In between jobs at Community Roots today, I walked around all the poly tunnels to see what was growing.
I love seeing random daffodils growing on the verges.
We have just finished one of the jigsaws given to us for Christmas. It was quite a challenge and very satisfying to complete.
Every week we get eggs from friends’ chickens, all carefully dated and seeing the new dozen in the rack always makes us smile, especially when they are such varying sizes.
The winter salad seedlings are being planted out today, all on the grid so that they are equally spaced.
There was an event in the Big Shed at Roots last weekend and this is one of the vases of gathered flowers, seed heads and chard leaves used to decorate the tables.
There were countless more seedings potted on today at Community Roots by an enthusiastic team of volunteers.
Meanwhile, my lovely Mr S got some tulip bulbs planted in a lovely big pot, some beautiful white ones called White Valley and some very dark ones called Paul Scherer. We need to get some other colours for a different plot, more hope for a pretty Spring..
The following poem by Kim Ridgeon came to me this morning and I absolutely loved it – its subject matter, its rhythm, its humour and its poignancy. I love the ‘book cathedral’ and the way the image is echoed throughout and I love that the ‘unboxing’ is for Kim, and for me and for his many readers, ‘a small consolation in threatening times.’ Thank you, Kim, for giving me permission to share.
I have just received my new book from the ShelterBox Book Club which is the best of book clubs and gives me some small consolation. 
I decorated the cake with lemon icing and we all sang Happy Birthday to our esteemed leader!
Lemon and Chocolate Marble CakeThere were very many seedlings, brassicas and salad leaves, to pot on today and we had a team of eight volunteers on the job.
The squash harvest is in. Thanks to Amy for the beautiful photos.
Saturday August 30th
We lost our broadband on Saturday and it seems we won’t have it back for some time as there is a break in the cable underground. Our lovely neighbour is very generously letting us use hers so I can catch up with everything.
I spent much of the day baking and having a lovely time baking cakes to be sold at Roots tomorrow when it will be Apple Day. I made a Ukrainian Apple Cake and a Spiced Toffee Apple Cake.
Sunday August 31st
And then it was Apple Day! And what a day – so many apples were chopped and pressed and juiced, bottled and pasteurised, so many cakes were enjoyed, so much Roots Ratatouille eaten for lunch, and many Dorset buttons were made – altogether a very busy and very enjoyable day.
One of the activities available was learning how to make Dorset buttons and as regular readers will know, I love making – so I had a go and made a button of an apple tree.
Thanks to M for being such a brilliant teacher.
This week we have a veg bag from Community Roots full of delicious fresh veg including beetroot which we are not fond of! They are now boiling in preparation for being made into Chocolate Beetroot Cake, recipe here.
I’ve made pesto with the wonderful Basil leaves that were in the bag.
I’m joining in a local campaign #calltoarts and, with other people in Cornwall, I’m urging my MP and the UK Government to take immediate, decisive action to end the atrocity in Palestine. We have been asked to draw, paint, sing, sculpt – whatever we can and to share the image far and wide and to tag our MPs. #perranmoon I’ve chosen one of my angels in three of the colours of the Palestinian.
Yesterday I brought home our share of the Volunteer harvest, some delicious Roots tomatoes, all sorts of varieties, some of which I’ve saved for salads and some I made into a very delicious soup for our lunch.
I roasted carrots and Pattypan squash and courgette, also from Roots, for dinner tonight, so fresh and tasty!
All five flowers are open at the same time on our enormous lily.
Today at Roots, along with the indoor team, I sowed Little Leprechaun lettuce, potted on Savoy Cabbage and spread out the chilli plants to give them air. I also had a walkabout to see how the whole acre was progressing and, oh my, the wonderful crops all over the place. Enjoy the gallery of goodness and at the end, the two varieties of courgettes that I fried in garlic butter as part of our meal tonight.
Delicious!
We saw these beautiful Agapanthus flowers as we left the hospital on Saturday.
A friend and I popped down to Porthtowan after working at Community Roots this morning and were very impressed by the fifteen wonderful protest boards which tell such a story. I took a few photos to show you detail and have the first photo from a friend of the whole length of them along the path to the beach. I’ll post them all in sequence at some point when my lovely Mr S and I can go down to the beach together.
Thanks John.
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