Shalom

bog snorkelling

Richard at Connexions has a picture of himself in a wetsuit emerging from swimming at Christmas time.

Perhaps he was in training for the delightful sport of bog snorkelling in Wales.

Link from Quantum Tea

eeeuw!

Fertiliser from   canetoads explodes in bottles!  (2 links there.)

angels

I was in our large christian bookshop the other day.  In fact almost our only christian bookshop since Open Book retired to Adelaide and now sells only Lutheran books instead of its wondeful previous selection.

Koorong is apparently making way for  its collection of Easter kitsch.  This is the same shop which last Easter had terracotta crosses with bunnies gambolling in flowers around the foot of the cross.  The Christmas catalogue had angels for sale as presents.  Yesterday they were on clearance, some price under $10.  These are pottery, terracotta or similar, in a rustic vein.  Cute figures in odd poses, with small bits of material as bandannas, twigs as brooms and so on.   

The appearance of an angel in the Bible did not signify something "cute."    They were messengers from God, bringing an important message.  Their appearance inspired wonder and terror, not a feel-good warm glow.

Then later in a newsagent there were more.  The large sign caught my attention.  "Angels are with you forever and always."  Personally I would rather have the angels'  Creator, but I went over to have a look.  These angels each lived in a small silver chest, rather  like a pirate's treasure chest.  Each was made from resin or glass with lots of glitter and there was a chain so it could be worn around the neck.  Perhaps the angel needed help in maintaining the  "forever and always" promise of the sign.