Ideas and reflections on a better connection with the natural world
Written for a friends' retirement: "When a flock of starlings swarm, there is nothing perceptively guiding their flight. Mesmerising patterns are made by each bird keeping the same distance from the seven closest to them. Some scientists wonder if the patterns are made by each bird seeking the safest place in the centre of the … Continue reading Constancy
"Do we go to Father Christmas' church - it says St Nicholas!", says my excited six year old. What a paradox we give to children at Christmas - Santa - the myth of an old man you grow out of - versus Jesus - the truth of a baby the church says to believe in. … Continue reading Father Christmas – a festive parable?
Question: In what high street shop can you spend five minutes and £25 and buy: a decent rug that fits a whole room, the needed hat for your child’s fancy dress, a decent sleeping bag and a bag of dinosaurs. Charity shops are groaning with stuff – still working through the aftermath of the … Continue reading Why Second Hand is still not First Choice.
Following a fad, or reinforcing foundations? Toddler groups bring more families into contact with churches than almost anything else, except perhaps food banks. Beyond grasping gratefully at the offer, does anyone wonder why churches provide them? Are they an outlet for nostalgic public-spirited housewives? Does the church think that coffee, toys and a chat will … Continue reading Into the Woods! Church toddler groups and forest school
Earth Day on Friday was a reminder that many centuries ago (it feels), during COP26, schools and communities around the world were urging on corporations and Governments to make difficult choices for the sake of the next generation. There is a widespread expectation among activists that planetary well being should come before profit or political … Continue reading Earth (day) on the EDGE – the unsung potential of the PSA
Bought in Kiev, 2003. Photo from my kitchen, March 2022, How on earth do you hold world-shaking events in your mind, as you continue daily life and deal with tiny domestic preoccupations? Do we shut out the world and focus on the immediate? Rendered powerless by the sheer scale of the crisis, do we seek … Continue reading A Crisis of Insight
With my growing allergy to the proliferation of 'stuff' disguised as Christmas presents, I braved some scepticism and ventured into gift membership of two Wildlife Trusts. The enthusiastic reception more than made up for my discovery that had I waited until January they could both have joined at half price. So I'm now championing their … Continue reading What lies between – the worlds of the Wildlife Trusts
Apparently, despite the best efforts of Blue Peter, my children still think climate change is primarily about animals. So, I puzzled about a childrens and families activity around this year's Harvest Festival - happening as it is in the run-up to the Leaders' gathering on Climate Change in November. How do you bring home in … Continue reading Helping Small People handle Big Issues: Harvest Festival, Inequality and Climate Change
Everyone loves a marble run - it must be one of the most enduring toys. Its addictive fascination is evident in the way in which zoos, attractions and waiting rooms around the world raise money by inviting people to watch a small object follow its trajectory and end up at the bottom with a satisfying … Continue reading Spending your marbles
Today I read an article in today's Sunday Times that made me very cross. It was about people who can continue their work from home not giving due consideration to paying their cleaners who cannot work but are dependent on them for wages. Of course, many people do not have a secure income or are … Continue reading #DotheDecentThing
Grain of Sand 