Beacons in the night

When I first moved here, there was this great huge space on the outside of the driving shed which was built from wood, around 1870 by the early settlers of this area. It was designed to keep the horses and carts, buggies and sleighs that came to the church in which I now live, safe and dry.

The rings to which reins were attached still exist on many of the supporting side beams. You can see where the horses have moved their heads or chewed the wood as they stood waiting for the church service to finish. A lovely bit of history that I think about often when I'm inside the shed - looking for something, or when I first moved here, taking care of my horses.

So that first Christmas for me ten or more years ago, I found the frame of a table that had lost its glass (something that seems to happen easily when I knock something over). I found a huge array of Christmas lights in my wish box and wound them round. My hydro bill was astronomical that year and I'm sure you could have seen the wreath of light from the moon. It was like a landing strip outside the shed.

Still, I liked the idea. So I went and bought a large number of LED lights on sale after Christmas and removed the old lights (probably safer anyway) and restrung the frame. Every year I turn them on. Unfortunately I don't have a tripod and because I needed to take this photo at night to get the lights' effect, my shaking hands gave me a blurry photo. But I'm sure you get the idea.

The wreath can be seen from across the valley and several people have told me that it's a welcoming beacon on a cold winter night as they turn the corner or come up the hill - to see it gleaming through snow, mist or fog.

I wonder how many beacons - whether real or in our spirits and souls - we place in one way or another to guide not only others but mostly ourselves? May the beacons in your life guide you well in the coming year.