A fabulous start to June.

Glen Baxter exhibition at Shandy Hall! All welcome at the opening July 5th 1pm laurencesternetrust.org.uk/event/an-outbr…

Shandy Hall Gardens open in the evening this Friday 13th June 6.30 - 8pm for National Garden Scheme Sally Roberts laurencesternetrust.org.uk/event/national…

13th century chapel of the Old Palace ⁦York Minster⁩ in Dean’s Park catching some early sunshine.

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle” - the book of Job has a way with words & the potential bleakness of human life which is hard to equal. Did Shakespeare get the idea for one of his most famous lines from Job 7: “thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be”?

In case anyone needs a pic of a wild flower meadow this morning - just below the walls of ⁦City of York Council⁩

Behind the imposing organ pipes of Niderosdomen (Trondheim) is the cathedral’s famous rose window. Completed in time for the cathedral’s anniversary in 1930, it is an inspiring kaleidoscope of vibrant colours.

Very happily sailing north along the coastline of Norway on the MS Richard With ⁦Hurtigruten⁩ - sunshine & showers giving way to some solid sun & the prospect of more tomorrow morning - when we are due to cross into the Arctic Circle.

The midnight sun, still setting - after midnight - as we’re below the Arctic Circle, but never have I seen such a slow progress of decline below the horizon. On the longest day, the sun was reluctant to leave.

The land of the midnight sun - #Norway enjoying some fine weather as we continue to journey north with ⁦Hurtigruten⁩. Stunning landscape.

Looking out over Tromsø to the snow covered hills beyond. Happy Midsummer’s Day.

A serene & peaceful day on the #Lofoten Islands, in the Arctic Circle, off the coast of Norway. Hardly a breath of wind and the water like a mill pond. "Slowly our country became our own, with crops of sea & land" - Nordahl Grieg, 1940.

We went to see Sea Eagles today - which we did - but had an unexpected encounter with a Minke Whale. The playful creature went around & under the boat for a good 5 minutes. An amazing sight in the wild.

It was a privilege to share this paper at the British Society of Gerontology Conference this week. Full article: Divine hospitality, shalom and a sense of home? A theological reflection based on the voices of older people living in residential care homes tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…

With views from Norway, plus the plays of Ibsen, & questions of theology, a mix of content drawn together by questions arising from lived experiences. Not discussing theology is not the same as saying that theology is absent. chrisswift.blog/2025/06/29/war…

Our new UPenn intern meets two new and glamorous visitors to Shandy Hall #gardens Penn Abroad Ian Kimber linden hawthorne Yorkshire Wildlife Trust - North Yorkshire #wildlife #insects #ShandyHall laurencesternetrust.org.uk/moth/glamour-i…

It’s the LCI AGM tonight. Reading some of our founders letters. One written on his first night in the Vicarage: ‘To Yorkshire manners I am becoming a little reconciled… I am beginning with the greatest delicacy to hint to the people that this house is not quite public property’.

Thank goodness for that! I was beginning to get worried that time was running away, but Costco has managed to get a batch of Christmas wrapping paper, gift tags etc. in the nick of time (just 160 days to go).

A quiet corner of Dean’s Park ⁦York Minster⁩ catching the early morning sunshine.