One sunny summer day
we drive down
to Greenore.
This a place of great beauty –
the craggy Coolie mountains
on one side
and the steep-sided Mournes
on the other.

Today proves to be
everything that we had hoped for –
picnic by the sea,
white goats basking in the sun,
birdsong all around.

Surely such perfection
couldn’t be improved upon?

Turning a corner
we stop and point
in astonishment.
A huge field stretches way out
in front of us
but instead of the usual
crop of spuds
a huge section of the field
forms an expanse of purple
as thousands of tiny purple flowers
tremble in the sea breeze!

Wow!

This is reminiscent
of the south of France
where fields are filled
with row after row
of lavender.

I have a sense
that My God has taken
an ordinary walk by Greenore
on a sunny day
and transformed it
into something
wholly extraordinary.

Thank you, Lord
(my God of Surprises!)

© Claire Murray, 4th July 2021