not well.

Sadly I'm coping with Pleurisy at the moment, so will be off line for a while.

I do wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year.

Christmas week.

This is a time when I go back in my memories of childhood Christmases.

This reminds me of the trees we had as children. Always live, usually cut from a local farm. Brought in with huge excitement.

Our decorations were mainly home made, little walnut half shells silvered and given a mast to represent a little boat, silver paper made into zig zag hangings, tiny toys hung on branches.

And yes, there were real candles (this long before health and safety rules!)

It was a lovely time of quiet expectation, of making family cards and presents, of hanging enormous fishermen's stockings, of writing letters to Father Christmas........ We went out to cut holly and greenery to place behind pictures and mirrors, not at all 'Country Living' but beautiful all the same

We never forgot that Christmas was a celebration of Jesus' birth. We might not have understood it in depth, but it was always there as a meaning for all that went on.

I may not be posting much over the week, but
I want to wish you all the happiest and healthiest of Christmases.

May joy be yours.

Journeys

So many people are going on journeys at this time of year.

Some off to visit with families, some for an occasion such as a Christmas wedding, some going off on holiday to the sun.

I wonder what it must have been like for Joseph and Mary as they travelled. No flask of hot coffee to revive their weariness. No little packs of snacks to offset hunger. No Travel Lodge to have a stopover.

Just one step after another.

I wonder if they talked about this amazing thing that was happening to them.

I wonder if they were afraid. I'm sure they were, and yet they had the depth of faith to travel to Bethlehem, with no certainty of lodging, and knowing that the baby would probably be born en route.

To me, it makes our little journeys seem very unimportant. We live in a world where many of us in the West have just about everything. Mary and Joseph had almost nothing.

I'm not sure that I could do without my comforts and embark on such a journey now.

Advent hymn

This lovely hymn was written by Charles Wesley, who is very much revered in Cornwall as the bringer of the Methodist Faith. He travelled here in 1743 with his brother John, bringing the Gospel to the people wherever they were, rather than expecting everyone to go to church.
This is Gwennap Pit, near Redruth, where John Wesley preached. It is still owned by the Methodist church as far as I know, and I believe that services are still held there.

Charles wrote around six thousand hymns and they have lasted through the centuries. Often we sing them without realising who the author was.

1 Come, O long-expected Jesus,

born to set your people free!

from our fears and sins release us,

Christ in whom our rest shall be.

2 Israel's strength and consolation,

born salvation to impart;

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart.

3 Born your people to deliver,

born a child, and yet a king;

born to reign in us for ever,

now your gracious kingdom bring:

4 By your own eternal Spirit

rule in our hearts alone;

by your all-sufficient merit

raise us to your glorious throne.

 , Charles Wesley (1707 - 1788)

A Christmas ornament swap.

I recently participated in a Christmas ornament swap organised by Karina of Merciful Moments, and a delightful parcel arrived today from Ohio.

Such a generous collection of lovely things.

A box of pretty tree ornaments, a beautiful prayer journal,

delicious candies, peppermint stirrers (I've never seen these before!) and a very attractive piece of Art work done by Sarah, my swap partner.

A gorgeous card told me so much about Sarah and her life, so nice to meet a new friend.

Ornaments and Sarah's lovely painting.

The journal, which I shall treasure.

Thank you Karina for organising this.

Slowly moving on.

Gently moving towards a Christmassy home.

My Candle wreath comes out at Advent, it's one that we bought thirty years ago in Liberty's in London.

A quilt that I made in France covers a table, and the first cards are displayed.

No rushing, no frantic doings.

My husband, who is only slowly recovering from the falls he had, followed by a chest infection, needs to have slow, calm days with no feeling of hurry.

But that's what Advent should be.

My cards will be posted later today and there is still time for them to arrive, even the ones to people living abroad. I hope.

A pause in Advent.

It's been a few years since I joined in the Pause in Advent.

Thanks to Angela for keeping it going.

I'm finding that the world's attitude to Christmas is one of buy, buy, buy. Since September our shops have been full of 'gift ideas'.

It saddens me that a season which is essentially a quiet time of waiting, expectation and preparation, has got to this state.

I remember the excitement as a child of getting ready, writing to Father Christmas, making lists, decorating the tree and so on. I loved doing all this with my children. Somehow materialism hadn't hit in the same way as now.

