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Category Archives: gigs

Birthday, ‘Gravy’ and Courtney Pine

1 Birthday breakfast for the lovely Mr S with our croissants kept warm in the beautiful Tree of Life bread-warmer.

Birthday breakfast

2 Thence to Truro for some bookshop browsing and dinner at ‘Gravy’ where we had the most delicious pre-theatre dinner. We hadn’t been there before but we’ll certainly go again. It is a very welcoming place with imaginative and well cooked food, ‘deliciously uncomplicated’ as they say themselves.

Mr S started with crab cakes with a watercress salad and I had meltingly soft gnocchi tossed with spinach, and chili oil, topped with tomato concasse and parmesan shavings – both starters beautifully presented and truly scrumptious.

Mr S then had Sea Bass served on oven roasted vegetables and new potatoes with a romesco sauce which he found very tasty. I had the Supreme of Cornish chicken which was stuffed with wild mushrooms, onion and thyme, oven baked and served with dauphinoise potato, chantenay carrots and a red wine and shallot sauce. That, too, looked a picture and was delicious with every flavour discernible, truly a treat, which, since it was for a birthday, was most appropriate! We had a very good bottle of Merlot with all this, were served beautifully in lovely surroundings and would highly recommend a vist to any of my readers who live in Cornwall!

Truro Cathedral

3 We followed dinner with an amazing concert – Courtney Pine on the saxophone and playing a new instrument he called a Ewi – and Electronic Wind Instrument which he had just been given by the makers on his tour of Japan and with which he was experimenting. Its range was unbelievable and the sound amazing! I have to confess that some of the wackier pieces didn’t appeal but overall it was a very enjoyable evening. Courtney Pine is such a genuine and warm individual who really appreciates his audience.

Courtney Pine amongst the audience

6 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on February 1, 2013 in Eating out, Food, gigs, Hall for Cornwall, music, photography, Postaday2013, theatre, Truro, Uncategorized

Tags: 'Gravy', Courtney Pine, electronic wind instrument, EWI, Hall for Cornwall, Japan, Postaday, postaday2013, restaurant review, Truro

Pansy, Skype and A Fundraising Concert

25 Jan

1 The purple and white pansies in my Suffragette garden are doing their best in the bitter cold.

Winter pansy

2 L is visiting D in Barcelona and we Skyped with them both at lunchtime. We don’t often see our twins together so that was lovely.

3 Performed at a fundraiser tonight with one of my choirs,(The Ingleheart Singers), one from Penzance (The Blazing Heart Chorus) and one from Lostwithiel (Lost in Song) It was in aid of Marie Curie nurses and just over £1000 was raised which is brilliant. It was a real treat to hear the other choirs and to have such an appreciative audience.

13 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 25, 2013 in charity, family, gigs, nature, photography, Postaday2013, singing, Uncategorized

Tags: choirs, Lost in Song, Postaday, postaday2013, Skype, Suffragette, The Blazing Heart Chorus, The Ingleheart Singers, twins

Sunshine, Ice, Green Stuffs and Beyond (Weekly Photo Challenge)

20 Jan

1 There was sunshine for a while today and it made a reflection of our little Bluebird glass etching. I had to be quick! When I tried to take a second photo it had disappeared.

Glass etching of Blue-tits

Reflection of the glass etching

2 We had a brief walk along The Great Flat Lode and the lovely Mr S spotted these icicles made of sap! The tree had been severely cut back and was weeping and its tears had frozen into beautiful icicles.

Sap icicles

There were some lovely patterns in the puddles too.

Patterns in the ice

3 So much green stuff is flourishing despite the freezing temperatures – mosses, lichen, gorse…

Moss and lichen

One drop of water on the moss

Furry moss

Look carefully beyond the gorse to the moon in the sky

PS For those who asked, The Old Tyre Swingers were brilliant – full of life and crazy music that no-one could keep still!

The Old Tyre Swingers from California at The Melting Pot last night

The Old Tyre Swingers from California at The Melting Pot at Krowji last night

16 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 20, 2013 in art, gigs, glass, music, nature, photography, Postaday2013, theatre

Tags: icicles, lichen, moss, Postaday, postaday2013, sunshine, The Great Flat Lode, The Old Tyre Swingers

Delicate Decorations, Christmas Shopping and Singing in Truro Cathedral

19 Dec

1 I love it when we get the cardboard boxes full of decorations out of the attic and open up them up to release memories as powerful as smells! So many of the decorations carry a person or a place with them and each is revealed in turn.

2 Truro is beautiful even in the rain and we had a lovely afternoon buying the last few presents and going into the Museum for a few moments’ respite to see the current exhibition, 100 Years of St Ives Artists.

