Dora's Poetry Corner 3 SUMMER I S SUE | J ULY 2 0 2 3 RICH TWEEDY Slowing Down and Seeing More DORA WATKINS Hi folks, We’ve let the front lawn grow wild this year, as we have done in several previous years. This time, though, I’ve started to pay attention to the insects that are frequenting it. One of the highlights was this red-headed cardinal beetle – and it’s probably seeing this one that persuaded me to look more closely to see what else I could see. To be honest, one reason I’ve seen so many interesting insects this year is simply because I’ve looked for them. It’s not just the lawn that’s good for them: I hadn’t realised, until last month, that when our vibernum bush flowers, it is abuzz with bees and hoverflies – far more so than the lawn. I wonder whether we sometimes don’t see what God is doing, or hear what God is saying, because we need to learn to see and hear properly? God is often much more active than we are aware, but we fail to realise this because we’re not opening our eyes and ears in the right way. That’s why, when we pray, we need to slow down, and quieten both ourselves and our environment, in order to be able to speak to God effectively and hear from him. As it says in Luke’s gospel, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed”. If even Jesus needed to withdraw to somewhere quiet to pray, how much more do we need to do so as well? Every blessing, Rich Tweedy vicar@poldenwheel.co.uk The moon cast its shadow over field and stream Perchance to dream Steely cold, silver blue romantic light Embalmed the night A night made for lovers strolling hand in hand Across the sand Wandering a honeysuckled country lane Their love a pain A sweetly seductive pain as barbs dig deep No time to weep Carried away by moonlight things so unreal Just time to feel Real world a million miles away counts no more Waves lap the shore The moonlight takes over, dangerous moonlight, It rules the night Dangerous Moonlight Shapwick Weather STUART DENNES As I write this in mid-June, in a prolonged period of very dry weather, readers may be surprised to find that we have had 816mm of rain over the twelve months to the end of May, which is above the long-term average. However, I can report that since the deluge on the 8th May we have had 9mm (less than half an inch) of rain in 37 days! I recorded a highest temperature of 33.5°C on 13 June and a lowest of minus 5.4 °C on 24 January. If anyone would like to receive some more information please email me: stuart.dennes@live.co.uk Shapwick History Group JOHN ANDERSON Wednesday 30 August 2023, 7pm, Village Hall: 'Treasures of Somerset', a talk by Amal Khreisheh, Curator of Archaeology at the Museum of Somerset. Amal will explore and explain our history through key objects and discoveries over time, including the Shapwick Hoard. All welcome, voluntary contributions appreciated for non-members. The Shapwick History Group has two fascinating talks coming up: Wednesday 12th July, 7pm, Village Hall: ‘The House Whisperer: An Introduction to Looking at Old Houses’, a talk by John Rickard from Somerset Vernacular Building Research Group. John is part of the team behind the fantastic survey of Shapwick’s historic buildings, recently reprinted and distributed by a SHG member. All welcome, no tickets required, voluntary contributions appreciated for non-members. See also the report on p. 6 on the recent talk by Roger Scott on the sometime Shapwick vicar and "radical bishop" Churchill Julius!
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