Reindeer have become synonymous with Christmas time. They are a very unique deer, native to parts of Europe, Scotland, Asia, and North America. The males and females grow antlers, unlike any other deer. The males lose them in autumn during the mating season, but the females keep them to protect their young. Their antlers are huge and so account for their particularly majestic look. Their eyes are not bad either, allowing them to see ultraviolet light and spot predators more easily. Their special noses can allow them to warm that cold air.

Folklore has them travelling, pulling Santa’s sleigh throughout the skies of the world, but they can actually travel very long distances. In North America, they are known by a different name. Caribou. Whatever the name, we enjoy them as a beautiful feature on our cards and calendars during the Christmas and winter season.

What a night Sunday!! It was our Carols and Panto gathering, and probably the wackiest service of the year. We sang our favourite carols, heard some lovely, humorous readings, and then it was time for the much-anticipated pantomime. This year, it was Alice in Wonderland. Steve Lidgett Williams played an Alice Cooper kind of Alice, while Rob Harvey was The Evil Queen donning Freddy Mercury regalia. As if that wasn’t enough, we had Sarah Dorgan as The White Rabbit and the Mad Mad Hatter, Alison Keogh as the Mad March Hare, Graham Searle as a Dozy Dormouse, as well as a playing card. Chris Elliot was our Cheshire Cat, and also a playing card, and Virginia Gordon was a caterpillar and a playing card, also. Chris Shore narrated the buffoonery. We also had Santa and the Elves coming by. Thanks to Julie, Nerina, and Sue.

We thank our readers and prayer people, Ailette lit our Shepherd’s candle for JOY, and Lisa ran our music. Carol and Sue brought us some delightful Christmas baked goods with mulled wine to wash them down with. It was a very festive night enjoyed by all. Thank you Everyone for all the work and effort!!

PRAYER OF THE WEEK

Please pray for Peace around the world.

Calendar up later!!

Have a beautiful week, everyone, and slow down.

Well, summer is back in full force, and she is glorious. May we relish every drop of her. The nights have not disappointed either. The Sturgeon Moon, our August moon, became full on Saturday, August 9th. She was so named by the Native American fishing tribes after the freshwater fish so abundant at one time in the Great Lakes of North America. The colonists adopted the name, and it has remained ever since. She did not rise far above the horizon and so created an almost magnified effect of a larger and very orange moon as the sunlight illuminated her.

Not to be outdone, the Perseid meteor shower is still in full force, peaking on the 13th of August, and we also have a spectacular planetary lineup right now. We are indeed blessed by day and blessed by night.

And last night, we were blessed as Sarah Norris came to visit, bringing the energy of Spirit in such abundance. Sarah shared some wonderfully inspired and uplifting thoughts and then went on to also bring our lovely messages. What a lovely night of upliftment. Thank you so much Sarah! Alison Keogh chaired our evening.

Thank you to our readers, who stepped up when some folks were unable to be there. Thank you to Sue, our Hospitality. Thank you, Carole for cake. Julie, we thank you for the music, as well as all ‘washer uppers’ and those who set up and break down each week. And thank you always to our wonderful healers on hand.

Prayer of the week

Please pray for a massive Spiritual awakening for this planet, especially for those who wage war and greed, and who have such power. May they feel a shift in their being. May they understand that the consequences of their hate legacies will not disappear with death. Change always starts with the heart.

Calendar up soon.

Have a wonderful week.

Get out and breathe in the fullness of this season!!

Finally, my beautiful Butterfly Bush, AKA Buddleia, didn’t just spring into life, but erupted into colour and grew so quickly this year. Aptly named, she attracts not just a large variety of butterflies but bees and ladybirds also.

Along with her beauty and colour, she emits a wonderful scent, her ultimate lure for pollination. She has grown so quickly this year, I can look through my upstairs window and see up close and personal the varieties of nature she attracts, as well as enjoy nature’s perfume at its best, wafting through the rooms.

She was introduced into England from China in 1896, and she has remained a firm favourite ever since, sometimes growing in the most unlikely places. What is it with Buddleia and railways? Her Spiritual symbolism is that of transformation and renewal. Something we can’t all get enough of.

