It’s a while since I wrote something. Sometimes with so much going on, it’s hard to know just what to say. A dear friend has in his training armoury a decent understanding of colour personality profiling; red, blue, green, yellow. Your ‘colour’, can help you understand who you are and […]

Bubble and Squeak’s been in the news lately, for all the wrong reasons. I decided it was time I made some if only to see what the fuss was all about. My usual approach to cooking is just the one pan if at all possible, (being of a lazy disposition). […]

One of my heroes of faith is Stonewall Jackson, a Civil War general. In 1861, during the first battle of Bull Run, the Unionists were gaining ground overcoming poorly organised Confederate forces. Jackson, relatively unknown at the time, gathered his brigade of Virginians and took a stand on the crest […]

Millie, our little Pom-chi has done a thoroughly good job of training us. She tells us clearly what time we have to get up in the morning; 7.30. She tells me when it’s time to take to the streets towards the end of the evening. Just twenty minutes left of […]

My last blog was all about how trees talk to each other, cooperating, sharing nutrients, even warning of danger. Mother trees in particular play a significant part in the life of the forest, reaching out and caring for its younger neighbours. Just now I came across this short reflection by […]

When Millie takes me on our daily expeditions we never quite know who we’re going to meet. On my own I’d be a sad old man to be avoided but accompanying a dog gives you an opening into people’s lives. I might stop and chat with Frank who likes to […]

Even at my great age, or perhaps because of it I’m still on a pretty steep learning curve, learning things I never imagined could be so. Some years ago Prince Charles revealed that he regularly talks to the trees under his care, Much derided at the time, he was looked […]

A poem by Jeanne Lohmann, a Quaker poet. I think she wrote this just a few years before her death at 95. Some beautiful lines; I hope they will resonate with you as they do with me. (What is my task in the world?). Surprising as unplanned kisses, all you […]

“In your own time Millie.” This is now a stock phrase when we go on our daily walks. I was holding a gate open for her. She carefully sniffed the gateposts, then retreated, deciding she needed to poo. Getting the right spot takes a while, and then I have to […]

Sometimes I have to write difficult e-mails. Millie had me up at 5.30 am today, when she’s gotta go, she’s gotta go; she makes this abundantly clear. Climbing back into bed I decided it was time to tackle that tricky e-mail that had been keeping me awake into the small […]