1 This delightful card arrived this morning from my cousin, S. It was designed by a primary school child and spreads the message beautifully. I wish you all and all your loved ones a happy, peaceful and love-filled festive season and New Year.
Peace card designed by a child
2 One of my favourite poets, Robert Frost, wrote this poem, ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’. Until today, I had always thought he must have written it on 21st December, the darkest day of the year. Here, you can hear the poet reading his own poem and hear the story of how he was inspired to write it one mid-summer day!
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
3 Today we have celebrated the Winter Solstice. From tomorrow the days will start getting longer. I took a photo at dawn and another at sunset to mark the day and we went to our friends’ new woodland where they are creating a stone circle to start a new tradition. G had placed the first stone at sunrise and he and the lovely Mr S set the sunset stone in place and we all sang ‘May this stone be filled with love and harmony’, new words to this song with which we started our concert in Truro Cathedral last week. Click on any image for a bigger picture.
and just come in from a young friend, Natalie – “Tonight’s triple whammy! At the exact time as winter solstice, the #iss passes over the UK while the astronauts do a space walk!” Brilliant! Thanks, Natalie.