The Church of England commemorates "Woodbine Willie" on 8 March, the anniversary of his death in 1929. Before the First World War, he was the vicar at St Paul's church in Worcester, and is buried at St John's cemetery in the city.
It's also Ash Wednesday, so we start our Lenten observances. One of the Community's corporate observances is to get some fresh air, and find time to stand and stare: "to take 20/30 minutes in the day, weather permitting, to get outside the building (not for work!); for some fresh air, some sunshine, look at the progress being made around the grounds and listen to the birds, etc!" I'm all in favour of Lenten observances that license the things I enjoy doing! Today I wandered south, but the only thing worth reporting was one small abandoned nest cradled by bramble and thorn.
Either side of lunch, I spent a bit of time meditatively cleaning secateurs. The greenhouse effect ensured that the greenhouse was lovely and warm, despite the wind and a brief spatter of rain. Just before lunch, the buzzard was just visible above the wall and garth bank, wheeling and glancing at the ground. After lunch, the trees in that area were full of chattering linnets: "Well Mavis, I think he's gone now, but that was a near miss and no mistake!" "Oooh yes Muriel, I thought that was my lot, bound for linnet heaven. My Stanley is still having palpitations. But how are your summer holiday plans coming along? Mind you don't miss the deadline for cheap flights." .........
Between September 2010 and September 2011, I lived alongside an Anglican Benedictine community of monks and nuns. In November 2010, we moved from Broad Marston Manor near Evesham to Mucknell Abbey, a new eco-monastery near Worcester. This blog was about things that I observed and things that interested me. I have now stopped writing it. Thank you to all who were also interested.
thanks for the introduction to woodbine willy. I've just been reading some of his stuff.
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