Tag Archives: wildlife

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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.

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The Fawns are finally becoming visible in greater numbers as we move through the summertime. Six species of deer thrive in the UK. The Roe, Red Deer, Fallow, Chinese water deer, Sika, and Muntjac. They can stand still in plain sight, but still be camouflaged. The grace of most deer is legendary.

Only the Roe and the Red Deer are actually native to this land. The Fallow Deer were brought by the Normans in the 11th century. The Sika Deer originated from Asia and were introduced to England in 1860. The Chinese Water Deer were actually brought to London from China, and became resident at Whipsnade Zoo, where they escaped in 1929. The Muntjac, a much stockier species, also came from China in the 20th century. I must confess, the first time I saw a Muntjac at a distance, I thought he was a wild pig running through the woods. Those walking dogs are well aware that the deer are around, for some dog breeds especially, are beyond excited to catch the scent. Even good recall might not cut the irresistible urge to give chase!

We braved the torrential rain last week, and this week we braved the scorching heat and tore ourselves away from a Wimbledon final to head into Chawton, as we were so looking forward to seeing Irene Hall and Em Dowsing. We had a lovely evening with these ladies, as Irene shared beautiful thoughts, and they both gave clairvoyance, sometimes working together on the same reading. We had some lovely messages!! Thank you for your hearts, ladies. We loved having you!!

Readings and prayers from the Family always lift the room. Carole had prepared quite exotic little cupcakes. Thank you! Thank you, music team- Julie and Lisa. Thanks to our healers and everyone who washes up, sets up, and breaks down.

Prayer of the week.

Let’s bring it home. Please pray for Peace in this whole world. Please pray that obstacles to the Peace Deals in the Middle East and Ukraine can be dismantled, and the people and animals of these regions can once more come to calm, so healing can begin.

It would appear that the weather has broken, with a cool breeze this morning. We’ll see.

Calendar up next.

Have a beautiful week!!

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One week into official summertime, and all of summer is in full swing. The temperatures have been sizzling, and we cannot complain. Even the marsh frogs are trying to cool off in their ponds. He is not native to the UK but was introduced during the 1930s to the Walland Marsh in Kent, and has become very established within the South East. Larger than most frogs, he can be very acrobatic and also very shy and hard to spot, being wary of humans. He is active day and night, and very vocal with his loud laughing call, but will stop immediately with movement nearby that he considers threatening. He is associated with healing and wisdom.

Well, he and his pals quietened down very quickly on Saturday in their pond at ‘Eden’, as we began to gather for our annual Garden Party. Usually, we pray for good weather and no rain, but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky as we sheltered from the sun. It was a glorious afternoon of laughter and chatter as some hard-working souls ran back and forth with tea, Pimms, sandwiches, scones, and more, and we sat enjoying each other and the beautiful garden. The annual fun auction was also a great success!. Thanks to Rob and Sue, Chris Shore, Chris Elliot, and Carole, amongst others, who made the afternoon so lovely for everyone!

We then rolled into Sunday, enjoying Eve Cowell, our visiting medium at our evening gathering, and we had a lovely time!! Thank you so much, Eve, for your thoughts and bringing such lovely messages for us!! Thank you to the family for our readings and prayers. Thank you, hospitality, music team, and of course, our healers. And we never forget the set-up and break-down each week!!

Thank you, Everyone. Just a wonderful weekend all around.

Calendar up next.

Have a beautiful week!!

Hydrate and don’t forget the animals and plants!!

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· One of the lovely things about awakening from sleep, especially near summertime, is the soothing coo coo of the Wood Pigeon. He is maligned as a greedy guts at our bird table, but he is scientifically no different than the dove symbolizing The Spirit and the Dove of Peace, universally known around the world.

Pigeons are intelligent, contrary to belief. His slowness to flutter off from approaching cats is not a lack of brains. In 1995, Japanese scientists even trained Wild Rock Dove Pigeons to distinguish pictures of Monet and Picasso with an accuracy of ninety percent. He has also been used during wartime to carry messages back and forth, bringing valuable information.

In Britain we have the Wood pigeons, the Collared Dove, the Stock Dove, The Wild Rock Dove, (who accounts for the huge feral populations in cities,) and The Turtle Dove, They are all closely related and they mate for life also, which is especially heart breaking when one loses a partner.

Many people keep Homing Pigeons as a hobby. The hippocampus is very developed in all pigeons for navigation, but in these Homing Pigeons, especially so.

Well, we found our own way as homing pigeons to church last night in Chawton. We gathered on Father’s Day, knowing Sarah Dorgan, one of our own, would be in the house. Our effervescent gal brought sweet, inspired thoughts and beautiful messages. Well done, Sarah!! The evening was chaired by the lovely Chris Elliot, and they made such a team!!. Thank you both. So much laughter and fun, and we even managed to sing without music, after a hiccup had us improvising..

The Family brought readings and prayers to lift the energy of the room, and the energy continued with the healing afterward. Thank you, healers. Carole whipped up a beautiful cake and Sue ran our hospitality. Thank you for the set-up and break-down, everyone!

Prayer of the week

Please pray for our world. So much has happened this past week. Our world feels like it’s falling apart sometimes, but we know that The Centre point of it all, our Father holds it. Please send loving kindness and prayers to all the Inhabitants and situations of peril.

Calendar up tomorrow.

Have a beautiful week!!

Stop, however busy, and absorb some of the beauty of the outside.

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With the UK annual birdwatch coming up this week between the 24th and 26th January, I was thinking about the humble House Sparrow that I do not see much in my garden. There was quite a decline in them but apparently they are making a comeback. They are inquisitive little ones with the males much more striking in appearance than the duller looking females. They like being close to human habitat and hopefully most folk are seeing them increase in numbers in their gardens and their local parks.

Loss of habitat, nesting areas and enjoyed food source drove their numbers down, as with most birds, hence the annual birdwatch this time every year to help understand which species needs a little extra help, as we all do when those chips are down.

But things were very good in Chawton last night. We had a lovely evening as Russell Haworth came to visit. He is a newer medium to us and we had a lovely time, as he spoke on kindness and actually gave us a task to go away with, and then brought some lovely messages for us!! Thank you so much Russell! We will look forward to seeing you later in the year. Thank you to Nerina who chaired the evening so graciously also.

We enjoyed lovely readings and prayers from the family, Julie on music. Carole and a smorgasbord of baked goods!! We are so spoilt! Sue with our hospitality, healers on hand afterwards and all the set up and breakdown making it light quick work!!

Prayer of the week

Please pray for the ceasefire in the Middle East. We pray it will hold and that all the hostages will be returned, and families can celebrate or at the very least gain a closure after more than a year of uncertainty and heartbreak. Also that those in Gaza can receive supplies and have Peace whilst they deal with the devastation of their homeland.

Calendar up next.

Wrap up out there. It is still pretty cold!!

The RSPB

https://www.rspb.org.uk › RSPB › Birdwatch-25