We went to The Square at Porthleven to collect our “cook-at-home” meal for tonight – Pate, Confit Duck and Sticky Ginger Pud with Chantilly Cream. We were there around 4pm and so enjoyed seeing the crashing waves, the cold water swimmers, the surfers and the sunset. Then we came home and fixed our dinner following the instructions given to us. Enjoy the gallery.
Dinner was divine! Every course was delicious and full of flavour. We didn’t want our meal to end!
If you think the first and last courses look a bit small, bear in mind that we shared them, all three courses being too much for us!
My poet friend, Kim, posted this evocative poem today and has given me permission to share it with you, dear Readers. I remember that longing for the Cornish sea when we lived far away from home. Also, the last verse rings particularly true as today I walked by the sea with a lovely friend where I felt, ‘Blessed by the sea and its motion,’ as well as by the warmth of a special friendship.
Godrevy Lighthouse
As we left the allotment this afternoon, the sky was peachy and beautiful.
Forgive me for mentioning Christmas so early but we made a rare visit to Camborne today and the tree was going up, a lovely big pine. The thing that really caught me attention though was the Christmas bench which I found quite delightful.
An old bloke in the square called out to me, “‘Ee’s not real, my lover! The real one ‘ll be along dreckly!”
Although we need to have deliveries in lockdown, we want to cut big supermarkets out as much as possible so when our local Greengrocer, The Grow Box, first expanded their range, then added a butchery department, we decided to give them a go. Wow! We are not disappointed! Easy to get a slot for delivery and a lovely chap at the door with paper bags full of fresh stuff for the next week. Just look – and almost all local, Cornish produce – eggs, milk, sausages, leeks and carrots, broccoli and a courgette. Only the fruit will have traveled far.
We have spent several hours at the allotment today and have nearly cleared the patch outside the fruit cage – very satisfying! Even better, was being brought a beautiful Savoy cabbage by fellow allotmenteers to welcome us into the community – how very lovely and we’ve had some of it tonight with our Cornish sausages.
Yesterday, I made some family fudge from my Granny’s recipe. Today, there was a comment from my cousin in Australia as follows:
“I remember this fudge well! It appears in my mother’s recipe book as ‘Mima’s Fudge’ and was a special treat during my childhood. I now have the urge to make a batch!”
That absolutely delighted me! I will post the recipe soon but be warned, it is very wicked indeed!
A damp morning gave us webs, a walk through town showed another lamp-post mask and the walk home, a Hydrangea flower that’d been dropped and now looks beautiful in a piece of Mum’s green glass.
We decided that our walk today need to be by the sea but when we got there the sun had gone in, the wind was wild and cold and damp, the sea was grey and we didn’t stay long.
Along the path to the beach is a very pleasing timeline of protest. Today I give you the first few….
I subscribe to Poem-a-Day and today this beautiful lullaby arrived in my inbox. Many of the poems that arrive are not in the public domain and are still in copyright so I can’t share them with you but this one is available so here you are. I think it’s very lovely.
A Mojave Lullaby by Bertrand N. O. Walker
Sleep, my little man-child, Dream-time to you has come.In the closely matted branches Of the mesquite tree, The mother-bird has nestled Her little ones; see From the ghost-hills of your fathers, Purpling shadows eastward crawl, While beyond the western sky-tints pale As twilight spreads its pall.
The eastern hills are lighted, See their sharp peaks burn and glow, With the colors the Great Sky-Chief Gave your father for his bow. Hush my man-child; be not frighted, ‘Tis the father’s step draws nigh. O’er the trail along the river, Where the arrow-weeds reach high Above his dark head, see He parts them with his strong hands, As he steps forth into view. He is coming home to mother, Home to mother and to you.
Sleep my little man-child, Daylight has gone. There’s no twitter in the branches, Dream-time has come.
This poem is in the public domain. Published in Poem-a-Day on November 15, 2020, by the Academy of American Poets.
These are the words of our Mayor, Deborah Reeve -“Probably one of the most surreal experiences of the last 3 years. On Redruth Station at 5.00am to lay a wreath on the Poppy Train during a pandemic.” How lovely that GWR are collecting poppies from lots of stations in Cornwall to take up to London for Armistice Day.
Here’s a Poppy from our garden and a white Poppy for Peace to mark the day.
A beautiful card arrived today from a very lovely and dear friend, expressing her concern about my ankles – a typically kind and lovely thing to do. Thank you, T.
I was weeding the wild garlic from our front garden this morning when I was surprised and delighted to see some Daffodil shoots, hope for a bright Spring right there in front of me and then, I found three more!
My walk today took me past our Plain an Gwarry, a small amphitheatre, used for small productions in better times. The name derives from Cornish plen an gwari (meaning “playing place”), an open-air performance area used historically for entertainment and instruction.
A lovely friend sends photos of her walks each day and today found this amazing toadstool, which another of our friends says is a Parasol Mushroom. J described it as being, ” Beautiful! Massive toadstool! Looked almost carved out of wood!” I would love to find a perfect specimen like this one.
Parasol Mushroom, thanks J for permission to use your photo.
Simon Reeve’s programme about Cornwall was on last night. It is brilliant. In his own inimitable style, it shows the Duchy, beauty and warts and all and is a very important programme that should be seen widely. I hope you can get it through the red link.
