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Category Archives: friendship

Good Read, Amaryllis and A Tote Bag

I finished the latest book from the ShelterBox Book Club just in time to see the wonderful Q&A with the author Melissa Lucashenko. What a novel that was – two timelines set in Australia, in 1854 and in 2024, that meet each other towards the end of the novel. The whole story is beautifully crafted and draws the reader in despite much Aboriginal language the meaning of which one just picks up from the context. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

I was given an Amaryllis bulb in a beautiful pot for my birthday and it has grown several inches already. I’m looking forward to seeing its glorious bloom.

Thank you, Sue

Post arrived from family in Atlanta today, a delightful little tote bag with the name of the bookshop, Books Are Magic, and the best answer to a question. I absolutely love it.

The tote comes from an independent bookstore in Brooklyn called Books are Magic, owned by the author Emma Straub.

I find poetry can ofter be of assistance, hence so many on my blog. 🙂

Remembering my lovely Dad today too, on his birthday. If you’d like to know more about him, put ‘David Wiseman’ in my search bar.

1 Comment

Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 13, 2026 in books, friendship, nature, poetry, Postaday 2026, Words

Tags: ShelterBox book club

Storm, Almanac and A Journal

08 Jan

We are in the middle of a Red, danger to life, storm warning, winds expected between 80 and 100 mph so we are staying. tucked up indoors. Our supermarket delivery driver rang to say he’d been called back to the store to keep safe. Fortunately, we have enough in so for us that’s not a problem. It may well be for others. We are also hoping that the poly tunnels at Community Roots and at the allotment all stay safe.

We have been buying Lia Leedertz’s Almanac for several years. If you haven’t seen them, have a look. I love that there’s information about skies and stars, tides and a monthly planting guide and I especially like the seasonal song and the recipe.

One of my birthday presents is a very lovely journal, “Thrive Where You Are Planted – A guided journal to help you connect with the natural wonders in your neighbourhood.’ This is such a perfectly chosen gift from someone who knows of my love of the natural and the beautiful. It begins in March as Nature wakes up from its winter sleep and I am really looking forward to recording the wonders all around us. In the meantime, I’m going to read from cover to cover as I do with new cookery books! Thank you, H, a perfect present.

8 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 8, 2026 in books, environment, friendship, nature, Postaday 2026

Tags: Andrea Debbink, Lia Leendertz

A Very Big Birthday

31 Dec

Just home from the best birthday ever. Here are a couple of photos.

Our 3 generation birthday Brownie Mountain

Flowers left on the doorstep

Purple , white and green flowers from my wonderful daughters, son and their families

Cards

More tomorrow……

16 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 31, 2025 in baking, Celebration, family, flowers, friendship, Postaday2025

Serendipity and Kindness

25 Dec

Today, one of the people who gets a weekly veg bag from Roots, messaged us all to say that they had gone away for Christmas and forgotten to pick up their bag – so, would anyone like it. Here’s the serendipity – We would like it as we had been unable to get our fruit and veg at the start of the week as planned, both being unwell so we had decided we would manage with a few frozen veg for a few days.

Now the kindness….. Community Roots, where the bag was to be picked up, is a 15 minute drive away and neither of us is fit to go out so I said we would like the bag, explained the situation and asked if there was a good fairy around to help. But of course there was! This is Community Roots we are talking about. Two Roots friends offered and now we have the veg and some fruit, enough to take us up to and through when the whole family arrive on 30th December!

So now we have a wonderful array of freshly grown veg (some of which I probably sowed many months ago!) With all that Roots-grown veggie goodness in us, we are surely going to get better very soon.

6 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 25, 2025 in Christmas, Cornwall, friendship, Happiness, Postaday2025

Three Gifts – A Snowflake, Cookies and A Poem

19 Dec

A snowflake arrived in today’s post, beautifully crocheted and a gift from a follower. It has gone straight onto our tree.

