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Monthly Archives: March 2019

Lambs, A Bell and Dessert

Moments before I took this photo both lambs were lying in the warmth with their faces turned to the sun. They were enjoying the sunshine as much as we were!

Sunbathing lambs in the back field

Today the lovely Mr S put up a bell that our lovely neighbour gave us for Christmas. It is to call one of us in for tea or the like if  busy in the garden. Today we needed it and the beautiful tone carried right up the garden.

Bell

Yesterday evening was a Bring and Share supper and I made a recipe that I have been saving for the occasion having seen it in my new cookery book. Knowing that there would be a number of vegans in the group, I guessed it would go down well and it did. It was as delicious as it was pretty.  There were just two slices left for our supper tonight!

Chocolate and Raspberry Tart – Recipe from Lucy Watson

 

 

 

 

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Six on Saturday – End of March

We have had the loveliest week, bright sunshine in cerulean skies, warm in the sunshine but almost bitter in the shade. There was quite a frost on Thursday morning but the winds of last week have dropped and being outside has been a pleasure.

1.  It’s good to see our first Ladybird.

Ladybird on the Sage

2.  The Fritillaria in the small walled garden near the kitchen are the best they have ever been.

Fritillaria in the wall border

Looking inside the Fritillaria Meleagris

3.  We love Welly Dog who is revelling in the sunshine here. To be quite honest, he smiles whatever the weather! The Tulips are enjoying the sunshine too.

Tulips and the mown lawn

4.  I have planted some instant colour into the Suffragette Garden and am pleased with the result. They should go on flowering for a good time while we settle on the whole replanting scheme.

Suffragette Garden in purple, white and green

5.    There are lots of buds on the Clematis Montana. These are by the shed and are the nearest to flowering. They have a lovely scent too and are near one of our sitting areas where we can appreciate the perfumed air.

Buds on the Clematis Montana Elizabeth

6.  The Camassia are opening and should be quite stunning when they are all in flower. They are such a lovely colour and I love the streak of blue which runs up the petals.

Camassia

Go along to The Propagator’s blog to see more Six on Saturday. There are fascinating links to gardeners all over the world in the comments.

 

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Primrose Bank, Winter Tree and Tulips

What a beautiful bank of Spring flowers!

Bank of Primroses

I love winter trees where their structure can be seen so clearly and here, against a brilliantly blue sky.

Skeleton tree

Our Tulips have loved the sunshine, opening up fully to soak up the rays.

Tulips in the sunshine

 

A Gift, Supper and A Poem

Our lovely neighbour came home from an Artists’ Residence in Sri Lanka yesterday and brought me a gorgeous silk scarf in my favourite bright colours and covered in elephants which I love. The work she produced while away is both beautiful and moving. You can read about it here in her blog. Scroll down to the first one, Sura Medura,  to read in sequence.

Beautiful!

I bought a new cookery book last week, The Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer and we have already enjoyed two of the recipes. Tonight was both simple and tasty.

Rice with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Pancetta, Feta and Sunflower Seeds

Tonight on Radio 4’s 5pm programme  there was an article about how stressed people are becoming over Brexit. The whole thing has been a horror movie in our heads since the vote was for leave and it just gets worse as each day goes by.   Finding three beautiful things every day is part of my coping strategy, walking by the sea, being creative with my glass and singing with friends are others and this poem by Mary Oliver offers a walk among the trees “to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine.” It is a very lovely poem.

When I am among trees

 

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Poem, Door Hook and A Cartoon

The following tender poem and beautiful art work came my way the other day and I asked for permission to share it here. I love the idea of the “quilt of humanity” and that we all need to recycle, literally and metaphorically, to make our world a safer place to be.

Julia Myers poem with art by Gina Litherland

“The old threads are unraveling,

Get your needles ready.

We are stitching a new quilt

of humanity.

Bring your old t-shirts,

worn out jeans, scarves,

antique gowns, aprons,

old pockets of plenty

who have held Earth’s treasures,

stones, feathers, leaves,

love notes on paper.

Each stitch

A mindful meditation.

Each piece of material

A story.

The more color the better,

so call in the tribes.

Threads of browns, whites,

reds, oranges

Women from all nations

start stitching.

Let’s recycle the hate, the abuse,

the fear, the judgment.

Turn it over, wash it clean,

ring it out to dry.

It’s a revolution

of recycled wears.

Threads of greens, blues, purples

Colorful threads

of peace, kindness,

respect, compassion

are being stitched

from one continent to the next

over forests, oceans, mountains.

The work is hard

Your fingers may bleed.

But each cloth stitched together

Brings together a community.

A world, our future world

Under one colorful quilt.

The new quilt of humanity.”

~Julia Myers

One of our old and very lovely buildings, Redruth Drapery Stores on West End, has been bought and is being renovated to become a place for the community to celebrate the arts in all shapes and sizes. The door hook is either brand new or newly polished and it pleased me.

Shiny door hook

This cartoon, in The Guardian this morning, made me laugh. I, too, have been watching the petition numbers go up but not so obsessively I needed a bucket.

Clare in the Community

 

 
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Posted by on March 27, 2019 in art, Beauty, embroidery, Humour, Postaday 2019

 

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Rear Window Boxes, Dandelion and Carn Brea

I was pleased to see my favourite car parked along the road in Penryn as I walked to the hairdresser. I love these window boxes.

Spring flowers

What a lovely splash of gold among the heather.

Dandelion

The view of Carn Brea changes depending on the direction you are looking from. This was from Barncoose.

Carn Brea Castle and the Bassett Monument

 

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Pansies, Cafe and Crossing the Tamar

I love how lots of little plants survive in the most unexpected places. I spotted these pansies just after we had dropped the LiveWires at school this morning. We love these walks to school when a little hand slips into yours and wonderful conversations take place – this morning about how Harrods used to sell tigers! A long discussion ensued about whether it would be better to free them – but the city is not their habitat, what would they eat, where would they live?

Pansies grow in the most unexpected places

We always visit our favourite cafe, Joie de Vie, when we are in North Finchley and we take the LiveWires there after school for a special treat. This morning it was just coffee and delicious freshly-baked-on-the-premises Pain au Raisin for us two.

Our favourite cafe in North Finchley

Thence to Paddington to catch the train home……

Coming back over the Tamar

 

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Doors, Glass and A Bike Ride

We saw a couple of beautiful doors with stained glass on our walk to the park as LiveWire No 3 rode  ahead of us.

 

March for a People’s Vote

LiveWire No 2’s placard. So good to have him with us – three generations together.

Brownies handed around by lovely young woman on march

The March.Thanks to the unknown photographer

An amazing and exhausting day with over a million expressing their point of view and  so good to see.  It was brilliant to be a part of such a tremendous sharing of feeling and all so good tempered and friendly. The best sides of everyone came to the fore.  Let us now hope someone listens………

PS Just heard it was nearer TWO MILLION!  IT certainly felt like it.

 

 
 

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Sign, Pavement and Blossom

What a delightful way to show where the town’s library can be found!

Sign to the Library

Behind the sign the pavement is inlaid with  a design of birds and flowers.

Inlay on the pavement

On a street full of trees full of blossom, this one stood out as absolutely glorious.

White blossom