A few days ago I received a message from Avaaz the internet community campaigning group. Maybe you did too? Amongst the multitude of our present day horrors Avaaz brought my attention to the situation of three young men, all under the age of 21, whose crime of ‘attending demonstrations’ in Saudi Arabia whilst they were teenagers-results in the possibility, (I say possibility to try and limit it happening) of their imminent beheading. They are apparently presently in solitary confinement, miles away from their families…

Reportedly Saudi Arabia have beheaded over 100 of their citizens this year.

So I went for a walk today. Walked it before. The North Dorset Trailway. It starts at Sturminster Newton in Dorset and ends up in Spetisbury. The guide says it’s 17 miles long, but I would say it’s a bit shorter.

But I only walked 897 steps today. Yes, I counted them because I knew I wasn’t going far and thought a bit of fairly useless information might brighten the blog post up! I aimed to stop at a large tree trunk that had been felled on the side of the path. It looked like a great piece of wood on which to carve something-prophetic. I had seen it there yesterday.

But I thought people might not appreciate some random words appealing to a far of kingdom to please stop chopping the heads of their fellow countrymen-so I didn’t carve it-but it would have fitted on the log well.

I found the obligatory lottery card, empty water bottle, yoghurt pots and knotted dog poo bags by the side of the mighty piece of timber. I took some photos and got back to Sturminster 897 paces later just as the predicted rain started to come down.

I went back home, got out a nice piece of oak which used to be the top of a school desk…and carved the words on there instead.

Beheadings will stop. Killings will stop. Peace will reign on Earth. Of these things I am sure. But I don’t seem to be the one to lead the way!

You know what, sometimes the more you believe, the better it is to keep out of the way…until you really really really know what you are talking about!

I may not say much in 2016!