The Suitcase Singers went by train all the way to Saltash Regatta & Waterside Festival 2019 today to sing in the glorious sunshine, the highlight of the day being singing ‘Ann Glanville’ around her statue. It was a brilliant day out, singing our hearts out and interestingly, being underneath the Brunel Bridge for a change!
Boat full of flowers on Saltash station
The Suitcase Singers with Ann Glanville about whom our lovely Claire, choir leader, has written a song
It’s Father’s Day here in the UK and so breakfast was the lovely Mr S’s favourite, French Toast with Summer Fruits, Creme Fraiche and Maple Syrup.
Breakfast
It’s been the Falmouth Shanty Festival this weekend and my choir was singing. There are shanty singers around every corner and in every venue throughout the weekend. It is enormous fun.
My choir, The Suitcase Singers, at the Shanty Festival
We went to watch The Jolly Strumpets in which a friend sings and then Femmes de la Mer, run by my choir leader and with many of my friends singing. They are brilliant.
I set the alarm for 4am so that I could get up to see the Super Blood Wolf Moon, hoping that the skies would be clear. They were, the stars were very sparkly and the Moon amazing! I watched as the shadow crept over the moon and it began to go red leaving a white glow on one side. I stayed up for an hour until it was total and red. Sadly, my photos don’t do the colour justice. It was much redder to the naked eye. In the midst of the starry silence and the moon magic, I heard an Owl hooting.
First sight
Almost total
We are sorting out our cds with a view to giving away those we no longer listen to. One definitely to keep is the Paul Robeson. When I was just five years old, my Daddy was away having moved to Cornwall ahead of the family. What was supposed to be a short time turned out to be a full year. I used to ask all the time for Just a Wearyin’ for You by Paul Robeson to be played and I would weep along to the song, missing my Daddy so much. Heaven only knows how Mum coped. Playing it this morning, I cried again, remembering how it was all those years ago and missing him all over again.
On my way home from singing tonight, not far from home, a beautiful ginger fox strolled across the lane and went under a gate into a field. What a treat!
The Ingleheart Singers are learning a beautiful new piece, ‘Crossing the Bar’ an arrangement of Tennyson’s poem with the music by Rani Arbo and arranged by Peter Amidon. We managed just the first verse last night and here it is. It’s a four part harmony and each verse is going to be different. We love a challenge!
Crossing the Bar by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have cross’d the bar.
I found a delicious sounding vegan recipe this week, Spinach, Chickpea and Lemon Pilaff and it tasted as good as it sounded!
Last night, thanks to our brilliant organising committee, was the Ingleheart Singers’ fabulous Christmas party, the best yet! After the most delicious bring and share supper came the cabaret and we all laughed and laughed! One of the acts was a Hawaiian Christmas where a lovely song was introduced. Claire, our leader, remembered that my kid sister lives in Hawaii and had the idea that we should wish her a Happy Christmas and sing a carol for her. Here it is, with love.
We had to go to Newquay this afternoon on a mission and on the way back followed this chirpy dog who, I’m sure, would rather have had his head out of the window!
Dog in a van
As we come home from Newquay we drive West into the sunset. I have been trying to get a photo of this particular engine house for years and today, it worked! It’s on a very long zoom and taken from a moving car but I caught the moment.
I tried a new recipe for tonight and it was delicious. I’m trying to do two each of vegan, vegetarian, meat and fish over each eight day sequence and this is a splendid vegan meal.
Classic Celeriac Pot Roast ready to start its six hours
We have been singing carols for the start of Krowji’s open week of art sales – lots of fun. Here is a small group singing a bit of Gaudete.
The show by Yskynna started yesterday and I was part of it today – three 20 minute shows a day and free for anyone already in the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth. If you live nearby and have children to entertain this half term, the museum is fabulous and the production a treat!
After the second show, we went out busking for a while, collecting for our charities – ShelterBox and St Petroc’s.
Some of The Suitcase Singers singing Lower Lights
On our walk later on, we found lots of spiny casings from the Sweet Chestnut tree.
