Tag Archives: wildlife

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Living on the edge of woodlands, I am treated, on a regular basis, to rare sights that perhaps a garden with a more suburban backdrop might not enjoy. The birds that visit me don’t come because of a fantastical bird table, or gourmet treats (for mine is a simple table within a dead Camellia tree, and some suet crumbles that seem to suffice,) but simply because of location, location, location! My glasses, alongside my coffee, are needed to be sure of exactly who does turn up at the 7 o’clock hour.

Hawfinches are very rare to see, and although I was unable to get a picture, I do know that it is absolutely possible to spot them near woodlands. He has an unmistakable large beak for his size, a very handy tool for crushing cherry stones and tree seeds. He is the largest finch in the UK, but sadly he is Red-listed, meaning that he is becoming increasingly rare, probably because of the loss of his habitat.

They are very shy birds, preferring to keep high in the canopy of trees, and their numbers increase slightly in winter as their European cousins arrive, giving us a better chance of seeing them.

His symbolism is often linked to that wonderfully powerful beak. In old England, he was known by names such as ‘Cherry Chopper ‘ for his ability to break open those hard cherry stones with ease. That strength of jaw and beak has come to represent inner strength and breakthroughs, a reminder that maybe we do have the ability to crack open what seem to be the impossible problems and reach the truth hidden within.

He’s also something of a mystery, usually unseen amongst the trees, with a simple, sharp call and an almost ghostly presence. I will choose to believe I did see him, face whatever obstacles arrive in my day with a little more strength, and a determined confidence.

Last night in Chawton, we welcomed Lorraine Francois and Catherine Whitbread. Between them, they shared a beautiful, thoughtful address and brought our lovely messages. Thank you so much, Ladies!! A lovely evening. Our own lovely Chris Elliot chaired the evening beautifully. We always thank our family for their readings and prayers, as well as our Music Team, with Julie running the music last night. Thank you for the yummy cake, Carole, and thank you to Sue for hospitality.

We are ever grateful for our diligent healers, ever ready after the service, as well as everyone who not only sets up but also breaks down the evening, and makes it quick, light work.

PRAYER OF THE WEEK.

Please pray for our Natural World. This earth and her inhabitants are going through it. With so many natural disasters occurring, as well as our interference with the ways of nature, we must remember that all of creation is affected, not just us.

Calendar up later.

Have a beautiful week.

Pause and enjoy the change of seasons.

Picture credit: Gary Jones Wildlife Photography

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Well, the rain dancing worked!

We have been treated to everything from short, sharp bursts of rain to long, thunderous showers. I think I can even feel the relief of my garden fauna as, finally, they get hydrated with water from above rather than my dirty dishwater!

The back and forth of sunshine-filled days and cooler, Autumn-like mornings is now quite obvious, and these rains have brought out snails in mass abundance, almost like an end-of-summer party. Glad of the rainwater to clean off their dry shells, they are now able to travel along smoother, wetter paths, seeking out food and breeding opportunities. They can lay their eggs in the moist soil and fill up on sustenance before the cooler seasons begin in earnest.

The humble garden snail. What a fascinating creature.

These little molluscs are hermaphrodites, meaning they possess both male and female reproductive organs, quite an evolutionary leap! When two snails mate, both may go on to lay eggs!

We have so many jokes about their speed: snail mail, moving at a snail’s pace. And yet, in their world, it simply works!

They carry their heavy shells wherever they go, providing protection for their soft bodies, and that ‘delightful’ tell-tale silvery slime they leave behind serves many purposes. It helps them move, retain moisture and navigate their little world, but producing it comes with a high energy cost.

And so, as you return home on a wetter day, tread carefully along your path. Somewhere beneath your feet, a humble little snail is probably travelling from A to B, and it may take a while…He/she is in no rush. And perhaps, as we watch these creatures move through our damp gardens, we might take a moment to slow down ourselves. What a thought! We protest and insist that the world calls us here and there.. but may we remember, whatever we are travelling to…Home has always been right where we are, at this moment.

