God came through for me yesterday. Soon after pleading with him to lift the big grey cloud, it was gone. Praise The Lord! Praise him! He poured his blessings and his munificence upon me. What is more, everybody else in Sheffield's western suburbs reaped the benefits too.
Lunch was bacon sandwiches with mugs of tea. Then I saddled up Clint and we galloped off to Common Lane on the edge of the city. I tethered him there in spite of his whinnying and donned my walking boots.
I wasn't far from home but I found a couple of public footpaths that I have never walked along before and that's after living in this house for thirty one years. The sun shone and the blue firmament appeared through large holes in nonthreatening clouds that sailed by like stately galleons of yore.
Wild foxgloves were everywhere, sheltering and supported by drystone walls. Other Sheffielders were out and about, walking like me or jogging or cycling - none of us far from home. Some of them said "hello" as our paths crossed and some looked away. I always smile and say "hello" in a friendly manner whenever I pass strangers. It's the least I can do.
Soon after passing by Whirlow Hall Farm I encountered a fellow I have know for twenty five years or more. We always have a good old chinwag whenever we meet.
He's called Paul and it turns out that back in April he was in hospital for five days with COVID. His brother and sister-in-law also had it. Paul reckons that the infection occurred when he went to The Northern General Hospital upon request to pick up his aged mother. They had to transfer her to a residential home though she herself had not contracted the virus.
Paul didn't have to be attached to a ventilator but it was touch and go as he gulped breaths of pure oxygen through a mask. I made sure that I maintained a two metre distance when talking with him but even so it was nice to catch up.
By Thryft House Lane I spotted four separate rainbow stones that had clearly been painted by a child. I took photos of each one of them and joined them up for the image at the top of this page.
Thank you Almighty Father for giving me a nice afternoon that felt more like summer again. It's nice to have one's prayers answered so efficiently. More kind acts like this Lord and you will surely go to Heaven.
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| Sheffield's green western suburbs with Whiteley Wood Hall ahead |
Lovely views of home
ReplyDeleteThank you John. As far as cities go, Sheffield is a great one. One of England's best kept secrets so shh! Don't tell anybody!
DeleteI'm quickly settling on foxglove as my favorite flower.
ReplyDeleteSome children are doing well with their spare time and decent parenting.
That's true Joanne but how many rainbow stones can a kid paint? This pandemic goes on and on...
DeleteWell, I'm not sure about your pony Clint where you tie him up and then go walking. Isn't your trusty steed supposed to take you to many difficult places and see that you're safe?
ReplyDeleteThere was another sign saying "NO HORSES! NO MOTORBIKES! NO CANADIANS!"
DeleteGotta love a sunny day with bonus rainbows!
ReplyDeleteSomewhere over the rainbow there's a land that I dream of...
DeleteI'm glad you got your walk in and you even found some new to you footpaths. I love the picture of the wild foxgloves! The rainbow stones are wonderful. A lot of children in my little town paint stones and then leave them around town to be found. A nice activity for children that can lift the spirits of others.
ReplyDeleteThe day's weather started unpromisingly but turned out well.
DeleteThe foxgloves make for a wonderful picture!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I have been discovering paths and roads I had not known before even though I was born in Ludwigsburg and have been living here since about a month before my sixth birthday.
Good to meet a friend along the way and catch up with each other's news.
I wonder how foxes get those gloves on their paws. There's lots of them so I reckon a fox will regularly acquire fresh gloves.
DeleteAt last I have found someone who has met a person who has had the virus. Up until now I have been asking around and no one knew of anyone who had had it.
ReplyDeleteI was beginning to think I was imagining the thing.
Briony
x
I have heard about people I don't know getting it but Paul is the first victim I know.
DeleteI hope your friend Paul is fully recovered?
ReplyDeleteHe has to have a follow-up chest X-ray this month but he is very optimistic. It's funny how this virus affects people differently.
DeleteGoodness. If you continue like that you soon won't be doing much walking on Sunday mornings. Personally, in such matters, my faith is in Paul 'the weatherman' Hudson. If you had believed in him you could have set out an hour sooner instead of moaning about the weather on your blog.
ReplyDeleteAh, Saint Paul, please forgive me for I have erred. Are you a God-fearing man Tasker or are you more of a sinner?
DeleteI like the foxgloves YP.
ReplyDeleteThanks old chap. Or as they say in West Cork - "Tanks!"
Delete"Tanks a Million!"
ReplyDeleteIs that an Irish TV game show involving military vehicles?
DeleteTwo fish in a tank. One fish says:"I hope you know how to drive it?"
DeleteHa-ha! Silly billy!
DeleteWell I'm glad you got such a good day out. That's quite a stand of foxgloves! And scary about your friend and his illness. Although we can help our chances, it's still basically the roll of the dice for all of us.
ReplyDeleteAs you are a floral kind of guy, I thought you might like that picture.
DeleteSheffield doesn't look too bad as far as Northern towns go ;) Why have you taken up with God though, he is pretty bad tempered at the best of times. Talking of Northern towns, I saw rabbits stranded on the roundabouts of Newcastle, they were round the university as well. Town rabbits?
ReplyDeleteProportionately, Sheffield has more trees within its boundaries than any other European city. Rabbits are not a problem here but some Sheffield women are good at rabbiting on and on.
DeleteFoxgloves are one of my favorite flowers, although I don't have much luck growing them here, they grow much better in BC.
ReplyDeleteThe rainbow rocks are lovely and it's true too. Imagine if we were all kind to one another.
Foxglove seeds are tiny and in our area they grow where they want to - like weeds. Beautiful plants.
DeleteOther readers may think you are a nice man who has a way with words, but your post today puts me in mind of Galatians 6:7 in the New Testament:
ReplyDelete"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
Oh, and as so many in my country say, have a blessed day.
I hope I do reap what I have sown Bob - radishes, lettuces, runner beans, French beans, courgettes (zucchini), peas and purple sprouting broccoli.
DeleteLet's hear it for we, the irreverent! And for the god of seasons!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got out and about in the beautiful, blessed weather.
"The Irreverent"? Wasn't that a film starring Leonardo di Caprio? I believe he climbed inside a dead bear to keep warm. Fortunately, I didn't need to do that yesterday afternoon.
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