This is the time of year I get memory posts from Facebook (well, honestly, I get them all year long) but the ones at this time make me particularly nostalgic. It’s the time of year when I get reminders of the trips I took to Corrymeela with church and community groups … late April/early May. The student trips were always during the winter university break in February, and the community group trips were in May.
In all, I took over 100 people over to experience and learn about the Corrymeela Peace and Reconciliation Centre in Northern Ireland. Every trip was exhausting … (I have a pattern …) but thanks to wonderful co-leaders, Alana Martin, Diana Ginn from the Law School at Dalhousie, and Paul Hutchinson from NI, we would pull it off.
I never really had a connection to sheep growing up. Why would I? I grew up in Toronto. But in the three months I spent at Corrymeela in 2011, I lived in the volunteer house, in a very tiny room, and shared space over that summer with over 100 other volunteers – mostly young adults . That, too, was a bit exhausting. But every time I stepped out the door of Coventry (the volunteer house) this was my view:
And I would breathe in, offer gratitude for this opportunity to spend time in this amazing place, centre myself, and carry on.
These are two excerpts (with pictures) from one trip with a church group (St. John’s and Edgewood-Oxford at the time) in May, 2015:
What is it about baby lambs that turn everyone into a little puddle of mush? This is the time of year for it ... they are everywhere, including the adjacent field at Corrymeela. The scene of a field full of sheep which greeted me every morning when I lived here for three months was always very comforting. I was surprised this morning to see a bunch of the little ones all together, exploring and playing. Usually they seem to stay pretty close to their mothers. Find a baby lamb, and the mother is nearby. I guess there was a feeling of safety on both parts - mother and offspring, for them to be straying a bit. (Corrymeela Diaries, 2015)
Thursday when we returned to Corrymeela from Belfast we saw that one of the baby sheep had found a way through the fence and was by the side of the road, desperately trying to find a way back through to unite with its "tribe". Presumably it's mother was the sheep right on the other side, clearly distressed and trying to encourage the little one to find a way back through. There was even a crowd of other sheep nearby, concerned for what was happening. Happily, with a bit of human encouragement and shepherding, it found its way through. (Corrymeela Diaries, 2015).
Between my reminder Facebook posts and my sister, I have been thinking about sheep. So when I received the two boxes of felted animals and figures from my sister I was naturally drawn to the several sheep in the collection. A few weeks ago I offered to sell some of her pieces at the Springtide sale next week.
Below are a couple of pictures to give you an idea of her talent. Having visited her in March, I can attest that they were starting to take over her house. My sister is very talented. She also does commissions. She reproduces felted scenes from pictures, and also felted cats and dogs from favourite pet pictures.
Please drop by the table of Fairy Lake Felts at the Springtide Sale. (Fairy Lake is the lake at the end of the main street in Southampton, Ontario).
But I might have to fight you for the sheep.
Sunday we celebrate Earth Day and Camping Sunday. Ann and I will share some delightful stories from climate change activists and historical figures. And Shawn will lead us in a delightful activity during the All ages time.
Hope to see you there.
Martha