ENFOLDED

After a great service online, with a very enthusiastic sermon from Frank - helped by his lovely wife, Rachel, we went out for a drive.  We always have the same conversation before we go out about where we should go and today was no different.  Mr. HCB always wants me to choose and I like to be surprised, so it often takes us a while to make up our minds.

We eventually decided to go towards Faringdon, and then meandered through the country lanes towards Clanfield.  From there we came to a road signposted “Gated Road” so as we had some sandwiches to eat, we thought it would be nice and quiet but in fact, we saw more people today than we have seen in the all the other times we have been out.  

We saw several cars and at least 12 people on their bikes, some more serious than others, and of course, you can always tell by what they are wearing.  Many of the fellas had lycra shorts, high viz jackets and helmets and obviously very expensive bikes, whereas others were just dressed in their normal, everyday clothes and had ordinary bikes.  However, as we had stopped by then to have our lunch, we passed the time of day with them all.

We had actually stopped on Calcroft Lane near Clanfield, and looking this up, Mr. Google tells me that this is in the area of the West Oxfordshire District Council and is, in fact, the only street in the country with that name, making it unique in Great Britain.  The lane is 4,369 metres long or 2.71 miles, if you don’t do metric - as I don’t - was single track and meandered between beautiful fields of wheat.  There was very little evidence of housing and we only saw one farm, although there may have been more set back from the lane.

I managed to squeeze through where a fence was broken and got into one of the fields, where I took this shot of a single poppy, enfolded by the ears of wheat and when I looked at the photograph, it reminded both of us how much we are enfolded by those who care for us, during this challenging time.  Family, friends, online friends, neighbours, Blip friends, those who deliver our groceries and post and even those who collect our rubbish.  They are all there for us and we can either speak to them directly, as we do with our neighbours every day, or remotely via phone or Zoom - but each one has enfolded us in some way.

Of course, almost all of this enfolding has been virtual, and we all long for the day when we can truly enfold our families and friends in our arms and give them a great big hug!

We came back through Langford and Broughton Poggs - both lovely little villages and passed the beautiful little thatched cottage I have put in as an extra at Broadwell.  The sun shone and we had hardly any rain, but as we got nearer to home, we could see that there had been much more rain on our side of the town.

I am so thrilled to see that the Tribute Blip for Admirer is riding high on the Popular page - as many of you know, I am not that bothered about the Popular page, but it just shows how much people loved and valued our dear Blip friend, Admirer, and I hope that this will give some comfort to her family at this sad time and hope that they will feel enfolded in all the love that was poured out.  

I did have a message on yesterday’s Blip from Mischa, Admirer’s daughter, which said:

“Thank you, Honeycombebeach. 
Words fail me right now, but your post made us laugh and cry. 
Thank you so much, mischa & tyn”.

“Today's moment becomes the memory of tomorrow;
     embrace each moment with happiness, 
          joy and fulfillment. 
Strive to enjoy your day to the fullest.”
Anil Sinha