The sea at the opening of the harbour at Portreath, Cornwall on a calm July day and, when both the weather and the season have changed, in February.
Monthly Archives: April 2013
Spring Yellow, Blue and Cream
Despite the grey day, our Spring flowers continue to bloom and deliver their beauty where it matters most.
Pale yellow primroses
Bi-colour Muscari
Tubs on the steps
Creamy tulips
Embroidery Transfers, E Nesbit’s Words and Baby Hat
1   Those of you who often read here will know that I have inherited lots of family treasures. Today I went to my sewing things to find a transfer for embroidery. These were bought by my Mum when I was 5 years old and  many of my little dresses had lovely embroideries or smocking on them. I remember the ironing on process and being taught some of the stitches.  I needed the transfer to embroider the little hat I’m making for our newest Grandbaby.
The leaflet that came with the transfers
Some of the designs
Helpful information with the transfers
The transfer I chose
2  I heard a few of E Nesbit’s words about flowers on the radio this morning and was very taken with them so I went to look them up – as you do – and discovered that they came from her book ‘The Story of the Amulet’  The children in the story have travelled into a Utopian London of the future and discover that all ‘tiny children’ learn these verses.  Find out more here.
‘I must not steal and I must learn,
Nothing is mine that I do not earn.
I must try in work and play
To make things beautiful every day.
I must be kind to everyone,
And never let cruel things be done.
‘I must not litter the beautiful street
With bits of paper or things to eat.
I must not pick the public flowers,
They are not MINE, but they are OURS.’
3   I finished the hat this afternoon and am pleased with how it has turned out. It is to match the Hungry Caterpillar pram blanket which I finished last week. Thank you to Angel for the pattern.
Baby hat
Swiss Roll, Lemons and Family Togetherness
1  I needed to keep myself busy today so, the weather being unfit for a good stomp, baking was the answer.  I decided to make a Swiss Roll and the lovely Mr S requested Lemon Curd Swiss Roll where I prefer raspberry.  We had run out of Lemon Curd so I started by making a batch of that and then made a twin flavoured Swiss Roll!
Just made Lemon Curd
Swiss roll before rolling
A slice of each for our lovely neighbours
2 Â The lemon wedges and the fresh bay leaves for tonight’s roast chicken looked beautiful together.
Lemon wedges and bay leaves for the roast chicken
3   We Skyped with D in Barcelona to bring him and his Senegalese wife up to date with regard to the newest member of our family. He taught us the following expression in Warlof which means We’re all in this together / Family support is all around you, which is so lovely  – Nyo far.
PS Â Thank you to so many of you who have sent love and support for us and Grandbaby B.
Rock Pool Treasures, Bluebells and A Cloudy Sky
1   Solace to be found in a walk by the sea was needed this afternoon and Falmouth was the place. Crunching through the shingle, listening to the susurration of the waves, breathing in the sea air and investigating the rock pools combined to be balm for the soul.  Click on any photo for an enlargement.
Red seaweed
Beautiful striata in the rocks
Seaweed and sea snails in a rock pool
Heart shaped stone in the sand
Limpet
Seaweed
Stone sculpture
Bright yellow sea snail in a rock pool
Anenemone waving in the wind disturbed rock pool
Delicate pink seaweed
2 Â Â The bluebells are beginning to come into bloom and are quite beautiful.
Bluebells
3 Â The sky became overcast and quite moody, then as we were leaving I spotted this sign inside the street seller’s stall.
Dark and moody sky
Sign that made me smile
For those of you following for some time, you’ll know that we  have been expecting our next Grandbaby. She arrived on Wednesday evening but is very poorly indeed. Finding beautiful things has always been part of my coping strategy from the time when we ourselves had a desperately ill baby needing three operations on his heart (he survived), the loss of dear ones including my beloved Mum and Dad and my friend of 30 years, Kath, to whom this blog is dedicated and whenever extra strength is needed.  Somehow, I will continue to find the strength, the beauty and hope.   Forgive me if I don’t get around to reading and commenting for a while.
Clock, Three Wise Monkeys and Hungry Caterpillar
1  When I was doing the aforementioned Spring cleaning yesterday, I polished up this very old and lovely clock of my Granny’s. It just sits on the shelf in the kitchen stuck at 7.20. But, a beautiful thing happened yesterday. I tried winding it and reset the hands and it is working again!   It’s been going for 24 hours and is still ticking!
Granny’s clock
2 Â The miniature daffodils in my Wise Monkey planter are blooming even though crows and sparrows alike are stealing the coconut liner material for their nests!
Tete a Tete in my Monkey Planter
3  I have finished the yards of blanket stitch around the Hungry Caterpillar pram blanket. I am very pleased with it.Â
Finished off
Made with love especially for you
Weekly Photo Challenge – Colour in Nepal and India
India and Nepal are the most colourful places I’ve ever visited. The women in their beautiful saris, the houses, the buses, the shops and stalls – everything! I took my most colourful clothes with me but I felt quite drab – until I was dressed in a sari!
On the lake at Pokhara
Beautiful shop
Flowers for the festival
Festival shrine in Sarnath
‘ Nice’ bus in Napal
Bookshop in Varanasi
Proud and beautiful Mum in Sarnath
Fruit stall
Colourful house and washing in Nepal
Leaving the Taj Mahal
Colour in Sarnath
Pea stall in Varanasi
Me in a sari
Through a Wet Window, A Sand-dollar and Sakura
1 Â Â We have rain today and our Spring flowers, Miniature Daffodils and Grape Hyacinths, look beautiful through the rainy window pane.
Tete a Tete through a rainy window
2   Doing a bit of Spring cleaning today, I came upon this lovely little sand-dollar on a top shelf. It’s over 30 years since our first visit to America to see my brother and we discovered the delicacy of sand-dollars on the beach near Savannah.
Savannah Sand Dollar, only 3 cms across
3 Â Our perpetual travel diary tells us that today is when the Japanese celebrate their spectacular Cherry Blossom, Sakura. Â Â A bit of research shows me that the cherry blossom season last for some weeks but I wanted to share the beautiful poem that is on our calendar today.
From the deep hearts’ core
Of the spring serenity,
Splendid, resplendent,
A perfume has arisen –
The mountain cherry blossoms!
 Kamo no Mabuchi, poet
24 April 1697 – 27 November 1769
Wishing all my Japanese readers a beautiful and sensuous Cherry Blossom season.
Narcissus, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Redwings
1  I just love the delicacy in the middle of this Narcissus which I didn’t even notice until I took out one dying flower for the compost.
Delicate Narcissus
Dying Narcissus
2 Â We saw lots of these Redwings in a field as we walked up to collect the car this afternoon. Not the best photo but I was on maximum zoom and have cropped further to identify the birds.
Redwings – Turdus Iliacus
Redwing
3 Â Making tonight’s delicious tea of Mushroom and Halloumi Stuffed Peppers (recipe to follow), I was struck by how glossy and lovely the sun-dried tomatoes were.
Beautiful sun-dried tomatoes