Brave souls made it out to Chawton after some wacky weather last night. Downpours seemed to be all around, yet we had a good turnout despite that for our In-House Evening of Clairvoyance. Chris Shore chaired the evening with her usual grace while Rob Harvey, our President, shared thoughts concerning Life after Death with a personal story. He then went on to give clairvoyance along with a couple of fledglings, Chris Elliot and Alison Keogh. It was a good learning night, whilst bringing some lovely messages for some. Thank you all!!

Thank you to those who gave prayers and readings to lift the vibration of the space. Thank you to Julie on the music. We know that Carol never disappoints when in the house, as we enjoyed more cake, tea, and coffee. Healing completed the evening. Thank you to all those who set up and break down, as always.

Prayer of the week

Please watch, look, and listen for the needs of each other in our daily lives. Let us be tuned in to what our brothers and sisters might need.

Calendar up tomorrow

It’s going to be another warm week!!

Drink beyond thirst!

We have just passed the midsummer mark, or the summer solstice. Due to the mystery of the sun appearing to stand still since Neolithic times (10,000 years before Christ), the imaginations of cultures throughout the centuries stirred, creating many traditions. St John’s Day, celebrated by many Christians on the 24th of June, is also thought to deliberately coincide with the midsummer mark.

We have enjoyed absolutely glorious weather in this neck of the woods, and so with flowers in full bloom and the beauty of the natural world, it has indeed been fitting for this time. The days, alas, will shorten now by two minutes every evening, but the symbolism of this midsummer time prompts us to think of joy and abundance during the fullness of this season in this hemisphere.

Joy and Laughter were abundant last night in Chawton. Lesley Knight was in the house, and how we love having her visit us. Lesley gave us laughter, shared beautiful thoughts that we all needed to hear, and then brought some lovely messages for us. Thank you so much, Lesley!! Alison Keogh chaired our evening

It was also Mr Shackleton’s birthday, and so we enjoyed cake and a bit of singing to ring in another year for him. Happy Birthday Les!! It is your birthday week!!

Thank you to The Family who brought lovely readings and prayers. Thank you, Julie, for running our music. Thank you, Carole, for the cake. Thank you hospitality, and a special thanks to our healers. And of course, light work is made of set up and break down because all of those who do it diligently every week.

Prayer of the week

Please pray for the tense situation in Iran. Pray for the leaders, and all people and animals, let’s not forget them, affected by any fallout.

Calendar up soon.

Have a beautiful week. Summer is here. Let’s hope she stays for the Garden Party Saturday!!

We celebrated Easter yesterday and as we were driving to church Mr Shackleton and I came across a stunning but injured bird in the road with her deceased fledgling. The bird was huge and as I grabbed a towel to place her up a country path to see what I could do, whilst searching frantically on my phone for rehabbers or advice, she passed. A sad sobering moment of springtime and Easter.

She was beautiful and so big with large strong legs. I knew she was a hawk and it turns out she was a Goshawk with her fledgling which was very well developed and large. Goshawks have bounced back from near extinction in the 1800s but are still fairly rare. There are reported to be only 600 pairs of them across the UK which made this event especially sad, but the Easter message is continuing life and we know this goes for all who live, so we wish her and her ‘fledger’ well on their way. Please take due care and attention on the roads this springtime. A little less speed may spare some lives.

We gathered last evening in Chawton and had a lovely family Easter night. We heard beautiful prayers and readings and caught up on the Easter story. Rob gave a thoughtful inspired address as Nerina chaired beautifully.

Carole did not disappoint with her Easter cake. We also had meringues I believe whipped up by Sue. We are so spoilt. Thank you hospitality, Lisa and Julie our music team, and our healers, and everyone who sets up and breaks down.

Prayer of the week.

Please pray again for our leaders that they would receive guidance and also find more kindness within their hearts and govern accordingly.

Calendar up tomorrow.

Happy Easter Monday!!

Have a beauuutiful week !!