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Monthly Archives: November 2016

Anemones, Teddies and Truro Cathedral

We went to see some very special old family friends today, old in both senses – they are in their 90’s and I have known them since I was about 7 years old.  There weren’t  enough blooms in our garden to make up the little bouquet that we usually take when we visit so we bought some beautiful locally grown Anemones, knowing that they were my Mum’s favourites but not realising they were M’s too. Both she and C were delighted with the pretty bunch and recalled how C’s Father used to grow them on his farm in Townsend  and that they both used to sit at the kitchen table bunching them up for selling. M showed us a beautiful cross stitch of Anemones that she made many years ago.

M knits Teddies for Tragedies, lovely creatures collected locally and sent around the world , “Healing and comforting children, one teddy at a time.” How beautiful is that? The lovely M insisted on giving us two of her teddies to take to Barcelona with us when we go soon to help when the expected Grand baby twins arrive.

The view of Truro Cathedral caught in sunlight, below, is the one we used to see from Mum and Dad’s place, just near where C and M live. As you can imagine, it is a most evocative view for all the family, all over the world as they are.

 
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Posted by on November 30, 2016 in Beauty, Children, Cornwall, friendship, knitting

 

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Calvin and Hobbes, Wheelbarrow and Roots

I was looking for a birthday card in the store in Mum’s bureau today and came across this that I had cut out of the paper aeons ago. I love it!dscn8999

We have a new wheelbarrow!
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I have brought the Hyacinths out of the fuse cupboard as they have brilliant root growth, mostly. Now in the light, the tops should develop and I should have Hyacinth flowers for my birthday, New Year’s Eve.dscn8998

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2016 in Beauty, haiku, nature, Photography, Postaday 2016

 

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 Yellow, Kindness and A Moody Sky

On the allotments yesterday I found a yellow flower, bright in the gloom.

I’ve been busy most of the day finishing off knitting for the Grandbabies, sewing in ends and sewing on buttons so haven’t been out far. Inspired by Don, here is a moody sky that I took from the train window on the way home last week.

Above all, be kind. We don’t always know what those around us are truly feeling, what their day has been like or if they are hurting behind their smiles and their saying, “I’m fine.”

 
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Posted by on November 28, 2016 in art, Beauty, Kindness

 

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A Day at Coach Lane Allotments …..

….. learning how to make Bio Char – just a few photos from the day.A ballerina scarecrow.Some beautiful Rainbow Chard.The delicious shared lunch of Roasted Spaghetti Squash Soup in the community shed, The Green Shed.Getting the fire raging.

 
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Posted by on November 27, 2016 in Beauty, community, environment, Happiness

 

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A Wedding, A Parade and the Clock Tower 

I was the Celebrant for the loveliest Humanist Wedding Ceremony today. I just love how personal and special these ceremonies are. With their permission, here are the beautiful and very happy Bride and her Husband.My choirs, The Inglehearts and The Suitcases,  sang for the Christmas lights switch on in Redruth this evening. The parade of all the local schools with their lanterns was delightful and the singing, of course, very well received! I love it when the audience also join in, especially with the much loved Cornish carols written by Thomas Merritt.Waiting for my lift after the event, the following caught my eye.It looked like eyes and golden hair. In fact, it is two faces of the town clock and the lit up underside of the viaduct.

 
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Posted by on November 26, 2016 in Beauty, Celebration, Happiness

 

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Reflection and John Ruskin

A quiet day today and I caught the reflection of the trees outside in a still life by Ben Jones.

John Ruskin’s words sum up my blog:

I know well that happiness is in little things.

 
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Posted by on November 25, 2016 in Beauty, Happiness

 

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Sticky Pictures, Cranberries and Thanksgiving

Coming away from singing this morning, the playgroup on the ground floor had delightful toddler art work drying on the washing line.It’s Thanksgiving in America today and to feel closer to all our American family and friends we cook a Thanksgiving dinner – but not quite the real thing! This is the Cranberry sauce being made, fresh cranberries with a cinnamon stick, some soft brown sugar and a good slug of brandy.We didn’t cook a whole turkey, just a turkey breast and we didn’t cook as many vegetables as our lovely brother and Sister-in-law, just Maple glazed carrots, sprouts with shallots, chestnuts and crispy bacon, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, the cranberry sauce and delicious onion stuffing or dressing as my SIL calls it – and all with the best turkey gravy! It was a fabulous meal and it makes us very happy to be ‘sharing’ this celebration with those we love across the pond.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers.

 
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Posted by on November 24, 2016 in art, Beauty, Celebration, Food, Happiness

 

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Makers Shop, Puffing Devil and City of Lights

I discovered a wonderful shop in Hayle today, especially for people like me who love to make. The sign outside first caught my eye, then the shop itself and inside was a treasure trove with rainbows of colour everywhere. I shall be back.



I was lucky today to see a working replica of Trevithick’s Puffing Devil.It was Truro’s City of Lights celebration tonight and the lanterns were better than ever. The theme was story characters. I wonder how many you recognise.

 
 

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Breakfast, Redruth 1890 and Now and Stained Glass

A delicious breakfast this morning consisted of eggy bread with blueberries, toasted almonds and creme fraiche with maple syrup for the lovely  Mr S and with ginger syrup for me.We were in town this evening and photographed this street painting of Redruth in 1890 and took almost the same shot this evening. You can see the clock tower in both photos.

The lights were on in a house on our road this evening highlighting a stained glass window that I have  not noticed before.

 
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Posted by on November 22, 2016 in art, Beauty, Food, History

 

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Crab Apples, Translucence and Generosity 

There is a pretty cluster of little apples on our Malus Evereste this year.The Agapanthus leaves are rotting down and have become golden and translucent.At choir tonight lots of people had brought soft toys, colouring books, felt pens and crayons for ‘Bags of Love’, a local charity collecting for children in war torn Syria. 

Below is the information we were given. Isn’t this a beautifully simple and lovely thing to do for these children.

“BAGS OF LOVE APPEAL

The hospitals in Syria in the aftermath of an airstrike are chaotic and incredibly busy. Due to the lack of staff, when children are brought in, there is no provision for a quiet space and rarely anyone with the time to comfort them.

The doctors have asked that we launch an appeal to fill bags with things that will keep the children distracted and maybe offer them some comfort. We are ordering 1000 white drawstring/duffle bags printed with the Bags of Love logo and we need donations to help us fill them.

Ideally we would like each bag to have:

 1. A cuddly toy, no bigger than 10″ – doesn’t have to be new as long as it is clean and undamaged

2. A pack of felt tips or pencil crayons (with a sharpener) and a pad

 3. An outdoor toy such as a tennis ball, skipping rope, yoyo etc

 4. A packet of sweets- HALAL suitable – please make sure they have no gelatine in them.

 5. A picture drawn by the child that has filled it, a note telling those children that we care, we think of them and we are reaching out to them ❤️ (this is really important as we can buy other bits but not this!)

 Anything else that you think would bring a bit of joy feel free to add in.”
 

 

 
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Posted by on November 21, 2016 in Beauty, charity, community, garden

 

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