Look what I woke up to this morning...
That's the view out the back window. I'm pretty sure that is Cotoneaster frigidus... isn't it beautiful?
And my view out the big picture window at the front.
That is a gold fish pond at the very bottom of the picture... with actual goldfish swimming around in it... well, not swimming really, just moving around ever so sloooowwwly. So slowly in fact, that they appear to be standing still. Guess they are sort of in hibernation with it being so cold and all. I can verify they are alive and well though, because Friday I could see them quite clearly through a thin, glasslike sheet of ice. They kept changing position throughout the day though I never actually saw them in the act of doing it.
I am staying at a retreat center at the north end of Canterbury, called Centrespace.
Arrived here last Wednesday evening, thanks to Tina, the head gardener at Commonwork, (and her GPS system) who has befriended me and offered to give me a ride, even though it was over an hours drive from Bore Place.
Thank you Tina!
So. Long time no post, huh?!
I know. Mostly due to internet issues though, and it is quite possible I have gone from bad to worse in that department... but, we'll see how it goes. I can say it has been nice to hear from a few of you saying you miss my blogging... it's good for the morale to know I have a couple of fans out there in the world.
A quick recap of the last month or so...
~I arrived at Bore Place on January 12th.
~Worked with JW and crew in the woods on Friday the 13th. Loved it. Didn't get myself injured or in the way (too much, at least!)
~Attended John's workshop on Coppicing and Woodland Products Saturday, January 14.
~Sunday the 15th. Walk to Fern Hill then Bough Beech reservoir and back on the footpath.
~Monday the 16th- friday the 20th...more work in the woods PLUS I learned how to pluck a pheasant, and then ate it in a delicious woodsmans stew!
~The weekend, Jan 21 and 22... watched some movies via my laptop thanks to Jacqueline and the Wallers loaning me some... did some drawing... washed clothes... read, went for walks and otherwise enjoyed the peace and quiet of Bore Place. Met Tina the gardener and her husband Duncan.
~Jan 23-27. More work in the woods. Tuesday was our last day at Fern Hill, then we headed into Bushy Wood for the rest of the week.
~Saturday and Sunday, the 28th and 29th... attended John's workshop on Hedgelaying. So excellent!
~Saturday night got invited to have dinner and hang out with a group staying in the House at Bore place. It was fun!
~Monday was a planning and catch up day for me in preparation for making the trek to Canterbury. And I also was invited to tea (supper) at Tina's!
~Tuesday I got to see both the wood chipper and John in action (woodchipper working on wood John harvested out of Bushy Wood 2 years ago... and John, making a potato basket).
~Wednesday I packed and tidied up the Small Barn a bit. Tina collected me at 4.30 or so... we had a great time conversing in the car on the way down, learning a bit more about each others lives and worlds and that brings me to Centrespace!
Tina dropped me off at about 6.15 which was, as it turns out, just in time to participate with Heike, Richard and the others gathered, in Circle dancing, which I happens every Wednesday evening. That was fun! It's been awhile since my last dancing opportunity. Which was, I think, way back in August with Jane, Lyn and the other good folks at The People Barn in Greensboro, VT.
I love dancing. Circle... Contra... Square... any type will do. It makes me feel somehow, graceful, though I know i'm no more graceful when i'm dancing than any other moment in my life. My left foot still doesn't know what my right foot is doing. But I love it none-the-less.
The dancing I mean.
Well. Actually. I love my feet too. They do a pretty good job of getting me around...
All things considered.
Thursday morning I had breakfast with Richard and Heike. We talked some about what my time here might look like and came into agreement that i'd do some washing up after breakfast along with some ironing in exchange for a portion of my B&B.
For the most part, I spent the day just being kind-of lazy. Trying to access email and do internet stuff... trying being the operative word. Drinking tea. Looking out the window at the goldfish and the wildlife outside, including a male pheasant that just wandered through the yard! Drinking water.
I caught a ride into town later that day with Richard. He showed me where the healthfood store was and then I went to Evensong at Canterbury Cathedral.
Wow! The architecture is amazing. I do remember studying it when I was in college. It is so much more impressive in real life though! I was just in awe really of the detail and while I did sort of participate in the service I mostly spent the time looking around... The singing by the boy choirs was lovely, crisp and clear with no amplification that I could see other than those gorgeous vaulted ceilings.
I don't know if this ever happens to any of you or not. Sometimes, while i'm reading or listening to music or someone speaking, maybe even something I've read or heard a multitude of times before, there can come a moment when I hear the words and they either have a new meaning or it's like I get it for the first time or they are highlighted somehow. Well, that happened to me Thursday. There I was, more or less engrossed in my own little world when suddenly, the priest, who was reading from the old testament, read this,
"The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former… and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts."
It was for me like someone turned the volume up for that part...
