There are moments when we are singing in the Zed Shed in Penryn and looking out over the river, that life just feels so very good! I love the mass of masts and all the wriggly reflections.
Category Archives: Penryn
Singing, The River and Yachts
Colours, Car, Cat and Choice
By the time we had finished singing in Penryn this morning, the tide had gone right out so I was very glad that a fellow singer encouraged me to ‘Seize the moment!’ when I spotted this lovely colourful reflection.
As we were leaving our fabulous singing session, we were chatting at the junction when a window box went by, stopping long enough at the traffic lights for me to catch a picture. It was delightful to see the little dog in the window once I had uploaded the photo.
The lovely Mr S and I went back to Penryn this afternoon to take the cushions out of the boat for its winter storage. While in the boatyard, I met a ship’s cat, Pearl, just 15 weeks old, who has just learned how to go up and down the ladder.
A bonus for you! Today is National Poetry Day. The theme is choice and on the National Poetry Day website I found a poem by one of my favourite poets whose work I have shared here before. A short extract was read on the radio this morning and I was delighted to find it ‘with kind permission of the poet’ allowing it to be shared. The last few lines particularly resonated with me. Do click on the link – there are many more poems for you there.
Choice
by Imtiaz Dharker
i
I may raise my child in this man’s house
or that man’s love,
warm her on this one’s smile, wean
her to that one’s wit,
praise or blame at a chosen moment,
in a considered way, say
yes or no, true, false, tomorrow
not today. . .Finally, who will she be
when the choices are made,
when the choosers are dead,
and of the men I love, the teeth are left
chattering with me underground?
just the sum of me
and this or that
other?Who can she be but, helplessly,
herself?ii
Some day your head won’t find my lap
so easily. Trust is a habit you’ll soon break.Once, stroking a kitten’s head
through a haze of fur, I was afraid
of my own hand big and strong and quivering
with the urge to crush.
Here, in the neck’s strong curve, the cradling arm,
love leers close to violence.Your head too fragile, child,
under a mist of hair.
Home is this space in my lap, till the body reforms,
tissues stretch, flesh turns firm.
Your kitten-bones will harden,
grow away from me, till you and I are sure
we are both safe.iii
I spent years hiding from your face,
the weight of your arms, warmth
of your breath. Through feverish nights,
dreaming of you, the watchdogs of virtue
and obedience crouched on my chest. ‘Shake
them off,’ I told myself, and did. Wallowed
in small perversities, celebrated as they came
of age, matured to sins.I call this freedom now,
watch the word cavort luxuriously, strut
my independence across whole continents
of sheets. But turning from the grasp
of arms, the rasp of breath,
to look through darkened windows at the night,
Mother, I find you staring back at me.When did my body agree
to wear your face?© Imtiaz Dharker, from Postcards from god (Bloodaxe Books, 1997)
With kind permission of the poet
River, Bulbs and Pie
My choir is meeting again in the Zed Shed and once more we have the joy of the Penryn River as our backdrop as well as singing together, albeit in very small numbers. 
I love the hope intrinsic in planting bulbs now for the Spring. These are some that we are about to plant. We haven’t had either variety before so look forward to seeing these next March/April.. 
Tonight we have had Leftovers Pie – chicken bits from the roast earlier this week with two chopped up vegan sausages all in a sauce made by whizzing up leftover cauliflower cheese and all covered with a puff pastry lid that had been frozen since I last made pies. We served the pie with Runner Beans harvested this afternoon at the allotment. We treated ourselves last night to a special dinner at our local hotel, The Penventon, and tonight’s frugality made up for that!
Leftovers Pie
Yellow, Door Knocker and A Poem
The Kalettes are flowering and make a pretty vase-full. They taste good too if caught before the flowers open so that they are like Purple Sprouting Broccoli.
I spotted this delightful door knocker in Penryn the other day after leaving the optician. 
I love this poem. It sums up my blog for me – ordinary things being just perfect.
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Mosaic, Quilting and Angels
It was my day in the gallery today, surrounded by beautiful things. Click on any image to see more detail.
By Anne Butland
Quilt by Jan Thomas
Sea Urchin lamps by Jessica Pearson
Papier Mache Angels by Julie Howe – I love these quirky creatures.
Looking up the road towards the town
Rainbow, Front Door and A Poem
We drew the curtains to find a beautiful rainbow this morning. The house across the street must be full of the crock of gold as the rainbow ends in their chimney. It wasn’t until I put the photo on the computer that I saw the one red leaf left on the Copper Beech next door.
One Copper Beech leaf
Walking through Penryn this morning in driving rain, I had to stop with the camera under the umbrella to take this photo of a very attractive front door.
Red front door with an Autumn wreath
A poem about Autumn for you, one that was in a poetry book I had as a child, about nine years old, another that I liked to make up a tune for so that I could sing it to myself. Certainly today we have had ‘great gales incessant’ and the ‘golden leaves’ have been scattered far and wide.
Autumn by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Thou comest, Autumn, heralded by the rain,
With banners, by great gales incessant fanned,
Brighter than brightest silks of Samarcand,
And stately oxen harnessed to thy wain!
Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne,
Upon thy bridge of gold; thy royal hand
Outstretched with benedictions o’er the land,
Blessing the farms through all thy vast domain!
Thy shield is the red harvest moon, suspended
So long beneath the heaven’s o’erhanging eaves;
Thy steps are by the farmer’s prayers attended;
Like flames upon an altar shine the sheaves;
And, following thee, in thy ovation splendid,
Thine almoner, the wind, scatters the golden leaves!
The rains have been incessant over much of the country and my heart goes out to all those who are flooded out of their homes around Doncaster where we used to live, in the villages of Fishlake and Bentley, Sykehouse and Arksey and now we hear in many more areas across the Midlands.
Rainbow, Reflection and Cookies
Drawing the curtains back this morning I was greeted by a beautiful bright rainbow.
The reflections on the Penryn River as we sang this morning were very lovely.
Last time we went on The People’s Vote March, I was touched by a young woman’s generosity when she passed out home-made Brownies to the crowd around her. Today I have baked 50 Oat and Cherry Cookies to hand out to fellow protesters. I packed them up before taking a photo so here are the three saved for us!
Mural, Plastic Bottles and Cacti
The mural outside one of my favourite shops, Just Delights, has recently been done for winter. The mural is changed each season and pleases me every time I drive through to choir. To find the others, put mural into the search.
By Elizabeth Perry
After singing today, I did my shift in Fannie and Fox, the lovely gallery in Penryn where my glass now sells. It is a real pleasure to sit among so many beautiful things. Here are some for you to see.
Made of discarded plastic bottles by Rebecca Sims
Wall panels by Julie Howe
Knitted cacti by Sarah Perry
Fish Shop, Spider and Supper
Opposite the Zed Shed in Penryn where we sing on a Thursday morning is a fabulous fresh fish shop – with a sense of humour.
Ark, do you recognise this tiny spider?
I treated us to Scallops from the fish shop (as well as hake for another evening.)
Scallops with Pancetta and Crushed Garden Peas
Steps, Squirrel and Earrings
A lovely display of flowers on these steps drew my eye as I walked up through Penryn today.
Two baby squirrels have been dashing around our garden exploring every corner including the bird feeder and one completely unafraid of me as I approached though the other dashed off along the wall.
I bought myself some beautiful new earrings today from a lovely shop, Fannie and Fox, that I discovered on my walk through Penryn.
Made by Keri Valentine
