Halloween has become big business in the USA — I’m used to that, and have always liked both the popular festivities and the spiritual traditions in which they are rooted. But it seems strange to see Halloween props and treats suddenly appear in mainstream English culture, especially when there are already so many seasonal celebrations at this…
I pass by this mural on the side of Thundersley Congregational Church every day, and don’t usually give it much thought, but this afternoon the sun was coming from just the right angle, lighting it up and making it impossible to miss. Certainly brightens that vacant lot! The church offers a host of programs in the…
Beachcombing runs in the Saward family. While I walked along the seawall this morning, Jeff and our granddaughter, Lucy, shuffled along at the edge of the water, looking for (and finding) shells and fossils. From my vantage point, I could enjoy watching the similarity of these two souls as they moved in total sync with…
Spiders. They are everywhere this time of year, and I marvel at their amazing webs. I love watching them spin and repair their lacy testaments to productivity and survival, but don’t really like seeing what they catch for their dinner. This lady and her web were too beautiful to ignore when I noticed them from across a garden…
As picturesque as ever, the Rayleigh Mill stands tall behind a screen of bright berries. A breathtaking day, with a crisp chill in the air. Nearby, we found a new crop of local apples waiting for us in the local greengrocers. Autumn!
There’s a lot of grey around Thundersley today. We’ve had a bit of rain, but mostly it’s just grey enough to make the first red leaves look really bright. I know that compared with the riotous autumn colours in other places, this is tame, but it’s certainly enough to make my heart glow.
Our neighbourhood gardens are being cut back as the flowers die off and we start preparing for winter. But a few hearty blooms still hang in there, and they seem all the lovelier for their tenacity! Just look at the delicate lilac tips on the petals of this dahlia – she certainly lives up to…
Yesterday’s fog is long gone, and this morning dawned bright and clear. With golden sunshine streaming in on us, we decided to take advantage of the day. We drove down to the seafront (aka the River Thames) where we stopped at a few of our favourite places, simply to enjoy the view. First stop was…
Uh oh, our golden sunshine has been obscured by thick fog — still seasonal, but not so energizing. As a northern California native, I am familiar with fog, though it comes in differently there. Here it rises from the earth, while the California fog comes rolling in from the the ocean. (It’s especially beautiful as…
Instead of the woods, I headed to the mall this morning with my two favourite walking companions. My buddy picked out his own cutest-ever backpack to go with his new blue Kickers (which are to-die-for kids shoes for those of you who don’t know) — he’ll be starting preschool very soon, and as of today he’s…