The Journey: Now where am I?

Winter sun. Autumn is over and the leaves have just about
all gone now

Oh yes! I remember now, I'm in Tartu again. I've been up to Tallinn this week via Riga, so I have been doing the rounds. This last week started off okay on our land but with the first snow forecast for mid-week, it meant we needed to carry on with our winter preparations in earnest. The wind was bitter at times but more importantly it was dry, so it was the perfect opportunity to clear out the alpaca houses. First I had to go back to our apartment to collect the milk so I started off processing more apples that I had collected. I cut some up into big chunks and added apple sauce for apple pies, I got so far and had to stop to head back and help Ian clear out the boys place, before going back to finish off the job. While I was finishing off processing the apples I also made a lamb steak pie and apple crumble and Ian prepared the veg out on the land. So between us we managed to make a decent meal before it got too dark to cook in our greenhouse kitchen. Well it worked!

The morning sun with the morning star above the stable

A back lit Freddie. Such a wonderful golden glow though

The next day we cleared out the girls place in the morning, I was surprised it didn't take so long. In the afternoon I dug up more carrots and Ian put up plastic over gaps around doors in the greenhouse as the skies grew darker. I had just about got enough carrots for one box in layers of sawdust for storage when the first snowflakes began falling. I had to go back to our apartment and get my long coat for the journey the following day, so took the carrots to put in our basement. I had been debating which coat to take and the cold weather decided for me. I needed a very warm coat that covered my legs for the cold bus in the early morning.

George and Mari sat together. How sweet!

George looks more like he's laughing here though

Overnight it snowed, but it also rained and so the roads were covered in a thick layer of slush. I was going to wear my winter ankle boots but decided that snow boots made more sense, although I haven't needed them since and had to carry them around with me on my travels. Oh the joys of winter travel! Once again I was travelling in the dark to Riga on an early bus. It is not my favourite time to travel but it was the latest bus I could take to be up in Tallinn for the start of the European Christian Youth Parliament where I was leading a session. There are four buses a day from our village 4:40, 5:40, 6:40 and 14:40. Not much of a choice really. Still better than many isolated places in the UK.

Frederiks and Chanel together too. Usually the boys spend
a lot of time together though

Aggie. She spat at me before we left as I put cream on her
foot. I was going to take the hat I was wearing at the time,
but after she spat at me I changed my mind. I didn't want
to be sat on the bus smelling of alpaca spit. Some gratitude
though!

The journey was pretty uneventful and I was collected at the bus stop by the organiser. It is not a big event as it is fairly new and developing but it is exciting to be a part of passing on knowledge and encouraging younger people to explore the reasons why as Christians we have a mandate to care for the environment and what the churches can actively do. It is frustrating when the church neglects its role to steward the land and all in my group were convinced that people need to touch, feel and see the natural environment more, not just for the health benefits but also to understand many of the stories and pictures that are conveyed within the Bible.

Frederiks

Sofie keeping warm on top of the slow cooker

In my group one participant was doing a Masters in sustainability another was doing a Masters in governance and the other was taking a sabbatical after around 17 years in Bosnia-Herzogovenia as a missionary. At the end they presented our thoughts on how churches could be more intentional in sourcing and even producing good food. We also looked at ways of connecting urban churches with rural churches to support them but also to help in understanding the needs of rural communities better. With better connections and good coordination it would be possible for urban members to practically support the rural communities from time to time too. We felt that this connection would help urban people understand the process of food production and encourage networks to improve the food available to their own members and the wider community. These linkages could act as hubs, especially in places where access to good food was more difficult.

Caravan in the greenhouse again, but probably for the last time

Adapting one of the chicken arks so that the small ones
from our newest batch of chickens can be separated. There
are too many now in the ark of chicks and they are getting too
big. The cockerel who was bullied by the older hens earlier
on in the year has now been put back in with them and he
stood up for himself. Obviously matured in the meantime

I wasn't just talking about the environment, there was plenty of time for lots of other conversations, some quite deep. It is a while since I have had the opportunity to challenge and be challenged by the opinions of others and that is often a healthy thing. It must have also been enough of a challenge that I slept well despite being in a dorm with five others - not something I do often. The conference also wound down slowly as people left to catch buses and planes home, which added to the relaxed atmosphere of the conference. On the Sunday morning those who remained reflected on the previous days' events. We then prayed for the younger participants before some of them drifted off to go and explore Tallinn, leaving some of us older ones to a time of quiet. Around 4pm I was driven to my bus to make my way to Tartu. For the first time ever as far as I can remember I was collected by car in Tartu. I was met the first time by my friend when I arrived for my course nearly five years ago. but we walked to her house. This time though I am staying with another friend in her new apartment.

On my journey up to Tallinn from
Riga. There was no snow in
Riga by the time I got there though.

In Salacgrīva

My friend's new apartment is close to the city centre but it overlooks gardens with apple trees and a run for chickens - although they didn't appear on this rather dreary day, the snow having just about gone. It is also surprisingly quiet and so it feels restful enough to recover from the busyness of the conference and also get some writing done - well I got a presentation finished and tomorrow I start writing properly. I WILL finish it! I hope!