astonishingly

it seems that there is still some interest in this blog and the project, even after such a long gap between posts.

The past year heralded many changes. This is from the Celtic Wheel of the Year by Tess Ward, who I heard speak at the Soil and Soul Festival a couple of weeks ago.

Spirit of God,
surround me this quiet night.
I offer you all the fears that come with change;
the changes in the world that make it strange to me;
the changes in my work and community that I have not chosen;
the changes in my family and friends that mean I must adjust;
the winds of change in my life that have blown me in a different direction

Oh Spirit as I lie down this night,
help me to trust your changing me unawares;
your gentle beckon when I want to return to the known,
for the bloom cannot show lest the bud break open.

On the Edge met at 4.30am for a Dawn Chorus walk in Stansted Forest. We made our way up to the avenue in the dark and paused under Peter's Beech Tree Cathedral for a poem and prayer before walking slowly and in silence as the sky brightened and the birds sang. Most of us could only identify the cuckoo and the woodpecker but we were all enriched by experiencing this special time of day when the veil between the worlds is noticeably thinner. We finished by sharing breakfast here at home, where we discussed the Emsworth Arts Trail and the amazing boat project. This puts the walker somewhere around St Helens and heading towards Blackburn. Margaret has promised me a genuine Lancashire meat and potato pie recipe, so it's time to get a date in the diary for that.
Warming up again after the extended break I enjoyed(?) a challenging ride to Buriton, fighting the wind all the way, and then joined the Chichester Cyclists for a ride from Bramber to Brighton with a detour to see the amazing houseboats at Shoreham on the return leg. The virtual cyclist is just about to leave the Cairngorms National Park.