We came upon this community of elephants quite by chance when driving through the bush after our volunteering. We watched them for more than half an hour, playing in the water , gathering together and then leaving all together, the adults looking after the baby in their community and calling on the teenager to catch up and stop messing about. I have always loved elephants and this half hour was such a beautiful treat. Click on any image for more detail.
For more in this challenge see here
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: community, elephants, Weekly Photo Challenge: Community
1 We went to the beautiful Potager Garden, Constantine, to meet a friend, to play and to have lunch. We wandered all over the place exploring, noting landmarks so that we could find our way back and hunting dragons. It’s a magical place for children (and their adults!)
Having adventures at Potager Garden
Jake in the meadow at Potager garden
Lunch was absolutely delicious, as always. Lots of the food is grown right there in the gardens. All the food is cooked freshly on the premises and is a treat for the eyes as well as for the taste buds!
Having lunch in the Potager Garden cafe
Fritatta and salad
Ploughman’s with Cornish Blue Cheese
Tabitha escaping from the cafe!
2 There were flowers in abundance and Jake spotted the bee on the cornflowers.
Cornflower with Bumble Bee
3 This evening I’ve been to sing with the Three Choirs on a Ferry. All three of Claire Ingleheart’s choirs, about 100 of us, sang first in the courtyard in Trelissick Gardens and then we all, including our audience of about 200, walked down the hill to the King Harry Ferry where the choirs went on board, the audience on the slip way and we sang for an hour and were much appreciated by the friendly crowd which included KJ and Lucy, which was really lovely for me. Just as we finished we were all delighted to hear the beautiful sound of a pair of owls hooting to each other.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: Claire Ingleheart, community, Cornflower, cornwall, flowers, food, grandbabies, grandchildren, home made food, homegrown food, hunting dragons, Inglehearts, Jake, King Harry Ferry, Potager Garden, Potager Garden Cafe, Suitcases, Three Choirs on a Ferry, Trelissick Gardens
1 These delightful little fishermen, less than 2″ tall, were brought home for me by my Dad when I was about seven years old, when he first discovered the beauty of Cornwall and the decision was made to move the family here a.s.a.p.
Mevagissey Fishermen
2 This is the screen in our utility room, used to hide the washing machine etc so that we can call it our sun-room! I’m beginning to decorate it with plant labels, bay leaves and stuff so it is becoming beautiful!
Live life, love food
3 Singing with Claire and the Inglehearts was lovely, of course. It’s good to have her back after her 7 week spell in London. Tonight our last song was “Keep You In Peace” sung especially for the three choir members who have died in the last two months. It was quite hard to sing as we all had loved ones in our minds as well as our choir friends – but we did it and it was beautiful.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: 'Keep You in Peace', Bank Holidays, bay leaves, community, culture, Dad, Fal, King Harry Ferry, Mevagissey Fisherman, Screen, singing, sun room, The Ingleheart Singers, Three Choirs and a Ferry
1 Just ten of The Ingleheart Singers and Claire went to sing at a special birthday party in a field this afternoon. We practised first in the Garden Centre at Lelant, and found ourselves with a very appreciative audience there and then at the party much appreciated again which was lovely.
The Inglehearts at the party
2 After the singing came the Maypole dancing which was just delightful.
Maypole Dancing
3 Just come back, chuckling all the way home, from seeing the lovely Simon Amstell (he of Grandma’s House on BBC TV) at The Hall for Cornwall in Truro – made us laugh a lot – always a good thing!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: BBC tv, community, fun, Grandma's House, Maypole Dancing, nature, outdoors, party, people, Simon Amstell, The Hall for Cornwall, The Ingleheart Singers
1 The sun/warmth didn’t last beyond a day but that did mean a beautiful subdued light for some flower photos this morning. Thanks to fellow photography bloggers for the hints about avoiding sunlight, early or late giving better shots, David Heilmann at dhphotosite.wordpress.com and Russel Ray Photos.
2 It amuses me to see Max’s rabbit (a bit out of focus) on the line next door. There are two more indoors so that he is never without!
Drying rabbit
3 Driving into Truro through Greenbottom, I have been intrigued by this old phone box. Today the traffic was light enough to allow me to park and investigate. It’s a little library/book swap! What a fabulous use for the beautiful old box. Next time I’m there I shall take a few books to exchange at the exchange..
Kenwyn Book Exchange!
Inside the Kenwyn Book Exchange
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: aquilega, community, creativity, culture, flower photos, French, french lavender, fun, Greenbottom, lavender, nature, people, phone box, plants, toy rabbit, Truro
1 I love elephants! I’ve loved them since I was very little and today this beautiful story came in to my inbox and reminded me of our encounter with a herd of elephants after our Voluntouring in Mapoch, South Africa. The lovely Mr S spotted them from a long way away, we found them and watched them playing in the water for about 40 minutes. It was absolutely magical.
http://delightmakers.com/news-bleat/wild-elephants-gather-inexplicably-mourn-death-of-elephant-whisperer/#.T7AQOKty_Jo.facebook
Elephants enjoying the water
Leaving the water
Teenage elephant, reluctant to leave his playing
Mother and Baby
2 This beautiful embroidery is one of three made for me by Grace, the sister of the teacher at the school in Mapoch, near Pretoria where we, with local builders, built a classroom.
