This And That

The winners have been announced for the AOL Community Photo Challenge.  No, I was not one of those placed but when you see the winning entry it is not surprising.  A superb photo. My Dutch Cottage could not compare to it.

In my little corner of England we do not have the vast open spaces that they do in the U.S.  Living less than forty miles from London and being on the commuter belt means that this area is something of an urban sprawl.

Yes, we do have pockets of countryside and we do have some historic buildings but there are not that many compared to other places and our countryside is ever shrinking.

Also, due to my problems with leaving the house I can only take photos that are not far from my home.  As many of you know I only usually leave the house for doctors and hospital appointments and that is when I take my camera.  If things go well then I am usually relaxed enough to take a short drive around but I cannot leave my comfort zone (i.e. places that I know well) without having an awful panic attack.  I cannot even visit our daughter in her own home.

I have had all treatments known to cure or alleviate the condition but nothing has ever worked.  I do mean I have tried everything and so has my doctor.  From drugs to hynotherapy, from relaxtion techniques to spiritual healing, from counselling to acupuncture and many more besides. I have learned to live with it.  We all have our crosses to bear.

However, it was a bit of fun to enter the competition and gave me a journal entry to do and I was happy to take part in something I had not tried before.  I will probably not enter again - like I said, I just cannot compete with some of the beautiful shots I have seen sent in and my restricted lifestyle does not help matters. Also I have already exhausted all the shots I can take in this area and any picture submitted has to be a new one.

If you would like to see the winning photographs and congratulate the photographers then please visit:-

AOL Community Photo Challenge

Still on the theme of the Dutch Cottage, many of you asked me to go inside and take photographs.  This is simply not possible.  Remember, this is somebody's home.  For one thing I would think that inside photography would be forbidden.  Secondly I do not think the owners would take it kindly if we took lots of snaps and then put them here on the internet for anyone to see.  I am sure you can understand this.  Would you like a total stranger coming into your home, photographing everything and then publishing the pictures?  So, like I said - not possible.

On my previous entry I posted a photo of a property that had pargetting  (decorative plasterwork) on it.  Many of you commented that you had never heard of it or seen it.  So, today I am showing you another example.  This photograph was taken from the net.

It is of an old house in Suffolk which is now a museum.  Mike and I visited it many years ago.  A charming place and the pargetting spectacular.  It is nice to know that this skill is still going strong today.

Well, I do not really have much else to write about.  All very quiet in my neck of the woods so I will leave you today with some amusing pieces that have actually appeared on some church bulletin boards or were announced during church services. I hope they make you smile.

Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house.  Bring your husbands

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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.  Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say hell to somebody who doesn't care much about you.

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Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir.  They need all the help they can get.

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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24th in the church.  So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is Hell?"  Come early and listen to our choir practise.

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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

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Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled.  Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.

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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 p.m.  Please use the back door.

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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church.  Please use large double door.

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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: " I upped my pledge - up yours."

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Oh, before I go.  The weekend saw my hit counter top the 150,000 mark!  There was a time I thought I would never get it to 1,000.  Thanks to all of you who have read my writings, supported me through the years and got me to this remarkable figure. It would not have been possible without you.