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Monthly Archives: January 2012

Iris Reticulata, More Marmalade and Wheal Uny

Iris Reticulata

1 I was delighted today when Mr S spotted this Iris Reticulata in the wall today – one of my favourite flowers, so small and so perfect.

2 We made the next 10 jars of marmalade today. It was fun to know that, at the same time, John R was busy in his kitchen also listening to good music and making marmalade! Both our kitchens are full of that beautiful golden glow of newly minted marmalade!

3 Quite a late walk today up and around Wheal Uny. It was very pleasing that it was still light at 5.30pm

: Wheal Uny, Carn Brea behind

: Wheal Uny

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 21, 2012 in Uncategorized

Tags: Carn Brea, flowers, Iris Reticulata, marmalade, Wheal Uny

Humanist Wedding, Cornish Daffodils and Today’s Batch of Marmalade

20 Jan

1 Had my first meeting with a delightful couple today planning their Humanist Wedding for May. Lots of lovely ideas and a really productive meeting.

2 Driving down towards Penzance I again saw fields of daffodils – so glorious and on Wednesday I bought lots from the Hayle area while in Truro and now they are all open.

Daffodils 20:1:2012

3 The first two batches of marmalade are made! It takes a while and some effort but the pleasure from seeing all the jars of deep orange marmalade and of knowing how it will be relished more than make up for that!

: Chopping the simmered oranges

: Boiling the marmalade

: 10lbs of marmalade

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 20, 2012 in Cornwall, flowers, Food, Humanist ceremony, nature, Weddings

Tags: daffodils, Humanist Wedding, marmalade, penzance, Truro

Singing with the Suitcases, Marmalade Marathon and Redruth Bookgroup

19 Jan

1 Another fabulous session with The Suitcases and Claire Ingleheart. Today both Choir-babies and our toddler were there. It really is very special to sing, “Keep you in Peace’ with a baby in your arms gazing up at you! Thanks to Larissa for sharing Tristan. If you’d like to read the words of this beautiful song, they are below.

2 I bought the Seville Oranges for this year’s marmalade marathon. Mr S loves his marmalade and I like to make enough for him and to give away to friends. (I prefer Ginger Marmalade!)

Seville Oranges

3 It was our monthly reading group meeting at our local library this afternoon. We had very interesting discussions about the two books we’ve read since November -‘Purple Hibiscus’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche (Brilliant but not an easy read, set in Nigeria) and ‘Brixton Beach’ by Roma Tearne, a beautifully written and powerful story, set in Sri Lanka and London. Both, we all agreed, certainly worth reading.

Keep You In Peace – Sarah Morgan

Chorus:

Warm be the sun that shines upon you

Soft be the winds as they breathe on you

Smooth be the roads that rise before you

Keep you in peace ‘til we meet again.

Verse:

May you have shelter in storm to hide you

May you have stars in the night to guide you

May you have ever a friend beside you

Keep you in peace ‘til we meet again.

Chorus

Verse:

May you not lack for good bread to feed you

May you not lack for good hope to speed you

And, for your singing a heart to heed you

Keep you in peace till we meet again.

Chorus

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 19, 2012 in baking, books, Food, home, I've read, music, singing, Uncategorized

Tags: Brixton Beach, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, Choir-babies, Claire Ingleheart, cooking, marmalade, Mr Smith, purple hibiscus, reading group, roma tearne, seville oranges, singing, Suitcases

Winning Photographs, Photography Course at Lanhydrock and Chocolate Avocado Torte!

18 Jan

1 I mentioned before on our visit to the Natural History Museum, 13th Jan, that the photos were inspiring! Here are just three of them. If you get the chance to go, take it!

: Boy meets nature Alexander Badyaev

: Tiny warm-up Cyril Ruoso

: Polar power Joe Bunni

2 I’ve booked myself onto a Photography Course at Lanhydrock at the end of February and am very excited about learning how to take better photographs.

3 Sue, Mr S’s cousin made a wonderful Chocolate Torte for the wake last week. She has sent me the recipe today and I’ll be trying it soon. It has avocados, cocoa and coconut oil with a pecan and date base – no butter, no cream, no biscuits and it’s just amazing! I don’t know how many calories it’ll have!!

