Today’s walk along the Great Flat Lode (which really was nearly flat to walk on) was also close to home with beautiful views on a gloriously bright and very cold day. We met more people on this walk that on the up and down one nearer to home and exchanged cheery greetings with them all, apparently waking some of them up! We were helping to brighten people’s days as per today’s calendar. See below.
A November lockdown in the UK isn’t going to be easy for anyone and much harder for some. Action for Happiness have made their calendar for November to help give some focus and to help keep our spirits up. Feel free to share it far and wide. Here is the link for you to have a bigger version. I love their motto – Keep Calm, Stay Wise and Be Kind. Stay safe, dear Readers.
It’s very windy still and our resident pigeons have been trying to keep warm by fluffing up their feathers. We tried to get a photo of the pair but there was always one out of focus.
It was a baking afternoon, Pear and Chocolate Cake to eat warm with ice-cream – scrumptious, of course!
Very timely advice came in today from Action for Happiness:
We are completely redoing our walled border outside the kitchen and while clearing away the the thuggish Clematis, Bill Mackenzie, found this furry caterpillar scuttling around on stems near the ground. We think it may be a Buff Ermine but it’s not easy to identify.
A fellow blogger kindly helped to identify the rather attractive Artichoke Gall on our beautiful and nearby Oak Tree a few days ago. This one, somewhat uglier, has been identified as a Knapper Gall by our Son-out-law who visited last Friday.
I was going to post this tomorrow but have had a little accident today so am taking the easy route. While making more masks for the family, I stitched through the middle finger on my right hand. How? I just don’t know ! I am an experienced sewing machine user….. The people at our local Minor Injuries Unit were brilliant, kind and efficient but now I can’t sew for a few days. I shall have to read all day!
May 1st is La Fete de Muguet in France when people give their loved ones little bunches of Muguet, Lily of the Valley. Our Dear Friend Kath, to whom I dedicate my blog and who died far too soon nearly eight years ago, loved France and we holidayed with her and Charlie in Meysaac a couple of times. Every May 1st she would give me a little bouquet of muguet when we were close enough or send a card if we weren’t. As soon as we moved here, I planted some Lily of the Valley in a shady spot and have picked a couple of flowers each year in Kath’s memory. This year there have been many blooms and I have brought them inside to share with you all in a spirit of love and friendship and in memory of my beautiful, much missed friend.
For Kath, Lily of the Valley and Rosemary
My poet friend, Kim Ridgeon wrote the perfect poem for today and with his permission, I share it with you here.
Here is this month’s Action for Happiness calendar, helping us all to manage ourselves in these very strange times. Stay safe everyone.
Gorgeous coloured twine for the garden seen in a Falmouth shop today.
As a birthday treat for the lovely Mr S, we went to see a fabulous band, Falmouth Soul Sensation, who were playing a Benefit concert in aid of Cornwall Hugs Grenfell. This charity, formed by a Cornish resident after the Grenfell fire tragedy, gathers ‘one week’ pledges from holiday-home owners in Cornwall to give Grenfell survivors and bereaved families, as well as firefighters, the hope of a holiday. At least 500 people have been supported so far. Local businesses help too supplying ice creams or boat trips, free visits to attractions and cream teas. Those who couldn’t offer such things have paid towards the transport to bring families here. A lot of people have been made very happy by this offer of friendship and support from Cornish folk.
The Christmas Market went well despite the appalling weather.
Part of my stall
It was the Lights Switch-on Parade tonight and my choirs were singing in the pouring rain but with smiles on our faces! The Parade went by in a misty blur.
It will be December tomorrow. Here is Action for Happiness’s advice for the month.
I’m taking a break for a few weeks so leave you here with the Action for Happiness Self Care September Calendar. Have a good month and look after yourselves, Dear Readers.
Action for Happiness are focussing on kindness this month.
We have our first harvest of beans – beautifully purple until they are cooked and then they are, disappointingly, just green.
We’ve been at the Ecp Park this evening for an Extinction Rebellion meeting. Beforehand we walked around and spotted a Painted Lady butterfly on the rough wall surrounding the fire pit.