The view from Here: under the tree on a sunny afternoon

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”

June in the Garden: an evening stroll

Now I could absorb … the faded glory of the earliest blooms – already past their prime and thus already in that wonderful blowsy, bleached state of unkempt, vintage splendour: their last hurrah

We have roses: baby pink, deep yellow, fiery red.  And a lilac: I’d not even realised we had a lilac until I saw its lanky, lazy purple-tipped blooms.  A clematis; huge, pink rhododendrons …  A week of dry, warm weather and the garden is showing us its summer garb.  Continue reading “June in the Garden: an evening stroll”

Boys on the Beach: Millendreath

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”

Memory Moments: May

“We do not remember days; we remember moments.” Cesare Pavese

A month of …

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… huge skies…

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…fluffy clouds …

… and wild flowers.

Polperro at low tide…

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… and high tide.

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Evenings on the balcony …

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… on our own…

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… and with those we love.

Ellie and her boys …

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… loving and laughing…

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… and exploring.

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Watching the sun set…

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… and filling the skies with colour.

And not forgetting…

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… Ferryside in the rain.

Blessings indeed.

The View from Here: exhilarating May

On a sunshine-filled day in May, the view from here is exhilarating.

It seems that when it rains in Cornwall, it rains properly.  Often it’s a soft, gentle rain, so fine that it’s almost invisible – unless you’re standing in it.  And sometimes it’s hard, heavy and unforgiving.  We’ve had entire days of rain, and even more long nights of it.  But looking back at May, I think we did pretty well on the weather front. Continue reading “The View from Here: exhilarating May”

Polperro Revisited

“Can we come back here again tomorrow, Mummy?”

Yes please, I added silently.

Polperro is fast becoming a favourite haunt.  Today I saw it through a child’s eyes.

The final day of May dawned warm, bright and sunny, with a generous light breeze to keep us cool and refreshed.  Ellie tackled the narrow back roads to Polperro without complaint and reversed where necessary like a pro.  I could learn from this. Continue reading “Polperro Revisited”

The View from Here: we made it to the far side

The view from here is priceless

Evan and I went exploring in the field.  The field slopes fiercely.  It’s lumpy and bumpy.  There are – or were – no paths.  A wild wonderland for an intrepid boy with an imagination. Continue reading “The View from Here: we made it to the far side”

The View from Here: a house for making memories

The view from here is infused with love and wonder

Bathed in sunshine, we waved good-bye to Russ and Char.

Less than two later Ellie and the boys arrived.

The sun obligingly kept his hat on.

It was a quick turnaround; is this how landladies feel?  I am reminded why I’ve never been attracted to the idea of running a bed and breakfast. Continue reading “The View from Here: a house for making memories”