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King Charles lll Speech👑

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Saturday, 3 Feb 2024, 16:05

On Christmas day it was so heart warming to hear King Charles speech,  about how we should protect the natural environment.

It was good to hear  King Charles 3rd speech, how he praised community volunteers. He spoke about community volunteers, those who work tirelessly for so little recognition or reward, I completely agree for I have seen their very valuable work, that they do in their communities and in my community to help the poor and needy. 

They are doing it because they care, they believe in giving their fellow man a helping hand,  whether it be in foodbanks packing bags, donating food and handing out food to families that need that little bit of extra food to help them survive through until payday. (And may I just add both the poor and also the  middle class,  who are affected by Brexit, the pandemic and cost of living crisis, so the emergence of foodbanks is quite a recent widespread event.)

There are also the volunteers who are concerned about the environment, they work in my community too they help maintain the natural habitats for the birds, insects and animals. 

They want their communities to be well maintained, eco- friendly, tidy and clean. A place where people can sit and enjoy nature and be proud of their community, where they live and can feel better improving their physical and mental well being in parks,  green spaces and in woodlands.

Then there are those volunteers who are helping the various charities, in hospitals and in shops. They give up their time to support others by helping to run the shops that raise much needed funds for organisations, so that they can continue to help the sick, the elderly and children in need.

I applaud King Charles for pointing out that we need to look after one another and protect each other. We have more in common than we know and must think of our shared beliefs not any divisions. Therefore doing  no harm to others, but to respect others so fulfilling the command- "do unto others as you wish them to do unto you"  as As the Lord has taught to his followers and to the world.

God save the King!

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An Alternative Christmas Menu!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 28 Dec 2023, 03:17


Calling all vegetarians out there! I recommend this very tasty 'Vegetarian chicken roast' from Linda McCartney. Contains textured Soya protein and mixed herbs. Very healthy!

Great to cook for the vegetarians who want a meat - free meal, that still has a festive taste! 
Vegetarians will  love ithis for Christmas dinner especially the younger members. It is lovely with cranberry sauce and all the vegetables. I bought mine this year in Sainsburys. The good news is you can also order it online!
Be quick they are flying off the shelf! 

A vegetarian chicken roast with vegetables.

Linda McCartneys vegetarian roast chicken

Linda McCartneys foodsLTD

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❤ Charity begins at home!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 4 Mar 2024, 09:58

Christmas was always a wonderful time for me as a child, even though we were quite poor. I was born on Christmas day, so for a long time I thought I shared my birthday with Jesus. Of course there is no absolute accuracy  about historical dates and all that , but anyway, Christmas as a  child always felt like it was a magical time to me.

Mam used to bake a lot of mince pies and cakes with ingredients that were not too expensive. She made everything early, around about a month in advance.

At Christmas, we often used to go to church on the Christmas eve and come home to have hot mulled wine with mince pies!

Christmas day was a traditional christmas dinner with Roast Turkey and we felt close together as a family. As we were both girls, we helped mam prep the vegetables and started getting things ready for the table. 

Dad did his bit and  put up all the  lights, the tree and the decorations, also the Christmas Nativity scene which he had made himself. This was placed nearby the christmas table with the Holy family jesus and shpherds. Dad put the Christmas Carols on the record player to create a lovely christmassy atmosphere. 

Later we played Christmas carols on piano,  recorders and in song all together.
When we were young, us 2 girls woke up very early to open our christmas presents under the tree. We always wrote a letter to ask father Christmas what we would like for a gift and we promised to be well behaved and help mother. 

 One year we received a dolly, the next year I got all 'Arty' with a Spirograph Set and I made endless designs and patterns to give to all the family! another year we got a bicycle. These were the good years, when my mam would take a little job around christmas time,  to help make an extra income. Grandparents helped out a bit. 

Later mam couldn't do much anymore when she became ill and dad didn't earn a lot in the local shipyard. Things were not the same, it was much harder for us especially when dad was made redundant for quite a while.

