1 Three choir-babies with us today. It is such a joy to be watching these little people growing up.
Choir baby T, walking and really confident. Says Hiya!
Choir baby E, has her first shoes and walks with help
Our newest choir-baby
2 Two of our choir members keep chickens and regularly bring their delicious eggs to sell. Only 5 in the box this week as one poor chicken has met a sad demise courtesy of the local fox. I made us a beautifully golden frittata for lunch and it was scrumptious served with some salad.
1 The Cornish daffodils I bought the other day have opened and look just beautiful in the sunshine.
Cornish daffodils
2 I had a special request from KJ for a new scarf for J as the one I made before Christmas has gone missing. I used up the wool that I made his sister’s Cat Hat and Cowl from and knitted all last night and this afternoon and got it to the post just in time!
New scarf for J
3 We went to the Maritime Museum for a fabulous talk this evening given by Roz Savage about her exploits rowing solo across the oceans. Falmouth Harbour was looking particularly beautiful in the just-dark of the evening.
Boats in the harbour
Reflections in the harbour
P.S. I was challenged by Yvonne to use all the favourite words I was given the other day to write a post containing all the words. I can manage a paragraph!
Heffalump was very happy that he had finally reached the attic uttering, ” Fabbydabbydozy” as he entered the enormous well-lit space and started exploring. He was happily fishing around in the ubiquitous clutter, when he found himself suddenly defenestrated. Somewhat discombobulated and out of breath, he looked around to assess the sorry situation. Serendipity! He had landed, rather fragrantly, in the honeysuckle and shaken but unharmed, declared,”Alleluia! Now, how to achieve anabasis?”
1 Having done the RSPB Big Birdwatch at the weekend in the gales and had very few to record, today the goldfinches turned up in crowds. At one point there were ten!
Goldfinches, not the best photo but taken from indoors from about 15 metres away
2 The snowdrops are just delightful and withstanding the gales as they do.
Snowdrops with raindrops
3 The house is full of the smell of the new season’s marmalade bubbling away – so lovely and, very special as every year it brings my Dad into the kitchen as it was he who always made the marmalade when we were kids. He used to make a special little pot for me without any peel! This batch is Seville Orange with Red Grapefruit and the colour is very beautiful.
1 We awoke to the most beautiful dawn sky, red and deep orange becoming violet, mauve and amber and eventually blue with pinky-peachy clouds. Sadly the old words were right and that beautiful red sky was indeed a warning for the rest of the day.
Dawn over our back garden
Dawn and our Headless Ghost
2 In the lovely Lemon Street Gallery in Truro was a fabulous sculpture looking not unlike a Grandfather clock but full of intrigue. I was encouraged to open the doors, ring the bells, swing the pendulum, discover the secrets behind the doors. If only I could afford to buy this most beautiful and imaginative piece by Baz Roscoe and Sans Robinson. Do read the information too – such thought and love have gone into this remarkable structure. I love it! Here you can see the artists talking about their piece.
In the Rain the Old Path Becomes a New Stream
Sculpture
‘In the Rain the Old Path Becomes a New Stream’ information
3 I came home to find some photos in my dropbox from my Dear Sister in Hawaii. I give you two of her photos and invite you to read her lyrical words that follow. Beautiful indeed.
Volcano erupting into the sea
Dawn with the lava and ocean
“I’ve been with the elemental nature of the Earth in such a dramatic, yet personal way. The hike out is intense. For one, it is dark and two you are hiking over lava (not the hot, red stuff!) for about three miles. Lava comes in all shapes and forms and you have to be VERY careful. The lava can be fragile, or it can be very solid – you don’t know and so each step is taken with great care and respect for the land. Often there are large cracks, but I have learned that if you keep moving forward and step over them, the land will support you on the other side. And then – after an hour and a half of preparation through this hike – it suddenly gets hot – blasts of heat rise up from the ground and as you look down – there are hot spots. Not flowing lava yet, but you know it is flowing under where you are walking – and don’t forget, some of the lava is fragile, so you take each step with even greater care and connectivity to the land.
And then! – I cannot express the awe of watching the elements in their raw expression of power and beauty. We spent about two hours out there, through the dark until after dawn, with the changing light and complete, awe-inspiring power. The lava would continually find new paths, blasting out of the cliff face, creating new fiery rivers and pools as it made its way towards the ocean where it was greeted by a force we are all familiar with. The ensuing connection between the two elements of fire and water produced huge billowing clouds of steam which rose up the cliff face – being pushed by the wind – sometimes into your face where it stung your eyes and filled your lungs with an unfamiliar breath. Leaning on a huge lava rock, I realized my back was getting warmer and warmer. My support, though firm lava, still had the warmth of the running lava inside it. The connection of fire and waves were creating new land, in the form of black sand – a beach was instantly being formed at the base of the cliff through the combination of forces. The elements fire, water, earth and air all in their most passionate expressions.
