Singing at the Eco Park this afternoon my eye was caught by a planted up tyre.
Camellia flowers are beautiful at the moment, even when they fall.
I thought you might like to hear one of our songs from this afternoon, “My Flower, My Companion and Me”
Tag Archives: Mount Pleasant Eco Park
A Tyre, A Flower and A Song for You
Community Roots, Poly Tunnel and Harvesting
We visited Community Roots today, described as “Community Supported Agriculture 🌱 Nature Friendly market garden. Food and friendships within our community” and it was all those things and more.
We expected just to be shown around to to see what was going on but it turned out to be the day for putting up a new poly tunnel and it seemed that extra hands would be useful so we stayed and helped. What a wonderful sense of satisfaction and camaraderie.
Plastic covering ready to roll
Pulling it over and holding tight against the breeze
Tucking in the sides
Done!
It was the day for harvesting the onions and some volunteers, aged from 3 to 75, were laying them all out to dry off in the sun.
Painted Pebble, Benches and Twin Flowers
We rehearsed at the eco park as usual this afternoon, celebrating our wonderful sing at The Minack theatre on Friday. The eco park is getting ready for their festival, Tropical Pressure, and we found painted pebbles and beautifully painted benches made of recycled tyres and wood. 
I discovered twin flowers on one of our courgette plants.
Surprise, Harvesting and Dinner
I’ve been to the Eco Park countless times and today took LiveWire No 3 to sing with me. She joined us on various zooms during lockdowns and loves singing with Claire. On the way out she spotted something I have never seen before, zebras behind fences! What a surprise!
Look very carefully!
After singing this morning, we spent the afternoon at the beach and later collected some more Dwarf Purple Beans for tonight’s meal. It’s lovely to such enthusiastic help with the harvesting.
Tonight’s meal with the family (Daughter No 1 has joined us for the day too) – Marmalade Chicken.
Marmalade Chicken
Singing, A Toothbrush and A Cartoon
In 2013 some of our choir walked from Lands End to St Just, inspired by the March of the Women, 100 years before, who walked from Land’s End to London demanding Votes for Women. Tonight, in the atrium of the Eco Park we sang March of the Women, conducted by our leader, Claire, using a toothbrush.
Ethel Smyth’s rousing March of the Women was composed in 1910 to words by Cicely Hamilton, with a tune adapted from a traditional Italian melody. Emmeline Pankhurst (1858–1928) introduced it as the official anthem of the Women’s Social and Political Union and it became associated with the suffrage movement more generally. Info from the British Library
In 1911 it was sung on Pall Mall in celebration of the release from prison of a number of activists. The following year, the conductor Thomas Beecham (1879–1961) apparently heard it sung in Holloway Prison, where Smyth and Pankhurst were imprisoned and it is said that Ethel Smyth conducted the imprisoned women singing at their windows, using her toothbrush as a baton. Some of you know that my Great Granny was a Suffragette imprisoned and force fed in Holloway. I like to think she may have known and sung this song.
Two of our lovely choir members with whom I sing in the tenor section. I have permission to use their photos in my blog post.
There was a rueful smile when I saw this cartoon.
Covid rules in England say choirs can only sing outdoors in groups of no more than 30, all socially distanced. Have you seen/heard any football matches recently? 🙂
Thali, Fire and A Rainbow
It’s been a busy day – friends for coffee in the front garden (very cold) this morning, friends for tea and cake in the back garden (cold and wet!) in the afternoon and another meal out this evening! We all decided that we need to invest in some thermal and waterproof clothing so that we can continue to meet in our gardens over the winter. The vegan Thali at the Wilder Allotment Kitchen at the Mount Pleasant Eco Park was scrumptious and the music from the six gathered musicians a delight. A storm was coming as we left and a chunk of rainbow lit the darkening sky.
Stamens, Evening Sky and Charred Wood
The Tibouchina is still beautiful with no petals!
Tibouchina stamens
This evening’s sky was a pretty one.
Evening sky
Burnt stumps in the fire pit at the Eco Park
Singing, Eco Park and New Cook Book
I went to a Sing for Your Heart, Sing for Your Soul session with Claire today and it was glorious! We sang indoors, then in the courtyard and finally in the field and it was wonderful!
Field at Mount Pleasant Eco Park
Courtyard at Mount Pleasant Eco Park
On the side of the Cantina Cafe where we had brunch after singing
View over the green planted roof top across to Porthtowan
There was post waiting for me when I arrived home – a beautifully written card from T, LiveWire 3, to accompany the International Cook Book that has been put together by her school community to celebrate the multiple nationalities who attend there. I shall be trying lots of the recipes which sound delicious. I’ll share them with you as I try them.
Cook book sent by LiveWire T
