We had been watching the beautiful sunset out of the front room windows and then discovered the pink sky and nearly full Moon in the back garden, opposite the setting sun.
We have had lots of purple poppies already – this is the first scarlet one and we love it.
The Eringium Planum Blue Hobbit is turning blue! For weeks we have wondered if we had the right one and we have.
Littlest Live-wire and I made bread this afternoon, her first time and she loved kneading the dough. I just love her little dimply knuckles!
Making bread
This year I have used Mum’s old pan stand not for beans but for Nasturtiums and they are beginning to make the show I was looking for.
Nasturtium tower
There are just two Poppies left, a red and a white, close together and beautiful.
Two lovely poppies
It’s November 11th, Armistice Day, and we remember all those who died in all wars, soldiers and civilians, in the past and those ongoing. We continue to support those who work for peace.
Poppy field in Doncaster June 2010
Poppy from that field
I find this poem by a German poet, Georg Trakl, very moving. The waste of war, the tragedy, the dreadful contrast with natural beauty are all here, affecting all those involved, whichever side they are fighting for. The last line gives me shivers.
At evening the autumn woodlands ring
With deadly weapons. Over the golden plains
And lakes of blue, the sun
More darkly rolls. The night surrounds
Warriors dying and the wild lament
Of their fragmented mouths.
Yet silently there gather in the willow combe
Red clouds inhabited by an angry god,
Shed blood, and the chill of the moon.
All roads lead to black decay.
Under golden branching of the night and stars
A sister’s shadow sways through the still grove
To greet the heroes’ spirits, the bloodied heads.
And softly in the reeds Autumn’s dark flutes resound.
O prouder mourning! – You brazen altars,
The spirit’s hot flame is fed now by a tremendous pain:
The grandsons, unborn.
1 I discovered these delightful curly stems on the ground in the garden this morning. It looks as if there will be lots of Cyclamen Hederifolium flowers this year but I was expecting them to flower in the Autumn! Perhaps they think it is Autumn already. It is cool enough and there are spiders’ webs covered in rain drops all over the garden.
Cyclamen Hederifolium
2 It may be cool out there but we have lots of our own lettuce leaves to eat – today a simple Italian salad of Pomodorinos, avocado and mozzarella with a balsamic dressing. I forgot the basil until after the photos!
Lunch
3 The rain has beaten the poppies down and the wind has shaken off some petals sooner than hoped. They are still very beautiful and I love how the raindrops cling to the hairy stems.
Poppies and raindrops
Fallen poppy petal
Sweet Pea Pod
1 The sun shining through the sweet pea pod shows the furriness of the pod in the sunlight and the little seeds inside – just beautiful!
2 The poppy seed heads are just opening to scatter their tiny black seeds everywhere – lots of poppies next year!
Ripened seed pod
Side view to show the holes for the seeds to escape from
3 Much to our delight, the horses are back in the field behind our house. They are so beautiful!
Our horse neighbours
1 Before everyone else arrives, we took L out for lunch to celebrate her Masters! We went to a fabulous restaurant, The Cove, overlooking the sea at Maenporth, near Falmouth and ate a very delicious lunch.
2 We all walked along the beach for a bit after our lunch and I found dandelions, poppies and a bee.
3 Our beautiful Grandchildren have arrived and already the house is full of happy chuckles.
1 Heavy rain all night and I went out first thing to take these gorgeous photos of raindrops. Click to enlarge.
Raindrops on a poppy bud about to open
Raindrops on a poppy
Fallen sepal with raindrops. This is my favourite today.
2 Today, Lucy and I used our Christmas present vouchers from KJ to have a massage each at St Michael’s Spa in Falmouth – beautiful smells and a great sense of relaxation.
St Michael’s Spa, Falmouth
3 While I was out, Mr S put the baby gates, the fireguard and the buggy back in the attic but he left the toys and the wet-suit that stay here on the stairs for me to see as I came in. Beautiful!
Toys and a wet-suit waiting to go upstairs until the next visit
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