Big Skies and Small Ponds...with Drew Baxter

Send us Fan Mail 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 a...

Send us Fan Mail 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 alon...

Send us Fan Mail 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 lov...

Send us Fan Mail 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 humor...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail Chapter 4  - Masks There are moments in life when we realise that fitting in and belonging are not quite the same thing. In this chapter, Drew reflects on faith, anxiety, identity and the roles we play for the world around us. From a crowded Salvation Army gathering to a supermarket aisle lined with tins of soup, these are stories about barriers, masks, fences and gates — and the...

Send us Fan Mail Between Chapters – Not The Hero This week, a shorter and more personal pause between chapters. Drew reflects on storytelling, memory, ego, kindness… and the strange reality that when you write about your own life, you can never fully step outside the frame. With warmth, self-deprecating humour, and honesty, this episode explores the difference between being the central figure in y...

Send us Fan Mail Chapter Three – The Blue Suit In this deeply personal chapter of Big Skies and Small Ponds, Drew Baxter reflects on the quiet emotional weight carried by those who stand at the front of a funeral service. Through the story of a highly visible funeral for a mother and daughter, Drew explores the unseen work of a celebrant; the preparation, the listening, the responsibility of telli...

Send us Fan Mail A small note before we settle in… this chapter touches briefly on sudden death and police experiences, and includes one or two moments of strong language where they belonged to the story. Big Skies and Small Ponds – Chapter Two - That Voice If words matter… then perhaps the way we speak them matters too. In this chapter, Drew reflects on voices — the ones we hear, remember, trust…...

Send us Fan Mail Chapter One  In this opening chapter, Drew reflects on the stories we tell… and the way they shape how we remember. From childhood memories of being read to and listening in wonder… to the fragments of lives shared in his work as a celebrant, this is a gentle exploration of storytelling in all its forms. Because sometimes… it isn’t the story itself that stays with us… …it’s the te...

Send us Fan Mail A short introduction to the world of Big Skies and Small Ponds - a place for stories, memories and quiet reflections...