It is all in the sign.

A Weed can be a thing of beauty.

It is amazing just how many notices find themselves onto caravan sites. They appear of all over the place I suppose because of the need to keep themselves covered in this day and age of litigation. Then there is the whole issue of health and safety.

I the UK it is simple because I can read the signs and know just what is being said. I still find myself laughing and some of them. For example a yellow one that appears all over the place reads. " Steep bank deep water." Yes, but often the steep is no more than the height of a pavement kerb and the water not even deep enough to come over your shoe.

So I have fun here in France reading the notices and hoping I have them all correct. Some notices I have seen in places have not been very well thought through. For example, "Please only flush paper down the toilet." Now, I mean what do I do with the rest?

Here are one or two others that I hope will bring a smile to your day.

In an office:
TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW

In a Laundry
AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT

In a  department store:
BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS

In an office:
WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN

In an office:
AFTER COFFEE BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE COFFEE POT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD

Outside a secondhand shop:
WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

I do hope you have a wonderful day. Sun shining bright here so heading off to the beach for a swim.

Vines and Mountains

Vines and Mountains.

 This is one of the scenes that I saw yesterdays I walked. There is just no way that this painting captures the utter beauty of what my eyes beheld. I think this scene calls for a much more detailed painting than I can do on my iPad. I found myself saying, "Wow I just love that magical sight."

Of course having let that thought cross my mind I was then back to my days as a teacher. I used to have a lesson that I used with those students new to secondary education. It was a real teaser and I enjoyed provoking them to think in different ways, the first steps to thinking philosophically. 

The lesson began by my asking them each to write one or two sentences describing the meaning of LOVE.

I of course let them express themselves in anyway they wished. Let me share some of the collected thoughts from those responses.

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.  So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too.  That's love." Rebecca.

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.  You know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy.

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." Noel.

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy.

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." Lauren.

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." Karen.

So we each see a scene in a different way and we will each react to it in a different way. Is that a form of Love? There is one thing for sure each child expressed something that they felt  and it made them feel good. I hope today you at some point have one of those wow moments.

Three Poppies and a Ditch

Three poppies.

It never fails to amaze me how we all see life so differently.You know what I mean? Is the glass half full or is the glass talk empty? Same glass different perspective.

While walking this morning I was giving some thought to this as I watched a man standing in a deep ditch. I think he was in fact simply clearing it to keep it possible for any water from the surrounding area to run into and drain away.

So a man has fallen into a ditch, he could not get himself out.

 A subjective person came along and said, "I feel for you down there."

A sympathetic person comes past and looks. " I feel your pain at your misfortune."

An objective person walked by and said, "It's logical that someone would fall down there."

A Pharisee said, "Only bad people fall into pits."

A mathematician calculated how deep the pit was.

A news reporter wanted the exclusive story on the pit.

A self-pitying person said, "You haven't seen anything until you've seen my pit."

A fire-and-brimstone preacher said, "You deserve your pit."

A Christian Scientist observed, "The pit is just in your mind."

A psychologist noted, "Your mother and father are to blame for your being in that pit."

A self-esteem therapist said, "Believe in yourself and you can get out of that pit."

An optimist said, "Things could be worse."

A pessimist claimed, "Things will get worse."

A taoist sage, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit.

At the end of most arms there is a hand. The majority of people have two arms therefore the majority of people have two hands. The wise person sees one to help himself and the other to give a helping hand. 

Have a great day might three poppies smile at you and lift your heart.

It is precious.

Along the Way.

I was out walking this morning enjoying the beautiful views of the snow capped Pyrenees in the distance. It is marvellous to be out walking the routes I was running two years ago, how I wish I was still running them, but making the very best of enjoying the beauty around me.

I was pleasantly surprised this morning to pass two walkers I had seen most mornings two years ago. Even more pleased when they immediately spoke to me showing that they remembered me from the past. They will not be aware just how much their morning greeting brought to my day. We never do know the effect we have on the people we meet in life, so it is always worth the time to pass on positive and good thoughts, even when we may ourselves be having a notes good day.

It is indeed the wise person who spreads most goodness.

A wise woman who was travelling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. 

The next day she met another traveller who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food.

The hungry traveller saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. 

The traveller left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.  

A few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Please share with me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone without hesitation."

The wise woman laughed. "Young man, there is nothing more for me to share with you. By returning the stone you have shown that you already have what is most precious, within yourself as well. 

Your heart is open, and  you give without thought."

Who might you meet today, and what might you give?

Hymns for everyday

Today  I begin by telling a very real tale. I once had a member of my church who was a very hard working member of the congregation. He was the church officer and all that that involved, including very ceremoniously carrying in the bible, which he did with great dignity.

He also helped me with the organising and running of a disco for young people on a Saturday evening. This was no easy task.