 However, we always felt surrounded by love as children by our lovely grandparents and parents. We helped our parents until we both got married, then we tried to bring a Happy Christmas to our own young families. ❤

Do you have happy memories of past Chrstmas times ? Funny or sad?


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📺Watching Maigret series on TV in French

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 15 Dec 2023, 02:19

I am really enjoying the latest series of 'Maigret' the french detective on TV every Tuesday evening at 9pm.  It is on the - Talking Pictures channel.  Bruno Cremer is a brilliant actor, who captures perfectly the polite, pensive, pipe smoking personality of Maigret. I have learned a great deal of everyday french language, by watching and listening to this wonderful film compilation. With level 3 French under my belt I am finding it a lot easier to understand the language. I am still also collecting the 'Maigret' paperback  books to read whenever I get the chance!  📚👤

J'apprécie vraiment la série de 'Maigret', le détective français à la télé a Mardi neuf heures ce soir. C'est dans l'émission télévisée par
« Talking Pictures »
Bruno Cremer est un acteur brillant, qui rend parfaitement la personnalité polie, pensive et fumeur de pipe du détective Maigret.
🔎👤

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Saving Electricity!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 4 Mar 2024, 10:00

We are literally living in one room (trying to save on electricity).  It is the warmest room in the house,  fortunately, it stays warm for most of the day, this could be because it has a south facing window and has a  low ceiling. 

We live here most of  the time, it is the master bedroom so quite large. It has now become the bedroom, the study room, the TV room,music room and the dinning room. 

At night when it is much colder we still have to put on the fan heater for an hour or so. This is just to keep the temperature to a comfortable 16° and a hot wster bottle is a must.

 However, to make the meal,  I still have to go down into the kitchen which is like an ice box without any heating on! Seriously thinking of bringing up the microwave oven to cook here.

The rest of the house is also very cold. My husband is unwell and is waiting for an operation, but otherwise we are still just about coping.

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Life is becoming harder!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 24 Jan 2024, 05:03

In the winter time, I sometimes suffer from SAD (seasonal affected disorder) so to cheer myself up I like to have lots of lights on and candles in my house(using low energy bulbs of course) 

🕯🪔🏮🔥💡

 It is very cosy, especially because winter in the country can be so bleak at this time of year, with the mist and fog rolling across the empty fields and woodlands. The short days and long dark winter nights. We try to brighten things up a little bit with decorations around the home.
🎄🌾💐🍁🌿🌱
Fortunately,  I live in the village and sometimes I meet some of the locals in the supermarket and we can have a little chat together. The Church sometimes  have an open day, where people are invited to come in and have coffee and cake. There ypu csn meet people you may not have seen for a long time. 🙂

In the past, we used to go up to the city for a treat, a day out and visit the much larger Christmas Market, The Cathedral was all  lit up and carols were sung by the choir. They carried lanterns and dressed in old victorian style clothes it was very atmospheric!

Everything at that time was a little less expensive to buy. It was all about a great fun filled day and festivities.. The city also around that time had it's international food day, for tasting different dishes from all around the world, but now all that it is over, finished. Then in later times it had become more commercialised.

Today there is the cost of living crisis and so everyone has to be  careful. So no fun anymore! 😞😩

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Electricity- Poem ⚡

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Sunday, 26 Nov 2023, 09:30

Pylon in the mist

Forget these club-foot underpinnings. My mind is somewhere higher. Can you follow

me up to where I strip down to geometry?
To where the proof of a theorem must be true

because elegant. Not a nut or bolt for show, but each pleat and dart of the stress field

traced on the mist in rust- painted steel, like an intellectual necessity. Essential

me, out in all weathers wearing nothing but my purpose - an ascetic, ideal

and myself as a bare tree in winter. Possessed by a certain charisma - can you hear it,

power,  everywhere and nowhere, its dry crackling in the cloud around my head?
      **************
Reference;
I Spy Pinhole Eye
Poems by Philip Gross, Photography by Simon Denison.

