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Category Archives: nature

Fused Glass, Freesias and Action for Happiness

I collected my piece of fused glass from The Craft Collective today, the piece that I made a couple of weeks ago in Lisa MacFarlane’s class. You may be able to see what I was aiming for………

My fused glass

Our lovely daughter No 3 brought some beautiful Suffragette coloured Freesias when she visited on Wednesday. They have now opened and smell so sweetly.

Freesias

I am trying to do all these things in Altruistic August, just not on the designated day. Actually, it’s how I try to live my life. When we walked along Cliff Road on Thursday, a sombre looking man was sitting alone on one of the benches resting, his crutches by his side. I simply smiled and said, “This was one of my favourite walks when I was on crutches, flat and safe,” and he beamed back, clearly pleased to have been spoken to with empathy. When we looked back, he was on his way again.

Altruistic August

Last Night, Feather and A New Book

12 Aug

The concert last night was fabulous! St Euny Church was packed and the audience were so appreciative – standing ovations indeed! Being involved, I couldn’t take many photos but here is a moment of our joint rehearsal of Calon Lan with Cor Serenata, taken by our choir leader, Claire. (Sadly her battery ran out.). I just have to say, that during the concert, standing among the Welsh singers as they sang the verses of Canon Lan, was a beautiful experience. We joined in the choruses and that was lovely too. If you want to find me, I am back left at the top of the picture as the video plays. Our concert was in aid of ShelterBox and the music department of Troon Primary School, where we rehearse each week.

The shared meal, all made by The Ingleheart Singers was also much appreciated.

Pudding time – a small selection!

I found a rain-dropped feather in our drive.

Feather with raindrops

A friend of mine, Lesley Trotter, whom I first met while researching for last year’s production by Perthi Kov, ‘Until the Day Break’, has written a book , “The Married Widows of Cornwall” and I am privileged to have received the first advance copy. I started reading this morning and have been unable to put it down as Lesley begins to trace the histories of the women ‘left behind’ in Cornwall when their tin mining husbands went to work overseas.

‘The Married Widows of Cornwall’ by Lesley Trotter

I am posting early today as one of our beautiful daughters is arriving later with her two beautiful LiveWires and their Daddy is joining us all after finishing filming the cricket at Lords. I also have to stop reading to get things ready!

4 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on August 12, 2018 in friendship, nature, Photography, Postaday2018, ShelterBox, singing, Tin mining history

Tags: Lesley Trotter, the forgotten history of women, The Married Widows of Cornwall, Troon primary School, women in history

Feather, Clematis and A Welsh Dragon

10 Aug

A delicate white feather became caught on the seed pods of a Crocosmia.

Feather

Lady Betty Balfour Clematis is one of my favourites. It is flowering rather early this year as it is supposed to bloom in September.

Lady Betty Balfour

A number of The Ingleheart Singers have been to meet the two Welsh choirs who are visiting us from Port Talbot for our Grand Annual Concert tomorrow. As I was leaving the car park of their hotel, I noticed the sunset reflection in their coach window above the magnificent Welsh Dragon.

Welsh dragon

2 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on August 10, 2018 in environment, nature, Photography, Postaday2018

Tags: Bel Canto, Cor Serenata, Lady Betty Balfour, The Ingleheart Singers

Sunset, Granny’s Bowl and Eton Mess

09 Aug

Last night’s sunset was lovely and peachy and reflected in my car window.

Sunset

Our lovely neighbour came in for supper tonight and after Caponata with Chicken, I served up Eton mess in a beautiful pale blue glass bowl that was my Granny’s. It was a Wedding present for her and Grandpa in June 1913! Isn’t it amazing that this glass bowl is still in use 105 years later? I just love that she used it, my Mum always served the Christmas Sherry Trifle in this bowl and now I, too, can use it and I love it.

Granny’s bowl

Eton Mess in Granny’s beautiful bowl

Eton mess is a traditional English dessert consisting of a mixture of strawberries, broken meringue, and whipped double cream. First mentioned in print in 1893, it is commonly believed to originate from EtonCollege and is served at the annual cricket match against the pupils of Harrow School. As the lovely Mr S says, the boys from Eton are still making a mess.

1 Comment

Posted by mybeautfulthings on August 9, 2018 in friendship, glass, nature, Photography, Postaday2018

Tags: antique cut glass, English dessert

Chaffinch, Clematis and Evening Sky

08 Aug

Breakfast outside again and the birds are become used to us so still come to the feeders.

Chaffinch

Our Suffragette Garden now has Purple Clematis and white Japanese Anemones.

Purple Clematis

Supper in Porthtowan and the evening sky was lovely.

Evening at Porthtowan

4 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on August 8, 2018 in Cornwall, environment, nature, Photography, Postaday2018, Uncategorized

Tags: Porthtowan

Spider’s Web, Nasturtium and Millet

07 Aug

It rained overnight and left our garden covered in diamonds. My turn to make the tea, I was down very early and went out in my pjs to take these photos. As soon as the sun came up the diamonds disappeared.

It was the Web between the Agapanthus buds that first caught my eye.

Raindrops 1

Next, I noticed the Nasturtiums, themselves already jewel coloured and then embellished with diamond drops.

Raindrops 2

And then the Millet, encrusted with the same shiny beauties.

Raindrops 3

I was very glad to have been the early bird this morning, starting my day with such soul-pleasing beauty.

3 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on August 7, 2018 in Beauty, environment, garden, Happiness, nature, Photography, Postaday2018

Tags: Agapanthus, Millet, nasturtium

The Right Word, Cornish Lane and A Cat

06 Aug

As we listen to the news around the world of wars and oppression, a poem I read once by Imtiaz Dharker came to mind, “The Right Word” and I thought again as I have before of how important the ‘right word’ is. The women fighting for the vote a hundred years ago, including my Great Granny, were sometimes described as terrorists. Imtiaz Dharker puts her finger on it perfectly here as she so often does and makes me think of the children who are sometimes used in wars.

The Right Word

Outside the door,
lurking in the shadows,
is a terrorist.

Is that the wrong description?
Outside that door,
taking shelter in the shadows,
is a freedom fighter.

I haven’t got this right .
Outside, waiting in the shadows,
is a hostile militant.

Are words no more
than waving, wavering flags?
Outside your door,
watchful in the shadows,
is a guerrilla warrior.

God help me.
Outside, defying every shadow,
stands a martyr.
I saw his face.

No words can help me now.
Just outside the door,
lost in shadows,
is a child who looks like mine.

One word for you.
Outside my door,
his hand too steady,
his eyes too hard
is a boy who looks like your son, too.

I open the door.
Come in, I say.
Come in and eat with us.

The child steps in
and carefully, at my door,
takes off his shoes.