Ouch, my brain hurts!

Yesterday we had a lay learning session with Kimberly, who showed admirable patience, as befits her calling, with the motley middle-aged retirees who make up the Lay Worship Group.

We were wrestling with Marcus J Borg's 'The God we Never Knew', part 2, and discussing his theology, christology and a whole lot of other ologies - most of which I'd never heard of. And we were showing our ignorance. Not only that, but our difficulties in grasping such concepts as 'a personal God'. Crikey, it's hard to get the brain cells back in gear - but such fun. I got a huge buzz out of the discussion, even though had I been prone to low self-esteem I might have been plunged into despair by the sluggishness of my intellect.

But dear Kimberly said she enjoyed it too - bless her elegant stockings - and now I can't wait for the next bout.

In other news, the rain is good for the garden! Really it is.

giggle

Okay - go to Google maps, choose 'get directions' and try going form New York to Glasgow.

Don't abandon at line 23 (even if you can't stop laughing)

::gasp::

Baaa

Suddenly the fields are full of baby lambs! Did I mention I love this time of year?

More nature and a shaggy dog story

Saw the first bluebells out this morning on the back road of Blairmore in a very sunny spot. The ones on our hill are still at least a week away from even budding. The sun's at last come back - we've been hearing about all these high temperatures and wall-to-wall sunshine just about everywhere but here - so I must get back to clearing up the winter debris.

My poor little grand-dog, Hamish has had his life ruined by the arrival of a cat. Not just any cat, but a former resident of his house - Lily. She was a very pretty kitten, smoky grey and dainty. It seems all Hamish's midgy-raking fun has been stymied by the installation of two gates on the kitchen doors, and he can't even have the consolation of polishing off Lily's food when she's not looking.

'Tis a dog's life.

Tweet tweet

The chiffchaffs have arrived back in my garden - a real sign that spring has well and truly sprung and that summer's not too far away. I'm always so impressed that these wee birds fly all the way from Africa! The cuckoo flowers are also out, but no cuckoo yet. I think they wait for the willow-warblers to arrive (so they can commandeer their nests) and I haven't heard one yet - they're usually a week or so after the chiffchaffs.

There's so much avian activity going on that the dogs are on constant tenterhooks, being teased by bold jackdaws pulling bits of twig off the trees and squawked at by angry robins and blackbirds when they disturb their foragings. And the bluetits seem to be obsessed with getting into the house. Last year it was a crazy chaffinch hurling itself at the bathroom window and this year we've had one bluetit in the conservatory, several trying to get in and another one at the back bedroom. I'm assuming they see their reflections and think they're potential mates.

I love this time of year :)