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Faith

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Tuesday, 5 Dec 2023, 17:31

Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not yet see!

            🌄🏞🌳

Reference;
(The Bible)

Faith in God is like electricity, you can't see it,  but you can feel it's power.

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Some Good News And Bad News!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Saturday, 25 Nov 2023, 18:56


Some good news! Renewable energy projects are rising in number worldwide

According to estimates by the International Energy Agency, more than 1.6 trillion euros is going to fund renewable energy (solar and wind) and electric vehicle projects this year, a 24% jump compared to 2021.

By Adrien Pécout
Published on May 28, 2023, (Paris) le Monde

Unfortunately too much Fossil fuels are still in production!

A Windmill

For more news on the climate lemonde.fr

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.lemonde.fr/&ved=2ahUKEwiw84LL5d-CAxUdXUEAHT5QDR4QFnoECAYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1mI-cPIQr3docEINuU9JU2

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Cat's - Eye 👁

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Sunday, 11 Feb 2024, 02:35

        Cat's - Eye

The shock of a world, caught

In a headlight beam.
A country road by night,
each weed brandishing up towards you fronds spread, as ruthless as beggars,

each branch like a meaning overemphasised,

each particulate thing, crouched round at you, at bay:

the light from the retinal cave
the way the full moon throws it back

one moment when you don't know which, you or the world,

will veer or break and run.

        *************
Ref. 'I Spy Pinhole Eye'
Poems Philip Gross, photography Simon Denison
Cinnamon Press

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More Poems from 'I Spy Pinhole Eye'

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 22 Nov 2023, 18:06

(Saccades: rapid tracking movements of the human eye, unnoticed by the brain, between one fixed image and the next)


         Saccadia

The people of Saccadia

are backroom boys.
See them crouched

to their exposures in the darkroom plotting a map, or a plot for an invasion, motionless

as Cortes, at each moment on the brink
Of breakthrough to another world of which their one-frame stories tell

like a whole new dimension.
Oh, to be in - no-  to be the movies...

A Black and white Photo of a wild landscapeRef;

I Spy Pinhole Eye- Poems Philip Gross, photography by Simon Denison

Cinnamon Press

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Achieved This Year!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 26 Feb 2024, 20:56


This last Year I have:-

• passed languages and cultures- level3▪︎ 

• I  already Passed - level 3 in english language module.

• Passed - level 3 in french language module.
• Read several books in french and understood about 3/4 of it.
• Watched movies in french without the subtitles. Understood about 3/4 of it.
• Was able to speak in french to my french friend over the phone.
• wrote on a french blog
•  Taught my english friend basic beginners french.
•  Wrote on an english blog
•  Wrote essays in french
• Took part on a mixed language forum.
•  Joined the Choir
•  Played a musical instrument within a small group setting.
• Improved on my computer skills
• Volunteered  in the library

° Finally finished knitting a colourful blanket from odd balls of wool.
• Took part in my local village tidy up.

• Managed a few good long country walks 

• Befriended a lovely family from another country who are living in my village.

It has been a busy but eventful year!



🌺⚘🌳🌲🍀🐑🫶🐿








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How to have the Holy Spirit

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 27 Nov 2023, 18:49

                ❤

Matthew 12:30-32:

God said  "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

"Love Thy Neighbour"

Do no harm to your neighbour who dwells beside you in peace.

1 Corrinthians chapter 13 is best understood as a way of life, lived in imitation of Jesus Christ, that is focused not on oneself but on the “other”.

I find this is a difficult commandment to live by as not everyone is lovable! but it is one commandment, that in the end, brings about peace. We need a lot of help from the Holy Spirit to achieve this. It is all about respect and acceptance for others. 🙂

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Translation

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Sunday, 12 Nov 2023, 14:43

Voici la priére que nous a enseigné notre Seigneur Jesus Christ. The Lords Prayer.

