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Monthly Archives: March 2015

Derry Temple, KniTZTanzania and Quinoa Salad

1 A most beautiful thing has been happening in Derry, Northern Ireland. A wonderfully intricate 75′ timber Temple has been created by the renowned American artist, David Best, whose creations are set alight during Nevada’s annual Burning Man festival. The remarkable structure was made by Catholics and Protestants working together in peace to honour those who died in the Troubles and was set alight last night.
Do watch the remarkably moving video. I promise you, the time will be worth it. Please, let me know what you think. It moved me to tears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe8gvbAitfU The link seems not to be working for everyone. If you find that, please copy and paste to try

2 Sometime ago a friend sent me a pattern for a tiny jumper for a new-born and a Beanie hat to match. The charity who were collecting to send these where they were needed has closed but I have found another, KnitzTanzania who replied to me yesterday to say a consignment is just about to leave so if I post tomorrow my little outfits tomorrow, they will go to help save the lives of new-borns in Tanzania where Hypothermia can seriously damage the health of premature and newborn babies in the Tanzanian Highlands. If any of you would like to join me I can post the pattern in my Recipe pages! They are very easy and quick to knit. I made the multi-coloured one with the present of some wool from Larissa when I was recuperating.

Thank you, Larissa for the wool!

Jumper and beanie hat for a new-born

3 I was reminded about quinoa by Marilyn the other day and decided to make us a delicious salad for lunch today. I served it with a delicious honey, mustard and soy dressing.

Quinoa salad and dressing

I love this intricate detail from the Temple. Namaste, my dear Readers.

Detail from the temple in Derry

17 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 22, 2015 in architecture, art, Beauty, charity, Food, knitting, Peace, photography, Postaday 2015, sculpture

Tags: David Best, Derry Temple, KnitzTanzania, Nevada's annual Burning Man festival

Coat of Arms, Four Flowers and Being Real

21 Mar

1 A friend sent me this, thinking it would suit me . It does! This is Terry Pratchett’s design of a Coat of Arms for Knitters which I would like to adopt!

https://mybeautfulthings.com/2015/03/21/weekly-photo-challenge-fresh-2/

Stop talking, I am counting!

2 There are just four white carnations left from the enormous bunch the lovely Mr S gave me over three weeks ago and I have put them into these delightful bottles, a Christmas present from Daughter no 1.

Carnations like my Bridal bouquet many, many years ago!

3 The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams was a favourite of Daughter no 2 when she was very young. Now both her children have much loved ‘friends’ who have become Real. I love this extract.

from The Velveteen Rabbit

10 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 21, 2015 in art, Beauty, books, flowers, photography, Postaday 2015, quotations

Tags: carnations, Coat of Arms, favete linguis ego numero, Margery Williams, Terry Pratchett, The Velveteen Rabbit

Weekly Photo Challenge – Fresh

21 Mar

This is the freshest brand new Lupin leaf emerging and covered in early morning and very fresh dew. The photo was taken yesterday in the half-light of the partial eclipse. Click and zoom in to see the wonderful dew-drops. For other photos in this Challenge, click here.

New baby Lupin leaf

Close up

17 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 21, 2015 in Beauty, environment, nature, photography, Postaday 2015, Weekly photo challenge

Tags: dew drops, lupin leaf, Weekly Photo Challenge: Fresh

Happiness, Horses and Eclipse

20 Mar

What a magical start to the International Day of Happiness!

We and our neighbours went out to watch the partial eclipse of the sun and it was just amazing. The horses were intrigued by what was going on and we felt so lucky that the clouds and the haze had cleared and gave us such an experience. B&S had x-ray film and we had a pin-hole piece of card, a colander and a sheet of white paper as advised last night by the lovely Professor Brian Cox and Dara O’Briain on Stargazing Live last night. Buzz Aldrin was with them and was a delight to listen to. Alex Autin, this post is for you. I wonder if you will be able to find the programme on BBC2.
Thanks to Sue for some of the photos. Click on any photo for detail and the caption.

Eclipse happening thanks to Sue

Inquisitive horse by Sue

Early image

Through the colander, Sue’s hands

Moon shaped sun by Sue

Colander eclipse

Image through the pin-hole

Horses this morning Sue’s photo

Beautiful eclipse,photo by Sue

Eclipse through the colander

How to be happy!

11 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 20, 2015 in Beauty, environment, friendship, Happiness, nature, photography, Postaday 2015

Tags: colander, Dara O'Briain, Eclipse of the sun, International Day of Happiness, partial eclipse, pin-hole camera, Professor Brian Cox, Stargazing Live

Weekly Photo Challenge – Wall 3 -Walled Garden

19 Mar

I visited whichwaynow from a link on the Challenge page (do have a look, lots of fabulous photos) where the blogger has posted a fabulous wall of flowers. In the ensuing conversation, I spoke about our last house where we had a walled garden which we loved. The walls were clothed with greenery and colour, we had hanging baskets and looking back at the photos, I decided on a third ‘Wall’ post of photos taken in 2006 /7. Click on any photo for the caption and more detail.

Clematis Montana white and a touch of yellow Winter Jasmine

View of the garden from upstairs

Clematis among (forgotten the name of this -anyone?)

