Windfall apples from Clydebank; blackberries from Yoker and Scotstoun!  It amazes me how few people I see gathering blackberries, and even the odd looks I get when I pause to pick up windfall apples.  Is this a country bumpkin thing?  I don't know, but another great haul!

Today's walk was a little over eleven miles according to the website I used to check it, and it was really good fun - from home up the canal, along the canal to Clydebank, where I am sure I walked almost a mile following the arrows round the shopping centre, and then back along the road via Yoker and Scotstoun.

Truly we are blessed to live in such a beautiful city where, within a mile or two, we have rivers, canals, parks and hills. It was at times a rather wet walk, but it was such a joyful one, with autumn beauty and bounty all around.

Now there is nothing quite like a scalding hot cuppa whilst the blackberries and apples cook!

This sign in Greggs, where I stopped to buy a sandwich for my lunch, made me chuckle... (not very clear - keep apart 2 metres, that's about fifteen sausage rolls)

Thank you, God, for autumn abundance!

This morning we did a reflective communion service, nothing unusual there.

It had no sermon/reflection - so that's not very 'Baptist' is it?  But we had lots and lots of prayers, which surely is quite 'Baptist'.  And we had a reasonable amount of scripture.

We used a published liturgy, with minimal alterations... not very 'Baptist' perhaps.

It was multi-voiced, and the presidency was entirely 'lay,' allowing me to participate without leadership responsibility.  And that bit is, or should be, 'very Baptist' because we are supposed to have a view of ordination and communion that means they are not inextricably linked, and that anyone approved by the local church may preside at table.

Our Worship Group, who shared the presidency, reflect some of the diversity of our church, and echo the vision to which we aspire... and that feels very Baptist, and very good.

Thank you A, E, H, L and P, I feel very blessed.

This morning, just as church began, Sophie leapt up onto the table and began to nibble the leaves of the flowers.  The inevitable happened, she tugged too hard and the vase toppled - but with timing worthy of a cricketer, I caught it without a drop being spilled, and carried on regardless!

My hairdresser and I usually end up talking about church or faith.  Yesterday he told me how a book of poetry had accompanied hm through Lockdown (along with the Radio 4 Sunday Service) and shared his one with me.  Written by Walt Whitman, and from a US context, it has a pretty universal (or broader western northern hemisphere) feel to it.

As the saying goes 'Enjoy'

Ah, that's better, no annoying traily-waily bits of hair falling into my eyes!  Curious curls cropped at the back, and the rest spruced up.

A surprisingly low-stress experience, with spotless salon, attentive staff, and business-like efficiency.

Feels better, liking the length and the fullness... hair is muich stronger and healthier than it was last tie it was this length.

Not a cheap half hour, but one that went well.

I may have popped into Greggs for a donut on the way home...