Notes for Sunday 22 February 2026

Dear friends, The picture today is of our old Ford Ranger. Bought in 2008 and well-maintained it has come to the end of its working life. The ECO story behind it is that even though it was a gas guzzling…

Dear friends, The picture today is of our old Ford Ranger. Bought in 2008 and well-maintained it has come to the end of its working life. The ECO story behind it is that even though it was a gas guzzling…

Dear friends, For the first time in many years I feel I haven’t wasted January. Previously the dark days of deep winter seemed just long and dreary and the hours were there to get through somehow until better times arrived.…

Dear friends, When we moved to Capel, more than 20 years ago, we found a small bay sapling growing on a large stone next to the pond. We didn’t think it would come to much due to its ill-chosen position…

Dear Friends, On sorting out some boxes that are in the way of our next insulation project I found these gloves. After my mother died I ended up taking home a lot of stuff that was of no interest to…

Dear friends, The season of new life has started in earnest. Snowdrops are out, daffodils peak out of the ground and trees are budding everywhere. Isn’t it a privilege to live in a part of the world with seasons? Today…

Dear friends, An ancient curse goes ‘May you live in interesting times.’ We now live in a turbulent world with political uncertainties and a climate crisis unfolding. Let ‘s remember psalm 121: I raise my eyes to the hills: from…

Dear friends, What a start of the year it has been weatherwise! We’ve had snow, ice, wind and (lots of) rain but also some glorious sunshine. I hope you are all keeping well and looking forward to the days lengthening…

Dear friends, A happy new year to you all! We started the year with family visits in Belgium and The Netherlands, and the picture today was taken only yesterday when we drove home: a very Dutch winter landscape with pollarded…

Dear friends, The last issue of this year doubles for Christmas and the last Sunday of December with one set of notes and two sets of readings. The weather forecast is looking good for the foreseeable future: a bit colder…

Dear friends, This Sunday sees the Winter solstice around 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The picture today is of a sign of new life on the tip of a yew tree branch but isn’t it magical how new life already…