A Wonderful Wedding.

One of my sisters tied the knot last weekend.

Here she is getting ready..

Admiring family as she comes downstairs....

Proud brother to give her away in the absence of our lovely dad...

Giggling bridesmaids....

My own handsome pair of James Bond lookalikes...

The grooms carriage....

 ....which actually broke down enroute to the church and had to be pushed to the nearest garage for a jump start. It couldn't have been better scripted in an episode of only fools and horses!

The happy couple....

The sun shone, the wine flowed, we danced our socks off...

shared a few secrets...

and generally had a ball...

I love weddings, such joyous occasions and most of the family gathered. All the more poignant as Mum and Dad are no longer here. I suppose the next weddings will be the next generation, ( we have 20 children between us!) And we will be the dowagers.

Bring it on I say.

Brand New Beaver

Our littlest man joined the ranks of beaverdom last week.

and celebrated with a beaver made biscuit...

Catch Up

Time flies when you are having fun as they say.

Egg Hunt.....

More knitting from stash, a cardigan started for the girl on the right 7 and a half years ago when the girl on the left (wearing said cardigan,) was only approx 4 months old.....

And a wonderful hen weekend celebration at centre parcs for sisters forthcoming wedding....

I am the one behind the camera!!!!

Gaudia Paschalia.

He is risen.

Alleluia!

The Fourteenth Station of the Cross...

Jesus is laid in the sepulchre.

"As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away." - Matthew 27:57-60 

And now we wait.....

The Thirteenth Station of the Cross....

Jesus is taken down from the cross.

Jesus' lifeless body is taken down from the cross. Mary tenderly cradles him, filled with sadness.

"Lord, grant us trust in you that when our time on earth is ended our spirits may come to you without delay."

John Paul the second.

The Twelfth Station of the Cross....

Jesus dies on the cross.

At the sixth hour a darkness fell upon the land and at the ninth hour Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  Soon after, he cried out again, gave up his spirit and died. 

The earth quaked.

Lord Jesus, at your death the land was dark. You prayed to your father in your final moments on earth. Show me how to pray so I may be guided out of the darkness and into your life affirming light.

The Eleventh Station of the Cross...

Jesus is nailed to the cross.

Jesus is stretched out on the cross. Large nails are driven through his hands and feet. He is left to die in the company of robbers.

Do I judge others? Do I criticise and cause hurt by my comments?  Do I descriminate without thinking?

Dear Jesus, may your pain remind me of the pain I may have caused others.Help me to make amends for my wrong doings.

The Tenth Station of the Cross....

Jesus is stripped of his garments.

The soldiers tear the clothes from Jesus' back, reopening the wounds of his scourging. They gamble for his clothes. The crowd jeer and shout, mocking Jesus to perform a miracle.

Jesus, by your example, may I be stripped of worldly desires and be a good example myself to others.

The Ninth Station of the Cross...

Jesus fall a third time.

Barely able to stand, Jesus falls again.

How often have I, believing I have mastered my weaknesses, become discouraged with my repeated failures?

My dear Jesus, help me to think of your resolve when getting up again, so I may not be discouraged but strive to make the right choices.

New Arrivals....

...eight point of lay 17 week old warren pullets arrived yesterday.

They are very shy, never having been outdoors before today.

There has been a bit of squabbling.

Some of the resident matrons are positively sulking...

What was really amazing was watching a couple of the new girls enjoying a dust bath for the first time. They have spent their entire life in a barn but an innate instinct took over. The wonder of creation.

Speaking of which, there has been a positive proliferation of plum blossom in just one week...

I hope it means a bumper crop of plums. The tree is just two years planted in our garden and was a young sapling. There were approx five plums last year. So here's hoping.

Another arrival this weekend is eldest daughter home from uni for five weeks.

Eleven year old daughter made a lovely spring flower table decoration..

Here it is displayed on a recently purchased rather jolly charity shop tablecloth (£2.79.)

And  just the excuse we needed to bake a big cake to welcome her home...

Also managed some seed sowing, a bit of weeding and quite a lot of leaning on the fence enjoying the bird song. All the brood back under one roof, happy days.

The Eigth Station of the Cross.....

Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.

Jesus meets the women of Jeusalem, weeping for him. He pauses to give them words of kindness.

Dear Jesus, let me, like those women, be unafraid to announce my faith in you. By their example may I always seek to spread the faith by trying to live the gospel in my daily life.

The Seventh Station of the Cross....

Jesus falls a second time.

The cross grows heavier and Jesus falls a second time. He struggles to get up but does not give up.

Sometimes I am impatient when I fail. I become despondent about small things. I feel like giving up.