3 All three of Claire’s choirs met up in Truro Cathedral for our feast of Christmas carols. One hundred or so of us sang our hearts out and the Cathedral was full – standing room only! It was a beautiful evening for everyone

One of Mum’s Angels

Bought in Munich when we were on holiday with my brother in 2005

Angel from Estes Park USA 2011

Natural Wool Angel from Lincoln when D was at Uni there

One of Mum’s Feather Angels as old as I can remember

Father Christmas Glass Bauble, again, as old as I can remember

Sunset Clouds Over St Ives Bay

Love this one called ‘Knitting’

Children Shrimping at Porth Kidney Sands

A Century of St Ives’ Art

It’s worth reading ALL these comments!

Lights outside Truro Cathedral

Claire’s Choirs enjoying the evening

Very annoyingly, I’m not being allowed to decide where I want to put the photos! Please click to enlarge any and to find the details.

9 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 19, 2012 in art, gigs, music, painting, photography, postaday2012, singing, Truro, Uncategorized, Weekly photo challenge

Tags: 100 Years of St Ives Artists, Christmas Shopping, Claire Ingleheart, Postaday, postaday2012, Singing in Truro Cathedral, weekly photo challenge Delicate

The Ballad of Joe Hill, Our CD and Rehearsal for Truro Cathedral

17 Dec

1 I’ve mentioned before in this post about the beautiful poem, ‘Afterwards’ by Thomas Hardy, that my parents chose together to be read at each of their funerals. My lovely Dad who died 8 years ago today also chose the beautiful voice of Paul Robeson singing The Ballad of Joe Hill to be played for him and every 17th December, I sing the song along with Paul Robeson in honour of my Dad. Do click on the link and listen and sing along too if you’ve a mind to.

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you and me.
Says I, “But Joe, you’re ten years dead”
“I never died” says he, “I never died” says he.

“In Salt Lake, Joe,” says I to him,
him standing by my bed,
“They framed you on a murder charge,”
Says Joe, “But I ain’t dead,” Says Joe, “But I ain’t dead.”

“The Copper Bosses killed you Joe,
they shot you Joe” says I.
“Takes more than guns to kill a man”
Says Joe “I didn’t die.” Says Joe “I didn’t die.”

And standing there as big as life
and smiling with his eyes.
Says Joe, “What they can never kill
went on to organize, went on to organize.”

From San Diego up to Maine,
in every mine and mill,
where workers fight and organise
It’s there you find Joe Hill, it’s there you find Joe Hill!

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
alive as you and me.
Says I “But Joe, you’re ten years dead”
“I never died” says he, I never died” says he. I never died” says he.

I grew up hearing and loving Paul Robeson’s voice and in the year that my Dad lived in Cornwall before we were able to join him (I was only 6 years old) Mum played ‘Just a Wearyin’ for you’ every evening and it can still bring me to tears as I remember how much I missed my Dad and it’s only now that I realise that she wasn’t playing it for me but for herself. How they must have missed each other that year. They’d already had 5 years apart during the war and now Mum had three of us to look after and a fourth on the way who was born just 10 weeks before we eventually moved to Cornwall and were all together again and living by Pill Creek as I wrote about here.

2 This beautiful thing is a day or two late but we have the CD that our choir, The Ingleheart Singers, have made and it’s good! Copies are now winging their way to Hawaii, to Atlanta, to Munich and to London to my far-flung family

A Celebration of Christmas by The Ingleheart Singers

3 A super rehearsal tonight ready for our gig in Truro Cathedral on Wednesday evening and for our singing at a wedding on Saturday.

12 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 17, 2012 in gigs, literature, music, postaday2012, quotations, singing, Words

Tags: 'Afterwards' by Thomas Hardy, I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, Paul Robeson, Postaday, postaday2012, The Ballad of Joe Hill, The Ingleheart Singers, Truro Cathedral

Jools Holland, Bird Watching and Walking in the Woods

16 Dec

Usually all my beautiful things are from the day on which I post but we’ve just had a wonderful weekend away so today’s post covers Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

1 We had a trip up to Plymouth to see the amazing Jools Holland who just raises the spirits of all who are near him! He is so talented, so generous and clearly enjoys making so many people happy. He smiles his way through the whole performance! It was just fabulous to be able to watch his hands on the big screen. To my delight K T Tunstall was his surprise guest. His drummer, Gilson Lavis was just brilliant!We spent the night in a hotel and next day …….

2 We met two of our lovely daughters, M and L, for lunch in a country pub and then went home with L to her new home where the bird life is just amazing. It was very hard to get photos as they were all so busy going back and forth. There were Nuthatches, Blue tits, Willow tits, Great tits, Coal tits, Robins, Siskin, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Pheasants and Jays.

