Wilds of Europe

How to make a Yorkshire city. Take Melbourne's Hawthorn with all its narrow wriggly streets and dense housing. Put it on top of Mt Dandenong. Add all 'Footascrays' factories down below. Leave it all out in the rain for 400 years. It's green and sandstone and chimneys and shopfronts all around.
The countryside though, well that's entirely God's sweeping hand, lightly decorated by our ancient stonewall fences and some bemused sheep.

Yorkshire making me: that's God's particular way in my story, in the forming and loving that flowed to me through many generations of Yorkshire folk. Here both my mum and dad learned simplicity, generosity, and striving. From here dad and five of his eight siblings stretched their wings globally through action in WW2 . That ultimately led to emigrating to Australia, which led to me.
Here mum and dad also learned faith in God's vast grace. That gift continues now as well.

I do so wish I could tell mum and dad what I'm doing and seeing and feeling. That opportunity has passed, as now they have both died. Yet for now I can still share with my dad's brother and mum's sister. The looks and mannerisms and values have all prevailed across the decades. I can still sense this distinctive Yorkshire life in them as we listen laugh and wander. And I sense this Yorkshire life in me, making me still.
Thanks mum. Thanks dad. Thanks God.Les mer