
Perfect freedom
Perfect freedom DM 30th August 2025 There’s an interesting verse in the final Book of the Bible on the topic of heaven. In speaking about
My son is getting married soon, and one of his friends, who owns a winery, has generously offered to supply some cases of his best reds and whites. I hope it’s not too good, otherwise the question of whether there’s enough will raise its awkward head. At least the guest list is fixed, and some other beverages will be available during the canapés, and there’s always the bar as a backup. And so any possibility of running dry ought not to spoil the party.
The Book records a wedding in the town of Cana that narrowly averted a hospitality-hiccup. In typical Middle East fashion of warm and generous hospitality, invitations were sent to one and all, making the guest list more of a guess list. And unfortunately for the happy couple, not just the ‘all’ rsvp-ed to say they were coming, but extras too. And with no plan B, plan A was looking decidedly difficult.
Predictably the awkward moment came: “They have run out of wine!” But then unpredictably came another moment. Someone, one of the guests, unexpectedly supplied numerous cases of the most excellent vintage. But how and from where? From his Father’s vineyard, special edition, special delivery. The master of ceremonies was unimpressed with the disrespect for protocol – best wine first, not best wine last! – but not all the guests were unhappy. And not so much because they had tasted the most delicious drop, but because they had seen a miracle. The first of many.
Perfect freedom DM 30th August 2025 There’s an interesting verse in the final Book of the Bible on the topic of heaven. In speaking about
Faint praise DM 23rd August 2025 I knew that the smallest bone in the human body was located in the ear. In high-school biology, we
The Wigtown Whistler DM 16th August 2025 In a diary by the proprietor of The Bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland, irritating patrons are named and shamed,
Patience with progress (& vice versa) DM 9th August 2025 A recent article in the Australian Geographic tackled the hot topic of fingernail growth, which
Shelter DM 2nd August 2025 You can find the story on youtube and meet the central characters – Theodore Malgorne the lighthouse-keeper and Jean Guichard
Botany 101 DM 26th July 2025 I walked past the sandstone memorial today to mark the life of Joseph Banks, the first European botanist to
The bargain DM 5th July 2025 There’s a smile that never fails to amuse me. It regularly appears on Antiques Roadshow every time someone, who
Oranges and lemons DM 28th June 2025 Whoever composed the rhyme, “Oranges and lemons, the bells of St Clements” was a cheat! Lemons and Clements
Vasovagal DM 21st June 2025 What a sook! Fancy fainting getting a simple blood test. It wasn’t the sight of blood. I never look. It