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 18, 2012 in Uncategorized

Tags: avocado, chocolate torte, coconut oil, Lanhydrock, Natural History Museum, photographs, photography course

Flat Lode Trail, First Snowdrops and Last of our Leeks

17 Jan

1 A lovely walk today in winter sunshine up and around behind our house on the Flat Lode Trail – views of the sea, a beautifully mossy tree, bright yellow gorse and lots of time to talk.

: The Atlantic from The Flat Lode Trail

: Mossy tree

: Gorse

: Our first snowdrops

2 Mr S spotted our first snowdrops on his way to dig up …….

3 ……. our last leeks. Tonight we’ll have them in a creamy white sauce with our Sweet Potato and Chestnut Roast.

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 17, 2012 in Uncategorized

Tags: Flat Lode Trail, snowdrops, Sweet Potato and Chestnut Roast., winter sunshine, yellow gorse

Piano Practice, Toreador’s Song and Singing ‘La Serena’

16 Jan

1 Having been away for 5 days I’ve been missing my piano practice. Today I did an hour, getting to grips with my three First Grade pieces and really feeling good about it.

2 I heard Bizet’s Toreador’s Song from Carmen on the radio and it brought my lovely Dad straight into the kitchen. Dad was always whistling or singing and this was one he really enjoyed – and so did I.

3 I’ve been singing tonight with the Inglehearts. We went back to an old favourite tonight, La Serena, a beautiful haunting song with only two harmonies but spine chilling nevertheless, which we are going to sing in Truro Cathedral in our concert in February.

Evening sunshine on Truro rooftops

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 16, 2012 in Uncategorized

Tags: Bizet, Carmen, Dad, Inglehearts, La Serena, piano, piano practice, rooftops, Toreador's Song, Truro Cathedral

Extended Train Journey, Frozen Meals and Benedict Cumberbatch

15 Jan

1 We love the 5 and a1/2 hour train journey home from London through some beautiful countryside though today the journey was extended to nearly 7 hours, lots of time to read and read!

2 We were able to have a delicious casserole of chicken and lentils thanks to the family not eating one of my holiday cook-up meals so, despite being so late we were well fed ……..

3 …….. and just in time to see the last part of Sherlock. Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock is a delight and Moriarty played by Andrew Scott, so delightfully menacing.

Andrew Scott / Moriarty

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 15, 2012 in Uncategorized

Tags: Andrew Scott, Benedict Cumberbatch, countryside, London, Moriarty., Sherlock, train

Grandbaby Cuddles, Winter Sun and Banana Cake

14 Jan

1 Having two Grandbabies cuddle up in bed in the morning.

2 Walking in the winter sunshine with a sleeping Grandbaby in the pushchair.

3 Baking a banana cake with Jake, 3 years old. He loves baking and is an expert at cracking eggs and at ‘testing’ the mixture at all stages. He’s been well taught by KJ!

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 14, 2012 in Uncategorized

Tags: baking, banana cake, grandbabies, KJ, winter sun

Brother-in-Law, Photographs and the British Library

13 Jan

1 We spent the day with P, my favourite brother-in-law, who was over from Poland for yesterday’s funeral. We see him so infrequently; it was lovely to be able to have the day together.

2 The Natural History Museum has an exhibition of photographs. What a fabulous and inspiring collection! I’ll post some photos when we get home.I want a really good camera and some lessons in how to make really good photos.

Gargoyle on The Natural History Museum

3 Our next visit was to the British Library. I love that place! We saw the Dickens exhibition, the Ritblat collection and it gave me such a thrill to know that every one of Dad’s books is in there. It is Dad’s birthday today so it seem most appropriate to be thinking of him and his writing today.

4 Cherry blossom, the Natural History Museum building itself, the busker in the tunnel from the tube to the museum, coming home to the delightful Grandbabies – all in all brilliant day.

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Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 13, 2012 in Uncategorized

Tags: books, brother-in-law, cherry blossom, Dad, grandbabies, Natural History Museum, Poland, writing

A Funeral, Cousins and Driving in London

12 Jan

1 The eulogy given by Susan at the funeral of Mr S’s Aunt Edith was very touching and reminded us all of the lovely Aunt and Great Aunt she was, of her sense of humour and her keen interest in all that we all got up to.

2 Despite the occasion it was lovely to see all the cousins, to catch up on all the news and to agree that we must meet together each year and not wait for another funeral.

3 Driving back from Cranleigh the sky was crisscrossed with vapour trails which turned pink as the sun set, never seen anything quite like it before.