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In this chapter of Big Skies & Small Ponds, Drew reflects on those people he has been able to call ‘neighbour’.  He recalls the small acts of kindness and consideration that help turn a collection of houses into something resembling a community.


Because perhaps being a good neighbour is simply about remembering that the people living around us have lives every bit as complicated as our own.

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In Chapter Eleven, we return to the small ponds, rock pools and muddy ditches of childhood—tiny worlds teeming with life and possibility. From flooded wellies and frogspawn to ducklings outside a crematorium and still water at Chatsworth, The Pond is a gentle reflection on memory, grief and the ripples we leave behind. Because even the smallest movement can travel further than we imagine.

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A visit to the cinema to see Pressure becomes a reflection on history, storytelling and the terrible weight of one man's weather forecast. And when the film is over, a new perspective on clouds.

A brief prelude to series 2 of Big Skies and Small Ponds 

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Bonus Chapter –
Small Pond on a Large Pond

We often imagine that travel is about seeing bigger places and grander sights. But perhaps that’s not quite right.

Join me aboard a ship in the Norwegian fjords as I discover that even among towering mountains, ancient glaciers and some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth, it is still the smallest moments that stay with us.

An invitation to linger a little longer, wander a little further, and rediscover the quiet sense of wonder that can so easily be lost in the rush of everyday life.
A quiet conversation. A patch of sunlight. A reminder that, wherever we find ourselves, we each carry our own small pond within us.

Wherever you are today, I hope you’ll find a quiet place to linger, the freedom to wander, and a reason to wonder.

By the way if you wish to see the video that accompanies this chapter you can find it by clicking on the link below which will take you to my Facebook page 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BnXb5vJb6/

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A childhood memory. A distant tragedy. 

Seven stars in the night sky. A light passing silently overhead.

In this final chapter of the first series, Drew reflects on horizons, wonder, perspective and the curious way understanding often arrives long after the moment itself.

A gentle journey beneath the skies that shaped him, and a return to the small pond where all his stories begin.

This Chapter is dedicated to the memory of those 18 people who died in the crash of USAF Aircraft  67-006 on  28 August 1976.

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Chapter Nine – The Ceiling Tile

In 2009, Drew found himself lying on a hospital trolley, staring at a cracked ceiling tile and wondering if it might be the last thing he would ever see.

It wasn't.

In this deeply personal chapter, he reflects on illness, recovery, second chances and the unexpected gift of what he now thinks of as bonus time.
A story about survival, gratitude and discovering that life can become richer when you realise it was never guaranteed in the first place.

This chapter includes reflections on serious illness and a heart attack.

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Chapter Eight – The Sea

Some places stay with us forever.
For Drew, it's the sea.

From childhood days on the Norfolk coast to standing beside the Pacific Ocean, from rivers and books to cruise ships and poetry, this chapter explores a lifelong fascination with water and the journeys it inspires.

A reflective voyage through memory, wonder, belonging and the people we meet along the way.

Because sometimes the places we return to aren't places at all.
They're feelings.

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Chapter Seven – Grandad

"My grandfather always thought I should be a vicar.
I've often wondered why". 

In this chapter, Drew reflects on the life of Frederick Baxter: farmer, parish councillor, First World War survivor, whistler, snuff-taker and maker of lasting memories.

A story about family, community, kindness and the mysteries that remain long after those we love are gone.

Because sometimes the people who know us best see something in us long before we see it ourselves.

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Chapter Six – Paprika

Supermarkets are curious places.

You go in for butter, yoghurt, or perhaps a missing jar of paprika... and somehow end up collecting stories instead.

In this chapter, Drew reflects on chance encounters, familiar voices, old police memories, shoplifters, supermarket wisdom, and one unforgettable conversation beside the herbs and spices.

A warm and gently humorous reminder that the people we love are never very far away — and that even the smallest lives can leave the biggest stories.

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Chapter Five – Pause

We spend much of our lives labelling things.
Objects. Places. Memories.

People.

In this chapter, Drew reflects on names, silence, kindness, loss, and the small but important space between seeing and speaking.

From childhood nights and quiet streets to funeral chapels and everyday encounters, Pause explores what can happen when we slow down long enough to truly notice one another.

Because sometimes the most important part of any conversation isn't the words at all.

It's the pause between them.