Two celebrations in Redruth today – Murdoch Day ( a celebration honouring the legacy of William Murdoch, the pioneer behind the use of coal gas in lighting) and Redruth Pride and the town has been buzzing with the parade, activities, live music on various stages and lots of market stalls. The sun shone too which is such a bonus. Enjoy the gallery and click on any photo for the caption and more detail.
Cake, Shanty Festival and Sea
Flower Bombs, Daisies and A Rose
The flower bombs we bought in Amsterdam are developing but I don’t yet know what to expect as I don’t recognise any of the early leaves. 
The daisies are withstanding all the cold, wet and windy weather unlike the osteospernum which are looking very beaten down.
Our golden wedding rose has its first beautiful and highly scented bloom.
Lunch and A Poem
It’s been a bit of a day for one reason and another but we had a lovely lunch at home with a dear friend and together sorted out several theatre trips over the next few months – lots to look forward to.
This little poem came to mind today, Celia, Celia by Adrian Mitchell. It made me smile. I hope it does the same for you.
When I am sad and weary
When I think all hope has gone
When I walk along High Holborn
I think of you with nothing on
Bee Hotel, Hebe and Geranium
We are trying to be as pollinator friendly in our garden as we can, no-mow-May, planting lots of flowers and now providing a bee hotel for solitary bees. I’ll let you know if we get any lodgers.
The Hebe is attracting various pollinating creatures . (Thanks to Jude who identified this plant for me.).
Craftivism to Build a Better World Together
Over the years I have knitted, crocheted and sewn for all sorts of causes / charities. The following is taken from the Craftivism Manifesto which you can see in full at the end.
“Your craft is your voice. Craftivism is about raising consciousness, creating a better world stitch by stitch, and things made by hand, by a person. Craftivism is about creating wider conversations about uncomfortable social issues. A craftivist is anyone who uses their craft to help the greater good or in resistance to a greater societal ill. A single individual crafting can make a difference. Or they can craft together and benefit from the fellowship of other crafters.”
At the moment I am knitting 5″ squares in red, green and white for Fariha whose words follow:
“We are looking for people to sew, crochet, knit or embroider squares for a project called Stolen lives, Stolen Futures. Gaza’s children remembered. Each square represents 10 children murdered by Israel. We are looking for 5” squares in black, red, white, green or a combination of these colours. Each square is precious like the children it represents. Please DM for details of where to post squares.
Fariha has kindly given me permission to share her photo and words. If you would like to make a square, I can pass you the address.
Solar Energy, Cake and New Sculpture

Here is the original Mud Maid to be found in The Lost Gardens of Heligan here in Cornwall.
My Mum, Precious Words and Deeds
My lovely Mum died on this day in 1994 and I still want to tell her stuff that excites me or that I need her wisdom on. That doesn’t go away. She was a very special person and supported me every way in everything I did.

Regular readers will have seen this photo before, a favourite taken at Carn Brea Castle on the occasion of Mum and Dad’s Golden Wedding celebration in 1989
I have been going through some treasures and found some letters from Mum, all relating to her care of me while becoming a mum myself.
A story for you – Very early in my third pregnancy , I knew that I was expecting twins. I had wanted to have twins since I was 9 years old! My GP told me I was being silly and that he would tell me if/ when this was so. My lovely parents believed me and bought us ‘multiple birth’ insurance at 8 weeks and the GP wrote a letter to the insurance company saying that he was sure it was a single birth.
Roll on eight months or so to September 9th 1977 and the doubting GP sent me to see the consultant at the hospital. She listened to me, sent me for an x-ray and there they were, arms and legs everywhere! Before taking the plates back to her, I phoned my lovely Mr S and my Mum to share my utter delight. What follows is the letter from my Mum that came the next day:
Just a week later, our twins arrived on 16th and 17th September, and so did my Mum to help look after our other two, 4 and nearly 2 years old, while I was in hospital and then three more weeks to help – but that is another story.





































