget the day that you were baptised! Such a happy wee girl and a great experience for the church on Christmas morning.

After the service some folk stayed around to chat to Bobbie and Raymond. It was so good to see them.

The remainder of Christmas Day was spent at my Wee Sister's ... but those photographs will have to wait ... there's quite a backlog with Kenya as well ...

Anyhow:

Joy has dawned upon the world, promised from creation:

God's salvation now unfurled, hope for ev'ry nation.

Not with fanfares from above, not with scenes of glory,

but a humble gift of love, Jesus born of Mary.

Stuart Townend and Keith Getty.

For Roberta ...

2011-12-27T01:55:00.000Z

... Thank You.
All those miles in someone's suitcase (thanks to Ken and Eva too for being the messengers) ... this little fellow was finally released on Christmas Day! He's (I think "it" is a "he") the only one who is designed to hang on a wall! That's what's going to happen to him!

Quite a handsome chap!

So thank you very much!

Why ...

2011-12-27T01:35:00.000Z

... would anyone try to fry an egg over a candle flame?
I suppose ... because you can!

And this is the evidence ... even if it did take twenty minutes to cook it. Perhaps a minute or two less the next time ... if there is a next time!
At least it meant that other things could be done while the egg was cooking ...

Christmas Eve ...

2011-12-24T21:38:00.000Z

... and nearly ten o'clock!
Church at 11.30 pm for the first Communion of Christmas ... and then ... up bright and early for the Christmas Day services.
So why am I taking photographs of the dog and writing a blog?!! You would be forgiven for thinking that there's a kind of madness around.

Eliot seems to have resigned himself to silly photographs!

His patience isn't unlimited. After a couple of minutes he gets up and wanders away ... but at least he no longer runs the moment he spots the camera!
Now ... coffee and the next thing on the list!

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love divine,
Love was born at Christmas,
star and angels gave the sign.

Church Hymnal number 170

Christina Rossetti (1830-94)

Twenty days!

2011-12-23T22:42:00.001Z

It's hard to believe ... Kenya ... back to work ... and now ... Christmas (almost)! The days have flown past and the blog has been little more than a passing thought late at night! So this is an attempt to return to the pattern and start posting regularly again.
Do we go back to try to do a day by day account of Kenya? I think not! There are photographs on the web site which will give something of an overview of the busy and enjoyable days there.
http://saintnicholasparishchurchbelfast.shutterfly.com/pictures

Getting Eliot back from kennels was good ... and now he's discovering that Christmas means gifts for him too. He (or his owner) couldn't wait to open a gift that was hanging on the door handle this morning! Eliot even had a card in it all to himself!

You must admire his patience! And he was rewarded with one of the meaty twists. He loved it!

So life has returned to "normal" and in just a few hours it will be Christmas morning!
The animals are gathering in anticipation ...

Meanwhile ... there are a few things to do ... but at least the blog is back! No doubt there'll be the odd reference back to Kenya ... and perhaps even a few photographs of Eliot! After all, he is the "spoilt rotten dog" who controls the rectory ... and the rector!

It's the way he looks at you!!

Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes,
the Saviour promised long:
let every heart prepare a throne,
and every voice a song.

Church Hymnal number 124

Philip Doddridge (1702-51)

Variety is the spice of life!

2011-12-03T23:36:00.000Z

... or so "they" say!
Sometimes when a proverb comes to mind it is interesting to find out the origin ... so ... with a quick search on Google ... this is the information that is available:

ELIZABETH KNOWLES http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-varietyisthespiceoflife.html

variety is the spice of life proverbial saying, late 18th century; originally as a quotation from the English poet William Cowper (1731–1800) in The Task (1785): ‘Variety's the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavour.’ An earlier version is found in the The Rover (1681) by the dramatist Aphra Behn (1640–89), ‘Variety is the soul of pleasure.’ The Greek dramatist Euripides (c.485–c.406 bc) in his Orestes has, ‘a change is always nice.’

You learn something every day!
So where was I? Ah yes, variety ...
The life of a cleric is certainly varied ... one minute you're printing off a Parish Magazine ... the next you're making a visit or preparing a sermon or ... doing a hundred and one other little things that need to have attention.
Six times a year on the first Sunday of the month "The Messenger" goes out round the Parish. A number of folk deliver it when the last link on the preparation team packs it up. Due to photocopier problems we've run a bit close to the deadline this month and didn't get the printing, folding and stapling done until this afternoon. All is now ready.

Since it is Saint Nicholas' Day next Tuesday it seemed like a good idea to have a photograph of my icon on the cover.

So he came down and stood in a level place with his disciples ... they came to see and to hear him ... and to be healed. Luke 6:17

That's what you can read on the Gospel in Nicholas' hand.
Meanwhile Eliot has gone off to kennels ... it looked as if he couldn't wait to get going and simply walked off with his carer without even a backward glance! If I didn't know that he will be even more delighted to see me on my return I'd be 'hurt' ... !

I hope his fan club can cope without photographs for the next ten days ...

... indeed ... for most of that time there won't even be a blog! I'm not taking a computer to Kenya and there wouldn't be much time to use it anyhow.
I'll keep a journal and will post a series of blogs on returning.

Is Eliot "spoilt rotten"? Well ... maybe just a little!
Please be patient ... Eliot has learned that we go when we're ready ... and there's no point staring anxiously at the door!
The blog will return ... maybe even be a quick note tomorrow ... although there's a minor thing like "packing" to be considered. Those who know me will not be surprised at all to learn that this job hasn't been started ... apart from leaving out a few essentials - like a sun hat!
Now ... a cup of coffee to fortify me for the next thing on today's list! Hope of an early bedtime is rapidly fading to a distant dream ... but that's okay ... we'll get early bed times in Kenya!

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
in a believer's ear!
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds,
and drives away our fear.

Church Hymnal number 92

John Newton (1725-1807)

Three more sleeps!

2011-12-02T17:18:00.000Z

Suddenly the visit to Kenya is almost upon us! And a multitude of "last minute" things need to be done!

In the gathering dusk I had a look at the globe ...

... but Eliot wasn't too impressed. If you can't eat it ... why bother?
He simply retreated to his chair as the evening has turned very cold and windy.

It is almost tea time (or dinner time ... or perhaps supper time ...). Whatever you call it ... the time has come to consider food. Something hot and tasty ...
A friend was talking about frying onions ... now there's a flavour! And there are a couple of them just waiting for a good excuse ... some rice to add in and a bit of chicken .... and hey presto! Tea/dinner/supper!
That was simple. There are even a few reasonably fresh carrots to add another bit of colour and maybe a stray vitamin or two. So thank you to my friend who was frying onions! I could almost smell them coming along the phone lines!

Like a mighty river flowing,
like a flower in beauty growing,
far beyond all human knowing
is the perfect peace of God.

Church Hymnal number 16

Michael Perry (1942-96)

December already!

2011-12-01T23:15:00.000Z

It is possible that Eliot's surprised look is more to do with being caught napping on the white linen rather than the knowledge that we're now in December!
Where have the days gone? With busy days the hours slip past and suddenly it is bedtime again.

With the new month comes the beginning of the Christmas Card avalanche! This, the first one, has an invitation to the school Christmas Concert ... that's always good fun and a lovely evening with the young folk, their teachers and their parents.
Before that ... Kenya ... and before that ... the Parish Magazine!
Our photocopier has a major problem which might not be fixed until Saturday! That's going to mean a bit of a rush to have copies available for Sunday ... but we'll gather some helpers and will hopefully achieve the target! We have a great engineer who will do his best to get it up and running as soon as possible.