🙏
Our father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory. For ever and ever.
Amen
🙏

En français;

Notre père, qui est au cieux, Que ton nom soit sanctifié, ton royaume vienne, que votre volonté soit faite, sur la terre comme au ciel, donne-nous aujourd'hui notre pain quotidien
et pardonne-nous nos offenses comme nous pardonnons à tous ceux qui nous ont offensés, ne nous soumets pas à la tentation mais délivre-nous du mal, Amen

Car à toi appartient le royaume, la puissance et la gloire. Pour les siecles des siecles. Amen.    ✝️

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Trust

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 1 Nov 2023, 21:54

It is all about "Trust" to trust someone is to have confidence in someone, to believe in them.
We know we can trust in God because he keeps his promises.

 "Those who know your name trust in you" psalm 9 v10

Even when difficulties come, he is always there with us, he draws us closer to him. We must just have patience and rely on him. He will guide us and show us the way. His son Jesus is like him he is  our rock and salvation. He was rejected by men but chosen by God. Jesus trusted in God. So it is all about 'Trust'  Can we also be trusted as a Christian to keep our word to others?

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The Rose- ⚘ A poem by Christina Rosetti

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 7 Dec 2023, 14:01


The Rose

The lily has a smooth stalk
Will never hurt your hand
But the rose upon her briar
Is lady of the land

When with moss and honey
She tips her bending briar
And half unfolds her glowing heart
There's sweetness in an apple tree
And profit in the corn
But lady of all beauty
Is a rose upon a thorn

When with moss and honey
She tips her bending briar
And half unfolds her glowing heart
She sets the world on fire.

Christina Rossetti.

(from The Rose &The Lily)

Mary the mother of Jesus is often called the Rose.



Ola Gjeilo the Norwegian composer has composed music called 'The Rose'
Which takes inspiration from Christina Rosetti.
Poem.


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DPh44oJ7WpGU&ved=2ahUKEwispvy4rZeCAxV9QEEAHQP2DAcQwqsBegQIDBAB&usg=AOvVaw1QzT1EJnsuOdolvRLiHe4d



A red rose

A Red Rose from my garden.

⚘In Memory of my sister on her birthday.⚘


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Amazing Autumn Trees

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 26 Oct 2023, 13:52

Autumn Tree with colourful leaves

Tree with red leaves

Photos taken on autumn country walk.

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Technology just got better!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 20 Oct 2023, 21:03

Hurray! I have managed to get onto "view site entries" on the OU blog using my mobile. Good to be back!


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Book Review - Genesis 📚

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Sunday, 22 Oct 2023, 12:10

Book review - The Bible "Genesis 12:1-7 is the beginning of Abraham's story.
From Abraham-  to recent times.

What we are witnessing today with the war between the Jews and the Palestinians, can be traced a long way back !  through to Biblical times and Abraham.

Abraham had two sons named Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was born from the women Hagar and Isaac from the women Sarah.

Sarah had been barren for many years and was unable to conceive a child for Abraham, so being impatient, she persuaded her husband to sleep with Hagar her servant girl,  in order for them to have a child that they could bring up as their own child,  so that is how Ishmael was born.

Between Sarah and Hagar some rivalry broke out so she begged Abraham to drive Hagar out into the desert.

He did so but God soon saw Hagars distress and sent the angel Gabriel to protect her and help her.  God spoke to her through the angel, he said not to be afraid and that  he would also make Ishmael a great nation too one day with many descendants.

In the meantime God had finally allowed Sarah to bear Abraham a child, a son who they named Isaac.
Isaac was of Jewish descent (from Sarah) and Ishmael was Arabic descent (from Hagar) They became 2 seperate nations of peoples.

This then was how it all began, and from then thats when the sibling rivalry started between these two brothers(or tribes)

It was also about land and establishing a state of Israel for Jewish people and for Palestinian people.

In more recent times after World War 2 for example, the land
since 1948 has been divided into Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

The land of Israel is also the birth place of  the three great world religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It has been ruled over by many kingdoms and powers throighout history,including Ancient Egypt, Ancient Israel and Judah, the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great and his successors, the Hasmoneans, the Roman Empire, several Muslim caliphates, and the crusaders. 

