Seasons Greetings from the Northern Hemisphere

Merry Christmas

and a 

wonderful New Year.

May it be filled with health and happiness.

A window in the 12th century St. Michael's Church, Rochford.

This is a little note to wish you all a very happy Christmas, and peace and joy in the year ahead.  It is also a chance to say a big thank you to all of you who have encouraged and supported me with comments on this blog and sent emails since this journey began way back in mid June.  I am a long way from home and so to wake in the mornings to a message of encouragement or with news of home, no matter how mundane, helps considerably to speed me on my way.  I am loving this journey, but there are times when my thoughts fly home a bit more often!

When I am asked for my thoughts on this country they turn to Dorothea McKellar and the first and last verse of my favourite poem, My Country:-

The love of field and coppice, 

Of green and shaded lanes.

Of ordered woods and gardens

Is running in your veins,

Strong love of grey blue distance

Brown streams and soft dim skies

I know but cannot share it, 

My love is otherwise.

An opal hearted country, 

A wilful, lavish land - 

All you who have not loved her, 

You will not understand - 

Though earth holds many splendours,

Wherever I may die, 

I know to what brown country

My homing thoughts will fly.

She spent some time in England, which is what that first verse refers to, before she launches into:-

I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of droughts and flooding rains.

She then concludes with that wonderful summary quoted above.  Count your blessings that you're not sitting opposite me - I might be tempted to launch into the whole poem!

There have been a few glitches with WiFi over the past few days and so rather than missing a chance of sending my good wishes I thought I would do that, and then, when I get a chance there will probably be a couple of posts in quick succession!

Again, every good wish to each and every one of you, and a big thank you for your messages of support.  Know that they are greatly appreciated!