The bright sky of morning soon vanished under the clouds ... and now the sky has cleared again to give us a cold and frosty night.
Washing on the line is as damp as it was when it was pegged out ... but it might as well hang there overnight ...
I found an interesting hymn after Alcuin (c 735-804) in the Church Hymnal. I'm not sure that I've ever heard it sung ...

Eternal light, shine in my heart,
eternal hope, lift up my eyes;
eternal power, be my support,
eternal wisdom, make me wise.

Eternal life, raise me from death,
eternal brightness, make me see;
eternal Spirit, give me breath,
eternal Saviour, come to me.

Until by your most costly grace,
invited by your holy word,
at last I come before your face
to know you, my eternal God.

Church Hymnal number 613

Christopher Idle (b 1938)

WOW!

2011-11-30T23:22:00.001Z

Worship on Wednesday!

We've had the first gathering of the informal and interactive style of worship ... it was relaxed and fun. The camera was ignored apart from one shot taken before anyone arrived.
Our theme for Advent was "Journey" ... The journey of life and our spiritual journey as well as the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem ... and the centuries earlier journey of God's people out of Egypt to the Promised Land.

Some of the symbolism from the Seder plate resonate with life's journey ... the bitter tears and grief ... thanksgiving for help given and received ...
Bread rolls were provided at the first "station" and there we reflected on Jesus - the bread of life. When we travelled to the west end the fillings of egg, lettuce, parsley and bitter herbs were added - symbols of the good things that we enjoy with the other meanings still in mind. Finally, at the font, we received a bottle of water and thought about many of the ways that water is used ... even to the Water of Witness ... another understanding of WOW!
After fellowship over the food we regathered for a time to pray and to sing .... "We are walking in the light of God ..." as our onward journey takes us out of the building and back into the world.
With one thing and another today has been fairly tightly packed ... an early start before the traffic began to build up too much ... and now ... a late night ... it turned out to be a twelve hour working day ... maybe that's a bit longer than it ought to have been!
Eliot had the right idea ... he abandoned me and went off to the sofa ... where he is not allowed to be! Even when the camera appeared he just looked sleepily at me and didn't budge one little bit!
He'd crawled in behind a big rug ... it looked as if he was trying to pretend that he wasn't really there at all!
It won't be long until I end up in bed with the same dozy expression on my face and with my eyelids closing ...
It is good to have him around ... even if he does ignore me most of the time!

I should have been printing the Parish Magazine this week ... but the photocopier has a problem ... the colours need to be realigned and I don't seem to be able to do it. That means waiting for the engineer ... hopefully he'll be with me tomorrow so that it can be printed off before Friday.
Kenya is getting awfully close and there are a few things to do before that! I may even resort to making a list ... that would be novel! Actually, I do often do a "packing list" so that (in theory) everything is remembered. Now I just need to do a "last few days" list as well!
Five sleeps!
Just five sleeps!
That's close. Best go and get one of them over!

Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness,
make thy way plain before my face.
For it is thou Lord, thou, Lord, only,
that makest me dwell in safety.

Yesterday (Monday) and the day before (Sunday) ...

2011-11-29T22:04:00.000Z

Random pictures ... just to catch up!

Eliot came home from kennels and joined me in Saint Nicholas' at the lunchtime opening ... he is always so clean and freshly brushed when his stay there comes to an end.

Christingles ready to be distributed ...

Candles lit throughout the church.

Advent wreath.

Christingle made by the young people during the service.

The symbol of Christ, the Light of the World.

At home ... Advent candle and wreath ...

Today ... Tuesday ....

2011-11-29T21:20:00.000Z

A lion at the crossroads ... this is not a sight you see every day! There he was, larger than life, travelling along in the afternoon traffic ... watched by dozens of school run families. How many of them had a camera handy?!
My companions (three undertakers) were just a tad amused when I started taking photographs! At the time we were on our way to the old cemetery in Dundonald ... a cold place on a wintry afternoon! The day had started with very heavy rain and strong winds so at least the dry and sunny spell was appreciated.
But the question remains ... why was there a lion on the back of that lorry? Where was he being taken? From whence had he come? You do wonder!

Back home for a warm drink and a quick tour of the garden with Eliot! He checked out the squirrel tree, gave me a "look" and decided that indoors is warmer!

Now, tonight, it is again cold ... maybe an early night is on the cards!

To become
creative
learn the art
of wasting time.

Anthony de Mello (The Vacation)

Blog will return!

2011-11-29T09:19:00.001Z

Sorry that there are no new postings ... life's been a bit busy! I will be back soon ...

Holy, holy, holy ...

2011-11-25T12:19:00.000Z

This appliqué is on the table linen in the chapel here at Drumalis ... the symbol of the Trinity in liturgical colours. It was too wet to go out early this morning so I looked at the rain from inside!

The sky held promise and, after breakfast, the rain had stopped and blue sky returned.

But in first light there wasn't a great deal of hope! You can be wrong!

There is something very cosy about being indoors in the warmth when the wind and rain is howling around outside ...
... and the nativity scenes are appearing all over the building.

These soft characters are in a small lounge.

I loved the knitted wise men ...

... and maybe even more the sheep with their woolly shepherds .... or should that be the shepherds with their woolly sheep?

So the eight days are almost completed ... many memories, a lot of thoughts, good food and well rested! What more can you ask from a retreat?

The rain is over (for the moment) and the sky is blue ...

... there are more clouds around ... and no doubt the rain will return ... but ... behind the clouds ... the sky is still blue ... even if we can't always see it!

Consider:

The favours we have received from God.

How God dwells in us.

God, who delights in all creation.

All good gifts come from God.

Getting late ....

2011-11-24T23:35:00.000Z

... been reading and forgot the time! So maybe tonight will be a couple of pictures and nothing more! Apologies to those who expect a "proper blog"!!!

It was a dull day .... dry ... but grey. The fuchsia made such a bright statement that I ended up taking dozens of pictures.

The wind was strong ... sometimes it gave an interesting effect ... and sometimes it ruined the picture altogether!

Rain from during the night was still sitting heavily on the petals of other flowers ... it seemed to slide off the fuchsias more easily.

The variations in colour from one variety to the other is stunning.

Hydrangea pick up all the shades of pink on this soil and they thrive beside the sea.

Meanwhile, with Advent just around the corner, the nativity figures and various other characters are unpacked and ready for display. When my morning walk started this group had gathered in the entrance.

By the time I returned they were all in place!

The wise men came a little early .... but .... does it matter?

Meanwhile Scottie lies at the entrance to greet (or ignore) those who come and go.

Clearly this morning he just wanted to sleep and wasn't too keen to pose.

Eventually I annoyed him enough so that he sat up ... the nativity scene is in the background ....

This was taken just because the light caught the little tuft of hair that sticks up on his head!

So, that's it!

Sleep has come upon me .... night night.

It makes you think ...

2011-11-23T23:25:00.000Z

Pictures, symbols, the visual impact of a display can often make a person stop and think in a way that a long essay or lecture can't. This is as true of environmental issues as it is in any other area.
Over the years I've been drawn to a small box of sand at Drumalis. In it are "grave markers" for the items we discard so thoughtlessly.

Given moisture, air and sunlight almost everything will eventually break down. However, in landfill sites with a regular addition of fresh layers there's very little light or air in the lower parts so the process takes much longer.

Bananas, socks and even cigarette butts will decompose in under ten years. Wood and plastic bags take longer. Disposable nappies will still be around up to 500 years after the baby has finished with them!

The same goes for coke cans ... but one of the shockers is glass! One million years. No wonder we try to recycle as much of it as possible.

Finally ... the worst of all ... the Styrofoam items! It appears that they will quite simply never break down. Perhaps paper cups are the way to go after all?
I could see a school assembly developing out of this information!
It's a reminder to be a bit more careful about the things we use and how they are dumped.