"The area was ruled over by the Ottoman Empire, then the British Empire.
Going back even further the land was annexed and the area in 63 BCE. Roman Judea was troubled by large-scale Jewish revolts, which Rome answered by destroying Jerusalem and the Second Jewish Temple."
*
"In the 4th century, Palestine became a center of Christianity, attracting pilgrims, monks and scholars. Following the Muslim conquest of the Levant in 636–641, several Muslim ruling dynasties succeeded each other as they wrestled control of Palestine."


"In more recent history, relations between Israel and Palestinians have been marked by many conflicts, especially with the Islamist group Hamas, which also rejects the PA. In 2007, Hamas won control of Gaza from the PA, now limited to the West Bank.
In November 2012, the State of Palestine (the name used by the PA) became a non-member observer state in the UN."


These clashes of ideology has remained critical ever since and pose very difficult theological issues and unsurmountable debate. Pray for peace for all tne people of Israel and Palestine.🙏

References-
The Bible(Old Testament Genesis)
*Wikipedia*

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Some night music 🎵🎶

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Saturday, 3 Feb 2024, 16:10

Listening to some📱🎧 beautiful music this evening on Classic FM.📻 I also found some links on youtube.

Northern lights by Ola Gjeilo

Ola GJEILO: 
Norwegian Composer
Other works include;

The Rose
Winter
The universal

Very good music to chill out with after a busy day of work or study!

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Reading about different faiths 📚

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 16 Oct 2023, 18:01


I am reading about different faiths and cultures at the moment and was interested to read that Muslims believe that Jesus (called “Isa” in Arabic) was a prophet of God and was born to a virgin (Mary). They also believe he will return to Earth before the Day of Judgment to restore justice and defeat al-Masih ad-Dajjal, or “the false messiah” —  known as the Antichrist. This is also similar to what christians believe as found in the New Testament.

    

  ☪️✝️✡



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Reading - The Thirteenth Apostle 📚

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 31 Jan 2024, 19:06

The book I have just started reading is called;

 'The Thirteenth Apostle'
Written by April D DeConick.

Inspired by the National Geographics release of the first English translation in 2006,  of the gospel of Judas, a second- century text that was discovered in Egypt in the 1970s.

Her fully revised and updated version edition, includes two new chapters 'Judas the star' and 'The Magic Judas' She brings a new and accurate perspective on the subject of Judas the apostle and friend of Jesus, who becomes the one who finally betrays Jesus.

'The Thirteenth Apostle'  has generated fresh debate about this imfamous Biblical figure of Judas.

April D. DeConick
came to Rice University Texas USA as a professor of Biblical studies. She is author of numerous books including - Recovering the Original Gospel of Thomas, A History of the Gospel and it's Growth'

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The Scandal of Shrinkflation!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 31 Jan 2024, 19:05


Have you ever opened a packet of food lately and noticed that the portions are much smaller?

The other day I opened my usual brand of kitchen roll and it has become much thinner, so much thinner,  that when I tried to mop up a small spill the paper completely fell into pieces!

My deodrant is now in a narrower can, there's less biscuits in the biscuit packet,  less in the cereals, smaller portions, it is getting ridiculous, what's going on?

There is shrinkflation everywhere! but apparently it is also happening abroad too. In France 'Carrefour'  have been the first supermarket to shout it out. They are now informing the public about this issue and naming and shaming the offenders!

The food manufacturers that are cutting corners, that are chopping bits off soaps, taking crisps out of packets, scrimping on sizes of cans etc. They should be ashamed of themselves treating their loyal customers like this.

The quality and the quantity is falling and the sizes are shrinking!
They do all that but the prices still seem to be going up and not to be coming down!!!

So how is it then that we are getting less from a product and yet we are still having to pay more?

That's the injustice of the capitalist system!