And I am sure The Family felt ‘home’ as usual last night in Chawton. Unfortunately Vanessa Smallwood was unable to be with us, but our own Steve answered the phone on a Sunday, and so he was the appointed one!

Steve did such a great job bringing a lovely address about St Francis of Assisi. I think we all learnt a few things, and we know our family is packed with animal lovers, and then Steve went on to bring many messages. Thanks so much Steve for giving us such a good night. Our evening was chaired by Alison. Thank you.

There were beautiful prayers and readings from the family. Cake with cherries. Thank you Carole! We are indeed spoilt. And then good conversation, washing it all down with not just tea and coffee, but with healing to give us a good night’s sleep. Thank you also Julie for running our music. Thank you all for the set up and breakdown of the evening.

PRAYER OF THE WEEK

Please pray for Nepal and the horrific flooding. So much devastation and loss of not just human life, but animal life also. Please let us pray that aid can increase, and that healing is in sight.

Have a beautiful week! More sun is scheduled apparently, but we know that Autumn is now just around the corner…

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This year I didn’t see the blackbird chicks in my garden, but I have noticed their parents much more over the past few weeks.

At the weekend, the male perched on the bird table and, for nearly half an hour, this usually shy garden visitor seemed to share some moments chirping back and forth with me. I imitated his chirps, and each time he answered with a slightly different pattern. I finally had to get on with my day, but it felt quite unusual for such a shy and cautious bird and was a wonderfully uplifting way to begin an early summer morning.

Though blackbirds are not strictly monogamous, pairs will often return to the same territory together year after year if both have survived the winter. They are also remarkably intelligent and can recognise individual humans by their appearance, routines and even their voices.

The blackbird is actually a member of the thrush family, a medium-sized, ground-feeding songbird with a truly beautiful voice. It is no surprise that Paul McCartney wrote his famous song, Blackbird.

“Blackbird singing in the dead of night…”

Blackbirds sometimes sing after dark because of light pollution confusing them.

The female is a gentle, soft brown, while the male is unmistakable with his glossy jet-black feathers and bright golden-yellow beak. They have long been woven into myth and folklore. Far from being a bad omen, the blackbird has often been seen as a messenger of hope, renewal, transformation and new awareness.

Last night we had many messengers of hope and love as our own Sarah Dorgan took the platform to share an inspiring message about slowing down, taking a moment to stop and smell the roses. She then went on to bring some beautiful messages. It was a lovely evening of laughter, and chaired beautifully by Virginia Gordon. Thank you so much, ladies.

Our church family offered beautiful prayers and readings that lifted the energy in the room. There was cake, there was music, and there was much laughter.

Thank you, Julie, for our music. Thank you, Carol and Chris, for your wonderful hospitality. Thank you to our healers, and to everyone who helped with the setup and breakdown after the gathering.

PRAYER OF THE WEEK

Please pray for Peace close to home and across our world, for all those who need that solace in their lives.

Calendar up tomorrow.

Have a beautiful week.

Take a moment…. You’re allowed.

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The cuckoo, known for its famous two-note call, arrives in the UK from Africa around April. The female cuckoo lays her eggs in another bird’s nest, often first spooking the host bird away. She then leaves the unsuspecting foster parents to incubate the eggs, feed the chicks, and raise the fledglings! What a strategy that helps conserve the cuckoo’s energy and resources. This behaviour is known as brood parasitism.

Quite a trickster, and perhaps seemingly unfair, the cuckoo demonstrates just how it has evolved and the lengths it will go to help its young survive. They are also known for having multiple partners during a breeding season to increase the chances of reproduction and survival. Other birds also engage in brood parasitism, but the cuckoo is by far the most famous.

That cute little bird appearing each hour on our cuckoo clocks is far more devious than we might imagine, yet also highly intelligent and practical. While the word “cuckoo” can mean, in some contexts, foolishness, its symbolism is often associated with transformation, intuition, and adaptability.

