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Daily Archives: December 10, 2013

Mandela Memorial, Lunch and Tree Planting

1   We listened to the Memorial for Nelson Mandela this morning. What a man – and how loved and respected he was. I loved Obama’s speech and the quoting at the end of the last two lines from Mandela’s favourite poem. I put it all here as it is so appropriate.

Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Beautiful.

2   I made a bowlful of Broad Bean Hummus (garden ones, frozen) to take for a shared lunch today. My Oat and Linseed Flowerpot loaf worked out well too.
3   Our shared lunch with our good friends, N&G, was a precursor helping them plant the last few trees of their small woodland. I just love the whole idea of this – to have the forethought to plant for generations to come. There are Sessile oaks, Silver birch, Rosa Rugosa, Ash, Sweet Chestnut, Gean Cherry, White, Goat and Scarlet Willows, Italian Alder, Elder and Hazel – all planted for particular purposes – for the birds, for insect life, for food, for shelter and for love.   It’s going to be a magical place with a stone circle in the middle and the hands and laughter of many friends in the planting. What a joy to be part of this project.  Thank you to you both.
Our first tree planted

Our first tree planted

Kaia helping with the digging

Kaia helping with the digging

Part of the very young woodland

Part of the very young woodland

 

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