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Walking through fields!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 22 Feb 2024, 10:56

Appreciating Nature.

There is nothing better than having a lovely long country walk at the weekend, it is incredibly good for your mental well being as well as your physical health.

I usually like to plan a walk in advance, so I take a map of the area that I want to walk,  and my friend S and I we plan the route ahead that we will take. However, if we know the route pretty well we will just walk it, follow the designated footpaths and occasionally we will discover a new footpath,  but mainly it is the old familiar footpaths that we have already travelled upon and have enjoyed in the past.

Today was a sun drenched Saturday,  but with some nice fresh cool breezes. We decided today to walk across the sunny fields  to the next village through wheat fields, vege fields and green meadows , where cattle were grazing near to the little old chapel. There we stayed and rested indoors a few moments in the cool chapel.

When we left the chapel we crossed over the now quiet main road, to the footpath. Followed the footpath down hill, down past a grassy green field, where there were some lovely horses grazing peacefully, there was a beautiful little biscuit-  coloured shetland pony, a piebald horse,  a white horse and a Chestnut mare.  

Further on we came upon a small wooden foot bridge, over a flowing stream, here we sat down on the wooden bridge to rest, with our legs dangling over the edge. The stream was running quite fast as it had been raining recently

 After resting a while we walked again, this time through a lovely ancient cool wood, which contained a variety of tall trees, found a place to sit, a low but strong heavy branch, where we sat and drank a ice cold sweet fruit tea, while  looking out across the fields that we had previously been walking through, bathed in sunshine.

It was cool in the woods away from the heat of the day. I closed my eyes and could feel myself breathing in the fresher oxygen from the trees, it was so refreshing and restorative! especially after the heat we had endured, while walking in the hot fields .We both wished that could have stayed for ages in that wood it was so calm, cool, quiet and relaxing. The smell of the wood and damp earth was quite intoxicating!

Eventually we began wending our way back again through wheat fields,  that had only been harvested a few days earlier , so they still smelt fresh and sweet and had large circular hay bales standing dotted about in the field. The sun was still shining brightly, but starting to slowly sink quite low now in the sky, as the sun was almost getting ready to set. On reaching the cross roads my friend and I we hugged each other, parted, and went our own seperate ways home. It had been a  wonderful walk!

🌳🌲🌲🌄⛪🐎🦄🐴🐄

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Reading another of René Girard Books! 📚

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Tuesday, 26 Mar 2024, 01:42

'I see satan fall like lightning' by René Girard

Rene Girard (1923-2015)   A french writer and historian, literary critic, and social philosopher. The author of more than 30 books, he taught for many years at Stanford University, and was inducted into the Academie francaise in 2005.

Girard's pioneering work especially in mimetic theory has influenced many academic disciplines from anthropology and psychology to literary theory and theology.

The title "I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning " was Jesus' reply to his 70 disciples on their return from preparing towns to receive him, reporting that "even the demons obey us when we use your name" (Luke 10:17-18) Girard persuades the reader that even as our world grows increasingly violent the power of the Christ is so great that the evils of scapegoating and sacrifice are gradually being defeated, and a new community, God's spirtual.
visible and invisible, nonviolent kingdom, is coming about even now.

I recently read "violence and the sacred" and I think this book is similar but has a more contemporary feel.

The first chapter concentrates on the Biblical knowledge then the mimetic cycle  The character of satan as the embodiment of evil what his purpose is, his character and how he tries to influence us.


Themes Explored


• Part Two - The enigma of Myth resolved.  

•  Mythology.     

 •   Sacrifice  

  • The Founding Murder.


Part three

• The victory of the cross. 

•The uniqueness of the Bible.  

• The scapegoat             

• The Modern concern for victims.  

• Conclusion.


"René Girard brings our attention to three facts without which we will never make sense of our lives, our world or our faith............" Gil Bailie author of violence unveiled.

English publication 2001.

Well worth a read if you are interested in Philosophy, History, Human behaviour or Theology.

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