The earth is the Lord's ...

360° grey sky today ... with rain!

2011-11-23T15:01:00.001Z

The post-breakfast walk was curtailed when the rain came on. There'd been just time to catch the grey sky behind the lamppost ... and that was it! So, returning to the lounge with a cup of coffee was the best alternative.

It was cosy and warm there while the rain beat upon the windows and the wind howled around. What a contrast to yesterday's fine blue sky.

With good books and excellent coffee there's not a problem!
Today's Ignatian exercises begin with Philippians 3:10-11. "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead."
It's funny how some passages have the effect of transporting you to another place, another time ... this is one that takes me back to a sermon I heard in London Bible College in the mid-1970s! That's going back a bit ... and is one of only a handful of sermons that I can recall.
At coffee time I had a wander around the house to pick out some of the stained glass features. Even in the bedroom corridors many of the sash windows are exquisite designs ... toilet doors ... unexpected panels ... skylights ... everywhere you look there's some piece of the glazier's creative art.

A window along the bedroom corridor.

Stained glass above the entrance bay window.

Another corridor gem.

And another!

The door into the Gents - this is also the vestry.

In the chapel ... one of the panels in the east window.

The skylight in the chapel. England, Scotland and Ireland represented ... don't know why Wales isn't there ... will try to find out.

The window beside the Prie Dieu that I use in the chapel.

The top section of one of the east windows.

Altar and part of the east window.

Close up of the chapel skylight.

Chapel entrance doors.

One of a pair of skylights above the main staircase.

Inlaid newel posts on the main staircase ... a work of art!

Once again today there were over a hundred pictures in the camera from a short walk around the house. What on earth is going to happen in Kenya?
"The Accidental Pilgrim" (Maggie Dawn) speaks of the journey being as important as the destination ... and maybe that's what I'm finding here ... the treasures and beauty along the way are inspirational ... stopping to look and appreciate all that is around is part of the pilgrimage.
In one of the lounge areas there's an original handwrought copper plaque by Hugo O'Carroll. It is based on a fifth century Latin Cross design from one of the ancient Irish sites.

Here is the Christian message to an ancient pagan land:

Redemption and Resurrection to life eternal through re-birth in Christ.

Such a feast of good things ...

2011-11-22T19:45:00.005Z

to see, to do, to read, to eat ... and today is already just over the half way mark! The time is flying past.
Having blue sky around all day was a bonus!

The "Narnia" lamp post (with its long life bulb) stands slightly crookedly at the entrance to Drumalis. It is one of those photogenic features that draws you every day ... so with changing light and varied skies it takes on a slightly different aspect every time you record it.
Along the front of the house the curved balustrades looked wonderful with their strong shadows and firm vertical lines. It is probably true that everything looks a bit better in sunlight!

While wandering around yesterday I came across a couple more plaques in the prayer rooms. At that stage the light was insufficient to take pictures so up to the attic prayer rooms I went again today ... this first one is a translation of the Latin text quoted by Erasmus that Carl Jung had inscribed on the entrance to his home in Zurich.

"Vocatus Atque Non Vocatus Deus Aderit"

The simplicity of the word "beloved" from the Song of Songs is another useful reminder to the one who goes to pray.

If predictions for a harsh winter need any support then the heavily laden trees are making the same suggestion. However, this time last year, when I was on retreat in Durham, we were snowbound at the airport for a night ... here this evening it has dropped only to five degrees Celsius so there's not likely to be snow tonight!

This blog is jumping about from topic to topic ... perhaps it is just random thoughts at the end of a beautiful day.

All over the house there are stunning stained glass panels ... the front porch has two magnificent swans, one on either side of the entrance.
I love the simplicity of these designs and the delicate shades of almost clear glass used to portray the feathers and then the strong blue and green of the waves on which they are sailing so majestically.
This is a place full of detail and quirky fixtures.
Another example is this hand basin in a bedroom. The original taps still work ... and the water emerges from the cute little lion's head on the side of the bowl.

What creative genius devised that little novelty? And what fun to turn on the tap in the morning to fill the sink for washing!

All of the bedrooms have fire places. Most of them are a marble surround, finely carved and of a great number of interesting designs and types of marble.

In the room that was once the nursery there is a tiny range with delft tiles on the inner surround. These depict nursery rhymes and fables including "The Hare and the Tortoise". Those who are acquainted with my collection of the latter will not be surprised to see a close up of that particular tile!

Finally ... Scottie ... the ever patient dog who follows his mistress around and waits for her outside the dining room. He's always willing to be patted by others and trotted over to me this evening so that I could do my duty! Such a lovely dog!

So, what's today's thought?

Bidden, or not bidden, God is present.

Be still ....

2011-11-21T23:39:00.001Z

Day of rest ....

2011-11-21T02:21:00.002Z

... and sleep! So the computer wasn't on very much at all.
The dog here, Scottie, took me for a walk after breakfast. He clearly intended me to follow him as every few yards he stopped to check that I was coming. The path he chose led right round the wooded area and made a very pleasant start to the day.
With the mild temperatures that we've had the countryside is still very green ... and the autumn colours add a further dimension. It was a "soft" day ... and good to be out in the stillness of the morning.

Shafts of sunlight kept breaking through the light cloud cover and the camera doesn't do justice to the way that it lit up the branches and the golden leaves on some of the trees.

Satisfied that his work was done the dog then settled down to guard the property and he took no further interest in what I was doing! At least he sat for pictures .... Eliot would have walked away at this point!

The lamppost always reminds me of Narnia ...

... and maybe sitting in the Quiet Garden is rather like being in another world, a different dimension ... and most certainly, a sacred space.

The only bit of television that I've had was Songs of Praise ... an exercise in spotting folk whom I know! It was recorded recently in our neighbouring church of Saint Thomas'.

Catching a close up of our Youth Worker was fun and I was glad that the camera was close at hand!

So ends the third day ...
A day of rest ...
A day of reading and sleeping ...

This is one of today's readings, a quotation from John 15.

You did not choose me

but I chose you.

And I appointed you

to go and bear fruit,

fruit that will last.

Living water ...

2011-11-19T23:52:00.000Z

There's a fountain .... two sided .... made from slate .... a constant stream of water pours down both faces from a narrow slit .... but it is very hard to get a decent picture of it!

Even a close up of the front side doesn't really do justice to the beauty ... and ....

... trying to get a picture from the back is even harder. Three or four little spurts of water shoot out at odd angles .... maybe a photograph at a different time of day would work? I'll do that tomorrow.

There are some comfortable seats near it so, in spite of a chilly wind, I spent a while there this morning thinking about Moses ... and the water from the rock (maybe that's a bit obvious) and then Jesus ... and the living water (also fairly predictable) ... and then Psalm 23 .... where the Good Shepherd leads by the quiet waters .... and since this is running water that analogy doesn't fit at all!!!
The sculpture from yesterday didn't look so big today .... although it is larger than life.

The colour in these photographs is nearer to the actual tones.

It is in the middle of the car park so, when Drumalis has a large conference in, getting an uncluttered picture is more of a challenge.

Unless, as in this one, you simply take the two heads ... !
Now ... colour! The sky this morning was a picture! Talk about seeing the glory of God in the natural world! There was no doubt today!

Only those who were up early saw this display ... by the time breakfast came the pink and orange colours had all gone.

In a painting you'd think this was an exaggeration ... far from it ... if anything, the camera has washed out some of the intensity.

We're surrounded by the most beautiful places to walk ... and it is Scottie's paradise.
He's the king here!

And he doesn't feel the need to exert himself too much. I wonder how many pictures have been taken of him over the years!

So .. this is the end of the second day at Drumalis.

It is an oasis ... a place where one might ....

