For the first challenge of 2026, Rebecca Cuningham is asking for 10-14 sentences of poetic prose on the subjects of New Roads.
Buttercup yellow earth-movers and diggers with caterpillar tracks are driven by hi-viz-clad workers. Another bypass or link road is being cut through the landscape. Locally orange earth was exposed; elsewhere chalk. Disruptions and delays face motorists as they wait at mobile traffic signals or follow diversion signs on uncertain routes.
Months or even years later a small crowd gathers as a local celebrity cuts a ribbon, ceremonially opening a new road, bridge or motorway.
Freshly laid tarmac surfaces are smooth to drive on, but the cost of expanding the road network results in economies elsewhere. Shoddy repairs cause potholes. Avoiding potholes on winding, narrow country lanes is hazardous. Hitting potholes risks damage to vehicles. Quick repairs to potholes don’t last long and patches can appear as holes – a confusing optical illusion.
In extreme cases vehicles have fallen into sink-holes. Climate change is one reason this happens, but vehicles are larger and heavier now, putting more pressure on roads.
In 2025 I went on three retreats all lasting from Monday to Friday. In February and June I went alone by train, but in October hubby was the driver and we both enjoyed a few days with our cameras and other photographers.
I realised during the year that I was trying to do too much. This was affecting my physical health. I resolved to be kinder to myself. In future, as I wrote in October, I am mostly going to post brief book reviews on Goodreads instead of reviewing almost every book I read here on Sue’s Trifles.
I am continuing to take part in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge on Sue’s words and pictures. Recently I have not been able to post anything for #WildFlowerHour on Bluesky. The weather has been inclement. However I have recently begun to use Instagram in addition to Bluesky and Facebook.
Books I have enjoyed
Some books I rated with 5 stars in 2025
The books pictured are Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton, Beside Another Sea by David Lythgoe, The Father’s Kiss by Tracy Williamson, The Impossible Task by Christine Wolstencroft, Between the Rivers by Natasha Woodcraft, Finding Jesus in the Wilderness by Rachel Yarworth, The Wanderer’s Legacy by Natasha Woodcraft, A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop by Joanna Toye, Retribution Song by Harry Navinski and Postal Paths by Alan Cleaver. Interestingly the only two authors from this selection, whom I haven’t met are Joanna Toye and Chloe Dalton. I subscribe to newsletters from Tracy Williamson, Natasha Woodcraft and Rachel Yarworth. Rachel has some plans for 2026 which may interest you (more below).
Goodreads pictured 10 books; I awarded 5 stars to a further 11. These were Flamingo Boy by Michael Morpurgo, The Woman in the Photograph by Stephanie Butland, Enchantment by Katherine May, Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, The Twilight Garden by Sara Nisha Adams, Name is Emilia del Valle and The Wind Knows my Name both by Isabel Allende, Northerners: A History by Brian Groom, Impossible Creatures by Katharine Roundell, Playground by Richard Powers and The Fresh and the Salt by Ann Lingard ( the only author in this list whom I have met).
Since my last blogpost mentioning books, I have read:
I also finished reading Frostquake by Juliet Nicolson.
(I have added all these recent books to my page of links to book reviews.)
As one of my projects for 2025 I have been reading the Bible using a reading plan devised by Robert Murray M’Cheyne. By the end of 2025 I had completed reading the whole Bible once and the Psalms and the Gospels twice. I used the New International Version.
One verse, the second half of which is repeated many times in the Bible is ‘God is good; his love endures forever.’ I hadn’t realised that this was a major theme in the worship of Old Testament times.
Other books I have read, but not added to Goodreads include books or booklets (published by some of my friends) which have no ISBN. I have also been a beta reader for a book by another author, which I hope will be published one day.
Audio books count as reading, but I haven’t added any of the audiobooks hubby and I have listened to. We have been enjoying the works of PG Wodehouse. His best known works feature Jeeves, but he also wrote many other books. While listening I keep my hands busy by playing a variety of games of cards for one person, knitting, colouring or doing jigsaw puzzles. (My major knitting project for the years appeared on Sue’s Trifles, here.)
All that reading from someone, who calls herself a writer! Among other things I have written 37 poems during the year, some of which have appeared on this blog.
Some of my plans
Today is the start of a new year, I’m not going to reveal all the plans I have for it just yet. A new year is like a new page. One thing I can reveal is that #MyOneWord for 2026 is reconciliation. Next week I hope to post something here for Rebecca Cuningham’s poetry challenge.
A new Bible study plan from Rachel Yarworth
‘Walking with Jesus’ is a daily Bible-reading plan for 2026 that goes through the Gospels in a year of short daily readings every day except Sundays.
Each reading is less than 20 verses, and the purpose is simply to get to know Jesus better – focusing on who He is and what He said – and to grow in confidence in recognising His voice speaking to us through the Bible readings.
The plan is free, and the posts offer inspiring reflections on each day’s reading and encouragement in listening for God’s voice. They can be accessed via email or on the Substack app, with free weekly posts every Saturday, or for those who would like daily encouragement, there is a paid subscription available for £3.50 pcm.
If you are interested in exploring my writing on the subject of Christmas the tags will help.
I’d be very surprised if anyone is reading this on Christmas Day. Thursday is my regular day for blogging here on Sue’s Trifles, although I have blogged on other days due to the requirements of blogging challenges in which I have taken part. This year those have been the Blogging from A to Z in April Challenge and Rebecca Cuningham’s poetry challenges, #ffpoemapop. This post is published on the Tuesday before Christmas, which falls on a Thursday this year.
I update my contents list for this blog fairly regularly and I have included links to my posts for 2025 below. This year I have not posted here every week, but since April I have usually taken part in a weekly photography challenge on Sue’s words and pictures.
During the year I relaxed my self-imposed rules for blogging. I had become too busy to maintain them. I set out my new plans in October
I have read a few books since I last mentioned what I was reading: Frostquake by Juliet Nicolson, Retribution Song by Harry Navinski and Renaturing by James Canton, all of which I have reviewed on goodreads.
Goodreads made some suggestions based on the fact that I had read Renaturing. The first two books, which came up as recommended were books I read in 2020! I immediately posted very brief reviews of them, linking back to my slightly longer reviews here.
My blogging plans for 2026 are to continue to take part in various challenges and to post book reviews on goodreads, where perhaps they are more likely to be seen than here. There may be other posts here. Thank you for reading and watch this space!
Sue's Trifles 