Last night in Chawton, we hosted our beautiful Healing Service. It was an evening filled with wonderful energy, readings, prayers, and, of course, healing. Healing was administered during the service, and I trust everyone enjoyed a sound sleep afterwards.

Thank you to Rob for leading us and to our readers. Thank you also to the hospitality team, to Julie for the music, and to our diligent healers. We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful Healing Team. So much thanks should go to all those who set up and broke down the evening also.

Prayer of the Week

Please pray for all those caught up in the violence of wars around the world. The suffering they endure is beyond our understanding. Please send your thoughts and prayers to them, for they are so very much in need.

Calendar up tomorrow.

Yes, it’s raining… umbrellas in June! Try to keep dry.

Have a beautiful week!

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Where have all the buttercups gone? I was quite shocked to actually see buttercups in a nearby park this morning because, quite frankly, they have not been as visible as I remember from my youth.

Buttercups of the meadows, usually the Meadow Buttercup, along with the Corn Buttercup, have indeed been in sharp decline through the decades. Along with many other wildflowers, their habitat has diminished through housing development, intensive farming, and pesticides.

This buttery yellow wildflower, blooming from May through June, is surprisingly toxic to cows if eaten in large quantities. She is also known in folklore as “crazy weed,” amongst many other names, as breathing in her scent was believed to drive one insane. That lore even included advice for picking them, for one was supposed to utter this verse quietly:

“Gold below, gold above…

I take none, I seek no trove…”

A folklore charm to keep the nature spirits happy… lest you have your voice stolen and be led in circles till sunset!

Her spiritual symbolism is one of radiant joy, renewal, and innocence, along with the golden blessings of every moment.

I will always remember, as many will, from childhood, the picking of them with wild abandon and placing those beautiful luminescent yellow petals beneath the chins of playmates to see that golden reflection, confirming who indeed liked their butter.

We welcomed our good friend, Jeanette Foote, to our little church last night in Chawton. What a lovely evening. Jeanette shared such an inspired address concerning healing, so perfect for the end of Healing Awareness Week in the UK, and so perfect for our church, because we are all about healing.

Jeanette then went on to bring many lovely messages. Thank you so much for an evening filled with warmth and laughter. Our own Nerina took the helm and chaired the evening beautifully.

We thank the family for their readings and prayers. Thank you, Julie, for running our music. Thank you, Sue, for your hospitality. Thank you also to our healers and trainees who were on hand afterwards. The set-up and break-down were done very quickly, as many hands do indeed make light work.

Prayer of the Week

Please pray for the sailors trapped in the Straits of Hormuz. They are so vulnerable, and running out of supplies, and we send prayers for their safety with all the events happening in the region.

Calendar up tomorrow.

Have a beautiful week!

It is a little grey today in these parts, but we know above those clouds is the ever-brilliant blue sky and sunshine!

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One of the beautiful things about this springtime season is the constant emergence of life all around us. Surely it is enough to soften even the hardest heart. We seem to be transported to a place of innocence as we see the flowers, trees, and bushes bloom. I am personally transported when I see my stunning lilacs flowering again so boldly, or when I become aware of the ​creatures and their little ones taking their maiden steps.

We think of the badger as a quiet, shy, and reclusive creature. Although nocturnal, this is the time of year when they can often be seen at either end of the day, as the cubs venture out from the sett. The young ones are silly and playful, a complete delight to watch if you are ever fortunate enough to do so. Delayed implantation has allowed the young to be born into a springtime of favourable conditions.

They will grow into hardy creatures, with stout bodies and sharp claws, as well as a not-so-delightful odour to ward off predators! And did I mention they can run up to twenty miles an hour? Not too shabby for a creature that looks just a little clumsy. We can trace badgers in England back at least half a million years, roaming the land alongside wolverines and bears, no less.

The writer Kenneth Grahame cast his character ‘Badger’ as a wise mentor and protector in his beloved children’s book The Wind in the Willows. Little surprise then that the badger’s symbolism is wisdom, along with tenacity and determination. Spiritually, he reminds us to dig down and understand as fully as we are able​, and we are all about that​!

