Pheasant Thoughts

2009-01-20T18:06:00.008Z

I've been trying to upload my Christmas holiday video but it's too big (I hear you breath a sigh of relief). In the meantime here are some snaps (Newton/Weavers - more photos on Facebook):

An interesting thought from Land Rover (in Times Square, NYC)

Questions abound...

(Pennsylvania road signs)

And the reason for the season?

This reindeer cracks me up

2008-12-04T16:24:00.000Z

Found and stolen...

...The Metaphor of the Nautilus

Oliver Wendell Holmes, a century and a half ago, saw the metaphorical significance of the chambered home of the Nautilus. These fascinating seashells are spiral in shape and consist of a series of ever-larger chambers in each of which the sea creature lives for a season until it outgrows that particular space. The Nautilus then enlarges its shell by the addition of a new chamber suitable for the next stage of its life.

Holmes wrote, in a poem entitled The Chambered Nautilus, "Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul….Let each new temple, nobler than the last, Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, Till thou at length art free, Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!"

What a perfect image for spiritual evolution! In order to begin a new stage in our growth, we have to think "outside the box." Yet, every time we abandon an old worldview for a new and wider vision, we merely find ourselves in a larger box. And while each box serves its particular function for a time, we are always in danger of claiming that the chamber we currently occupy is the ultimate one.

The spiral shape of the Nautilus shell suggests that it can keep growing forever. There is no design for a "final" chamber. The creature must keep building new chambers as long as it lives. It cannot go back to the previous ones; they no longer fit. It cannot stay in its present space or it will die. It has no choice but to move on. And on.

Perhaps one day we might be able to create for ourselves a box so large that it would encompass all of God. But that space would then include everything, even those realities which we now purposely exclude by limiting the size of today's chamber.

2007-08-22T18:36:00.001Z

An interesting YouTube THINGY sent to me by my little brother - 'interesting' for those that know my bro. Some confused theology but thought provoking nonetheless. He didn't write it...just in case you were wondering.

2007-08-20T10:39:00.000Z

Thanks Vickie - I particularly like the balaclava on the swan!!!
I must admit though, I thought you were going to send me a link showing Newton's knitted hair.

I see a great similarlity between this beautiful cable-knit sweater and Newton's fine dreads.

2007-08-08T17:46:00.000Z

I'm currently listening to Newton Falkner (odd fellow pictured left). If you like the Jack Johnson/Jose 'bouncing balls' Gonzalez/John Mayer sound you'll probably like Newton - he's new-t-me. Ha ha ha ha hah ha ha ha hah ha ha hah! - I really need to get out more.

2007-06-22T17:19:00.001Z

Here is Pete the truck driver:
He was very friendly and just wanted to talk - it was too late/early even for me.

And a couple of other images from my week:

I had to do an exhibition for my Cheshire job last Saturday and we were next to the Young Farmers exhibition stand - I thought it was a cool T-shirt

A trip to Urbis with the College Work and Witness team on Sunday afternoon...

The rest of the week was not very interesting so no pictures :-)

2007-06-14T16:22:00.000Z

For anyone who's not seen me since June 12th: I am back and did not run off with Pete the truck driver - although he was a very nice man for returning my purse I'm not sure I'd want to run of with him now I've met him.

Spain was sunny:-) Pics to follow though none of Pete:-(

2007-05-30T21:11:00.000Z

So, I have a new gadget- a new phone with a half decent camera in it. I feel as though I've not seen my desk for a week or so and include a photo diary of my travels during the last week and a half.

I'm really excited that I can hook my phone up to my computer and download stuff onto my laptop - I'm easily amused by what some mught consider basic technology :-) Sunday was a day at the fair with my bro and family where we accidently liberated two scrawny fish from the carneys (D - I think this is even less politically correct than your recent reference to Pikeys). My nephew had only just got over the news that the last one died: Tuesday: an evening walk through Alderley Edge with some of the pastors during their summer school Weekend shopping at Ikea: Tuesday: Train journey from Manchester to Norfolk and back:

So VERY flat Norfolk & So JOLLY hilly Pennines

People watching - a family who shared my journey

I think I was too busy playing with my new toy that I didn't realise I'd lift my purse in Norfolk until I got back to Stockport! Hmmm.

Wednesday:'Sunny' Liverpool, traffic and the sights of Toxteth...

+ yellow ribbons...'interesting'

Spain tomorrow, Hurrah!!! - that is once I collect my purse from a truck driver called Pete currently driving north for a 2am rendezvous somewhere at the end of the M67. If I'm not back by June 12th I've run off with the mystery truck driver!

2007-05-08T14:26:00.000Z

Forget Pirates and Rockin' Wise Men - here's the Longsight nativity 2007...SORTED!

