August is the month for dusting off the jam pan. So far the apples have started landing regularly on the lawn. Rather than waste these early fruits they have been transformed into ‘Spiced Apple Jelly’ with just a hint of the old favourite – Chilli! Without a greenhouse at the moment the chillies are slow and few, but the next project, since there are apples a plenty on the tree, is an apple press, it seems the best way to construct one is with a bottle jack and some stout timber, both of which are lying around in the shed! Whether cider is attempted or not rather depends on the juice – it might get drunk too quickly!
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Music for Transformation

Musically, I know what I like, I can’t often name the artist or even the song title, let alone remember any lyrics. This is probably why when reading the latest copy of Resurgence with Annie Lennox as guest editor I was happily surprised to read some lyrics to a song I have invariably hummed along to: Big Yellow Taxi written by Joni Mitchell

They paved paradise

and put up a parking lot

With a pink hotel, a boutique

And a swinging hot spot

Don’t it always seem to go

That you don’t know what you’ve got

Till it’s gone

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot.

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Mole and Rat

The wind in the willows. This mornings reflection was a reading from wind in the willows and it captured in me a little something. I’m not even sure what the little something was, but I do not want that feeling to die. It was present in a cool, fresh air that was in the chapel. It was in the calm white wall reflecting the candle light. It was in the soft tones of the two people reading from the book. It was, it was as if we were not alone. The feeling did not leave as we left the chapel, life was going on around, the cars rolling along Cardiff Road as every morning, yet there was a difference. There was a little something extra there this morning, a rare presence, but beautifully calm. The last time I felt like that was in the Chapel at the Anglican chaplaincy in bangor during a exhibition of sculpture by John Meirion Morris, the music (Tavener) and the images were very profound!

August

writing on…

People and Places

Music for Transformation

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