... pay attention to the presence of God.

The beginning ...

2011-11-18T19:45:00.000Z

... a very good place to begin!
Friday morning is school assembly ... the pupils sang a wonderfully cheerful song about J-E-S-U-S being the "King of the Jungle"!! It made me smile and they clearly enjoyed it too. No photographs from that.
However ... next on the list was typhoid and hepatitis vaccines ... you don't want to see the needles, do you? Well ... you're not going to ... even if it didn't hurt. Now that I think about it I wish I'd asked to take a picture ... just for fun!
The treatment room has sparkling clean curtains ... that will have to do!

The day continued with a very pleasant lunch with a friend and then PACKING! Not my favourite occupation but it appears that I managed to bring most of what is required ... forgot to pick up the paints and brushes ... but I can survive without them!
Finally (with a little detour to CMSIreland (Church Mission Society Ireland) I headed out to Drumalis.

A cosy room in the old building will be my home for the next while ... and I'll enjoy the taps which are part of a marble and brass wash stand! It is gorgeous.

However, I was most captivated by the sculpture at the entrance. It has always been a favourite with two figures entwined so closely that it is hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. In the interesting damp light of dusk I took about forty pictures of it just walking round and trying to catch every angle. The floodlights played some fun tricks and although these pictures were taken within a few minutes of each other it looks as if some are in total darkness! Using the flash for a few of them gives the variety of tones as well.

I find something very strong and comforting in that embrace ... it made me think of a line from a hymn: "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."

There's plenty on which to reflect as the night draws in ... and the days ahead are ready and waiting ... nothing planned ... no pressure ... just resting and listening.

The first floor double windows in the tower are in my room ... when daylight comes I'll manage a shot or two of the garden view

.
For now ...
... a quotation from tonight's reflection (Exodus 3:5):

"The place where you stand is holy ground."

Thursday evening.

2011-11-17T21:27:00.000Z

It was good to be in Saint Nicholas' for a while today ... the colours will have changed for this coming Sunday: Christ the King. Maybe I'll get a chance to take a photograph of the all white covers before we move to Advent purple for the following week.

The day outside was dull and wet ... but the stained glass was making the building look cheery and bright.

I can look at these windows for ages; remembering the stories portrayed and enjoying the artistic genius that designed and created them.
From the (now disused) gallery the view is always good and you have a sense of the size and proportions of the church.

Think of the generations who have worshipped here since 1901 ... what a history the pews could tell! And some of them with their schoolboy carvings almost shout aloud! I imagine this comes from generations a long time ago and perhaps fulfils the saying: "Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do"!
With various appointments and things to do AND very heavy rain ... I forgot to take a sky picture! It was grey. Dark, heavy grey clouds! Indeed ... I have so many pictures like that you'd imagine that it was sometimes the same one.
iGoogle gives the local weather and earlier this evening temperatures were a very mild thirteen degrees Celsius.

Now we are come to the sun's hour of rest,
the lights of evening round us shine;
we hymn the Father, Son and Holy Spirit divine.

Church Hymnal number 699 verse 2

Phos hilaron (3rd Century or earlier) translated John Keble (1792-1866)

Doing the double .... again!

2011-11-16T20:07:00.000Z

Tuesday and Wednesday ... where do the days go? Especially when there appears to be little to write about at the end of it! Maybe this is where I need a favourite fountain pen and some purple ink in order to get the thoughts flowing? There's something about "proper ink" that brings along with it the inspiration and creativity that you need ... or that's what I think works for me!
The pens will come with me on Retreat ... so who knows what gems will flow from the gold plated nibs .... !!

It is fun to play with close up shots and looking at things from a slightly different perspective ... this perfectly ordinary (almost) bottle of ink appears rather different when you're tight up to it. The picture works for this week's 365Project where the theme is liquid!
If it were rain then there'd be no problem finding illustrations!
Having said that, the morning sky today was beautiful as the sun rose over Lisburn.

Earlier, when I was driving, there was a wonderful orange glow in the sky but stopping on the motorway is frowned upon. Indeed, I'm not quite sure what would happen if you decided to take a picture ... being parked because you've a flat tyre is one thing ... but taking photographs doesn't quite fit the category of emergency stopping!

Yesterday's grey sky wasn't exactly a cheerful start to the day although the decorations in the hotel foyer certainly helped to brighten things up. The only trouble is ... this is still the middle of November ... quite a long way from Christmas!

However, I suppose hotels need to be early to catch the passing trade that may drop in just once over the couple of months in the lead up to Christmas?

For me .. it felt just a tad early even if it did make me smile at the beauty of it. This tree is packed so full of decorations that there's hardly a bare branch or needle anywhere!

What id people think as I got up close and personal with the lights and baubles?!!

The whole entrance came "alive" as evening drew in and the candles were lit. The living flames enhanced the twinkling of the fairy lights.

Two in one ...

2011-11-14T22:31:00.000Z

Sunday and Monday ....
13th November ... Remembrance Sunday. You should have heard our choir ... magnificent! So beautiful. The anthem was great. This picture was taken at the beginning of the Recessional Hymn.

The Parish Wreath was laid by a World War Two Veteran.

The rest of Sunday was busy so there wasn't time to do a blog ...
And that brings us to Monday!
An early start for a committee meeting in Dublin ... or just north of the city.
That meant I had breakfast on the way when stopping for petrol.

It is always reassuring to know where you are!
The first day of committee ended with a waitress tipping over my wine ... the poor soul who received most of it is a bishop who was sitting opposite me!

So ... apologies that it isn't much of a blog ... but ... a long day just over and another one to come ...

Night, night!

The end of another week.

2011-11-12T22:03:00.004Z

Saturday night and lots to do ... so prioritize! Change your napkin ready for Sunday! Of course that's important ... indeed maybe the most important thing ... or perhaps not!
There is however something very pleasant about the feel of pressed linen and this ancient napkin ring has been mine for a long time now. It was given to me years ago when spotted in a "Junk Shop" and is used practically every day when I'm at home. The enamel is a little chipped in places though you don't notice that so much when it isn't under a macro lens of the camera. Sometimes you can get just too close!

This early morning photograph didn't load properly but the original is on the other computer so it will have to wait until tomorrow before it is changed. I guess it was a bit dark for taking pictures but the moon was so good and it is possible to make out the ghostly shape of Eliot mooching around among the bushes and not barking once!
Only after the picture was downloaded did I notice the formation of geese in the top right corner. I heard them but didn't actually see them at all ... though the camera did!

The dawn makes for a very interesting light on the dog and the plants ... everywhere has a blue tinge ... a bit like the white tee shirt that got into a blue jacket wash this morning! It isn't exactly "blue" but you'd know that it isn't perfectly white either! It reminds me of the little blue bag that was put in a white wash in "the old days"! Whatever was that called?
A quick "Google" and the answer is found very easily: Dolly Blue! Or Blue Bag. Or various other names as well.

Isn't it strange how one thing sparks off another idea or memory. I suppose all sorts of memories are stored away and just need the right trigger to set them off.

Heavenly Father,
whose blessed Son was revealed to destroy the works of the devil
and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life:
Grant that we, having this hope,
may purify ourselves even as he is pure;
that when he shall appear in power and great glory,
we may be made like him
in his eternal and glorious kingdom;
where he is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer

Collect of the Second Sunday before Advent.

Time for bed!

2011-11-11T23:35:00.001Z

Time for bed ... so no time to blog.
Armistice Day today.
Dog sitting as well.

I love to have Angel here. Lots of pictures taken.

Eliot appears to be perfectly happy for Angel to have "his" chair.

Perceptions.

