PRELUDE TO MARCH

The Monthly Diary for February

has been completed, and sent out

to those who appreciate it.

It snowed this morning in a slow,

measured fall. I am concerned

both for the garden birds and the seagulls

who come for food.

Perhaps the snow is a ‘light fall’

which may well melt away before too long.

*

 The vase of flowers in the cloister

is now dropping some petals.

The flowers have been truly beautiful, and a source of joy.

*

This is the last day of February and the snow has returned,

gently dancing in the breeze.

It is hiding the area which Dave cleared

as a feeding site for the gulls.

The gulls - and other birds - have had several good feeds today.

And now the sun is shining !

*

MARCH 2018

The snow is still on the ground,

 patterned by the paws of nocturnal feeders

and the early morning visit

of the gulls and the  larger garden birds.

It remains cold, and the birds

perch on the adjacent roofs waiting for the sower of bread !

Could this be a reminder of the Last Supper

when Our Lord said

“ Do this in memory of me”

*

“In the bleak mid-winter

Frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron,

Water like a stone ;

Snow has fallen snow on snow,

Snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter

Long ago ....”

This is a good description of  our weather now !

The poem was written by

Christina Rossetti

March Hares

 Alas, these March hares will have to delay

their ritual fight ..... the snow is still falling !

*

Storm Emma is producing snow which is disrupting travel,

with strong winds across Ireland and the UK

all through Friday .... which is today, 2nd March.

*

5th March

The Martyrology for 5th March quoted

 Karl Rahner, Theologian 1904-1984

“ The real task of a Christian is to become a human being,

a human being of course whose depth is divine .....

To this extent Christian life is the acceptance

of human existence as such.”

*

6th March

I was seeking for a suitable text

 for the Monthly Diary and found one in

THE TABLET.

“ In the middle of the fourth century

Bishop Cyril of Jerusalem

gave this instruction to those

who were about to join the Catholic Church.

“ When you come forward for Holy Communion,

do not draw near with your hands wide open

or your fingers spread apart;

instead, with your left hand make a throne

for the right hand,

which will receive the King.

Receive the body of Christ in the hollow

of your hand and give the response: Amen. “

*

 8th March

I awoke to the sound of torrential rain

beating down on the flat roof.

The intermittent sunshine of yesterday,

and the pleasure of seeing

frog spawn on the lower pond

were not completely washed away....

*

 The first daffodils are beginning to flower

and the purple crocuses are out.

Have they all been flattened by the rain?

Many plants are resilient

and rise again when beaten to the ground...

*

Tomorrow, Sunday 11th March

is this year

MOTHERING SUNDAY.

The name today is now focused on a family member,

the mother of the household,

who gave birth to her own children.

It was originally a reference to a return to

the Church in which one was baptised.

Baptism was seen as the true source of life -

perhaps because ‘original sin’ was washed away....

It has been steadily raining here.

*

We had torrential rain during the night

and the flat grass areas  in our garden

are drenched - once again.

Pools of water shine even in this dull light -

it can be thus even for human beings,

touched by fond memories

in time of affliction.

*

  O Light serene of God the Father’s glory,

To you, O Christ we sing,

And with the evening star, at hour of sunset,

Our worship bring.

  Phos Hilaron,

2nd century

*

Sunday 18th March

  I found the following quotation by

Jonathan Tulloch

in The Tablet of 10th March 2018.

“We were cut off.

Snow roared in from the east,

closing  schools and silencing roads:

snaggle-toothed icicles lengthened

under the eaves.

We hadn’t seen a fall like this in years.

After three days inside, cabin fever set in.

I just had to get out into the pristine world

of the white-blanketed village.

Wrapped up warm, each step I took

was a crunching, satisfying bite of wellie

sinking in crystal snow, but this

winter-wonderland vanished once I’d left

our sheltered village.

A blizzard was waiting on the exposed arable fields.

Here the driving snow formed

a horizontal wall; the wind screamed.

I hadn’t staggered far into the  blizzard

when I realised it was a whiteout -

a snowstorm with zero visibility.

I lumbered on, making for the woods;

but without a path, landmarks or any reference points,

it was impossible to see where I was going... “

*

The daffodils are out in our garden,

reminding me of a poem by William Wordsworth

which we learned at school.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

We wish you every blessing in this coming

Easter season.