Christmas 2024

Snippets from our 2024

Sad farewells - Rev Frances and Rev David - both part of the church in these parts for a while.  David brought bees with him into church one time - a delight for all to see.  His concerns about moving the hives to Hull were unfounded, though.  Frances came from the Congregational world into the local Circuit; their camper was brilliantly designed by her hubby, with simple water features and an elevating roof that preferred to go up on its own.

Allison's dry hedge has worked well, also providing a perfect backdrop for the neighbour's new water feature, complete with a couple of swans (genus credulus cygnus albi) which appeared at the beginning of April.  We continue to be treated with pheasants, foxes and feline visitors - and the Acer collection is perennially growing.  

We made it to Spain at long last; señor panadero y señora panadera whizzed around Alicante in a hybrid hire car.  T'was so very good to be family together, to be welcomed so generously and treated so kindly - indeed, such loving kindness flows freely.  Next time in Esta, though; changing gear works better on the continent without adjusting the door mirrors.

At last, again...  Childhood memories mercifully wane - did we ever climb the Dolgoch Falls as a family in the sixties or seventies?   Celebrating birthdays in Eryri (Snowdonia) is becoming a regular haven; this year we climbed the falls at our leisure.  A few days enjoying - or seeing - the pier (before Storm Darragh hit); one day the Little Orme, another its cousin.  As well as Bodnant (where water does, truly, flow uphill) and a return to Penryn castle, we found our way round to Plas Brondanw.

The gentle rumble of the gravity train and the sight of Spooner's boat replica through Boston Lodge take us back to many happy memories so easily; good to see the restored curly roof van and learn how insulated sections work.  Seeing relics from Ballydehob and Skibereen in the museum at Tywyn was special for those with long memories.   If only there was a way to capture the fragrance of a steam engine.

Esta has proven to be a most comfortable long range transport - and our electric horseless carriage has taken us beyond its range over and again.  Travelling beyond county boundaries is easy, especially at lower speeds, with the heater off, on a warm, dry day...

This year's Christmas listing again includes many hundreds of church services and events across the south of the county, putting lamps on lamp stands.  Notable entries this year include 'the Dibley Choir', 'bring your own orange', a 'cup cake workshop', 'Carol singing in the field by the traffic light bridge' and 💙 Blue services on various days around the longest night.  Just a single mention of an 🪗accordion, though, but none of a banjo.  One church even mentions the comprehensive carol services listing on the local Churches Together website (they also have an Accessibility page on their own website, too, complete with pictures of steps and access ramps).  It's always a joy to collate, publish chronologically and promote what's going on; ecumenical matters are easy when you're on everyone's side.  As ever, the local Flower Festivals drew in many - there's so much going on.

With our love and best wishes to you for Christmas and the New Year

www.HASMA.org.uk

In case you've yet to visit it - or wish to lay flowers - Scrooge's grave stone is in Shrewsbury (What3words)