Or, like in a Charlie Brown cartoon, where the adults sound like 'wah waaah waaah wah, wa wahh waaah wah wa' and then imagine some audible words thrown in, in the middle.
I don't know. It made enough of an impact on me I came back to my room and looked it up online. That's how I know it is Haggai 2:9.
All I can say is this. After that stretch of time between 2008-2011? I'd definitely welcome something better into my life. And peace? Yeah. Sure. Absolutely. I'll take that too. Bring it on!
Back to the Cathedral. I did stay on for a bit and wander around. Looked at the amazing carved wood panels surrounding the pews. I think the program said services have been going on there for 1400 years... or maybe it was 1200. I'm not sure, but what's a couple hundred years anyway when we are talking something more than a thousand?!
It wasn't really all that late by the time I left the Cathedral and I wasn't long behind everyone else. Went out the same door they did. Which was on the opposite side of the building from where I came in. I got out there and there was not a soul in sight.
Hmmm. I was standing there trying to get my bearings when the choir boys and their leader came down the stairs, so, I approached the leader saying I was trying to find my way out and to locate a taxi.
Maybe I should have just stuck with finding my way out!
He pointed off to the left saying the main gate would be best... "just wind your way along" until you come to it… and then, well...... something about turning right… a queue of taxis…
“wah wa waaah wa waahh wa wah”
He seemed so cheerful and confident that I’d find my way out that it sort of rubbed off on me.
We waved goodbye and I headed off in the direction he had pointed, eager to get back to my room with my two small bags of groceries and have a delicious salad for dinner!
I was humming as I was winding my way along, thinking to myself, "I am winding my way along at Canterbury Cathedral!! In Canterbury, England for goodness sake!! How cool is that?! I was walking through a sort of colonnade… and at one point looked left and saw two intricately detailed stained glass windows. Lit from within. Gorgeous!
Just me. All by myself. Winding my way along to the main gate…
How far is it anyway?
It was probably 7pm by now. Dark. Thankfully, the walkway was lit.
Finally I could see a door off in the distance and it seemed quite well lit, so I thought, aha, that must be it! When I got over to it though, there was a sign that said “something” only… I can’t remember what exactly now, but I was clearly not the something it was referring to.
As perhaps no one else could do as effectively as me... I’d wound my way merrily along to a dead end.
Huh.
Does anyone ever feel like there is a re-occuring theme in my life?
Me too.
So. I wound my way all the way back to the door I’d come out of (not quite so merrily this time) and fortunately caught a woman who was locking up… explained I was "lost" and she brought me back in and through the Cathedral and out through the same door I’d come in by… re-explained to me where to find that queue of taxis, and I was once again, good to go.
Whew. Another disaster diverted. For one fleeting second I had a vision of a newspaper headline, "American tourist found frozen outside Canterbury Cathedral."
In a matter of minutes I’d located the taxis waiting. Spoke to the driver of the first one I came upon who explained to me that I needed to go to the first taxi in the queue, which I did. He was chatting with the second guy. I asked if he could take me to #3 Alcroft Grange and he said, “ hop in!” I liked him right away. He reminded me for everything like my cousin Joe (now deceased)… his appearance, demeanor, everything.
This guy likes to talk and meet people as much as I do, so we had a fun conversation on the short drive back. He is a carpenter by trade, has two great grown-up daughters who live with them, and a sweet 4 year-old grandson who also lives with them and is Grandpas "best mate”. He showed me a well worn picture. He also suggested I go visit the St. Martins church here in Canterbury saying it was the oldest church in all of England.
Friday I spent the morning ironing and the afternoon in Canterbury... did some banking and other errands and found a Cafe Nero for a steamng hot Large Americano, with cream! Yum!
Saturday I attended a Willow Cultivation Workshop with Alan Sage (more on that later).
I woke up before my alarm Sunday, and could tell by the quality of light stealing it's way in through the cracks in the curtains, that the weather forecast had been correct... we had gotten snow!
You might expect that I leapt out of bed and flung the curtains open to see... loving snow as I do. But, I did not. I stayed all warm and cozy under a pile of blankets and duvets, listening to the birds outside, until my alarm went off.
Even then I did not fling the curtains wide open... I peeked outside first...
My approach, much the same as the way I open a gift. Left to my own devices I'll gently shake it, dicern what I can from the shape and slowly peel away the tape, always thinking to save the paper (a trait I inherited from my Mom). Taking my time. Enjoying each step along the way and letting the excitement and anticipation build a little.
A gift it was, too. Good for my heart and soul.
I spent a good part of the day getting (TRYING!) some blogging done, but did go out in the afternoon for a nice long walk... which I intend to do again in a little while, but with my camera for company this time.
I'll post some pics and videos for you next time.
For now, I'm going to hit the publish post button. I'll proofread and check spelling later. Just want to get this up before I lose the internet connection... again!
love you lots-
susie