Grace’s beautiful embroidery
Sisters under the skin, Grace, me and Sibongile and their babies
3 We’ve hardly stopped laughing all evening! We’ve been to see ‘Spamalot’ at The Hall for Cornwall. The place was packed and the whole audience loved the show.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, community, elephants, embroidery, Hall for Cornwall, herd of elephants, laughing, local builders, Mr S, sister, South Africa, Spamalot, teacher, volunteering, Voluntouring
1 Saw this last magnolia blossom in North Finchley on our way to Woodside Park tube station.
Magnolia
2 The sun shone all the way home lighting up the amazingly yellow fields. The sheep and lambs seemed pleased to be drying out and I had four hours reading time! Almost finished ‘Restless’ by William Boyd.
Oil seed rape blossom
On a hill just before Truro
3 Babel was a surreal and amazing experience! It was promenade theatre where we walked through the tree lined paths of Caledonian Park – along which were individuals living their individual lives, playing the piano, peeling vegetables, knitting, typing – into the open space in front of the very beautiful Clock Tower built in 1855. In this space, tramping through chocolate thick mud, the people came together to build their city. There was music and fire and story telling. Very few photos worked (no flash allowed) but here’s a taster:
Knitting
Peeling vegetables
Playing the piano
Typing
Beautiful paper models, two of many
The Clock Tower, Caledonian Park
I don’t want to tell you more at this point -I want you to go and see it if you can and I don’t want to spoil it for you!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: 'Restless' by William Boyd., Babel, Caledonian Park, Clock Tower, community, creativity, culture, magnolia, north finchley, train journey, Wildworks
1. An absolute downpour today, all night, all day but – serendipity indeed – a friend asked us for something from the shed so Mr S went out and caught the mini-flood in our yard just before it came through the air brick into the house. Beautiful timing!
2. Yesterday when we moved the Clematis a few pieces had to be cut to remove it from the trellis but that wasn’t a disaster but an opportunity to have some beautiful flowers indoors.
Clematis indoors
3. Through pouring rain, along roads running with rivers, through patches of floods, we arrived at King Edward’s Mine in Troon for their Open Day. With Pip conducting, The Inglehearts sang, first accompanying the delightful children from Troon Primary School and then accompanied by the rain drumming on the corrugated roof . We had a lovely sing and all felt better for it!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: air brick, clematis, community, flood, Inglehearts, King Edward Mine, nature, plants, rain, Troon primary School
1 After singing with Sophie and the Suitcases this morning, I took the Sally-boots that I made this week to a friend for her new baby boy, Declan.
Sally-boots for Declan
2 I have been reminded this afternoon by of a quotation that pleases me. Thank you, Usha Pisharody
Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”
~Julius Henry “Groucho” Marx.
3 It’s been a long time since my last piano lesson but I have practised a lot since we came home from Senegal and today my lovely teacher said, with the first half of one piece, that I would have been given top marks if that had been the exam! Now I have to make the rest of the piece as good!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: community, Grade 1 exam, Groucho Marx, new baby, piano lesson, quotation, Sally-boots, Senegal, singing, Suitcases
1. In European dress we went to the Registry Office for the Civil Wedding. (Again, told mainly through photos – click on any to get the bigger picture) On the way there we were asked, “You do have your passports with you?” but we didn’t! The lovely Ousseynou took Lucy back to the apartment on his scooter and promised us he would look after her and drive carefully! The roads looked so precarious! They returned safely and the wedding could go ahead!
Pap and his son before the Civil Wedding
Me with Bebe Mgette before the Civil Wedding
Ami ready to go
Leaving the house
With Pap who is to be one of the witnesses
Walking up the road to get the taxi
- Daniel and Ami together in the front seat
Ami and her best friend, come to witness the Civil Wedding
Daniel making sure Ousseynou will drive carefully!
Off they go to get the passports!
2. The Registrar, who had a delightful sense of humour, made sure we were following the marriage ceremony. (We were allowed to take photos but my battery ran out! I’m waiting for Lucy’s photos to arrive and will post them later.)
3. Last meal with the family, goodbyes and tears but also much laughter, warmth and happiness at such a beautiful week having been shared together and our two families becoming one.
It has been such a privilege to be here in Senegal with the family, to experience real life in Senegal rather than being a ‘tourist’ looking on. We owe so much to this beautiful family for welcoming us in, in this totally open and loving manner and for sharing their lives with us.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: beautiful family, civil wedding, community, Daniel and Ami, European dress, last meal, marriage ceremony, passports, people, precarious roads, Registrar, scooter, Senegal, sense of humour, travel, witness
