I am residing in the epicenter of marvel. Because of technology I have easily communicated this morning with my daughter in California, Dad on the way to Hawaii, our incredible staff holding the fort back in the office and our beautiful hosts two stories down. I am sitting in a kitchen that surely must have been shown in Architectural Digest or The English Home, my tea is piping hot and my fuzzy socks and slippers are keeping my feet toasty. We met our dear friends sort of through technology via work and became fast friends of the heart. We are sitting on the edge of the moors looking out over scotch pines and deciduous trees of all varieties. The next door neighbor’s chicken just peeped through the window and I now see robins, magpies, crows and coal tits taking turns nibbling at the sweet potato left over from last night’s dinner. Later on we will see Lady Bower where the Dam-busters practiced in WWII, an ancient stone circle (exact age unknown) and have another peek at the Strine’s Moor.
Computer with a view!
The scenery is breathtaking and quite different to anything I have seen. There is a certain rugged grandeur and mystery enhanced I am sure by the threatening low, grey clouds that dumped a huge snow on Castleford only 10 miles away. Now it is time to get the little guy to Nursery and his beloved Grand to the train station for an important meeting in London. I feel as if I am in another time space continuum though one made of love and history. Though the scenery is very different the needs of the humans remain the same. The need for warmth, nourishment, kindness and truth are still paramount. No matter the heart stopping beauty a cup of tea and warm gloves can make the difference between delight and misery. Living in California as we do, this face of early winter in Yorkshire requires us to remember clothing we rarely use, know where to place the towels after the bath to ensure drying and allow plenty of time for freshly washed clothes to reappear fully dry an d ready for use. The cadence of winter in a foreign land is utterly game-changing and reseting our natural pace from busy, busy and more busy to wonder, awe and gratitude.
A late bloomer…
Today my joy is in but noticing the glory I get to participate in both near and far. We are now officially at rest and relaxation is happening without any effort at all. That it took three weeks and an ever changing landscape is the proof that this sabbatical is exactly what we didn’t know we needed.
Thank you and amen.
