A taste of Morocco

Claire made us Tagine which we ate with our hands. Kim discovered a love for sweet mint tea and we all shared travel stories.

LONDON TOWN

During half-term Kim and I headed to London for the day. We had a map full of galleries to visit, but only made it to the Saatchi Gallery and the Tate Modern - with a walk along the south bank of the Thames in the middle.

I was stoked that the Saatchi Gallery was FREE, and they allow photos, and the collection was completely different (Newspeak:British Art Now)! I got a shock while calculating how long it had been since I was there last. Seven years (really). The gallery wasn’t even in the same location. Still, it was great to be there with Kim and think about all that has gone on over the last seven years and how wonderful it was to be there together. 

Being impacted by the painting at the Saatchi Gallery all those years ago was what convinced me that I loved painting above all else - and it was the same this time round. The paintings really affect something in me, it could be the quality of the paint. It’s hard to explain. So, with lent starting I’m going to try and do a little drawing everyday, even if it’s only a few marks on the paper. Just for fun.

The rest of the day we explored the tubes, ate at a pub in the evening and grabbed a doughnut to eat on the train home in the evening.

Best date ever.

Question: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INANIMATE OBJECT?

Question: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INANIMATE OBJECT?
Answer:

A coloured sharpie.

L'abri

I have been curious to visit a L’abri community since reading some of Francis Schaeffer’s work during my studies at Weltec. When Melissa suggested we visit the community in Hampshire I jumped at the opportunity. I had no clue there was one so close!

A few of us from college went for a weekend and it was so interesting. The community was based in an old Manor House which looked like something from Narnia, complete with dorm style rooms, independent flats, a communal kitchen, a library and study rooms (complete with log fires), dining hall, formal lounge, giant staircase, secret passages (there must have been), and communal bathrooms. The grounds were large and there was a chapel in the garden.

I wasn’t expecting the majority of the students to be from America, and enjoyed listening to the different way they spoke about life, and faith. It was fascinating to enter a community as a stranger and observe the way different people reacted to our being there. Some were keen to engage, while others stuck to themselves. We worked in the kitchen and the garden, contributed to the conversation over lunch and relaxed by fire with a good book.

Kim and I also managed to score couple accommodation, which was significantly roomier than the dorms and I slept so soundly. In the weeks prior to going I had been feeling exhausted. The kind of exhaustion that feels like it dissolves your bones. I woke up after the first night and felt so refreshed, like I had slept for a week.

Definitely keen to visit a few more different communities for tracks.

Getting a hug from Kaz today was like breathing home. I came across this photo of Ruapehu

Getting a hug from Kaz today was like breathing home.

I came across this photo of Ruapehu while sorting through my old scanned documents recently. It was taken in 2003 when I still had a film camera. I love the colours! Too bad it’s minimum resolution.