Turning over our perpetual calendar this morning, I found these words by Jean Jaques Rousseau. If only all governments could live with this philosophy.
Our walk into town today took us past a neighbour’s garden where, for just a moment, we were fooled by this owl! 
There are some pretty shop windows in our small town, decorated for Christmas. Our optician’s window is always a treat. 
The shadow thrown by our much loved quirky sculpture, by Jeremy Beswick, is pleasing this morning.
Man with a Dog by Jeremy Beswick
I have had a lovely afternoon away from the hoolie blowing outside curled up with books. I finished the very entertaining read, The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett, this afternoon. What a delightful concept – our Queen Elizabeth discovers the City of Westminster Travelling Library in the grounds of Windsor Castle and she starts to borrow books recommended by the Librarian. Just as for the more common reader, reading can transform one’s life!
The Uncommon Reader
Paul, our friend who is doing a pilgrimage for Peace and Reconciliation, and is walking from Rome to Jerusalem spotted this charming piece of graffiti in Nicosia.
From Paul, Peace Walker
Last night’s party was enormous fun – all those big hearted people who have helped us out in one way or another over the past year who came for a Thanksgiving dinner and laughed all night!
Last night’s party food – there were desserts too!
This afternoon we went to support a young friend who had organised a pop-up exhibition in aid of the refugees in Lesvos and there was some amazing art for sale!
Ruby’s Pop Up Exhibition to raise money for the refugees in Lesvos
Tonight was the Switching on of the Lights in our town, Redruth, and the two choirs I sing with combined to sing Christmas Carols to the queue waiting to see Father Christmas, who was dressed in traditional green I was very pleased to see! The rain held off until the very end.It delighted me to see Father Christmas with his umbrella!
Father Christmas and his brolly!
We are very busy getting ready for our Thanksgiving party tonight. We have invited all our lovely friends and neighbours who have been so supportive and helped to keep my spirits up over the last year when I have had my two hip replacements. This is a big THANK YOU to them all.
Today I give you two shots of the pool at the B&B we stayed in in Hawaii last year, just some calm beauty on a wild November day.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in America!
It was lovely at singing this morning to see one of our growing-up Choir-babies knitting so carefully. It was a delight too to sing to her baby brother who found it very amusing and chuckled and chuckled in that fabulous way that only babies can.
Knitting
Newest Choir-baby smiling
Last night’s moon was big and beautiful. These photos were taken about 7pm and when I woke at 2am it was as daylight outside with the whole garden clearly visible in the bright moonlight.
Moon 25/11/15
Moon behind clouds
Big and bright
Going around the DIY store today, I liked how these pieces of wood looked so warm.
Blocks of wood
I’ve made the Corn Bread Dressing today and loved how yellow the little cubes are.
Corn bread cubes
I was reminded of this amazing wood pile today. What patience was needed to build this!
Owl wood pile
I’ve baked some Old Fashioned Cornbread from my American SIL’s recipe today so that I can use it in her recipe for stuffing (dressing as she calls it) for our Thanksgiving dinner which we will be doing on Friday.
Cornbread just out of the oven
November is properly with us. Yesterday we woke to a frost which was a big surprise after the warmth of the early part of the month. This poem by Theodore Roethke describes the cold and the coming of Winter perfectly though we are lucky here in England as the green stays with us throughout the year and we still have Fuchsia and Clematis in flower.
The Coming of The Cold – Theodore Roethke
The ribs of leaves lie in the dust,
The beak of frost has pecked the bough,
The briar bears its thorn, and drought
Has left its ravage on the field.
The season’s wreckage lies about,
Late autumn fruit is rotted now.
All shade is lean, the antic branch
Jerks skyward at the touch of wind,
Dense trees no longer hold the light,
The hedge and orchard grove are thinned.
The dank bark dries beneath the sun,
The last of harvesting is done.All things are brought to barn and fold.
The oak leaves strain to be unbound,
The sky turns dark, the year grows old,
The bud draw in before the cold.The small brook dies within its bed;
The stem that holds the bee is prone;
Old hedgerows keep the leaves; the phlox,
That late autumnal bloom, is dead.All summer green is now undone:
The hills are grey, the trees are bare,
The mould upon the branch is dry,
The fields are harsh and bare, the rocks
Gleam sharply on the narrow sight.
The land is desolate, the sun
No longer gilds the scene at noon;
Winds gather in the north and blow
Bleak clouds across the heavy sky,
And frost is marrow-cold, and soon
Winds bring a fine and bitter snow.
In flower still….
Fuchsia
The lichen on some logs waiting to be chopped for the fire is rather beautiful. Thanks, D, for pointing it out to me!
Logs and Lichen
The Winter Cherry is in flower already and is some pink loveliness on a grey afternoon.
Winter Cherry blossoms
Our kitchen light is here reflected in the screen of my iPad.
Reflection of our kitchen light
Ever since I was about 11, when my Mum bought me a beautiful box from an auction, I have collected other pretty boxes and although I have never been a smoker, I was fascinated when I first found these, one in a junk shop and the others at an Antiques fair. I love the mechanism and the way they deliver a cigarette to you. I just wish I could show you the levers and the craft work inside that makes them work.
A trio of cigarette boxes
The one where a Sailor delivers the cigarette
Lovely inlay outside and painting inside this roll top case
A metal one with two compartments and pretty enamelling on the outside
For others in this week’s Photo Challenge – Trio, please click here.
I love Winter dawns, not just because they are not too early in the morning but also because they are so beautiful.
Winter dawn
I have told you before about our friend Paul who is walking from Rome to Jerusalem on a Pilgrimage for Peace and Reconciliation. Today we received this email which I would like to pass on to you just in case you feel that you could visit his website and leave a message of peace, even support the charity that he is collecting for on his way, Children of Peace. I have put links at the end.
Hi All
Well it feels like this is the last part of the journey. I’m just about to get a ferry from Turkey to Cyprus and then in just over a week I hope to be going by boat from Limassol to Haifa. I’ll have roughly a month exploring Israel and Palestine, and spend Christmas there.
I won’t go in to great detail here other than to say that helping the refugees on Kastellorizo was a very moving and exhausting time but very worthwhile. When I left the island there were about 700 refugees, 250 local residents (and 250 military that took no part).
Please look in on my website, Facebook, Twitter and PLEASE leave your Message of Peace, and lastly please donate generously to the charity I’m supporting, Children of Peace. And, finally please pass this on to anyone you know that might be interested.
Love and Peace
Paul
Here are the links
http://www.peacewalk2015.com/messages/ to write your message of Peace,
http://www.peacewalk2015.com/route/ to follow Paul’s amazing journey,
https://www.justgiving.com/peacewalk2015/ if you feel able to contribute to the Charity, Children of Peace, which is a non-partisan children’s charity dedicated to building trust, friendship and reconciliation between Israeli and Palestinian children, aged 4 – 17, and their communities. Our aim is to develop a shared spirit via arts, education, health and sports programmes; so future generations might live and work peacefully side-by-side. We believe in working for peace. That’s why we don’t take sides.
And here is Paul
Our Friend, Paul
Commentator Award
