Yesterday I had a tooth extracted. As I waited for the deed to be done, I had a few thoughts.
In a Dentist’s Waiting Room
In the dentist’s reception area, waiting for a tooth extraction, musing on my forthcoming loss, I happened to glance out a window which framed a tall tree. It was in fulsome bloom of summer, The dappled light of sun kissing leaves. Calmly green, the tree soothed away all apprehension.
Then, I noticed a scar. It was a place where a branch had once broken off. The tree was not complete, yet it blooms on, brightly offering a vision beyond brokenness. I was about to lose a small part of me. “We know what you are about to go through,” the leaves seemed to whisper, “but do remember, there’s always life beyond life.”
As summer progresses, Mother Nature begins to secure continuity of her gifts to the earth. Seeds are dropped, others collected, plants dead-headed and wildflowers make thir provision for continued life. The other day it was quite windy and I notice a profusion of white Dandelion seeds, taking their journey across the sky. So being a fan of the dear Dandelion, I have marked this journey.
Dandelion Clocks
It is the time of migration.
Small gossamer parachutes tumbling freely on eddies of air each carrying a speck of seed. They will be carried to the ground where they will hide like spies at an unknown address. In deep shadow and stillness They wait patiently, demanding nothing. A time will come, a call to invade will be heard.
Following some unknown decision, a pinprick followed by myriad others, stirring from their closeted, soil wrapped cell, they conquer the earth with their spring clock faces of brilliant yellow.
Here’s a thing: When the fluffy ball is ready to cast its seeds, why not take it in your hand and blow gently on it but, instead of making a wish, send each seed on its way with a prayer to God . This would make the Dandelion a prayer – wheel which takes our prayers , sorrows and praises to God. Just a thought.
August 1st is Lammas Day. On this day, particularly in rural areas, it is cutomary to give thanks to God for the gifts of food and the provision of all we need to sustain life. In more ancient times, the beginning of August coincided with the harvesting opf the crops for the milling of flour and thebaking of bread. The ‘first loaf’ was sometimes present to the local church and became the bread used at the Eucharist or the mass – Hence Lammas – Loaf Mass.
Two tales of Bread
Torn from plastic wrapping, The slab of bread, processed flour, tumbles unappetizingly, onto the plate. It is a source of calcium, good for the bones, with Iron and Niacin, B3 of course, a small sprinkling of Thiamin adds to the cocktail of goodness and well-being. Yeast, salt and water is tinged with Rapeseed Oil, reminding of spring fields painted radiant yellow. Lest we lose sight of all this goodness, Calcium proportionate adds a chemistry lesson for our delectation and preservation. Not forgetting, of course, those amazing emulsifiers E472E and E481 all doused with ascorbic acid. Bread. Yummy!
Mr Deakin’s Bread
The oven door opens in Mr Deakin’s bakery. Wafts of delicious, tantalizing aromas fill the air, tempting the nostrils with the unmistakable freshly baked bread. Sacks of flour wait quietly for their turn. Mr Deakin knows the Miller who lives near the farmer, who gathers the crop dancing in the breeze of his own fields. We take home the bread still warm. Crusty yet yielding if pressed, giving off a rich enticing smell, whetting the appetite. Held in trembling hands of expectation, we break off a little, raise a morsel to our lips. And another. Real bread!
As a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, I receive the monthly edition of the RHS Magazine, The Garden. The August edition carries news of a yearly survey which, currently, asked the question: What first ignited your interest in gardening? The most popular answer was I helped someone in my family garden when I was a child. This response led to The Garden launching a competition for children to design this month’s cover of the magazine. Three joint winners were chosen and the designs were divided up across all the magazines. Inside is a big selection of many other entries and all the entries can be viewed on the RHS website (for details see below) The theme of this month’s magazine relates to this with articles, photos, features all aimed at young people and parents, carers, grandparents, schools etc to encourage children and young people to explore gardens and gardening. The editor of the magazine, Tom Howard, said this: Kids see gardening as a magical place where seeds have faces and bees can be pets. The very best gardens and gardeners never lose this sense of magic.
As one for whom that is true I thought about how people pass on enthusiasm and inspiration to others. People encouraging others to experience nature, creation, the environment are much needed right now. I thought too of some special people who would understand this.
One particular person is Jean Fone. She has retired now but when I knew her she was head teacher of a small country school at Bleasdale in North Lancashire.I was her chair of Governing Body. She one of the most inspiring, enthusing and dedicated teachers I have ever known. Together with Freda and a small group of assistants she presided over a small school with a big heart. She didn’t just see that the curriculum was followed, she went far beyond that. She saw education as opening hearts and minds through a learning which included experience of the world around us. Bleasdale is an amazing landscape of bluebell woods, fields, farms and towering Fells which provide a backdrop for breathtaking scenery. Jean made use of it all! She conceived an idea of creating a woodland trail which included sculpture, wood carvings, woodland discovery paths and nature trails. She persuaded the Landowner to give the area and local frmers, country rangers and artists were all encouraged to join in.She could be very persuasive! Then Jean and her team created the School Garden and again the gifts she brought to the children included inspiration and encouragement. The Garden became a big feature of school life. They then entered a competition organized by the RHS. It was to design a Biblical Garden. The children rose to the challenge and this little Lancashire school was awarded first prize. We were all invited to the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, where we enjoyed a wonderful day, received our Certificate and each got a bag of lovely RHS goodies! The garden itself was built to the winning design and enhanced the earlier School garden. I am sure that all those children and adults who were part of that experience were encouraged to see the land, nature and creation in a different and creative way. Jean was an enthuser, encourager, one who works hard to make dreams come true.
My own experience which became a life-long love of gardening was encouraged by my granddad. When I was young we had no proper garden. Then one day, granddad arrived with a wooden orange box – a box that had held oranges. He lined it carefully with lining and filled it with soil. At the age of nine, I watched, fascinated. Then he gave me a packet of Nasturtiums. I think they might have been Tom Thumb mix. He took a seed from the packet, made a hole in the soil and popped it in. Then I did the rest. My first bit of gardening! I was thrilled. He helped me to water the seeds and told me that now we had to wait for them to grow. About half an hour later I went out to look. Grandad, I said, they aren’t growing! He smiled, You’ve just learned the first lesson of gardening – patience. Of course, once they grew I was hooked on gardening.
Whether it’s gardening or any other skill, hobby or accomplishment – from music to maths – encouraging and enthusing others is a wonderful way of helping people to grow.
Whatever we do to enhance God’s creation is making our world better place. Giving others a reverence for Nature is a big part in that. We all have people who have inspired us. The best way we can thank them is to inspire others.
To see all the entries for the RHS Kids’ cover competition go to rhs.org.uk/kidscovercompentries
Mr G's Ponderings 