2011-11-10T22:20:00.000Z

When is a "barking dog" a "barking dog" ... ? How much barking must a "barking dog" do before he's reported to the "authorities"? And, when I know that in recent weeks he's rarely been left "home alone" except during some Sunday services and a very few nights when I've returned by nine o'clock or shortly afterwards ... when is he barking?

No wonder he's looking through the hedge into their garden!
Today there was an official complaint about him.
His bark is a loud one although I make sure that he's not in the rooms that are adjacent to next door's house so the sound would be muffled.
I know that he never barks during the night except on the odd occasion when I've known that someone has come up the drive or round the back of the house. He is a good guard dog and you'd be a very brave person to risk coming onto the property if Eliot is around and I'm not! The new postman has made friends with him so now I never know when the mail arrives ... the fellow looks like Naftaly so maybe Eliot thinks that it is his friend back to play with him.

Eliot and Sooty (the dog on the other side) do bark at each other if they're in their respective gardens at the same time ... so for the last five months Eliot's not allowed out into the back unsupervised. So I know that isn't the problem!
The question therefore remains: Why is the perception of his barking so different from the reality?
Maybe there's no answer to that ...
So what are the solutions?
Well ... he already comes with me whenever possible and has become accustomed to sitting in on the Bible Study, the Choir practice and even attending parties and other major functions around church. Sometimes he goes visiting with me too. Of course, he can't come to funerals and to some other meetings ...
There are collars that spray a scented oil when the dog barks ... so one of those has been ordered to see if it works with Eliot. I don't like the thought of the other type that give a small static shock ... but maybe that will have to be considered if the spray one doesn't work.
And prayer ... maybe first prayer ... for my neighbours ... for myself ... around the situation ...
So ... that's the current situation at the rectory ... rather stressful at present but hopefully some of the measures will work ... of course ... another dog might be the best solution of all! Angel has been here tonight and perhaps the company would help? The danger is that the noise could double ... and that would be no help at all!! Maybe I need to borrow Angel more frequently ... or get a dog sitter .... this is certainly the downside of the rectory being a semi-detached house.
The neighbours knew that Eliot was here when they bought the house ... didn't it dawn on them when they were looking at it that the dog might bark from time to time? And the dogs on the other side bark as well ... except that their house doesn't have a shared wall so the noise is perhaps less. I wonder did they get a visit from the Dog Warden too?
But ... to a much more pleasant scene ...
This view is from the cafe at the Lyric Theatre. Just today I was taken there for coffee ... very good coffee ... and a beautiful vista along the River Lagan.

It is most certainly a room with a view.

God of peace, be present, near us;
fix in all our hearts your home.
With your gracious presence cheer us;
let your blessed kingdom come.

Church Hymnal number 505 verse 3

Charles Wesley (1707-88)

!

2011-11-09T23:41:00.001Z

Tuesday.

2011-11-08T21:55:00.000Z

Continuing with the "interesting" titles!
A dark, damp but mild day ... at times like this the lightbox comes into its own!

The 365Project theme this week is "home" and this photograph captures the morning scene with Eliot checking out for the school buses, a pile of books and papers on the coffee table that need to be relocated and the laptop busy catching up with the world. The lightbox is a new addition and is supposed to provide the missing light during winter ... time will tell if it makes any difference or is just a good marketing idea. If nothing else, it is a pleasant light by which to read.
Christmas catalogues come in nearly every mailing now ... and this one was clearly for Eliot. He spent all of ten seconds looking at it ...

The thought of a walk would have been more to his liking!

No treats were used to obtain these pictures ... but the tennis ball was a big attraction.

... and he spent a happy few minutes chewing on it!

Clearly all the exertion wore him out and, with paws crossed, off he dropped for forty winks! He and I can both do that very easily ... though I'm not sure that I cross my paws!
The rest of the day was fairly busy and ended up with the Bible Study group where we're working our way through Ken Clarke's book on Peter.
Right now I've a bit of writing to do, a couple of letters to answer and also aim for an early night ... so ... with a short dog-centred blog behind me ... I'll bid you all a very good night and quote from a hymn that we talked about tonight in the Bible Study.

I want to walk with Jesus Christ,
all the days I live of this life on earth,
to give to him complete control
of body and of soul.

Follow him, follow him, yield your life to him,
he has conquered death, he is King of kings.
Accept the joy which he gives to those
who yield their lives to him.

Church Hymnal number 580

C Simmonds

Monday.

2011-11-08T02:05:00.000Z

How's that for an interesting title?!!

It might have been "a cold and frosty morning" as the alternative ... here the frost has begun to melt on the sage bush. The temperature was minus one degree Celsius this morning ... and once again everywhere was white and cold!

The sky, for a second day, was clear blue. Beautiful.

The shrubs are confused. A few days ago I noticed flowers on a rhododendron ... and now this other spring flowering bush has a few wide open blossoms. They're gorgeous ... but certainly out of season.

Meanwhile Eliot has begun to dig a large hole in the back grass. It isn't great when he gets back into the house with at least one muddy paw and a nose that is covered with soil. Someone tonight suggested that he's a "Sprollie" ... the cross between Springer and Collie! I rather like the idea that I have this unique breed of Sprollie!

The ears are certainly the Springer bit ... and droop nicely into the hole that he's contemplating.

Lord of the Church, we pray for our renewing:
Christ over all, our undivided aim.
Fire of the Spirit, burn for our enduing,
wind of the Spirit, fan the living flame!
We turn to Christ amid our fear and failing,
the will that lacks the courage to be free,
the weary labours, all but unavailing,
to bring us nearer what a Church should be.

Church Hymnal

Timothy Dudley-Smith (b 1926)

Sunday play ...

2011-11-06T19:19:00.000Z

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)

Autumn morning.

2011-11-05T10:38:00.000Z

Saturday ... things to do ... places to go ... housework to be done ...
... and here I am, taking a coffee break and wishing that the sun would shine!
It was too cold to stay long in the garden. Eliot didn't appear to notice as he watched the tree just waiting for the squirrel to make an appearance.

He has a wonderful ability to stay focussed on one point for a long time ... maybe there's a sermon in that!
From a human viewpoint the tree is a beauty ... not that the gardener would agree. There are the beech nuts, the leaves and the sticky flowers in the spring that all descend to cover the grass ... but the autumn colour is great when the sun shines and the spring growth will come fresh and bright. The seasons each have something of beauty and even the fallen leaves make an attractive pattern on the still very green grass!

It is the edge of this tree that appears in my daily sky picture ... almost every day for the past few months (since late July) I've taken a morning photograph of the Belfast sky. These are on a 365 album ... http://365project.org/elizabeth/extras/2011-11-05

Meanwhile, Eliot 'the gorgeous' makes himself comfortable ... this is a forbidden place where he took refuge late last night until I noticed ... then he wandered off to a perfectly comfortable and well padded dog basket! Do dogs have the same problem that humans face ... "doing those things that we ought not to do ... "?
So ... the coffee is finished ... and the next thing awaits ...

Come, make your needs, your burdens known:
he will present them at the throne;
and angel hosts are waiting there
his messages of love to bear.

Church Hymnal number 8 verse 5

Josiah Condor (1789-1855)

Just one picture ...

2011-11-04T11:45:00.000Z

Have I lost my touch? Yesterday I took just one photograph during the entire day!
Of course, there were opportunities ... but all were missed. It was a terribly wet day and driving to Fivemiletown in the heavy downpour should have given at least one rainy day picture. All I had was the morning sky which threatened the rain that followed.

So there are no shots of the dry Fermanagh countryside ... we left the rain behind in the eastern counties ... and no record of the beautiful meal ... nor of the rainbow on the way back!
The sky series of pictures continues to keep me interested ... perhaps some day I ought to take a photograph every hour ... but for the last few hours this morning we've had a beautiful blue sky with just a few high clouds to give interest.

