Let Her Wings Unfold

My brother had today off work due to the train strikes but his boss still made him take it as holiday even though he offered to take a day's unpaid leave.
So he treated himself to a lie-in and we decided we would head back to The Black Horse at Thurnham for an unexpected mid week lunch. We arrived too early so headed up the steep hill opposite the pub for a quick blast of winter air and to help build up our appetite. Once you reach the the top of the hill you can get expansive views across the North Downs and towards the valleys below that stretch into the distance. My extra is of a lone tree standing firm against the vertiginous slope.
After we'd stretched our legs it was time to return to the lovely cosy environment of the pub. We both settled on a pint of Erdinger wheat beer and sausage and mash with crispy onion rings. Absolutely delicious!
Our hunger and thirst sated we were going to head straight back home but my brother spotted a tiny sign at the side of the road for the village's St. Mary The Virgin church. We must have passed this sign countless times as you could so easily miss it and the church itself is not really visible from the road.
You walk down a narrow alleyway lined by a long flint knapped wall and the wonderfully atmospheric churchyard opens up before you shielded by trees on one side with sweeping views back towards the North Downs on the other. I couldn't quite get the image of the churchyard or the church itself that I wanted but then I came across the beautiful angelic statue you can see in my main image.
It's part of a grave for Rita Patricia Fifi Upton, the daughter of Amos and Beatrice Upton who died on March 6th 1936 aged just 7 years old and has a heartbreakingly moving and poignant epitaph - So small a child to leave so great a blank, but for the precious loan, our God we thank.