Last evening, after another glorious spring sunny day, our friend Spencer Rose came to visit. What a lovely evening, as he shared his thoughts and brought our ​wonderful messages. We had such a lovely time. Thank you so much, Spencer, for coming to see us! The lovely Chri​s Elliot chaired the proceedings beautifully, as we heard the lovely prayers and readings from ​The ​Family. Thank you.

Thank you, Julie, for running our music last night. Thank you, Sue, for your hospitality, and of course, Carole was in the house producing a very lovely chocolate cake.

We thank our dear healers and those training for helping so many last night, and thanks as always goes to everyone who helps with set-up​, break-down​, and washing up.

Prayer of the Week

Please pray for the Natural World. Sometimes we are the reason for ​their struggles, as we take away land without enough concern for the plight of those who share it. So many are trying to educate us and make us aware of what the land, the waters and the air around us need in order to sustain all the other life that lives and breathes alongside us.

Calendar to follow later.

Have a beautiful week.

It is heavenly out there.

​Don’t miss it!

Picture credit Andy Rouse Photography.

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The garden birds are busy preparing at this important time of year, and the birds of prey are going through the same motions and stresses also. The Eurasian Sparrowhawk may be one of the smallest birds of prey, but it is mighty in its own way. After a decline in numbers several decades ago, they are now quite abundant around the UK.

From March through to June, you can witness their stunning aerial “skydancing” displays, part of their dramatic mating ritual. The female takes charge of nurturing the eggs once laid, while the male goes on the hunt, using that remarkable stealth to provide the extra food needed. One swoop with a sudden shower of feathers often signals a sparrowhawk nearby.

Interestingly, the females are quite a bit larger than the males, which is unusual. Symbolically, they represent extreme focus and awareness, reminding us to pay attention. They are also linked to new beginnings and, in some traditions, are thought to be spiritual messengers.

We were fortunate to have one of our own spiritual messengers last night, as our dear friend Lesley Knight came to visit. What a beautiful evening it was. Lesley shared beautiful thoughts and gave wonderful evidence of continuing life, along with such lovely messages. Thank you so much.

Our own Sarah Dorgan chaired our gathering beautifully, and we are grateful to our family for the beautiful prayers and readings.  Thank you to Julie for the music, Sue for her hospitality, and to Carole for another divine cake creation.

Thank you to our healers, always ready to help afterwards, and to all the wonderful healing trainees. And thank you to everyone who helped set up, break down down, and take care of the washing up.

Prayer of the Week
Please, let us pray for peace everywhere. May leaders find peace within themselves and become more aware of the consequences of their actions.

Calendar to follow.
Have a beautiful week!

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Even through some foggy mornings and days, springtime is coming, as noted by the endless birdsong and activity, and the now luminous green appearing in our woodland. Even the moss gives a fantasy look to the forest, with its lime-green, almost luminescent colour.

The humble but very territorial blackbird is out and about with all the other busy birds, cocking his head to hear the earthworms underfoot. The male is black with that bright orange beak, and the female has a soft brown plumage.

They are a protected bird, and also one of our most common birds, so common that perhaps they get overlooked in favour of the more striking colours of some of their kin. His song is beautiful, though, as noted in many poems and songs. Numbers swell in the wintertime as their Scandinavian and Baltic cousins join them in this slightly warmer climate. These pairs often stay together for life. The female lays about three to six beautiful turquoise eggs with rusty spots. They used to be named “ousel,” as noted in the works of Shakespeare, but in 1486 they were renamed simply blackbirds. Folklore in general has them as harbingers of change, and Celtic symbolism holds that their song thins the veil between this world and the next.

We welcomed the lovely Sarah McLaughlan last night to our little church with a big heart. Sarah brought many inspired thoughts to remind us and uplift us, and then shared many lovely and very helpful messages for the family. Thank you so much, Sarah. We really did have such a lovely evening. Alison Keogh chaired our gathering. Thank you.