View along one wall

Another hanging basket

Sweet Peas

Cornish fuchsia, grown from a cutting from Mum’s garden in Cusgarne

The start of training an apple tree on the south facing wall

Jasmine

Clematis Montana Rubens

Day Lilies and Clematis

Clematis

The retaining wall garden

Hanging basket

It was a very small town garden but we both loved it! Perhaps you can tell! To see others in this Challenge, click here.

11 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 19, 2015 in Beauty, environment, flowers, garden, Happiness, nature, photography, Postaday 2015, Weekly photo challenge

Tags: small town garden, walled garden, Weekly Photo Challenge - Wall

Gyllyngdune Gardens, Gylly Beach and New Knitting

19 Mar

1 Today after a wonderful singing session, we went for a walk along Cliff Road to Gyllyndune Gardens where there were many treasures to be found. Daffodils, Primroses and a few blue hyacinths lined the paths and on the side of the quarry garden were perched some tiny little houses – very quaint and charming. For the first time I noticed a fountain made of copper shells and the Mesembryanthemum were just stunning in the sunshine.

Tiny houses

Flower lined path

Copper fountain

Mesembryanthemum

2 The Osteospermum on the cliff side overlooking Gylly Beach were glowing in the sunshine.

Osteospermum lining the cliff to the beach

Osteospermum

3 The project that I started in the beautiful Mandarin cotton and silk mix was a disaster! I was attempting a pattern using the wrong yarn and yesterday, I pulled it all out, went to my favourite wool shop and bought a pattern to suit the yarn – a much better idea. Now, in due course Grandbaby B will be getting a pretty cardigan!

Sleeve started

4 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 19, 2015 in Beauty, Cornwall, environment, Falmouth, garden, knitting, nature, photography, Postaday 2015

Tags: Copper fountain, Gyllyngdune Gardens, Osteospermum

Felting Fun, Fresh Eggs and A Cornish Hedge

18 Mar

1 Last week I taught my lovely friend how to embroider and this week she has taught me how to felt a picture and what a delightful morning we had! I took with me a photo of one of our favourite places, Porthcurno Beach, and learned how to build up the felting to create the picture.

Porthcurno taken from The Minack Theatre

I still have to add some embroidery, but for a first attempt, I am really pleased and so was my teacher!

My first attempt at felting

2 Their hens are laying again so I came away with a half dozen beautiful eggs, two of which, the big blue ones, we had poached on Bubble and Squeak for our supper – delicious!

New laid eggs

Bubble and Squeak with a fresh poached egg

3 Driving home up the lanes, I was able to stop to take a photo of this gorgeous Cornish hedge. I love Primroses!

Primroses in the hedge

16 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 18, 2015 in Beauty, craft, environment, felting, Food, friendship, nature, photography, Porthcurno, Postaday 2015

Tags: Cornish hedge, primroses in Cornish hedges

New Growth, Purple and Yellow

17 Mar

Our Christmas Cactus, which I have learned today is a Schlumbergera, is growing new leaves which are very delicate and pink. Walking up from town (hard work but rewarding! I made it!) the huge Magnolia at the bottom of the lane is just coming into flower.

New leaf on Schlumbergera

New buds on Magnolia

2 In the little herb wall, these crocuses are taking over from the purple and orange ones. I love the dusty pollen scattered inside.

Beautiful veining

3 The Tete-a-tete continue to flower – such a long and happy season. Here they are in tiers in our back garden.

Tiers of Tete-a-tete in our back garden

5 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 17, 2015 in Beauty, environment, flowers, nature, photography, Postaday 2015

Tags: Schlumbergera, Tete a Tete

Weekly Photo Challenge – Wall 2

17 Mar

The brief was for walls with messages, walls that tell stories. Enjoy working out the stories on these walls. Click on any one for detail.

In our kitchen

In a school playground

In Granollers, Catalonia

In Atlanta, Georgia

In Barcelona

There are lots of fascinating photos in the Challenge to be found here.

7 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 17, 2015 in art, Beauty, environment, mural, photography, Postaday 2015, travel, Weekly photo challenge

Tags: street art, Weekly Photo Challenge - Wall

Anna Atkins, Amigurumi Discworld and A Story

16 Mar

1 So many beautiful things have come my way today! Firstly there was the Google doodle which led me to discover all about Anna Atkins, an English botanist and photographer, whose 216th birthday is today! She is best known for her haunting photographs of British algae and the photos are very beautiful.She is often considered the first person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images. Some sources, Wikipedia claim that she was the first woman to create a photograph. You can find out more here too.

2 I’m sure that you are all aware of the passing of Terry Pratchett, the creator of so many wonderful fantasy novels. This amazing creation, by June Gilbank, came my way today. Isn’t it just wonderful? I have permission to post it here. Do click on the red link and read her tribute to Sir Terry.

June’s Crochet Discworld

I am very taken with the new word I have learned today – Amigurumi (編みぐるみ, lit. crocheted or knitted stuffed toy) is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. I am working on a knitted one at the moment which I will show you soon.

3 One of the projects I used to set my Year 7 pupils was to create a story book. I found one of these little treasures today and am still in touch with the writer who wrote this in in 1990 something. Lovely memories of happy days as a teacher!