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Monthly Archives: December 2017

Winter Solstice, Dusk and Neil Gaiman

To celebrate the Winter Solstice we have had a spiral of candles lit today.

This evening, at astronomical dusk, we were in The Writers’ Block at Cornwall College, to be a part of the “wave of words across the UK.” The event, DUSK, part of the Solstice Shorts Festival, was one of 12 around the country starting at 17.07 in Ellon and ours, the last one starting at 17.40. There were stories, songs and poetry on the theme of dusk at dusk and it was brilliant! The creative space was a delight to be in and among the inspiring quotations on the walls was this one from Neil Gaiman which rang so true for us both.

Happy Winter solstice to all my readers. May the increasing light bring you peace and joy in the coming year.

1 Comment

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 21, 2017 in Beauty

Tags: postaday2017, solstice shorts festival, The writers' block

Pallets, Hebe and A Primrose

20 Dec

What an original way to reuse old pallets! I was delivering Christmas cards in the neighbourhood and came upon this beauty!

Recycled pallet tree

There was a really heavy mist today, so much so that Carn Brea couldn’t be seen, never mind the monument or castle. However, that meant that there were mist drops aplenty for the photographing! First, there is the Hebe, covered in purple flowers and with some droplet covered stamens where the flowers have finished.

Hebe with mist droplets

Next a beautiful Primrose flower…………

Primrose in December, in D’s garden

2 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 20, 2017 in art, Beauty, Christmas, nature, postaday2017

Tags: mist droplets, raindrops

Nativity Scene on a Beach

19 Dec

Rock stack by Juan Cisneros

Isn’t this delightful – and very clever! I’m not sure where it is.

P.S.
A Blogger friend, Nancy, has given me a link to Juan Cisneros who made this. Do look it up – he is fascinating. She also told me that it can be found on Ventura Beach, California. Thank you very much, Nancy.

5 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 19, 2017 in art, Beauty, Christmas, environment, postaday2017, sculpture, Uncategorized

Sunset

18 Dec

First photo driving home from Truro and catching the view of Carn Brea from Station Hill, Redruth, just as the sun slipped below the horizon, on a long zoom:

Carn Brea at sunset

Then as the sky turned pink, from the back bedroom window:

Tonight’s sunset

8 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 18, 2017 in Beauty, Carn Brea, Cornwall, environment, nature, Photography, postaday2017

Tags: carn brea castle, The Bassett Monument

Decorating, A Pie and A Poem

17 Dec

We’ve had a lovely day catching up, as we have been away, on decorating for Christmas, starting with the tree and later baking mince pies.

Our birch tree

My fairy near the top of the tree

Later I used the leftovers trimmings to top a pie for our supper.

Chicken and mushroom pie

A favourite poem popped into my head this afternoon – He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven by W. B. Yeats. I have loved it for many years and I hope you like it too.

HAD I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

4 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 17, 2017 in baking, Beauty, Christmas decorations, Photography, poetry, postaday2017

Tags: He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven, W B Yeats

Stained Glass Christmas Decoration Workshop

16 Dec

Months ago I put my name on a waiting list for any one of the Stained Glass Christmas Decoration workshops at The Craft Collective in Redruth and had forgotten all about it until I had a phone call this morning saying there was a place for me! Just look what I made! I am so delighted with my quirky Suffragette Angel!

My Suffragette Angel, about 12 cms tall

We had a brilliant teacher, Lisa Macfarlane, who taught us all the techniques and encouraged us all to make our individual Christmas decorations. I’ll be looking out for another course to develop these new skills.

All the decorations made today

8 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 16, 2017 in art, Beauty, Christmas, Christmas decorations, community, glass, Photography, postaday2017, Redruth

Tags: Lisa Macfarlane, the craft collective

Pylons, Sunset and The Copse

15 Dec

Today we drove home and once again on this journey from London to Cornwall through the English countryside, I was struck by the electricity pylons “striding” across the fields and reminded of this poem by Stanley Snaith in 1933 when these things were new in the landscape.

Over the tree’d upland evenly striding,
One after one they lift their serious shapes
That ring with light. The statement of their steel
Contradicts nature’s softer architecture.
Earth will not accept them as it accepts
A wall, a plough, a church so coloured of earth
It might be some experiment of the soil’s.
Yet are they outposts of the trekking future.
Into the thatch-hung consciousness of hamlets
They blaze new thoughts, new habits.
Traditions
Are being trod down like flowers dropped by children.
Already that farm boy striding and throwing seed
In the shoulder-hinged half-circle Millet knew,
Looks grey with antiquity as his dead forbears,
A half familiar figure out of the Georgics,
Unheeded by these new-world, rational towers.

Stanley Snaith, “Pylons,” in The Silver Scythe (London: Blythenhale Press, 1933)

Pylons in the landscape

Driving West we are often lucky enough to catch a lovely sunset.

Sunset

Everyone coming home to Cornwall along the A30 knows that they are almost home when they see this copse at Cookworthy Knapp, a few miles before the Cornish border.

Cookworthy Knapp

My photos were all taken with my phone today, from the moving car.

2 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 15, 2017 in Beauty, Cornwall, environment, Happiness, nature, poetry, postaday2017

Tags: A30 landmark, “Pylons, ” in The Silver Scythe, Cookworthy Knapp, Stanley Snaith

Infant Nativity, Boulangerie and Snow Dog

14 Dec

Such a treat this morning as we went to the LiveWires’ school to see T in her Nativity play, ‘Prickly Hay’ a truly entertaining take on the old story with music, dance and humour.Understandably, no photos allowed.

When we picked the pair up from school this evening, we took them to our favourite cafe, Boulangerie Joie de Vie, where we able to treat them to fabulous French pastries and their favourite drinks.

When we arrived home, I still had to finish off Snowdog so that we can leave him here, wrapped up for LiveWire 4 who will be here for Christmas. T wanted to help so help she did, sewing on the mittens and advising me, along with J as to where the mouth should be. So, he is now wrapped and will probably become a she as soon as B receives him as all her soft toys are female. I made T a Snowdog four years ago and she has been delighted to help create one for her younger cousin.

8 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 14, 2017 in Beauty, Christmas, Grandchildren, Happiness, knitting

Tags: postaday2017

Christmas at Kew

13 Dec

We have just spent a delightful if very wet evening in Kew Gardens on the Christmas light trail. It was spectacular and if you get the chance to go, then do!

While these lights were playing, a choir was singing Carol of the Bells, a wonderful Ukrainian Carol that my choirs sing. We love it and it was very special to hear it tonight.

The children loved that they could see Stickman reflected in one of the puddles.

5 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 13, 2017 in Beauty, Christmas, Christmas decorations

Tags: Kew gardens, postaday2017

Benches, Rock Steady and Angels

12 Dec

Both LiveWires were playing in the end of term Rock Steady concert this morning so after taking them to school and admiring the benches in the yard we went into the hall to hear five different rock bands! It was great fun but I can’t show you photos of the children in the band. J was on the keyboard and T on the drums!

I especially loved the display of angels with the faces of some of the children and wish I’d thought of that in my early career when I taught in Plover Primary School.