See the full version from my videos on:

www.youtube.com/igwet
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v+AXp5ECT2MzE

2007-04-09T19:35:00.000Z

Visit to the Taj Mahal of Manchester:

It's something I've been yearning to do since I first clapped eyes on the building that is now the view from my bedroom window. I had the rare and amazing opportunity to visit Gorton Monastery last Thursday thanks to my Mum's ability to talk to anyone, anytime about anything. Having met with Tony Hurley (the Heritage Director) a couple of weeks ago at the local community centre open day, we were able to arrange a personal tour of the Monastery of St Francis and heard the most fascinating, passionate and amazing story from a man who has committed the recent years of his life to researching the history and architecture of the building.

I’m not going to try to explain the complex story that unfolded during his talk and our tour but encourage anyone reading this to check out the website and arrange a tour for themselves. It really is a spiritual place with a story and a mystery that no film could do justice to. The monastery is due to open to the public in June this year and is appearing (with Tony) on Songs of Praise at the start of July. I believe there will be a nice (simple) café facility open to the public so avoid the ASDA café and eat at the Monastery :-)

Here are some of my pictures:

Built by a group of Franciscan Friars in 1861 (this picture isn't mine!)

The last Brothers left in 1989 (that's not them in the overalls by the way!) and the place was vandalised and lay open to the elements until 1996 when the heritage and restoration project began. It took just 10 years for the Franciscan monks to build the entire place by hand and carve all the internal features and statues in the nineteenth century and the same amount of time since 1996 to restore it enough to open again this coming June.

Only the monks used to be allowed in this corridor
The church is built North/South rather than the standard East/West...this is the South window
Looking to the alter and the North window.
Although not as long, the nave is higher than Westminster Abbey and Manchester Cathedral, and numerous other cathedrals, to encourage the viewer to look heavenwards.
You might be able to make out a large crucifix hanging above the alter between the scaffolding.
The figure is 'life-size' but, because of the height of the roof, it's difficult to appreciate the size of the feature. It's rather like the Grand Canyon - only when you see something alongside it can you put anything in perspective.
The alter was hand carved by a monk Brother Patrick - the lead builder - but now lies in ruins with most of the statues stolen.
The artwork depicting various Saints also needs a lot of restoration. However, you can buy a brick, adopt and angel or sponsor a Saint to help them replace and rebuild the features

Window in a small room high above the alter to the right. It will be one of the many rooms open for hire as a conference facility.

There's a piece of film footage from part of my tour on myspace page (if I can get it on there). It's taken as we stood in front of the alter: http://www.youtube.com/igwet

There's a cool philharmonic concert also performing in June/July - look at their website for details of all things Gorton: www.gortonmonastery.co.uk

2007-04-02T11:19:00.000Z

RED IS DEAD
Alas, my fish died last week. I'm not sure if it was the shock of having his water changed that did it or if it was the half bottle of anti-white spot fluid that my father added to the tank.

Poor old fish - I'm not even sure of his name. There were 2 to start with, 'Red' and 'Orange' but I could only tell which was which when they were together - let's not ask what happened to number 1 fish. I think I should not keep fish any more.

Poems to the memory of Mr Fish:

I have a little pet
He's coloured black and gold
He isn't very clever
I keep him in a bowl
He never gets a kiss
Because you see...he is a fish!!!!!

I'm a little Goldfish

Bubble, Bubble, Bubble

Swimming in a fish tank

Bubble, Bubble, Bubble

Cat can't eat me

Bubble, Bubble, Bubble

Fat cat, Smelly cat, Ugly cat

MEOW!

I'm a dead goldfish

Bubble, Bubble...........

gone!

2007-03-04T00:31:00.000Z

Oh, and one more:

'Poverty' - shown the Sunday before Lent

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHuiiPSdjDs

I think that completes the Lent theme so far and also doubles the number of posts I've made in the last 12 months.

2007-03-03T23:08:00.000Z

And there's more if you're interested:

Cleansing Water:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq2ByM2whxo

and

Lent Meditation 2007:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E0ZgdEuAMU

2007-03-03T21:08:00.000Z

Well, I'm sitting in a Roman Catholic seminary on the outskirts of Durham. It's an amazing place - rather like Hogwarts. I'm attending a 3-day conference on the History of Youth and Community Work but have found myself with nothing to do this evening. I feel a little bit anti-social but have mingled enough for the day and thought I'd take the opportunity to play on the internet instead of using the excuse that I don't have time to blog or explore the more creative side of blogging.

I thought I'd take the advice of a few different people and put some of the Sunday morning worship videos online. This is all kind of new to me and so this is a bit of an experiment. I signed up with myspace but I couldn't upload my vids. So, I gave youtube a whirl and here we are, a link to one of the vids. I've chosen to go with a Lent theme and so 3 meditational videos should appear soon. Here's the 1st link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvUQZcGOjWc

Did it work?

