Easter

Local Christians rewarded this morning with a clear sky at sunrise for their traditional Easter Sunday service on Middlehope Moor ... weather held for a while, then reverted to rain to dampen the spirits of Bank Holiday tourists, taking advantage of the four day break from slavery ... Stanhope was buzzing yesterday in the sunshine and showers, with an elders' trip over to Edmundbyers Village Hall and a coffee morning ... in Stanhope the first Farmers' Market of the year proves popular and provides organic vegetables as well as lots of other locally produced food ... in the Church Hall, next door to the Retreat House .... which is propitious ... and a reunion with Allison, last seen in Stockton whilst on Mental Health North East business (a wonderful part-time post developing networks in the region for the benefit of the folks needing some improvement in and control over the services for improving their mental health) .... Allison, from being Chief Executive of the voluntary services organisation in Stockton, found a more grounded role making cheese ... award winning cheese at that, though off current limits as dairy produce joins corpses on the list of foodstuff to avoid ... the motives mixed between ethics and health ... though labels declined along with preaching ...

Overpriced chocolate eggs seem more important than the miraculous resurrection of Jesus after his brutal execution ... though that was some time ago and the myth is waning somewhat in the face of consumerism ... some interesting historical detail surfaced in The Holographic Universe, discussing the common phenomenon of stigmata appearing on folks hands ... suggesting that the marks were generated from a mistaken story in the collective unconscious, since crucifixion was actually done with nails through the forearms above the wrist ... the weight of the body otherwise likely to rip the hands off before the suffering was complete .... whatever, things have mostly moved on ... even the gruesome Saudis, allies of the so-called civilised West (and customers of their arms industries) separate heads from necks and hands from wrists swiftly ...

Meanwhile, as mainstream media ratchet up the fear factor, another angle arrives on social media and a positive view .... you can watch it here ... since we seem to live in a participatory universe and our thoughts help create the reality we experience, why wallow in despair, when we have the power to make a better world?

From a wet Weardale, I hope you have enjoyed the holiday, whatever your version of Easter.

Tomorrow looks a little brighter ... at least for the morning walk anyway ....