Remembering Capability Brown

Friday 24th June 2016

     St Cuthbert's Elsdon mark the tercentenary of the birth of local boy, Capability Brown, by depicting the Northumbrian countryside which he loved and landscaped.
Different flower and plant arrangements show aspects of his life through artfully natural designs. 

      As it is the feast day of St John the Baptist, I talk in Greenhaugh School assembly about  the ways in which John guided people to be themselves in the best way possible  --   so as to become the people God has designed them to be.
     The evening ended at Elsdon with "Landscape and Nature in Music" sung by the Coquetdale Chamber Choir conducted by John Casken.
     Meanwhile everyone is conscious that life continues calmly whilst beneath the surface there is a sense of upheaval as we adjust to the news that yesterday's referendum has resulted in a majority voting to leave the European Union.  [See "Thought for the Day" page] 

Home again

Thursday 23rd June 2016

Above Bellingham on a dewy morning

I'm home from holiday in time to vote in the referendum on whether the UK should leave or remain in the EU.  It's a complicated issue and nearly 10% of the population of Bellingham had already voted by 8.30 a.m. when I went to the polling station after feeding the horses on the fell and saying Morning Prayer in church.
     Somebody said that she would feel like setting off fireworks if the result is the one she has voted for.  I said that the issue has split the population to such an extent that nobody should be setting off fireworks but that we'll just have to settle down and live with the result.  Things will be different whatever the outcome.  

The Queen's 90th birthday

Friday 10th June 2019

Bellingham First School's "Street Party" where more than a hundred people enjoyed afternoon tea and sang Happy Birthday to the Queen after the children had performed a Royal Variety Performance, beginning with the National Anthem. Congratulations to everyone (including the Queen)!

Who's watching today?

Thursday 9th June 2016

I don't know what these sheep were concentrating on.  Earlier I had looked over my shoulder to see a roe deer staring at me from the edge of the wood.
Then off I went to Morning Prayer and Holy Communion and some parish visiting, as well as all kinds of meetings and phone calls.

"Northern Light"

Saturday 4th June 2016

Little did they know what they were letting themselves in for when they signed up for "Northern Light", the deanery day held in Wark Town Hall !  (And it was a good lunch.)

"In June I change my tune"

Friday 3rd June 2016

It may be chilly , but it looks like June and today the cuckoo had remembered to change from the spring notes to the summer tune.  I remembered to book the Town Hall for the village harvest supper and to procure a marquee for the churches stand at the Bellingham Show.

Churches Together

Thursday 2nd June 2016

After getting together with the other church representatives to plan the Church stand at the Bellingham Show and the Village harvest Supper, we went home from our hosts' with some early surplus salad crops!

Summer begins?

Wednesday 1st June 2016

More like a chilly bright Spring day than the beginning of June but there's always something beautiful to enjoy.