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Monthly Archives: November 2017

Transparent Water

We have seen Seckou Keita in concert before but tonight at AMATA, the Academy of Music and Theatre Arts in Penryn, the concert was outstanding. SeckouĀ  was playing with Omar Sosa on piano and Gustave Ovalles on percussion and the whole audience loved it all. Their new collaborative cd is called Transparent Water and that was what we heard live tonight – fabulous!

Poster

A gallery of the evening is not enough. You need to catch them on tour if you can. Our son has known Seckou for many years and learnt both to play the Kora and to make them with Seckou who was delighted to hear that D is now a father of twins! Click on any photo for more detail.

 
 

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Penryn, Trimmings and A Poem

Singing in Penryn was busy today. We are getting to grips with a very beautiful and haunting piece called, “When the Winter Melts” composed by a local musician, Jim Carey. It is hard to learn but as the four harmonies come together, it is giving us the shivers, it is so lovely.

Penryn

Sometime in the early Spring, I must have left my very special scarf somewhere. It was made for me about fifteen years ago, by Daughter No3, in the Suffragette colours of purple, white and green and until I wanted to wear it a week ago, I was unaware that I had lost it and I feel very sad about it.Ā  For the last week I have been knittingĀ  to replace it (though in fact, of course, it cannot truly be replaced)Ā  I keep hoping that if I make a new one, it will turn up, the way things sometimes do…….Ā  Today, I have been sewing in the ends where each stripe starts and this is the little pile of trimmings left over.Ā  I will show you the scarf when it is finished.

Purple, white and green

I hope you enjoy today’s poem by Kenneth Koch, both a love song and a delight to any lover of language.

Permanently – Kenneth Koch

OneĀ dayĀ the Nouns were clustered in the street.
An adjective walked by, with her dark beauty.
The Nouns were struck, moved, changed.
The nextĀ dayĀ aĀ Verb drove up, and created the Sentence.

Each Sentence says one thing – for example,

“Although it wasĀ aĀ dark rainyĀ dayĀ when the Adjective walked by,
I shall remember the pure and sweet expression on her face
until theĀ dayĀ I perish from the green, effective earth.”

Or, “Will you please close the window, Andrew?”

Or, for example, “Thank you, the pink pot of flowers on
the window sill has changed color recently toĀ aĀ light
yellow, due to the heat from the boiler factory which
exists nearby.”

In the springtime the Sentences and the Nouns lay silently on the grass.
AĀ lonely Conjunction here and there would call, “And! But!”
But the Adjective did not emerge.

As the adjective is lost in the sentence,
So I am lost in your eyes, ears, nose, and throat –
You have enchanted me withĀ aĀ single kiss
Which can never be undone
Until the destruction of language.

 

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Singing, A Bird and A Horse at Sunset

After singing in the hall for Cornwall this morning we did half an hour busking outside Ā and enjoyed the apricity (another lovely word recently learned and meaning the warmth of the sun in winter.) The sculpture in the background isĀ The Naked Drummer, a bronze sculpture by Tim ShawĀ which was unveiled in 2011 by Queen drummer Roger Taylor, who was educated at Truro School.

The Ingleheart Singers with The Suitcase Singers on Lemon Quay

Which Bird?

A sunset walk on the cliff tops above Wheal Coates this evening brought beautiful golden light and a horse and rider galloping by.

Wheal Coates

Galloping by

 

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Disaster, Delight and Penzance Doors

Some time ago, in April, I saw a delightful tea set in a local antique shop and returned a few days later to buy it. We have used the tea pot every day since and the other pieces whenever folk come in for tea. Disaster struck a few days ago when I knocked the spout on the tap……….Ā  It is now on a high shelf among my other tea pots and where the damage cannot be seen.

To my delight today, I found a fabulous replacement, full of colour and joy!

New tea pot

Three front doors appealed to me today as we walked around Penzance. I loved the door knocker on one and the colours, flowers and bunting on the others.

Yellow door

Delightful door knocker

Keep calm, go to the beach

Just past those houses, the bell tower with St Michael’s Mount behind came into view, the sun glinting on one of the windows.

Bell tower and St Michael’s Mount

 

 

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Azalea, Kindness and John Agard

The shocking pink of an Azalea caught my eye on my way up from town.

Pink Azalea

At singing tonight, I loved the display in the corridor of the Primary School.

Kindness

In honour of the rainbow I saw the other day, a delightful poem by John Agard for you. Read it out loud to yourself to get the full effect.

 

 

RAINBOW

When you see

de rainbow

you know

God know

wha he doing –

one big smile

across the sky –

I tell you

God got style

the man got style

~

When you see

raincloud pass

and de rainbow

make a show

I tell you

is God doing

limbo

the man doing

limbo

~

But sometimes

you know

when I see

de rainbow

so full of glow

& curving

like she bearing child

I does want know

if God

ain’t a woman

~

If that is so

The woman got style

man she got style

6th anniversary of writing my blog

 
 

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Gyllyngvase on Sunday afternoon

There was a brisk North wind today so we chose the South coast for our walk and it was remarkably peaceful.

Towards Pendennis Castle

Newly painted bench along Cliff Road

Out to sea, the view from the bench

Seed heads

Towards Gylly Beach

Long shadows

 

St Michael’s Mount, Rainbow and Tonight’s Murmuration

Our walk was from Marazion towards Penzance today with the aim of being back by Marazion Marsh to witness the murmuration at dusk this evening. The clouds were beautiful, a rainbow appeared in part and disappeared almost as quickly and then the Starlings started arriving in small murmurations building to thousands upon thousands. It is hard to capture the magic, the thrill for you but here is a short video to give you a flavour.

St Michael’s Mount

Rainbow over Marazion

Murmuration arriving

 

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Welly Dogs, Strange Tree and A Gift Card

Our delightful Tinners’ Hounds by David Kemp, known locally as the Welly DogsĀ  have been given poppies.

Tinners’ Hounds

One of our neighbours has made what I am calling their Sea side tree, covered as it is with shells, fishing floats and nets, pebbles, rope, flippers and goggles!

Sea side tree

Our Christmas cards have arrived today and along with each pack comes a free gift card. I particularly like this one in purple, white and green. For the last few years we have bought our cards from Sreepur Village. The cards are handcrafted by the women of the village and are a vital supplement to very basic family budgets and all proceeds from the sale go back to the village. You can find out more at www.sreepurcards.org

Sreepur gift card

 
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Posted by on November 3, 2017 in art, Beauty, Cornwall, Photography, Redruth, sculpture

 

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Stamens, Evening Sky and Charred Wood

The Tibouchina is still beautiful with no petals!

Tibouchina stamens

This evening’s sky was a pretty one.

Evening sky

Burnt stumps in the fire pit at the Eco Park

 

 
 

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Porthtowan Eco Park, Truro and Darwin

Fabulous Sing for Your Heart, Sing for Your Soul session today followed by brunch in La Cantina and a walk around the grounds where we came upon three children making beautiful woven willow and flower head dresses. Thanks J for the lift and your lovely company.Ā  After brunch, the lovely Mr S and I went to Truro and followed a car with the Darwin fish on the back.

 
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Posted by on November 1, 2017 in art, Beauty, community, Photography, postaday2017

 

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