Author Archives: Alex

Mud People

While on holiday recently, I read Ursula Le Guin’s story, “The Word For World Is Forest”.  As always with Le Guin, it’s superb, imaginative, thoughtful writing.  The story is set on a distant world, Athshe, which humans from Earth are trying to colonise.   In many ways, the planet has similar conditions to Earth, theContinue reading “Mud People”

Cycling is the future

Three cheers for Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome! The media here is talking about the greatest sporting achievement ever – an over-statement, surely, but the performance of these three outstanding British cyclists in the Tour de France cheers the hearts of ordinary British cyclists like me.   Maybe if I were 20 yearsContinue reading “Cycling is the future”

Vegetables are murder, too

By now, my new vegetable beds should be packed full of a variety of vegetables, all thriving in the rich compost and growing leafy and tall. Unfortunately, we’ve had very little sunshine this ‘summer’, and I think the soil hasn’t warmed up enough to germinate all the seeds.  Also, as it’s hardly stopped raining sinceContinue reading “Vegetables are murder, too”

Plaster Saint

At the end of June, I spent a lovely week on retreat at Sheldon.   As usual, it was great to be on my own with no one else’s schedule or demands to worry about.  I could eat when I was hungry and sleep when I was tired (which was most of the first dayContinue reading “Plaster Saint”

5 reasons not to cut the grass

It’s a rare sunny day, here in sunny Sussex.  And I could take the afternoon off and cut the grass.  It is rather long, as one of our weekend guests was kind enough to point out to me. On the other hand, here are five good reasons to leave it – and the animals whoContinue reading “5 reasons not to cut the grass”

UFO

Mrs. Mabbsonsea held her annual exhibition last week, in our church at Portslade.  As well as some of her own work, there were beautiful pictures by a local calligrapher (Julie Walker) plus quilts by some of Louise’s students. Some of the work was unfinished, like this bed quilt:   I was sceptical about the unfinishedContinue reading “UFO”