Our Hope Hill

I recently wrote in my blog "Hope" how hubby and I take a trip to the Malvern Hills

at least once a year and climb the steep sides of Britsh Camp,

to prove that we still can!

And to enjoy the marvelous views of course!

Right at the bottom, and beginning to climb.

  This Saturday as the golden autumn weather continued to hold

we decided it was to be a British Camp day,

so I thought you might like to come along and share

just a few of the views.

I have had to be very strict with myself and limit the pics, 

or the site would have taken even longer than it did to load,

but I can assure you this is the merest hint

of the glory of the hills!

Still at the relative beginning of the climb

you can see how high up we are, 

as we look out towards Evesham

Nestled below us in the hill is Little Malvern Priory which dates from 1125.

And on we climb with the hills with more good walking galore towards Malvern town peeping at us on our right.

Here you can see something of the structure of the iron age  fortifications we are walking on.

It's not a straight climb by any means.

However we did make it to the top 

and here is the hero of the hour!

Hubby climbed it while suffering from a trapped nerve in his back for which we hope he will soon have surgery.

Not bad for 75 is he?!

God Bless

At Home for the Weekend

While the glory of the autumn sunshine still lasted 

we went home to Wales for a couple of days last weekend.

In the hills we found the wind's breath iced with winter's promise; 

clean and exhillerating as wine.

We travelled this road up the valley from Abergavenny towards Blaenavon where, so many years ago,

I learned how to drive.

 

I certainly learned how to cope with ice and snow

in the cold months,

and the shrouds of fog which can descend at any time of year.

At the top of the mountain road we stopped at Keepers Pond where the summit of the Sugar Loaf

can be seen beyond the water standing guard over Abergavenny.

 It is a place of special beauty, comfort, and warmth for us.

When I could go there every day

it still brought me soul refreshment.

May you find such a place this weekend.

God Bless

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

Greetings to all those celebrating 

Canada's Thanksgiving Day.

 My Dad was a boy immigrant to Canada back in the 1930s.

After his brother was drowned in a boating accident

on one of the lakes he had the sad task 

of bringing his body home to Wales.

A happier outcome was that before returning to Canada 
he met, and fell for my mother,

who refused to entertain any idea of leaving Wales. 

Growing up I always felt I'd been cheated of

growing up a Canadian.

I had to settle for being named after somebody called 

Hazel Kettle 

whom Dad had known in 

the much dreamed of land of the Maple Leaf.

I still dream of visiting to this day.

God Bless

Hope

The challenge from http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/

this week is to depict our own version of hope.

I guess there will be plenty of mountains in the entries but

mine is not really a true mountain.

We are lucky enough to live near the Malvern Hills

and love to climb the part known as

British camp

which is the remains of Iron Age earthworks carved by ancient Britons.

It has two approaches.

One an easy walk and the other a steep climb.

On a New Year Day a few years back I had been quite poorly

but we set out to climb 

the most rugged and demanding

path to the top.

The wind was bitter and buffeted us

on the exposed heights of the hill

and it was only with much puffing and blowing,

resting and being supported by hubby,

that I made it to the top

to be rewarded by the sight of the winter sun

sinking over the Welsh hills 

set out far below us.

Since then we make the ascent at least once a year

and getting to the top has become 

our symbol of overcoming whatever difficulties

the year brings.

Getting to the top is a 

"Y-E-S!"

moment.

So my Zentangle signifies difficulties faced and overcome.

Hope fulfilled.

You will notice the sides of the hill decorated with

little anchors because I had the words of Hebrews 6:19

about hope being the anchor for our souls 

running through my head as I drew.

The hope mentioned depends on the fact

that we can believe in God's faithfulness.

Now, as much as at any time in history 

we need that hope to hold us 

when we face threats and fears.

What delighted me was as the anchors in my tangle 

grew more sketchy

they began to resemble little dancers 

climbing the slopes of my "mountain".

The leaden steps of the valley giving way 

to the joy of looking towards hope fulfilled.

I couldn't resist putting a little figure

waving a welcome at the summit.

Whether we believe it is God,

or our partner, or friends;

or even our own selves

strengthening us on towards a better place,

I pray we may all be filled with 

radiant, life-enhancing,

HOPE.

God Bless