The Suitcase Singers, with whom I sing every week in Penryn, were invited to sing at a wonderful Wedding today. Our singing was all a surprise for the Bride! It was a fabulous occasion and greatly appreciated which was lovely.
Their Wedding Cake was a wonder to behold – a cake made of cheese!
Cheese cake for the wedding
Waiting to sing for the Bride. Thanks to Anne for the photo.
The rain fell but it marred nothing. The view is still lovely even in Cornish rain.
The view from The Ferryboat Inn across The Helford River
Driving into Truro this afternoon, we followed a van the rear of which which made me smile.
Ducks
Driving home, the grey sky was suddenly lit in such a way that we seemed to be looking through some torn holes to see the silver lining.
Silver holes in the sky
I was given this poem yesterday and it delighted me both as an eater of Blackberries and a bit of a wordsmith.
Blackberry Eating – Galway Kinnell
I love to go out in late September among the fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries to eat blackberries for breakfast, the stalks very prickly, a penalty they earn for knowing the black art of blackberry-making; and as I stand among them lifting the stalks to my mouth, the ripest berries fall almost unbidden to my tongue, as words sometimes do, certain peculiar words like strengths or squinched, many-lettered, one-syllabled lumps, which I squeeze, squinch open, and splurge well in the silent, startled, icy, black language of blackberry-eating in late September.
I started and ended the day singing with friends and what more could one ask for? Firstly we were in Penryn for our weekly rehearsal. The tide was in and the water very still with just an occasional breeze rippling the water.
The Penryn River this morning.
Because we had a gig in Truro this evening, the lovely Mr Smith and I headed straight to the city and had a lovely lunch followed by a happy and relaxed afternoon shopping.
Lunch in the cake at Uneeka
Half way down the stairs in Uneeka where we had a delicious lunch
Beautiful windows in Uneeka
This feather floated down in front of me and landed on the pavement at my feet.
Shoes I fell in love with today. They didn’t have my size. I may have to go back and order them……
The evening ended with us all singing two of Claire’s song for the Hall for Cornwall and then to the Ale House for a very successful Shout.
On 19th September, our American friends and we were treated to an historical tour of St Day. Part of our walk was to the old Church of St Day and even inside as our historian friend from the village had acquired the key! Inside the Church was a statue that I found very moving. I loved the delicacy of and the expression on her face, the care with which the folds of her dress and waves of her hair were recreated in stone and I looked at her for some time before reading the engraving beneath and discovering that she had died at only eighteen.
I loved this statue to commemorate Mary inside the old Church in St Day
Today Lesley has shared with me the research she has just completed into Mary’s short life. As she said, have your tissues ready. Click on the red link to read the story, Monument to a lost bride
Remembering Mary
I had a lovely time singing with friends this afternoon. As I parked and began to walk down the lane, a conker fell on my head!
On my own for lunch today I decided to have Eggs Florentine using spinach from Sue next-door’s allotment and a fresh egg laid by chickens belonging to friends and it was delicious! The lovely Mr S is not a fan of spinach.
Egg Florentine
Sue also gave us some courgettes so this afternoon I made Courgette and Lemon Drizzle Cake, a recipe I’ve been meaning to try for some time. It tastes delicious though the texture is a little odd – best served as a dessert with some cream, I think.
Courgette Lemon Cake ready for the drizzle
In today’s beautiful sunshine, I planted up two containers with layers of bulbs for the Spring.
The roses that the lovely Mr S bought for 8th September have all gone now but interestingly their scent has grown as the blooms have faded.
Last rose
I took a Lemon Cheesecake to a neighbours for a Wine and Shine shared lunch party today but forgot to take a photo! It was a lovely afternoon and the sun did shine for much of the afternoon and some brave souls went in the pool.
I thought you might like to see one of my favourite paintings, this one by Sasha Harding whose work I love. It is a delightful reminder of rock pool dipping in the summer. Our nets are all away in the shed awaiting the return of some LiveWires at half term.
I don’t know what these berries are that are in our front garden but I love the colour.
What are these berries?
We went for lunch and a walk today at Godrevy where the beach was beautiful as always.
St Ives across the bay
Godrevy Lighthouse
The view from The Rockpool where we had a very good lunch.
It was our lovely neighbour’s birthday a couple of weeks ago and tonight was the first opportunity to have her round for a birthday dinner. I made a Blackberry and Apple Swiss Roll for her birthday cake. It tasted wonderful!
Swiss roll all rolled up and ready to load with home made jam and cream
It’s been a blowy wet day for the Autumn Equinox and the BBC have kept us entertained with Autumn poems at various time of the day.
I am not a dog lover but three dogs have won me over. Yesterday it was Thyme, a gentle and very sweet Greyhound, today it was Hector, a very lovely Spaniel in the Osteopath’s office and Kaja, a Golden Labrador, is a long time favourite.
Hector
This morning Radio 4 played Christina Rosetti’s poem, Who Has Seen the Wind? talking about the beauty of that which we cannot see:
Who Has Seen the Wind?
Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you:
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I:
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by.
I learned this by heart as a child but didn’t then understand what it was all about. It was lovely to hear it again this morning.
Happy singing round the world today on World Peace Day
Lunch was an omelette using leftovers from the weekend (Toulouse sausage, chicken, potatoes and freshly chopped chives from the herb garden) and it was delicious.
Left-overs omelette
A very short walk in the sunshine this afternoon to attempt to wake up my exhausted bones just tired me further but we did see this beautiful Butterfly, a Small Tortoiseshell. Click on any photo to see the beautiful furriness of this gorgeous creature.
Small Tortoiseshell
Small Tortoiseshell
Small Tortoiseshell
Yesterday I posted a recording of one of the songs that my choir will be singing this evening at the Concert for Peace in Truro. Here it is again. Do have a listen!