We popped into town today and passed some lovely Pussy Willows for sale, such pretty buds and flowers. I wish we had room for one in our garden.
The tulips are flowering – rather early I think.
This sign amused me and I need to remember its advice.
Monthly Archives: March 2020
Pussy Willow, Spring Flowers and A Sign
New Glass, Woodland and A Vegan Supper
Just in case we have to self-isolate at some stage, I have today stocked up on some beautiful glass so that I can spend my days playing and creating. Added to my golds and yellows, greens and blues, and the remaining Victorian pieces, there is scope for all sorts of creativity!
We passed by a little woodland on our way to buy glass and were able to stop to photograph the Narcissi and the Celandines.
Woodland
Narcissi
Celandines
Supper tonight was a delicious vegan meal – Spinach, Coconut, Tomato and Brown Rice – the recipe for which was in last Sunday’s Observer. Here is Nigel Slater’s recipe if you would like to try it too.The coconutty sauce was scrumptious as was the rice flavoured with cardomon, clove and peppercorns.
Egg Rack and Maya Angelou
We have no eggs but I do love the shadows cast by the light through the holes in the egg rack as it awaits refill. The beautiful glass chicken looks somewhat bereft.
Good words from Maya Angelou, as always..
I had to miss choir tonight as I have sneezy sniffles and don’t want to share them. Missed the session. 🙁
A Wren, A Poem and International Women’s Day
For the last few days I have been watching a tiny wren in our garden. Today I managed to get a photo, albeit a bit smudgy taken through the window and of a fast moving little creature.
I have another poem for you from Kim Ridgeon whose work I love.
It is International Women’s Day and I send good wishes to women everywhere.
A Birthday, St Piran’s Parade and Chapel Porth
Daughter No 1 is with us for her birthday which is lovely. We have had a splendid day enjoying first the Redruth St Piran’s parade,
The poster
A very busy Fore Street and the Town Clock
In the Buttermarket
Newly re-pointed and looking good
Carrying daffodils
A giant daffodil
Cornish musicians
School makes
Dancers
Photo by M
then a trip to Chapel Porth for a walk up to Wheal Coates and lunch at the Beach Cafe (their Croque Monsieurs are truly scrumptious!) The wind was so wild with gusts of 30-40mph that I abandoned the cliff top walk and left the other two to it! They did return! One of her siblings and family had rung to sing Happy Birthday just as they reached Wheal Coates.
They did come back over the hill
Then we called in at Kresen Kernow to show M the wonderful new/old building
A Cornish chough engraved on the doors of Kresen Kernow
and have just finished our Birthday dinner of Confit Duck with Blackberry sauce followed by Chocolate Torte. Another sibling and family rang while we were cooking dinner. Happiness all round!
Kresen Kernow Tour
Kresen Kernow is Cornwall’s brand new, state-of-the-art archive centre. Constructed in the Brewhouse of the former Redruth Brewery, this beautiful building is a new public space for Cornwall, opened last September. As well as 1.5 million records covering 850 years of history, Kresen Kernow has bright and airy research rooms, and has made magical use of the original architecture of the brewery.
We were shown around the public areas and the, usually private, strong rooms and it was fascinating. Our guide was brilliant with lots of knowledge bringing local history alive. They plan on having every book written in Cornwall, about Cornwall or by Cornish authors and my Dad’s work is there! They don’t have every one of his books and said they would certainly welcome the copies that they are missing. We plan on donating all the missing copies.
Join us on this brief tour. They run regular tours so if you get the chance, go along. It is the most amazing resource for us all to enjoy.
Wall hanging
Lovely pictorial
Open and airy
looking up at the chimney
keeping the archway where the drays used to come through
A very old ledger from Holman’s
Detail from a document describing how Queen Elizabeth I, took lands from Catholics in Cornwall and gave it to Protestants
Part of the original chimney incorporated into a work room
using the old pillars from Redruth Brewery dating back to 1880
World Book Day, Bus Drivers and Narcissi
A lovely bookshop in Falmouth that we support posed the following question today, “If there was an adult world book day and you could go to work dressed as a book character, who would that be?”
I would be Pippi Longstocking. I loved her crazy adventures and even more, her red plaits! As a kid I really didn’t like my unruly curly hair (now I love it!) I wonder who you, Dear Readers, would dress up as……
I love the fact that Nottingham buses are giving free rides today if you show your book. Some of their drivers have dressed up as their favourite book character to raise money for When You Wish Upon a Star. What an example to all bus companies! If you use Facebook, here is the link to the story.
A flower from our garden for you – two garden sculptures in the background.
Grape Hyacinth, 100 Houses and Being Kind
We are back to wet days which means that I can catch photos of flowers with raindrops attached and about to fall, which I love, so here is one of our beautiful Grape Hyacinths with tremulous raindrops.
A local artist, Annelie Wood, has been going around our town, doing watercolours of 100 of our beautiful houses. She has given me permission to show you this lovely work.
The following little rhyme seems right for today. It has been attributed to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 – 1882), an American poet, best known, to me at least, for The Song of Hiawatha.
“Kind hearts are the gardens,Kind thoughts are the roots,Kind words are the flowers,Kind deeds are the fruits,Take care of your gardenAnd keep out the weeds,Fill it with sunshine,Kind words, and Kind deeds.”
Just be kind. Fill your world, and that of those around you, with sunshine.
Sunset, Garden Flowers and A Poem
Nearly sunset when I took this photo but then the clouds came in and there was no colour at all but I do like how this one worked.
The wind has beaten down several blooms but that is merely an opportunity to pick them and have them indoors.
We have had Spring-like sunshine and blue skies for four days, though accompanied by cold winds and I was reminded of Billy Collins’ poem, Today. We look forward to the properly warm Spring days with the ‘intermittent warm breezes’ that make us ‘want to throw open all the windows.’ I love the idea of releasing the little inhabitants of the snow domes!
Today
If ever there were a spring day so perfect,so uplifted by a warm intermittent breezethat it made you want to throwopen all the windows in the houseand unlatch the door to the canary’s cage,indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,a day when the cool brick pathsand the garden bursting with peoniesseemed so etched in sunlightthat you felt like takinga hammer to the glass paperweighton the living room end table,releasing the inhabitantsfrom their snow-covered cottageso they could walk out,holding hands and squintinginto this larger dome of blue and white,well, today is just that kind of day.
Mindful March, A Bouquet and Blue with Gold
I love the positivity of the Action for Happiness people!
Our friends who came for dinner last week brought us a beautiful bouquet which is still looking fresh and lovely.
Following the suggestion for March 2nd above, I have been outside and seen beautiful things – here, Gorse in flower against a truly blue sky.