There's a lot to be said for sunshine and the clotheslines full of shirts, towels and bed linen are flapping around quite nicely in the breeze. All the dog's bedding is next for the machine ... you can't miss an opportunity like this! "Seize the day" is perhaps the motto!

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
to guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
his voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Church Hymnal number 666 verse 2

Katharina von Schlegel (1752)

Where are the blogs?

2011-11-03T08:21:00.001Z

Mostly in my head!

There are times when catching up on sleep is the winning option! Of course ... it may mean moving the dog off the bed first ... Eliot has an idea that the most comfortable places in the house belong to him and sleeping diagonally on the double bed suits him just fine!
His owner, knowing this, insists on using WHITE bedding ... not the best choice when he's been out in the garden ...

... who could resist the appeal in those gorgeous eyes? And he did move over (with a little persuasion) so that I could have a corner as well.
So ... no blogs recently ...
But there were a couple of parties!
One was for a ninety seven year old ... and great fun. Stewart had a ball!

Middle Sister made sure that we all had more than enough to eat of the array of finger food ...

Niece kept conversations flowing ...

And Wee Sister had fun organising, inviting, planning and baking ...

The cake ... with a motor bicycle on it ... was a great success and scrumptious!

And ... in this group are some of the friends and relatives who gathered to celebrate. What a party!

At church on the 31st October we also had a party - a MEGA PARTY - with music, games, a magician, a quiz, lots of food and some fireworks! This was our Youth Worker's baby and provided a fantastic evening of fun and entertainment.

It was fancy dress ... with an emphasis on coming as something entertaining, good, funny ... and trying to avoid too much of the evil side of Hallowe'en. Everyone from Saint Patrick and Mrs Nicholas (with James Bond) to a Marathon Runner turned up ... and a few other interesting characters as well!

The music was great and both Angel and Eliot attended. Somehow I managed not to catch Eliot in any of the pictures ...

Traditional bobbing for apples was run as a competition and lots of wet hair and laughter happened.

And so ... the fireworks ... and home ...
A good night!

Thank you to all who came, organised, helped and made it such a fantastic evening.

For all your saints in glory, for all your saints at rest,
to you, our Lord and Saviour, all praises be addressed;
apostles, martyrs, prophets, who served you in their day,
have left us their example of following your way.

Church Hymnal number 460

based on a hymn from Sarum Hymnal (1868)

Winter fuel.

2011-10-28T20:46:00.001+01:00

The days have turned colder so the time has come to think about icy nights and freezing pipes and making plans to stay warm and cosy!

The fuel store was empty of all but half a bag of slack and three unused instant barbecues ... and maybe the aroma of rodent ... hopefully only mice ... . It wasn't really the summer for barbecues ...

Don't you love the pattern of the bricks with their age and discolouration ... ?

Eliot was making sure that all was in place for the fresh supplies of fuel that had been booked.

Isn't it wonderful that you can make a phone call and a very helpful person asks (on Thursday afternoon), "Will tomorrow be okay for you?" My guess is that it could have been sent round that same day if my need had been urgent.

And so ... with the order placed all we had to do was wait.

On returning from a visit this afternoon the coal lorry was parked at the gate ... so I wondered why did he not drive up along the side of the house and so cut down a steep slope and long run?

The answer: As the coal man tried to move into reverse the gears all disengaged and he couldn't move the vehicle at all!

Oh dear ... there he was ... stuck until his brother should arrive to fix the engine. So, run after run, (and he did run) he carried sacks of coal, turf and bags of logs round the back for me.

The coal man is the one dressed in what was once a high visibility jacket and his brother is clambering all over the engine. I don't think that they were aware of me looking down from the upstairs window through the almost bare tree.

He made a neat stack of the logs and the turf so I'll be able to get at both of them easily. The turf burns with a great heat and the aroma of the smoke transports you to rural Ireland in an instant.

Then, at the bottom of the garden the coal bunker was filled as well. There'll be enough fuel to keep warm fires in the rectory for many a day to come.

So the preparations are completed ... the oil tank is full and the solid fuels are stored ... but hopefully the winter will not be just as cold as last year ... even if the forecast suggests otherwise. All of these (coal, turf and wood) will be used in the two open fires that I enjoy in the main rooms downstairs. Sometimes if you're using just one room then it is more economical to heat it alone rather than put on the central heating for the whole building.

Meanwhile, Eliot decided to sit on guard at the store entrance ... I'm not sure who he thought might come along but he's taking no chances! Maybe he just likes to be up a step to see more clearly what is happening in the garden?

So there's a glimpse of domestic life in a suburban rectory ... nothing unusual really ... just the mundane stuff of life that carries on in the background. It has been interesting to identify another blog reader or two ... you must sometimes wonder at the sanity of the writer ...!!

Now it is time to do a bit more for Sunday's sermon ... the service at 10.15 am is a Celebration of Wholeness and Healing from the BCP. We follow this liturgy a few times each year and continue to pray for the sick, and those in any kind of trouble, on a regular basis at the Wednesday Eucharist.
One of the hymns we'll sing on Sunday is "We cannot measure how you heal or answer every sufferer's prayer ... " The tune is "Ye banks and braes".

The pain that will not go away,
the guilt that clings from things long past,
the fear of what the future holds,
are present as if meant to last.
But present too is love which tends
the hurt we never hoped to find,
the private agonies inside,
the memories that haunt the mind.

Church Hymnal number 514 verse 2

John Bell and Graham Maule

Where does it go?

2011-10-27T23:58:00.001+01:00

Time, that is! One minute it is a bright sunny morning ... and in what feels like the next minute it is almost bedtime!

From the car park roof ...

2011-10-25T22:58:00.001+01:00

... you have a good view over Belfast!

All was misty and wet when I arrived at the hospital ... low cloud hung lazily over the hills and the damp dwellings seemed to huddle together for warmth. In days gone by there would have been smoke curling up from each of the houses ... now ... even some of the chimneys have gone and the gap covered with slates. How times have changed.
RISE can be spotted from all over the city ... and here it dominates the landscape ... its huge size seen in the juxtaposition with the surrounding buildings.

There is always plenty of parking space in this new multi-storey and my car was the solitary one on the top level. Why, of course, would anyone choose to go there in the rain when there were spaces on lower levels? To take photographs! Why not?

What a gloomy sky as I left to go and do some visiting.
Then, an hour or so later, and everything has changed!

Strong shadows now lie beside each chimney in the terraced housing ... and ...

... the hill has shaken off its mist and is back in focus ....

... and the hospital chimney towers up into a less grey sky ... indeed ... there's quite a percentage of blue in it!

It is amazing just how quickly the weather changes here ...
Meanwhile the dog continues to be his usual adorable self! At least, I think so ... and I know his fan club agree!

O Christ, who art the Light and Day,
thou drivest darksome night away!
We know thee as the Light of light,
illuminating mortal sight.

All-holy Lord, we pray to thee,
keep us tonight from danger free;
grant us, dear Lord, in thee to rest,
so be our sleep in quiet blessed.

Church Hymnal number 69

6th Century Latin

Any excuse!

2011-10-24T23:50:00.001+01:00

There's a new restaurant on the Lisburn Road ... Hooples. So, what else would you do on a pouring wet evening than go to celebrate a friend's birthday! Now, if they need a good reference ... here it is!

We had a superb time, Bernard, the Front of House Manager, was most attentive ... and we gave him the freedom to choose our meal for us!

The water pitcher is Spanish!
Prawn lollipops with a cooling dip started us off ... I like the dramatic presentation with the specially crafted slate that has little eyelets for the skewers.

Then squid ... tender and fresh ...

