Friends have made their tree from offcuts of beautiful wood and allowed me to take a photo. 
Today I have made the beautiful mixture for brining the turkey tomorrow.
Listening to the radio while I am writing this, I have just heard some words from e e cummings, a writer whose poetry I love but words that were both new to me and the philosophy the pair of us live by. We waste no days!
I found a little green beetle on my trousers as I was working in the garden this morning.
Green Shield Bug?
Our Clematis in the front garden is spectacular – this is only about half of it!
Clematis
Regular readers will have seen several of cummings’ poems on here, another today that somehow suits the Spring and the blue skies we have been having until this afternoon.
o by the by – ee cummingso by the by
has anybody seen
little you-i
who stood on a green
hill and threw
his wish at bluewith a swoop and a dart
out flew his wish
(it dived like a fish
but it climbed like a dream)
throbbing like a heart
singing like a flameblue took it my
far beyond far
and high beyond high
bluer took it your
but bluest took it our
away beyond wherewhat wonderful thing
is the end of a string
(murmers little you-i
as the hill becomes nil)
and will somebody tell
me why people let go
I send love to all my Readers on this Valentine’s Day. May your day be full of grace, peace, love and fun. Our breakfast set the tone for the day.
French toast hearts with blueberries, creme fraiche and Maple syrup
I couldn’t choose today between these two favourites so an e e Cummings for you which have we both loved for the 52 and a bit years we have been together and one from Wendy Cope
I carry your heart
To My Husband by Wendy Cope
In fact, today was a day I was not looking forward to as I was to go to St Michael’s Hospital for steroid injections in both ankles in a bid to wipe out the arthritic pain. I could not have been better looked after by each member of staff I came across, cared for with grace, made to feel peaceful and sharing fun! It was strange to be in the operating theatre fully awake, but being so, I could enjoy, honestly, the banter and the care that I was receiving. Our NHS staff are remarkable. A special note of thanks to Amy. 🙂
It was not the most comfortable procedure but I have walked out in a state of bliss being completely pain free until the local anaesthetic wears off! I’ve walked up the hill in our little town and up and down stairs many times and cannot stop smiling! I have been told to make the best of the next few hours and to be prepared for some discomfort later but we will be able to enjoy our Valentine’s dinner.
Here are my feet, all prepped, just before I was taken down!
Blue suede shoes – not quite!
In Lemon Street Market today, the Elephant with Acrobat delighted me.
In a favourite kitchen shop was a Shaun the Sheep cake. Isn’t he splendid? There was a notice nearby asking that customers please don’t eat the cake!
I posted a delightful e e cummings poem the other day and was reminded of this one too. Hope you like it. It is one of my favourites.
maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,andmilly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:andmay came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea
I walked up from town via Lovers’ Lane this morning and so enjoyed the Spring flowers in the Cornish hedges.
Today’s poem by e e cummings is just perfect for this bright and lovely Spring day and all the beautiful Spring flowers that I have just shown you. It was so warm as I walked home this morning that I had to take off both my coat and my cardigan! There is such vitality in this poem that has such a springy rhythm and such delightful use of alliteration and repetition. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Keep dancing!
when faces called flowers float out of the ground – ee cummings
when faces called flowers float out of the ground
and breathing is wishing and wishing is having-
but keeping is downward and doubting and never
-it’s april(yes,april;my darling)it’s spring!
yes the pretty birds frolic as spry as can fly
yes the little fish gambol as glad as can be
(yes the mountains are dancing together)when every leaf opens without any sound
and wishing is having and having is giving-
but keeping is doting and nothing and nonsense
-alive;we’re alive,dear:it’s(kiss me now)spring!
now the pretty birds hover so she and so he
now the little fish quiver so you and so i
now the mountains are dancing, the mountains)when more than was lost has been found has been found
and having is giving and giving is living-
but keeping is darkness and winter and cringing
-it’s spring(all our night becomes day)o,it’s spring!
all the pretty birds dive to the heart of the sky
all the little fish climb through the mind of the sea
all the mountains are dancing;are dancing)
I recently discovered a new group nearby, Caring Crafters of Cornwall, who knit for premature babies at our local hospital so have made ready a collection for delivery. Here are little hats in varying sizes and a tiny blanket.
NB email:caringcraftersofcornwall@hotmail.com
1 It has been a beautiful Spring day today and I ventured out into the garden. The sunlight was shining through the white Narcissi.
Sunlit Narcissus
2 There were still raindrops held between the newly sprouted leaves of the Aquilega and, if you click to enlarge and then zoom in, you’ll see the reflection of the trellis work. There’s also a tiny string of raindrops just behind the main drop and the new leaves have a delicate furriness.
Aquilega and raindrop
3 My lovely sister-in-law reminded me of a poem that just shouts ‘Spring has sprung’ and here it is –
in Just by e e cummings
and eddieandbill come
when the world is puddle-wonderful
the queer
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
it’s
the
goat-footed
balloonMan whistles
It’s Valentine’s Day so here, for you all, are two poems and some flowers to share.
This one by e e cummings has been one of our favourites since we met 48 years ago.
i carry your heart
Here are our daffodils, opening beautifully this morning.
Valentine’s Day Daffodils
This poem by Wendy Cope has been published for the first time in The Guardian today. I think it is very beautiful. It reminds me of something my Mum used to say, “Every goodbye, even if you are only going shopping should be a proper good one!”
To My Husband
1 Lucy has trekked from Phakding to Namche Bazaar today. Quite a trek by the look of it.
2 Love:
I carry your heart with me
I carry your heart with me (I carry it in
My heart) I am never without it (anywhere
I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
By only me is your doing, my darling)
I fear
No fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want
No world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
And it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
And whatever a sun will always sing is you
Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
And the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
Higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
And this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart
I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)
e. e. cummings
3 Excited email from lovely sister-in-law in Atlanta with a copy of the menu from the restaurant they are going to tonight – sounds fabulous! Our delicious meal was more modest but quite delicious and cooked by us at home – our favourite – Duck Confit, with a starter of prawns and dessert, the same fabulous Chocolate Amaretti Soufflés that I did for Mr S’s birthday dinner and a bottle of Footprint Shiraz, that we discovered in San Francisco.
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