And then – the hike back – new land under foot. How beautiful this lava is – bejeweled with gold, silver, platinum and electric blue. In shapes and colors now visible in light of the new day. Shaped in ropes and strings and flows – you can see how it flowed, how it formed this land which I am so blessed to call home.”
1 This first item is inspired by LouAnn. She has invited all her readers to tell her their favourite words and I’d like to invite you to do the same. Mine are serendipity,discombobulated and heffalump. Do please tell me yours!
2 The other day I saw a wonderful pattern for a hat and cowl set by The Velvet Acorn. I bought it online and started knitting!
Knitting pattern for The Caitlynn Cat Set
I’ve been knitting off and on since and have finished it today. I am delighted with it and can’t wait to see T wearing it. Those of you who follow my blog will know that T, our 22 month old Grandbaby, loves hats. She is still wearing her Christmas tree hat! Hope she loves this set as much as I do!
Cat Hat and Cowl for T, made with love
3 I fell in love the first time we went to America – with Kokopelli! He is a mythical figure whose images date back over 3,000 years ago, when the first petroglyphs were carved. He is a sacred figure to many Southwestern Native Americans. Carvings of this hunch-backed flute-playing figure have been found painted and carved into rock walls and boulders throughout the Southwest. We saw his likeness on a wonderful ancient rock and bought this piece of stone from a North American Indian who was sitting at the side of the road painting. Kokopelli is seen as a source of music making and dancing, and spreads joy to those around him. I’m sure you can understand why I love him and why we have a good number of images in our home, including on our doorbell to welcome all those who come to our door.
1 A beautiful sunny day today gave us a new shadow, this time of our little replica of a funny little wren from a stained glass window in York Minster. It dates from the 15th Century and can be found in the Zouche Chapel.
Shadow of the little wren
Replica stained glass
2 Yesterday’s WordPress writing prompt invited the writing of one’s own eulogy. That reminded me of something I used to work on with my 13 year old pupils as the last chapter of their autobiography. I invited them to write a pastiche of the following poem, ‘Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep’ changing the items to reflect their own personality. There were so many amazing and moving poems from them. My pastiche follows the original. You may like to write your own and put it as a comment. I’d really love to read yours.
‘Do Not Stand’ by Mary Frye
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die
.‘Do not Stand’ by MBT
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am primroses in the sun,
I am the waves that run and run,
I am seagulls on the wing,
I am in choruses that sing.
When you awaken in the dead of night
I am in stars that bring you light
Of peace and love and life and hope.
I am the bubbles in your soap.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.
3 In my role as a Humanist celebrant, I met with a lovely couple today and we began to plan their Wedding Ceremony for the end of May. It’s such a delightful, happy job to have!
1 The purple and white pansies in my Suffragette garden are doing their best in the bitter cold.
Winter pansy
2 L is visiting D in Barcelona and we Skyped with them both at lunchtime. We don’t often see our twins together so that was lovely.
3 Performed at a fundraiser tonight with one of my choirs,(The Ingleheart Singers), one from Penzance (The Blazing Heart Chorus) and one from Lostwithiel (Lost in Song) It was in aid of Marie Curie nurses and just over £1000 was raised which is brilliant. It was a real treat to hear the other choirs and to have such an appreciative audience.
1 I’ve been admiring these magnificent masts for the last few weeks of singing by The Penryn River and was pleased both sailing boats were still there today.
Beautiful wood on this mast
Rigging and mast
2 This sign in Redruth this afternoon amused me.
Do they work magic on their clients?
Cross Street, the alley where the barbers are
3 In this reflection in our lovely park sign, I’m wearing my purple, white and green scarf made by one of my lovely daughters, in honour of the Suffragettes.
1 A lovely cold bright day so we went to St Ives on the train – a stunning coastal train journey which is a favourite of ours. The sun went in as we started the 9 minute ride but St Ives is beautiful in any light.
First view of St Ives from the train
2 As we were walking into the town we came across a delightful flock of little Turnstones who were remarkably unafraid.
Flock of Turnstones
Turnstone
3 St Ives is full of little alleys and byways – utterly charming. It’s where we had our honeymoon many years ago.
To The Keep
To Trecara
Blue Mist
Another alleyway
St Ives
St Ives’ Lighthouse
Porthminster Beach from the station as we’re waiting for the train
1 I just want to say how much I loved teaching and teaching peace is surely the most important thing we could all do…….
2 This is a delightful combination of colour, music and creativity. (Photo not mine, sent to me via Fb.)
Rainbow notes in crochet
Creating makes me happy, be it cooking a meal for family or friends, knitting or sewing clothes for little people, writings of various sorts, designing in the garden, playing music …….
3 These are the powder colours which I bought from a beautiful girl in Varanasi, India, on our way back from watching the sun rise over The Ganges. She made lovely patterns on my hand with them before we negotiated a price and she told me how she was selling things to raise money for her school books. She then walked beside me protecting me from the traffic (cows, cars, Tuktuks, scooters, coaches and cycle rickshaws) until we reached our bus. A beautiful memory.