Beef bourguignon followed ... all of these dishes we shared. They come one after the other in Spanish style (with little breaks) so that the whole experience extends over a long period of time and you have opportunity to enjoy each of the courses to the full. The little plates are so attractive and don't take up huge space on the tables.

The scallops and prawns on pak choi had a wonderful ginger and chilli dressing ... hot but not unpleasantly so. Again, packed full of flavour and a delight to the eyes.

Desserts followed ... Panna cotta ...

... and white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake. Both delicious.

To complete the feast ... a double espresso!

I don't often do a blog that is simply an expanded menu of a good dinner ... but this evening was rather unusual. The chefs are clearly artists and take great pride in the presentation of the food as well as in the cooking.

Hooples is closed on Sundays ... this means that the staff can spend time with their families and attend church ... I like that attitude as well.

We chose to sit in the window where we could watch the incessant rain ... it has certainly been one of those days with a great deal of localized flooding. The cheesy grin isn't great ... but I do like the wet street with the lights outside!

I will hold the Christ-light for you

in the night-time of your fear;

I will hold my hand out to you,

speak the peace you long to hear.

Church Hymnal 517 verse 3

Richard Gillard (b 1953)

Late!

2011-10-23T23:13:00.000+01:00

Another night when it is too late to blog ... too late to think clearly ... to late to do anything except head off for bed!
It has been the weekend of the turtle ... yesterday the cute keyring from Germany, today the softest imaginable cushion from England ... both special gifts ... the collection grows apace!

I think that these are called "Pillow Pets" ... and Eliot may look all he likes but it is certainly not for him. The soft toy he was given in the summer has to be mended before it is returned to him ... he doesn't mean to tear holes in them ... but his teeth are sharp!

Anyhow ... Pillow Pet has joined the ranks of the Rectory Turtles ... though this one may end up in the car as a little luxury if I have to wait around in car parks ... it would be very comfortable to have him on whom to rest my head!
Today was Bible Sunday and we had some wonderful hymns ... "Tell me the old, old story ..." being among my favourites. The harmonies in all of the pieces were wonderful and in particular in the hymn for tonight's blog ...

All created things, bless the Lord;
all you heavens, bless the Lord;
all you angels, bless the Lord;
sing to God and praise his name.

Church Hymnal number 682

Edward F Darling (b. 1933) based on Benedicite.

Random.

2011-10-22T23:12:00.000+01:00

Hope ...

2011-10-21T16:19:00.000+01:00

... maybe that's the current theme! It came to mind again in this recent picture of the Spire of Hope at Saint Anne's Cathedral.

I do like the huge cross on the north side of the building ...

The begonias continue to provide a very colourful display in the raised beds although the day itself is very grey and dull. But ... it wasn't raining ... and that has to be a bonus!

The buoys are examples of pre 1970s navigational aids from local waters ... I'm sorry that there's a bit of graffiti on them. It was tempting to use photoshop to remove it ... but ... life is too short to mess with that kind of thing just here. Maybe if it were for some promotional poster then that would be a different matter.

They make a dramatic and interesting feature in the centre of this square.

Now, for the fan club ... Eliot has begun to recognise that there will be at least one photograph taken every day and may even have decided to co-operate! Certainly this morning he didn't run away or always turn away his head ... the is progress.

Jesus, Saviour of the world,
come to us in mercy.
Hear us, as we pray to you,
help and heal us, Jesus.

Church Hymnal number 698

Edward F Darling (b 1933) based on "Jesus, Saviour of the World".

A dog post ...

2011-10-20T09:28:00.000+01:00

Blog post ... or ... dog post ...

Eliot was in the mood for photographs this morning ... so I'd hate to miss the opportunity! Here's a selection from a rather cold and frosty time in the garden with air temperatures only just

4°C

Winter has arrived!

And with it a brighter, sunnier morning ... rain is, of course, forecast for later in the day!

You can see the frosty covering on the grass ... daft dog likes to lick it! Maybe that's the collie's equivalent of an ice cream?

A rustling in the leaves and his attention turns to the beech tree ... that tree that covers the garden with leaves, beech nuts and small branches!

I received a beautiful card in the post today ... very tiny ... just eight centimetres tall by six wide ...

A quotation in it from "Lux benigna" ...

Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
lead thou me on;
the night is dark, and I am far from home,
lead thou me on.
Keep thou my feet, I do not ask to see
the distant scene, one step enough for me.

Church Hymnal number 653

John Henry Newman (1801-90)

BMW

2011-10-19T23:01:00.000+01:00

There are three sisters: Big (B), Middle (M) and Wee (W) ... sometimes known as BS, MS and WS! We're nothing if not original in our family! Of course we have proper names as well ... rather nice names I happen to think but there may be a bias there.
Anyhow ... WS, MS and BS went to "Made in Belfast" tonight with assorted others ... including our Australian cousin Judith who is in the city for two nights.
This is a restaurant to which I've never been (how did that happen?) and one to which I would most certainly return. The milk bottle chandelier is just one of the attractive and unusual features that you see in this very busy place.
Light levels are low so most of the photographs are a little on the dark and grainy side ... but who cares when the food was good and the staff very pleasant.

WS and Arnie ... he's the magician who gets my car fixed ... and it is now running quietly ... what a dream!

The menu has some interesting items ... I had the fish ... niece the chicken ... MS and WS both had the burger ....

And these "The Relatives" .... Niece, WS, MS, Australian cousin and BS (me!).

Of course, the photograph of the day was none of these ... it had been taken early in the morning ... after the incredibly early dog walk. We were wandering around, me in a HiVis jacket, at six o'clock!

I love the way he takes the lead in his mouth ... this is the boundary marker not far from our road.
Even that isn't the photograph for 365Project ... that one is of a bracelet that my niece gave me on Sunday.

I shall wear this often ...
It was fun to play around with the various editing programmes on it as well ... this one was taken of it lying on the laptop beside the turtle sticker - what else!

So now ... tired after a long, long day ... and ready for bed!

All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.

Church Hymnal number 10

Robert Bridges (1844-1930)

Deceptive blue sky!

2011-10-18T22:20:00.001+01:00

Sometimes a blue sky means a warm sunny day with breakfast in the garden ... not today! It was blowing an icy gale and the day turned out to be showery and very cold. Still, the morning picture was pretty as the light clouds tore across the sky.

Tonight the dog was a model of obedience ... sometimes he's not a bad dog at all!

Almighty God,
you called Luke the physician,
whose praise is in the gospel,
to be an evangelist and physician of the soul:
By the grace of the Spirit
and through the wholesome medicine of the gospel,
give your Church the same love and power to heal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Book of Common Prayer

Collect of Saint Luke's Day

Today (actually yesterday - Monday!).

2011-10-18T00:31:00.001+01:00

Oh what a day ... got totally soaked while waiting for a bus ... rain bouncing off everything and blowing quite a gale! Very gloomy day indeed.
Earlier I'd had a meeting in Church House and took the opportunity to have another wander around Saint Anne's.

It wasn't exactly a great day for taking pictures ... too stormy for the umbrella to provide adequate shelter for the camera.
Inside the cathedral all was beautiful and peaceful - as you'd expect. This was the kneeler I used today - it looks to me to be like one of the older designs. I wonder is there a record somewhere of the folk who did each of them ... they have numbers on the underside ...

I like the simplicity of the building ... the pale stone ... the light ....

... and the windows.

It's a good place to go, to light a few candles for friends and to sit in the stillness before having to attend committee meetings! Getting soaked on the way home isn't such a big problem ... you can get dried out very easily there.

'Set your troubled hearts at rest':
hear again the word divine;
all our Father does is best;
let his peace be yours and mine.