Thank you very much Judith

Another gift came today, one we were instructed not to keep until Christmas but to consume soon. So this evening we have each had a delicious Raspberry and White Choc Chip Cookie for dessert.

Thank you S and E, absolutely gorgeous!

A fellow Humanist has written the following poem which touched me and she kindly gave me permission to share it with you.

‘

It’s Our Christmas Too’ by Mary Fletcher

Christmas comes just at the darkest time of year

flashing lights

a twinkling tree

some time for lovely food

for friends and family

for children to be given too much stuff

for those of us with no children

to realise what we lack.

We look forward to the New Year

warm sunshine and green shoots will come back.

Those of us that do not believe in god

and worship no one

but put our faith in hope,

In folk to do their best,

we do not go to church.

we do not believe we’ll live after we die,

But we can light a candle,

share in singing,

pass some treats around.

Its our Christmas too,

Our Solstice,

Our Midwinter,

Our humanist joy,

That celebrates and treasures

Every baby girl and boy.

Thank you, Mary.

8 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 19, 2025 in baking, Christmas, Christmas decorations, crochet, friendship, Happiness, Humanism, Kindness, poetry, Postaday2025

Dawn, Colours and Cake

13 Dec

Another beautiful dawn sky, paint charts to choose from and another fabulous birthday cake!

Our morning was spent choosing paint and then starting the job. A couple of weeks ago we had a new window fitted and now the repair plaster is dry, we can begin the re-decoration.

My very dear choir buddy had another birthday party this afternoon and another beautiful cake, this one covered in handmade sugar flowers, absolutely gorgeous.

Fabulous 90th birthday cake made by the very skilled Kathryn

4 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 13, 2025 in baking, Celebration, environment, friendship, nature, Postaday2025

Winter Trees, Puddle and Christmas Lights

12 Dec

After a delicious Christmas lunch at Trennick Mill with our friends, we drove home beside the Truro River and the winter trees stood out against the wintering sky..

Reflected in a puddle

On the Trafalgar roundabout there is a lights model of Truro Cathedral.

Nearly home, we saw a lovely nativity scene in lights.

6 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 12, 2025 in Christmas, Christmas decorations, Cornwall, Eating out, environment, friendship, nature, Postaday2025, Truro, Uncategorized

Tags: Trennick Mill

Party, Knitting and Supper

11 Dec

Today is the 90th birthday of my very good friend and singing mentor whom I met in 2008 when I first joined The Ingleheart Singers. She took me under her wing then and has kept me there ever since! Her Family arranged a secret party this afternoon and asked for the choir to turn up as a surprise and to sing for her ,so of course we did! It was a delightful afternoon.

Jean’s beautiful cake, wish I could credit the maker.

Another friend from choir spotted a knitted crib earlier this week and sent me the next photo, knowing how much I would like it. I love the smile on Mary’s face and have to wonder why one of the shepherds is up on the roof!

A simple meal was called for this evening, Macaroni Cheese, comfort food at its best.

7 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 11, 2025 in Celebration, community, friendship, Happiness, Kindness, knitting, Postaday2025, Uncategorized

Being Grateful

08 Dec

The following came my way today and .It reminded me of my blogging friend Ute and so this post is for her – and you all.

I’ve been able to help some special people today and that has been a beautiful thing.

2 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 8, 2025 in friendship, Postaday2025, Uncategorized

Screenshot, More Singing and A Poem

07 Dec

My Dear Sister in Hawai’i watched the livestream as did family in Atlanta and blogging friend Nancy. My lovely sister took some screen shots and sent them through to me. Here’s one of both choirs, The Ingleheart Singers and The Suitcase Singers and Claire, our lovely leader. Sharing the concert was a very special way to feel connected with my sister when we live so very far apart..

The Inglehearts sang again this afternoon at the Eco Park’s Christmas fair with a delightful audience.

I’ve shared poems by Billy Collins before but not this one I think..Here are the first few verses which truly ring a bell with me. I hope this one appeals to you too – then you can look it up and get the last three verses.