It's the party season!

I love this photo sent from the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). A lovely image of the deer gathering together. It is the party season. Today is Hogmanay here in Scotland. A time of celebration and gathering of friends and family. In many of our towns and cities folk gather in the centres to 'see in the New Year' as 'the bells' go at midnight. Gathering to say farewell to the old year and welcome in the new. 


As part of saying farewell to the old year it can be good to stop and look back. One tenet of Ignatian Spirituality is the of the Daily Examen. The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us.


Today, on the last day of the year, I'm going to take some time to 'Examen' my past year - to look back, to see where I have been and what I have done looking through God's eyes. Then I will be ready to see in the New Year as I gather with my family and friends.

A Year in Lego

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding - April 2011

The Guardian newspaper has a collection of photos depicting the news from 2011 in Lego. Lego is such a creative medium and a childhood favourite of many. 

It got me thinking - what would I build to reflect a special memory of the past year? I think I would build a train. It would remind me of the wonder 'roadtrip' by train that my daughter and I took round England in the summer. There would of course be lots of cups of tea, punnets of strawberries, teddy bears and the many special memorabilia that would capture that wonderful week. 


If you could depict one scene from your life in 2011 what would it be and why? 


What would you like to prioritise as a building project for 2012?