Be at peace, then, and rejoice,
loved and comforted and blessed;
hear again the Saviour's voice:
'Set your troubled hearts at rest'.

Church Hymnal 626 verses 1 & 4

Timothy Dudley-Smith (b. 1926)

Is that the time?

2011-10-16T23:50:00.001+01:00

Well ... no ... that was the time we finished afternoon tea! (This is a clock that projects the time onto the ceiling! Fun!)

My sister did "the works" with dainty sandwiches, gorgeous mini cakes and a Victoria Sponge! Cups and saucers with pretty napkins and champagne jelly, cheese and biscuits ... must have forgotten half of it! Scrumptious.

The occasion was a family gathering just before my niece was baptised. Eliot, of course, was around as well.

He "enjoys" the car journey ... if dogs "enjoy" things ... and I took a couple of pictures while we were waiting at traffic lights ... just pointed the camera into the back of the car and hoped for the best!

Later on I managed to get him to sit for a few pictures ... and those who follow his adventures will understand that this is not the easiest thing to achieve!

There's a small plaque set into one of the flagstones at my sister's place ... I'd given it to her many, many years ago ... and now it has a permanent home. It was beside it that Eliot posed ... he thought that he might be allowed into the house ... he was mistaken!

It is always useful to know where you are! So this leaves you in no doubt whatsoever.

As I said, the event we were celebrating was my niece's baptism ... so just a shot of the screen that enabled the congregation to see what was happening in the tank as the three candidates were immersed one after the other.

A song chosen by the candidate was sung after their baptism ... my niece chose "Amazing grace".

This was a beautiful end to quite a long day with our own services in the morning at Saint Nicholas'. Really enjoyed both of them as well.

Now, the dog is curled up ready for bed ... and I guess that's where I ought to be too!

So in the threefold Name today
baptized in faith from all our sins,
we turn to Christ, our Truth and Way,
the Life in whom our life begins;
to Christ who saves and sets us free,
his followers and friends to be.

Church Hymnal 395 verse 5

Timothy Dudley-Smith (b. 1926)

A quiet space in the city.

2011-10-15T22:25:00.002+01:00

Eliot couldn't understand the sound of barking this morning.
A dog show in The King's Hall ... he could hear them but couldn't join them!
So, the poor mutt sat in the back garden looking wistfully at the direction from which the noises were coming.

Meanwhile I had a small amount of shopping to do and, armed with the camera, headed off to the Cathedral Quarter.

Then, shopping done, lunch eaten, I wanted a quiet place for a little while.

That's what you need sometimes ... a place to go where another will lead the worship. One o'clock on Saturday there is short service in the Chapel of Unity at Saint Anne's.

Harvest preparations were underway inside the great building ... all very quiet and discrete so as not to disturb the many visitors who had come in to pray and to look around.

It is a good place to be.

Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place,
he comes to cleanse and heal, to minister his grace.
No work too hard for him, in faith receive from him;
be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place.

Church Hymnal number 325

Dave Evans (b. 1957)

No blog?

2011-10-14T23:28:00.000+01:00

It is an option...
Sometimes you don't feel like writing anything ...

So, with a few dog pictures ...

... and herbs that add flavour to meals ....

... with a mushroom that has grown huge at the church grounds ... this is quite simply ....

Good night!

God is our strength and refuge,
our present help in trouble;
and we therefore will not fear,
though the earth should change!
Though mountains shake and tremble,
though swirling floods are raging,
God the Lord of hosts is with us evermore!

Church Hymnal number 12

Richard Bewes (b 1934)

A funny old day!

2011-10-13T23:06:00.000+01:00

As is usual ... Eliot wanted to go out as soon as we were awake. But these mornings are very dark and gloomy. It wasn't raining ... but you couldn't see much. Resisting the use of flash this was the best picture that was possible in the available light.
The coffee packet was taken at the same time while I was waiting for the kettle to boil for the first mug of the day! Strength 6 is about right to provide a kick start! It is a very dark blend as befits the day!

The rest of the day trundled along ... Eliot pretended to be tired!

I do wonder about him sometimes. He has a dedicated arm chair and a wool lined basket ... so he lies on the hard floor with his head resting on an icy cold cast iron turtle!

Through the long night watches
may thine angels spread
their white wings above me,
watching round my bed.

Church Hymnal number 68 verse 6

Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924)

Here and there.

2011-10-12T23:18:00.000+01:00

What a morning. Rain, drizzle and grey sky! The garden is sodden and taking pictures under the trees is a sure way to get sprinkled!

As always, Saint Nicholas' is looking good. We had the usual service of Holy Communion here at one o'clock today.

Nothing new on the Eliot front ... though someone did suggest that I get him a companion. I don't think so!!

As the mat says, "A spoilt rotten dog lives here"! To have two of them might just be a bark too far.

Breathe your Holy Spirit
into every heart;
bid the fears and sorrow
from each soul depart.

Church Hymnal number 338 verse 2

William Pennefatehr (1816-73)

Synchronicity...

2011-10-11T23:33:00.002+01:00

Serendipity ...
Coincidence ...
All ways to describe a "chance" meeting (or set of circumstances or events). They're all statistically bound to happen ... yet it takes your breath away when it does!
Today I met someone whom I'd not seen in many, many months ... we were both in a place where we are rarely seen ... we were both alone .... and we both had a little time to talk! Quite amazing!
I'd just finished a very tasty dish of chicken and crispy onions on champ with a peppercorn sauce.

I do enjoy the presentation of the vertical placing of food ... in the "old days" that would have been three lumps on the plate with the sauce poured over the chicken. This, to my eye, is more attractive.

Tonight was the South Belfast Area Service ... it was wonderful and the words of a number of the hymns were very powerful.

"Great is thy faithfulness... " set the mood for the event ... " ... all I have needed thy hand hath provided ... "

The version of the 23rd Psalm is a personal favourite. The last verse:
And though I walk the darkest path,
I will not fear the evil one,
for you are with me, and your rod and staff
are the comfort I need to know." And I will trust in you alone ....

The recessional, "In Christ alone my hope is found..." is another set of very carefully constructed verses.
".... No power of hell, no scheme of man,
can ever pluck me from his hand;
till he returns or calls me home,
here in the power of Christ I'll stand."

It was a good time and Saint Nicholas' was well represented. Afterwards the tea gave an opportunity to mingle with other branches in the area and catch up with friends whom we see only two or three times a year.

The other hymn of note from this evening's worship is the one I'll use to close the blog.

Safe in the shadow of the Lord, beneath his hand and power,
I trust in him, I trust in him,
my fortress and my tower.

From fears and phantoms of the night, from foes about my way,
I trust in him, I trust in him,
by darkness as by day.

Why is it ...

2011-10-11T07:03:00.000+01:00

... that you have to iron the entire shirt before discovering ... on the last section ... that there's a stain with which you cannot live? So, back into the machine for another wash ... freshly ironed and never worn. This is a great injustice!

To make matters appear to be worse ... this all happened "a great while before day"!
You've got to laugh, I suppose!
At least it gives me a chance to pray for friends ... a big number of them in need ... the injured, the ill, some in almost constant pain, those waiting for tests and the results of tests, those far from home, the bereaved, some facing uncertain futures and employment issues, others experiencing depression, some with challenging tasks ahead ... that list goes on and on.
It is still too dark to see the clothes line to peg out the washing so I'll get back to my book!

Then hear, O gracious Saviour,
accept the love we bring,
that we who know your favour
may serve you as our King;
and whether our tomorrows
be filled with good or ill,
we'll triumph through our sorrows
and rise to bless you still:
to marvel at your beauty
and glory in your ways,
and make a joyful duty
our sacrifice of praise!

Church Hymnal number 362 verse 2

Michael Perry (1942-96)