Easter break

For many years we have held a family break over the Easter period at Green Pastures. We went out there on Wednesday evening and have just come back to Patos on Saturday evening. We were joined by our children and their families (apart from Philip and family who are in England) plus Liz's sister Esther, her children Sabrina (and family) and Frank Bradley. We had a lovely relaxing time together.

I had plenty of time to read. I read 'Brazilian Adventures' published in 1949 by the Central Brazil Mission of the Presbyterian Church of the USA. It contains 12 articles written by their missionaries. This small book used to belong to my late father-in-law Frank Dyer. It was interesting to see how they saw things in Brazil back in the 1940s.

Then I went on to read 'Digging Ditches' by Helen Roseveare who was a missionary for many years in the Republic of Congo. The book was recommended to me by Pastor Michael Rollo (Larbert, Scotland). The book tells about the author's international ministry after she left the Republic of Congo. The book is both challenging and a blessing. I read the book via Kindle.

I also played some chess over the past days. I played 3 matches with my 25-year-old grandson Felipe and am now 12 x 0 up in our series. I also played and won two matches with my grandson John David who is studying to be a medical doctor at university in João Pessoa.

I went for two nice long walks whilst at Green Pastures. I saw/heard and photographed a wide variety of wildlife. I saw Foxes, Iguanas, White Tipped Dove, Picui Ground-Dove, Guira Cuckoo, Greater Ani, Smooth-billed Ani, Dark-billed Cuckoo, Pigmy Nightjar, Tropical Screech Owl, Burrowing Owl, Gray-necked Wood-rail, Common Gallinule, Roadside Hawk, Pigmy Owl, Ringed Kingfisher, Spot-backed Puffbird, Green-barred Woodpecker, Red-legged Seriema, Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Southern Wren, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Chopi Blackbird, Blue-black Grassquit, White-throated Seedeater, Red-cowled Cardinal, and a Chalk-browed Mocking Bird.