My dear Lord, help me to keep trying when I feel like giving up. Help me not to feel despair. By your example may I always be encouraged to do the best I can.

The Sixth Station of the Cross....

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.

A woman suddenly comes out from the crowd, Veronica. She cannot do much to help but she cares enough to wipe the blood and sweat from the face of Jesus.

Do I notice the needs of others around me? Do I unselfishly offer help when I can? Or do I try not to get involved lest too much be asked of me?

Dear Jesus, just as your image was imprinted upon the cloth Veronica used, may it be always be imprinted on my heart, as a reminder to show compassion whenever I am able, for no other reward than just because I can.

The Fifth Station of the Cross....

Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross.

Jesus is weak and struggling. The soldiers are afraid he will not make it to the place of execution. They pull a man, Simon of Cyrene, from the crowd to help.

Do I always do as much as I can to help others? When asked for help do I  sometimes claim to be too busy? Do I get by doing as little as possible for others?

Dear Jesus, help me to recognise when others may need my help. Give me the grace to offer myself willingly and unselfishly. Let me not seek satisfaction in gratitude and likewise let me not be disappointed when none is offered. May my reward be the knowledge that you love me, and as such I seek to serve you in serving others.

The Fourth Station of the Cross.....

Jesus meets his mother.

Amidst the mocking crowd, Jesus meets his mother. She has not fled like the frightened disciples. She is courageous in accepting the fate of her beloved son because she remembers the words of the angel Gabriel, "Do not be afraid."

Holy Mary, by the example of your courage and faith in the face of extreme distress, guide me in my path through life. Help me to trust in my faith and not be afraid when faced with adversity.

Shameless

I just told a total stranger I saw in Asda I thought he was gorgeous!!!

He was in front of me at the self serve checkout. I was ogling him.

He left.

I left a few minutes later and he smiled at me through his open car window as he drove past me. I couldn't help myself and called out "You have made my day."

He slowed the car and leaned out and asked me why was that. I said "because you have curly hair and are wearing wellies." I asked him if he was a farmer and he said no but he had been working on a farm today. I said "My Dad was a farmer and I love farmers. You're gorgeous."

He drove away smiling, I think I made his day too.

If only........

(P.S. I think hormones are getting the better of me!)

The Third Station of the Cross....

...Jesus falls the first time.

Tired and bleeding, Jesus falls under the heavy weight of his cross. The soldiers and onlookers show no mercy as they abuse him.

How often do I fall? Sometimes I start things I do not finish if it proves too difficult. I put things off. I do not always work as diligently as I could.

My Jesus, it is not the weight of the cross but the burden of my sin that makes you fall. And your love for me that makes you get up and carry on. By the example of your courage help me to get up again, recognise my failings and, safe in the knowledge of your forgiveness, walk on.

The second Station of the Cross....

Jesus takes up his cross.

Jesus receives his cross and bears the terrible weight upon his shoulders. He does not complain but willingly accepts the tremendous burden as he begins his sorrowful journey.

What are my crosses? How well do I bear them? It is probably fair to say that many of us face up to the big crosses in life in stoic fashion. That is probably because we cannot avoid them if big enough to command our total attention. But what about the little crosses? The everyday annoyances and minor irritations. Do I respond well to them and embrace them as Christ embraced his cross? Or do I allow them to trip me up and fall over and over again?

Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to respond to the mundane and everyday crosses in my life. Remind me that my faith, with its supports of prayer and the sacraments, is there to guide, support and uplift me in the little things, as well as the great.

Stations of the Cross... First Station....

This morning the sermon at our church  was about the stations of the cross.

There are fourteen stations and fourteen days left till Easter so our priest urged us to consider one station every day. I think it is a good idea so will try to do it here.

The first station, Jesus is condemned to death...

Already humiliated, ridiculed, flogged and crowned with thorns, Jesus receives the news he is now to be put to death. No one speaks up for him, no one defends him, no one objects. He has devoted his life to caring for others but now he is ignored. He accepts his fate with quiet calm, without resistance.

How do I react when in a situation that I feel is unfair to me? I object, I complain, I vociferously declare my innocence, I may even try and lay the blame at the feet of others.

As I consider the first station of the cross, I am humbled by Christ's quiet acceptance of the fate he cannot change. I hope that guided by his example I find the grace to accept the things I cannot change in my life and the strength to bear those that I will find a challenge.

Right now....

...we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our new girls and they have a lovely new house...

...there is a lot of promising blossom on our Lizzie plum tree....

we are enjoying the unseasonal warmth hanging out with cousins...

and brothers...

....sharing a pair of roller skates and enjoying it...

...eating lots of eggs daily for breakfast...

...hence the need for a few more of these...

It's all good.