Autumn is shifting into gear now. We had huge rain and thunderstorms last night and woke this morning to a drenched landscape, but the clouds soon swept through to be followed by blue skies and warm, autumnal sunshine.
These photos were taken just a week ago, and it’s amazing to see how subtly, imperceptibly, the landscape shifts at this time of year – as it does in spring. Blink, and you will miss it. 
One week on, the vivid leaves of the virginia creeper that climbs all over the side of the house are beginning to drop. 
Everything gleamed this morning – even the wires looked like cobwebs. 
Ravilious at every turn. 
I posted some of these photographs on Instagram this morning and reflected that Charlie and I must have made this walk somewhere between one and two thousand times now. Every time, it’s just a little bit different. 
We went to church this morning. During the Communion service there’s a prayer of intercession, and it runs like this.
“We beseech thee to save and defend all Christian kings, princes and governors; and specially thy servant, Charles our King, that under his will we may be godly and quietly governed, and grant unto his whole Council, and to all that are put in authority under him, that they may truly and impartially minister justice, to the punishment of vice, and to the maintenance of thy true virtue”.
That’s my thought for today. Is it too much to ask, I wonder, because I think it’s what’s needed right now here in Great Britain.
19 comments
Oh dear, when commenters start prattling on about “wokeism and political correctness” that’s usually a sign for me to move on. Since when is kindness and empathy a bad thing?
This post succeeds in touching a nerve, and also testifies to Roger Scruton’s fabulous and important book, “England: An Elegy”.
Beautiful Ben. So needed indeed!
Enchanting and uplifting as ever…
However you omitted an important request in the Prayer of Intercession that those in authority will punish wickedness as well as vice. Perhaps our age doesn’t acknowledge wickedness as much as it should.
amen🙏🏻 would have loved to have been at that service in the wonderful little church in Dorset🙏🏻
Thank your for the beautiful pictures of the lush scenery. Where I live in Canada, it has become nothing more then a concrete jungle of high 40-55 storey condo developments, not a blade of grass, not a tree to be found hardly. Only area where they can’t destroy nature is the cemetery near my home, which is massive and my parents are their and guarded for this. I too pray for our King Charles and all that he stands for and hope the future becomes brighter in his care. I know he loves nature and the environment, so hope nothing but good things to come our way. Finally, I hope to be starting my many trips to London in the new year and hope life has become calmer. But again you and Charlie inspire me with the beauty of nature. I wished a lot more people loved nature and took care of it and respected it. All the best. I guess Charlie has been clearing and tending his garden for winter, always nice to see his hard word.
Yes Ben re the Prayer of Intersession. The best political candidates are not coming forward, with the result that the country is being run by ambitious untrained and unsuitable amateurs.
Amen Sarah and thank you Ben for posting that prayer. I too pray for that.
I think Great Britain needs a lot more than prayer just now. Evil happens because good people do nothing.
So beautiful and timeless. Thank you!
Lovely photos, great camera if it’s on an iPhone.
Fyi there’s a screening of a film about Eric Ravilous as part of Purbeck film festival think it’s Wednesday this week in Swanage at the Mowlem theatre on the seafront (unfortunately clashes with a booking I’ve made to see a Hitchcock at the small private cinema within the magnificent Creech Grange near Kimmeridge, it’s all ruched curtains and Egyptian sphinxes can’t wait
Lovely prayer… we pray in our church that our leaders here in the US will lead in a just and Godly way
Magnificent pictures, glorious colours.
Your conclusion is truly comforting, all the more so as we are going through an age when wokeism and political correctness prevail.
Thank you ever so much for your uplifting weekly blogs.
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Only Christians?
Let’s gather together, peace to the oppressed and comfort to the sick and bereaved, and hope so that our world can be healed.
Thank you Ben for including a prayer in your message. We too rely on the grace of God to keep us going in these troubled times.
Amen to that.
E