Living water

"Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life."

(John 4:14)

Water Aid

Have you ever gone without drinking all day?
If you do, a handful a clean, fresh water becomes the most amazing blessing!

Support Water Aid to share this blessing with others who are less fortunate.

Dawn walk

Yesterday I woke up early, and - having the day off - I decided to head out with my camera to greet the sun.

I set off at 4.30 am and allow myself a 30 minute walk to the nearby fields near the Manor Farm (now turned into offices), which are in a slightly raised position and overlook a wide stretch of the horizon.

I passed the old farm building and passed this beautiful tree, set darkly against the brightening sky.

I was struck by the coolness of the morning air and the stillness (apart from the first birds stirring). A strange in-between world, and I felt a strange peace and joy to be there to experience it ...

I finally founds spot from where I would be able to see the sun rising. The sky was changing and it became clearer where the sun would appear.

Then gradually the sky became lighter and the red along the horizon brightened.

And then - just when I thought time had stood still - in a breath-taking moment the sun appeared over the horizon!

I was amazed how special the moment was and how moved I felt to witness it.

The most ordinary event (having happened every day since the beginning of time) had become the most extraordinary one!

Suddenly I understood when for millenia humans have been drawn to and fascinated by the sun. Our universal source of light and warmth and life.

Within minutes of the sun rising, the bumblebees were busy collecting the nectar from the lavender flowers.

On the way back I enjoyed the sun appearing over my home town. Still everything quiet and sleepy and hardly anybody around - only a few paper boys ...

... and the neighbour's cat squinting into the morning sun.

A2K - Allotment 2 Kitchen: Strawberry Ice Roses

Looking for a new way to deal with our present strawberry glut, I found this tasty looking sorbet recipe.
Definitely worth a try!

A2K - Allotment 2 Kitchen: Strawberry Ice Roses: or would you prefer strawberry fields forever ? I have often wondered what the difference was between Sorbet and Granita? As both contain t...

Praying five times a day

Here is a practice I have picked up from my Muslim friends.

How many of us say "Yes, I pray every day"? But what do we mean?
Many of us mean that we turn to God with requests and petitions - often with the right intention and a good heart, with a desire to help people who are in need or hurting or suffering all across the world.
But we don't always just pray, as in 'spend time to praise and worship God' ...

In the Church of England it has been a practice over the centuries to read daily morning, evening and night-time prayers. A wonderful practice, but often just left to the clergy and not many parishioners come to attend.

My Muslim friends are very familiar with daily prayers. One of the five pillars of Islam is to pray (say Salah) five times a day at specific times.

So I have adapted this concept of regular prayer by putting verses and readings from the Bible to the Islamic prayer movements (standing, bowing and prostrating). I have found prostrating myself before God a particularly powerful experience.

Here is a rough outline of the prayers and readings I use. (I might change the readings and prayers occasionally, depending on what is particularly on my heart)

1)Stand, hand to ears

“Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be”

2)Stand, hands clasped over chest

Collect of the day

Matthew 5:3-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

3)Hands on knees

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. “

4)Stand, “Glory to God and peace to his people on earth”, then

Kneel and prostrate

Lord's Prayer

Kneel and prostrate again

Matthew 22:37-40

“ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Repeat 2)-4) two- four times, ending on your knees, looking right and left

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us all,
evermore.
Amen.

Intercessory prayer can be added at the end.

Sparkling elderflower wine

Sparkling Elderflower Wine

This year I am trying a new recipe, which my friend and colleague Chris kindly shared with me.
With the elderflower cordial and the low-alcoholic elderflower champagne already done, it is now time to try making sparkling elderflower wine.

Here is the recipe:

Elderflower Champagne (4 gallons)

6 pints elderflowers (thick green stalks removed)

3 lemons (Zest and Juice)

3 limes (Zest and Juice)

2 serving spoons white wine vinegar

2 level teaspoons pectolase (optional)

3 kg sugar dissolved in water

Top-up to 4 gallons warm water (specific gravity approx 60)

Sprinkle 5g yeast over surface and leave for 15 min before stirring in (I use champagne yeast though any wine yeast will do)

Cover and allow to stand for 72 hrs stirring twice a day (I weigh the must down with a plate during this part of the process)

After 72 hrs remove must and siphon on into demijohns, seal with an airlock and store at or slightly above room temp for 17 days

This is the secret stage…..

On day 17 the wine will almost have fermented out and will have settled well, carefully (without disturbing the sediment) siphon on again into your plastic fizzy drink bottles having first added to the bottles 100ml sugar solution (1kgsugar/1litre water) for every litre of wine that you’ll be bottling. Note – it’s a good idea to leave a gap between the top of the bottle and the top of the wine (approx 4 or 5 cm)

Tightly seal your bottles and store at room temp (ideally somewhere that should the bottles explode they’ll not do too much damage!)

A third fermentation will hopefully begin to take place in the sealed bottles carbonating the wine – this will cease once the sugar is consumed of the alcohol content reaches approx 22% volume at which point the yeast dies from alcohol poisoning! (whichever is soonest).

I reckon it takes about another month for this last stage to be complete so probably don’t drink before the month is out. I have however kept the sealed bottles untouched for over six months and when opened still had delightfully sparkling elderflower champagne….best served chilled!

 

Enjoy!

Along the Grand Union Canal

Today I went for a long walk.

First along the Grand Union Canal, where I spotted this heron on the other side.

Then along the old disused canal arm. Here are the remnants of a.n old lock

The past the river Great Ouse ...

... until I reached the Grand Union canal. Here is the old Iron Aqueduct, recently repainted.

Up the fields.

And back home. I love where I live!