As always, we thank our readers and prayer people. We thank hospitality and Carole’s cake making. We thank Lisa for running our music, and also our healers who were on hand afterwards. Thank you to everyone who pitches in with the set-up, break-down, and the washing up.

PRAYER OF THE WEEK

Please pray this week for more understanding in this world, understanding in our homes, in our communities, and on the global stage. Understanding brings compassion, and compassion heals situations. The Golden Rule stands in every age.

Calendar up tomorrow.

Have a lovely week. Find the beauty in every day.

Photo credit: Mireille Berthoud

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Rain, rain, go away, come back another day! Happy February, everyone! It’s encouraging to see signs that spring is on the way. This little fella, a Palmate newt, is making his journey to a moorland pond to begin the breeding season.

He’s often confused with the Smooth newt, but there are a few differences to look out for: notably the fine filament at the tip of his tail and his webbed back feet. He feeds on worms, slugs, and insect larvae, but he also has to watch out for his own predators. Foxes, badgers, and even grass snakes might all see him as a tasty snack.

This amazing little fella can regrow a limb if need be, and move effortlessly between land and water. His spiritual symbolism is one of transformation, resilience, and gentle magic.

Despite yet another downpour, many braved the weather to make it to Chawton last night. The evening was led by our President, Rob Harvey, and chaired by the ever-humorous Steve Lidgett Williams, whilst Rob offered insight into clairvoyance, explaining both its challenges and how it works from both sides.

Rob brought some messages, after which the Fledglings, supported by the more experienced, took to the floor. Quite a number of messages were delivered, with the newer mediums explaining how they were perceiving the information. It was an evening enjoyed by all.

We also enjoyed beautiful readings and prayers, along with some lovely hymns, followed of course by cake and healing. Our thanks go to the readers and to Carole and Chris for their hospitality and to Julie for our music. We are so glad for the many who make light work of set up and break down as well as wash up.

We are also very grateful to the healers and delighted to see our newer healers training alongside those more experienced. I suspect quite a few people went home to enjoy a very good night’s sleep!

PRAYER OF THE WEEK

How can we not think of the homeless with this endless rain and cold snaps of weather? Please pray for them that resources are coming quickly. May they be seen and included within our communities. We must extend compassion in all possible ways.

Calendar up next.

Have a beautiful week. It is sunny above the clouds!

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Walking through the woodlands this morning, I must admit there wasn’t too much inspiration in a visual sense. No wonder this month inspired the song lyrics ‘January sick and tired you’ve been hanging on me’, and yet my ears had a feast of bird song and then the unmistakable loud drumming of a woodpecker, most probably The Greater Spotted Woodpecker.

None of the birds have a chance to moan about this month, for they are preparing. Finding their mate is of the utmost importance, and the woodpeckers are no different. The drumming is to establish their breeding territories. The Greater Spotted Woodpecker is small with a black and white plumage and a dash of red at the back of the head for the males.

As food is scarce, you may get a treat and see them in your garden. Along with the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and the Green Woodpecker, they are fully fledged native residents in the UK. A woodpecker’s Spiritual symbolism is that of persistence, divine timing, and communication, encouraging us to dig deeper to find inner wisdom. A good example for us as we move through the start of this year.

And what a start to the year we have had. Last night in Chawton, we had another of our own taking the podium, as in the lovely Sarah Dorgan, who shared such meaningful, inspired thoughts, and then went on to bring so many messages. Well done, Sarah. We had a lovely night!! Chris Elliot was our chair, making a great team to lead us through the evening.

We thank the readers also for raising the energy. We thank Lisa for running our music. Carole and Sue, we thank you for the hospitality and cake!! Thank you to our healers who were quite busy last night! And of course, busy hands setting up, breaking down, and washing up. Thank you!

Prayer of the week.

Please pray for the bereaved. Some suffer a very sudden loss, and some experience the loss of a child, which can be especially difficult. Please pray that they can all be lifted into understanding and Peace which can change everything.

Calendar up later.

Remember, the endless rain will give us such a lush springtime.