3 A walk in the nearby woods this morning with L and T and T’s parents and their five Black Labradors was an utter delight.

Jools Holland at the end of the show

K T Tunstall and Gilson Lavis

Jay in Sampford Courtenay

Cones, catkins and new buds

Rain on the lake

Lichen and moss

Lichen and leaves

Mosses and ivy

Golden lichen

Wood, leaves, mosses and ferns

Just had a paddle

So well trained

Beautiful tree with ferns and moss

Pheasant in the garden

Nuthatch at the peanuts

Cabin built in the woods

8 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 16, 2012 in birds, drumming, environment, family, gigs, music, nature, photography, piano, postaday2012, senses, singing

Tags: Black labradors, blue tits, Bullfinches, cabin in the woods, Chaffinches, Coal tits, Gilson Lavis, great tits, jays, Jools Holland, K T Tunstall, leaves, lichens, mosses, Nuthatches, Pheasants, Postaday, postaday2012, Robins, Siskin, trees, Willow tits

Olive Oil, Angel and School Concert

10 Dec

1 The Spanish olive oil in its beautiful bottle reflected in the granite work top caught my eye this morning. What a rich and gorgeous colour it is.

Olive oil and a reflection

2 Another Angel from the shop displays in our small town. They were all made by local school children working with local artists in their schools. I love this one, made by Ken.

Ken’s Angel in a shop window

3 Our Choir has sung at the school Concert tonight. It was an absolute delight to see the little ones, only 12 of them, performing their songs and being so pleased with our applause.

13 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on December 10, 2012 in art, Children, Cornwall, environment, gigs, music, photography, postaday2012, sculpture, singing

Tags: angel, Carol Concert, colour, local artist, olive oil, Postaday, postaday2012, reflections, school concert

Water Droplets, Wet Leaves and Singing

12 Nov

1 Walking back from town this afternoon, this wet grass caught my eye. I love how the droplets just cling on to the ends of the grass and catch the light.

Water droplets on grass

2 The fallen leaves were glossy with the earlier rain and glowed in the evening sunlight.

Golden leaves

3 Singing with Claire and The Inglehearts tonight was brilliant! We are rehearsing our Christmas repertoire for Christmas gigs and for our first CD which we are recording soon. There are some very beautiful arrangements where we sound like peals of bells.

5 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on November 12, 2012 in community, gigs, music, nature, photography, postaday2012, senses, singing, Uncategorized

Tags: Autumn, Claire Ingleheart, Fall, golden leaves, Postaday, postaday2012, The Ingleheart Singers

Sunlit Leaves, Clock Tower and Mum’s Birthday

05 Nov

1 The sun shining through these leaves in the park was just lovely.

Sunlit leaves

2 I hadn’t noticed this small clock tower on a local solicitor’s building before. I think the sun must have caught the gold on it so that today I did.

Clock tower

3 It was brilliant to be back at Choir tonight – I’ve really missed it. We’ve started rehearsing for our Christmas gigs and it was so good to be singing in harmony again! Driving home was delightful too as the town was being lit by fireworks all over the place. Mum would have loved it. She was always delighted that everyone was celebrating her birthday!

2 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on November 5, 2012 in community, Cornwall, environment, gigs, music, nature, postaday2012, singing

Tags: Bonfire Night, fireworks, Mum, Postaday, postaday2012

Carn Marth Gig, A Murmuration of Bees and Hairy Dieters’ Delicious Dish

19 Aug

1 The gig at Carn Marth was beautiful! It was a lovely relaxed affair with the barbecue burning, children playing, scarecrows were being made for the competition and all while we were singing our hearts out, all 100 of us, all taught by Claire, and, after an horrendous forecast of torrential rain, the sun shone on us! Brilliant! I only have a picture of the three choirs enjoying our warm-up.

Inglehearts, Suitcases and Riversiders warming up prior to Carn Marth Gig

2 When I came home, I sat in the arbour at the back of the garden, knitting and listening to nothing but the murmuration of the bees and was reminded of this lovely piece by Tennyson, especially the last line.

“……………. and sweet is every sound,

Sweeter thy voice, but every sound is sweet;

Myriads of rivulets hurrying thro’ the lawn,

The moan of doves in immemorial elms,

And murmuring of innumerable bees.”

3 For supper tonight I made a delicious dish from the Hairy Bikers turned Dieters – Spanish Style Chicken Bake. I’ll post the recipe if anyone is interested. It was warm enough for us to eat outside tonight too. Lovely.

Spanish Style Chicken Bake a la Hairy Dieters with a couple of variations

P.S. For your information and delectation, ‘murmuration’ is the collective word for a flock of starlings as well as the sound of murmurings. Just thought you might like to know!