The brume abounded and I abandoned all domestic demands and entered into a quiet, parallel universe
The first third of July passed in a whirl of fatigue, car problems, family dramas, unexpected arrivals, fog, mist and dimpsey days. Continue reading “The View from Here: vanishing valley, vanishing view”
Fortunately … there was no one to hear our hapless remarks and squeals as the joints snapped
Had it not been for the stepping stones I would not have attempted the bouillabaisse. Continue reading “From Stepping Stones to Gin Rummy via Bouillabaisse”
“We do not remember days; we remember moments.” Cesare Pavese
With June has come the green. The trees are in full dress.
Walks on our doorstep …
are mellow and enticing …
…and enhanced by curious cows.
Grassy verges are lush and abundant …
… and industrious workers are kept busy.
The garden is fragrant with blooms.
And under the tree is the perfect spot …
… for sitting and loving …
… and sitting and reading.
We had more visitors on the balcony …
… we had views and vistas …
… and we had the sea.
There were beaches for small boys to play on …
… and for quiet contemplation.
June was a month for:
wild flowers,
garden flowers,
and exotic flowers.
And for …
Singing in the Rain.
I breathed silent a prayer of thanks… For of course, that lady could so easily have been me
“The roads are empty around here. I’ve lost my fear of meeting a car on these narrow lanes because it so rarely happens.” Oh, famous last words… Continue reading “The View from Here: chaos in the lanes”
Once I’d stopped to think about a rainforest I recalled that under the canopy there is little light and relatively little colour. There was a lot of green
It was raining and distinctly cool. The paths would be wet and slippery; the views veiled by mist. Walking was off the agenda. We opted instead for a local attraction which offered at least some shelter and some more attractive temperatures: we had a day at the Eden Project. Continue reading “Singing in the Rain at the Eden Project”
Everywhere we looked offered a view and the vistas crackled with energy
If the first half of our walk can be defined as steeped in history, the second half can be defined as awash with nature. Both halves gave us views: the first of woodlands and settlements; the second of coastal grandeur. There’s no need to make comparisons: they combined to give us a wonderful day. A good walk with a dear friend, at a leisurely pace through magical scenery. What could be better! Continue reading “The View from Here: conquering the cliffs”
I wonder what thoughts were passing through her mind: what hopes, dreams and expectations. She probably didn’t huff and puff as much as I did
Karina arrived last night. A whirlwind of enthusiasm and energy, ours is a friendship of opposites. We met when she enrolled her son at the school where I taught; and in time she became a member of staff herself. When the school closed our friendship continued to blossom. I like and admire her for her forthrightness, her spirited independence and her passion. Where I am reticent in revealing my feelings, Karina wears her heart on her sleeve and can be no other way. It was a joy to welcome her to Highfield. Continue reading “Half of the Hall Walk”
I felt that my man on a bicycle deserved some seriously good chocolate
The rain continues unabated and my patience has begun to wear thin. Perhaps I can cite that as my excuse for being somewhat impatient when I set off on the 3-mile trip to Pelynt one morning. All of the journey is along single-track roads, which is not a big problem as there is very little traffic. But on this occasion I met a bicycle. Continue reading “A Man on a Bicycle and Cornish Chocolate”
For a while a single buzzard owned the space between the earth below and the heavens above, framed by the branches over my head which arched so I felt like I was watching this scene from a silent, vaulted cathedral
I have a picture in our bedroom: Roses by Peder Kroyer, painted in 1893. It’s of a woman wearing a long white dress and she is reading – sitting in a garden chair in the sunshine with a large floriferous white rose in the foreground. Continue reading “The view from Here: under the tree on a sunny afternoon”
I might even be prevailed upon to paddle next time
Before I stopped working, I worked with several people who knew this part of Cornwall well. They have been a real help in offering advice and giving us the lowdown on places to see, shops to visit. And on this occasion, in suggesting beaches for children. Continue reading “Boys on the Beach: Millendreath”
A Corner of Cornwall 