He also had a great sense of humour.One Saturday evening as we were cleaning up after the disco i thought i saw something funny happening with the coffee. So when we finished and gathered for a cup of coffee together I quietly swopped his coffee for mine. he did not notice. we had our coffee and began to pack away the disco equipment. He began to pass wind. He had doctored my coffee with joke powder to make this happen to me.

I smiled at him and everybody had a little laugh.

The next morning as he carried the bible into church i smiled again. As he took his place in the beadles seat I announced the first hymn. I feel the winds of god today. There were many smiling faces in the church that morning.

A similar and very true story happened to a minister.

He was completing a temperance sermon. With great emphasis he said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."

With even greater emphasis, he said, "And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."

And then finally, shaking his fist in the air, he said, "And if I had all the whisky in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river!"

The sermon complete, he sat down.

While the preacher was giving vent the organist had change the list of hymns on the hymn board without him seeing.

After the sermon the minister looked at the board and announced , " We shall now sing hymn 365. Strangely this was not the hymn he thought he had picked. he quickly looked it up and said. "Shall We Gather At The River."

beware your words and actions they just might come back in ways you least expect.

A Little side street.

A Little Side Street.

Isn't it amazing how easily it is to get led of the straight and narrow. Without knowing it you find yourself up some side alley and you do not have clue where you are. Now this can happen both morally and in reality and sometimes neither but just a little change of direction in life brought about by circumstances.

Here in France there are little side streets in every village and town. How I love exploring. It is often in those side streets that you find artists at work.

That being said I have a little tale for you today that shows how being sidetracked can have long and lasting effects.

A woman dies after a long illness, and finds herself just outside of heaven, at the pearly gates. 

As she peers inside, she sees people she knew from her life on earth enjoying themselves, laughing, and looking quite happy. 

Just then, St Peter comes along, and she asks him:"Is this heaven? How can I enter the gates?"

St Peter replies: "Yes, this is heaven. All you have to do is spell one word for me, and you'll be free to enter."

"What word?," she asks. "Please tell me!"

"Spell LOVE," and you can enter, replied St Peter.

Relieved, she spells the word correctly, and St Peter opens the gates for her.

After she had been in heaven for some time, the woman became quite comfortable and happy, but she still missed her beloved husband who she left on the earth. As an extra way of being of service, she asks to become a helper of St Peter, along with others who greet the newcomers to heaven and usher them through the pearly gates.

Imagine her surprise one day when her husband appeared at the gates. 

"Darling! I thought you'd never get here," she says in greeting. "I have missed you so much...tell me, what have you been doing all this time? Was life hard for you after I left?"

Her husband replied: "Well, it's good to see you, too! Yes, I have been quite busy. I was very sorry when you left, but I was quite attracted to that cute nurse who helped you through your last days, and we ended up getting married a few months after your passing. 

And then - she won the lottery! 

Can you imagine? I was able to buy a large mansion, a new car, retired from my job, and my new wife and I traveled the world and we have had a grand life. We were on a vacation in the Greek isles and while I was water-skiing, my ski fell off and hit me in the head...so, here I am! I was sorry to leave her and the earth, but it's really great to see you again. Gee, it looks so nice in there. Is this heaven?"

The woman looked at him, smiled sweetly, and says: "Well, imagine that! I have missed you so much, and hoped that you missed me, too...but, well, I guess life goes on - right?"

"Right!," he said. "So, tell me...how do you like heaven? I never dreamed I'd get here. Is it easy to get in?"

"Oh, yes," she replied. "All you have to do is spell one word"

"Okay!" he said excitedly. "What word?"

"Czechoslovakia"

Beware of the side streets you just never know where you may end up. 

Where you stand.

It is amazing the people you meet when on holiday. How in the mix of people there are always those who see life so differently from the majority, not that I am ever one of those. I suppose it depends on where and how you view life. Here in France people are very interested in how we will be voting in the European Referendum. They just do not understand why we seem to want to leave. I am not getting into my opinion on this because this is not the place but I do seem to be in a minority among those from the uk I am meeting here. But then they are here and not even going to vote, which seems odd.v

Anyway away from all of that we do all see life from our own stance. The aim is to make sure we are on solid ground for our stance.

A physiologist doctor was doing his rounds. He went into a room where a patient seemed to be sawing something.

He asked the patient,"What are you doing?"

The patient replied, "I am sawing a piece of wood in two."

Another patient seemed to be hanging from a rafter upside down. The doctor asked patient one , "What is your friend doing? 

"He thinks he is a lightbulb."

The doctor was concerned for patient two he was getting very red in the face.

 He asked patient one, "Do you not think you should get him down before he harms himself?

Patient one said,, "What? I would have too work in the dark."

As I say it all depends where your stand in life..