My initial idea

Growing through the Seasons

January 5th 2023

This morning as Christmas ends and transitions into Epiphany and what in my memory is the coldest part of winter, though with climate change who knows now my thoughts turned to how I might frame this year. Two main things prompted this reflection, my practice of daily prayer and the realisation I hadn’t taken down last year’s calendar

Last year I bought “Growing through the Seasons 2022” from Vital seeds. A celebration of fruit and vegetables. This calendar will guide you on a wonderful journey throughout the year …. I certainly had a wonderful journey in 2022 – several of them as it happens though the poor garden never quite lived up to its expectations with the number of other things crowding into my life. If I had a new year’s resolution it would be to be able to multitask and not to neglect any of my retirement tasks. So this year I hope to embrace distractions as I plan my garden year.

Last year my appreciation of the seasons grew as I walked in so many places. Not just the wide open spaces of Hadrian’s Wall, St Cuthbert’s Way or the varied places I went with the Nordic Walking Group but the regular walks in my local nature park. It is such a joy to be slow enough to be present and to appreciate plants, trees, birds and insects, the wonders of nature. I look forward to more of that this year.

I began a routine of Daily Payer using the Church of England’s Common Worship at the beginning of Advent last year. Seasons were more obvious when I was growing up – I lived on a farm until I was eleven and going to my local parish church was part of life. It just seemed to make sense. I loved the changing colours and decoartions in the church and the rhythms of penitence, relction and celebration.

I want to focus more on the seasons of nature and prayer to frame my thinking and activities, my pilgrimage. I want to reject the commercial seasons and take things at my own pace.