2007-01-03T14:54:00.000Z

Well, due to popular demand - I'm back!!!

It seems that my blog is more of an annual blog and I'm not promising to blog regularly just in case you're thinking I'm back in the game.

However, I received an e-mail from a friend who has been working as a Methodist minister in Kenya for the last 5 years and has been told that he and his family are to be moved back to the UK in September. I thought that the closing words of his letter were worth posting as a thought at the start of 2007 (he's a bit of a footy nut - hence the trophy references):

"And where is my allegiance to God in all of this? I have asked myself this question many, many times over the last 4 or 5 years on this Kenyan Safari (Safari is Swahili for journey). "Am I supporting the right team?" I have asked myself when confronted with heart wrenching situations of poverty and hardship and inequality. Where are the "glory days"? Where are the trophies and shields of victory? In the absence of silverware the armchair supporter soon shifts their support elsewhere. Am I an armchair supporter I ask myself, or like my allegiance to Leeds United have I no choice but to endure the dark times of struggle clinging on to the hope that one day…one day…one day…?
The Bible is perhaps not read as avidly as the back pages of newspapers these days but it contains comparable accounts of winners and losers. It narrates amazing victories by the underdogs, think of David and Goliath and how many times John Motson has used that analogy in FA Cup ties! We also find within its pages the tales of the mighty falling and being cast out into the wilderness for many years…Leeds United? However the overall message of the book, or books to be accurate, is that God’s allegiance to us, humanity, is unwavering. There is the promise to be with us at all times, good and bad, easy and difficult, whether we feel like we’re winning or loosing. God is not a supporter who chooses those with the most success and moves on from winner to winner, in fact the message seems to be that God is more likely to be found alongside those with less to make a song and dance about.
We have just celebrated Christmas and in this we see God’s love for us in sending his son, Jesus, coming, not as a king in a palace, but as a humble baby in a dirty stable. Our own personal stories are a mixture of success and failure, moments of elation and episodes of despair, occasions when our loyalty to one another or to God is unquestionable and other times when we feel like we have let people down and maybe even ourselves and God. Thankfully it is not a matter of our sometimes wavering allegiance to God; rather it is a cause for celebration that God’s allegiance and commitment to us is unfaltering and enduring.
May we all be aware of God being one of our most faithful supporters as we enter in 2007.
Happy New Year!"

And a Happy New Year to you from me too. Lou.x

2006-03-28T14:24:00.000Z

I thought I'd better post another message since the glam shot of Geordan and Iulia has occupied my spot for far too long from the moment it first appeared. What an interesting week in my new house. I no longer have a moat stretching across the width of the house although the gas men appear to have forgotten to take all the barriers and signposts with them. So, anyone who needs large, blue, plastic fencing and a large arrow please contact me.

I'm loving my new home but am finally facing the realities and frustrations that accompany it. So far the utilities are proving a bit of a challenge:

Sunday afternoon: plummer and me unable to find stop-tap in the house so turned everyone's water off by fishing in a hole in the street to turn the stand-pipe off
Sunday evening: plummer flooded the bathroom, unwittingly leaving an inch deep layer of water to drain into a hole behind the loo
Sunday night: thankfully spotted a drip of water free-falling from the lounge ceiling on to BRAND NEW sofa as I walked past it on my way to bed
2 minutes later having pushed sofa out of the way: foolishly touched v. large bubble in ceiling
1 second later: nearly fell off chair as water cascaded from the ceiling
Spent next 10 minutes trying to decide whether to contact the plummer (now way past mid-night)
Played the 'I'm just a girl' card and got plummer to look at hole in ceiling
Finally: went to bed with a new drip from the bathroom sink tap dripping into a strategically placed cup
Monday evening: arrived home very hungry and ready for a home-cooked meal. Alas, gas cooker broken - won't be fixed until Thursday night at the earliest.
Went to bed worrying about a possible gas leak...can't smell any but I still have a cold and can't smell anything

Hurray! I made it through the night!

2006-03-03T21:37:00.000Z

In response to the comment made on my last (first) blog I have decided to take instruction from a pro blogger. Iulia is bringing me in to the 21st Century but as a teacher I'm not convinced she really knows what she's doing...this may explain the picture of her and Geordan that is now sitting alongside this text. Let's see whether my next 'lesson' teaches me how to undo unwanted content...watch this space (ooo I love this cyber tech stuff). My tutor has just informed me that she is NOT a 'pro blogger' and she does 'not know what I'm doing'. Aaah, that explains it.

2006-02-13T23:28:00.000Z

Here I am