I saw, as I drove past a new development of shops this week, a huge poster outside a furniture shop.

It screamed..

'If You Love It..

Have It!!'

I felt so sad that in the midst of world famine, terror stricken hordes without food or water, we should be encouraging this 'grab' attitude.

In Advent is it time to take a step back, to spend a little moment thinking about the real reason for Christmas?

Thinking about decorations.

Isn't this lovely?

I've been thinking about making a different door wreath for Christmas, but I don't think I could quite manage this.

In fact it is more likely to be a quick rush down the lane, cut some fir branches and wind them into a circle to 'dress'.

But I do admire the work that goes into these beautifully made decorations...and I have my trusty Glue gun, so , who knows?

We always put up our tree and decorations about a week before Christmas. I know that many of you already have a tree up.

But I like the anticipation of waiting (trans. last minute rush)

It will be simple again this year. No small children around. Grown up grandchildren living far away.

But actually, it is a peaceful time that I am looking forward to. Some lovely music, a Christmas DVD or two, Carols at Kings and easily prepared food.

Happy Thanksgiving!

To all American friends, may I wish you a.....

 1 Timothy 4:4-5

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer

Thank you.

Thank you all so much for the thoughtful comments and the messages that I received after my husband's fall. I was very grateful for the care and kindness.

He is getting better, but the shock has set him back and it is a slow recovery. Our Dr is doing some blood tests this week and it may mean a change of medication.

Don't you admire the beautifully written card above? How often do we take time to hand write messages nowadays?

With the reliance on mobile phones I do wonder if the art of writing will die out over the next century or so.

The days are getting colder here, but it has brought out our families of Goldfinch and Bluetits, who are munching their way through pounds of bird food.

We love to watch them.

Ups and downs

Well, it wasn't quite this drastic, but the fall that my husband had whilst in the Care Home was enough to shake him up badly.

He's back home now, feeling a little shell shocked, but having seen our own Dr, as well as the one in the Devon Home, we are assured that the bruising will fade, and the pains will subside. God must have had him in his hands at that moment as so many falls result in a broken hip. We are so very thankful.

My daughter and I had a lovely week together doing things that I don't normally have time for. We walked through Trelissick gardens, went shopping, went out for dinner, visited friends and family and just enjoyed each other's company. She's back in Vancouver now.

A quiet week now.

The great Mug Exchange

I think this is the fifth time that I have taken part in Stephanie's Cup and Mug exchange, and it has always been such a nice thing to join in with.

I sent to a dear friend, Mari, whose posts I have followed for years. I felt that I knew her well enough to focus on her interests and her family.

The partner sending to me was Astrid

Here's the parcel!

As soon as the postman handed to to me I knew what it must be.

Everything so carefully packed in tissue and bubble wrap.

Oh, the coffee! A brand that I had not tried before with an exotic scent. I do love coffee!

Spice tea bags, a container of spice which I have used and is delicious, a mini soap, a magnet with my name on, cross stitched by Astrid, and such a pretty key fob.

And of course, the mug.

And a beautiful hand made card.

The mug is one of the prettiest that I've seen and will be perfect for morning coffee.

Thank you Astrid for your lovely thoughtful gifts.

And thanks too to Stephanie who must spend hours arranging the swap.

To Devon and back.

It seems an age since I wrote a post. Weeks fly by, and family/visitors come and go.

Today I have just returned from Devon. I took my husband to this beautiful Veterans Nursing Home, where he will be staying for a couple of weeks. This is known as Respite Care here in UK, but I'm not sure who benefits most! 

I know it gives me a chance to rest awhile, but it also gives him the opportunity to meet other interesting people, be looked after by very caring Polish staff, and be extremely well fed!

It isn't that far from home, maybe just over an hour and a half, but I choose to stay a night nearby rather than drive back after settling him in. I had a delicious Sunday lunch with him and a charming group of residents, and then moved on to a pretty little hotel.

The peacocks and ducks wandering about were fun to watch, and I was told that they might wake me up early. They didn't! 
I chose a light dinner, smoked salmon and Rye bread.

I slept in the most comfortable bed, and was grateful for the chance to have someone prepare breakfast for me. I was glad to have stayed as the drive back was hard, in wind , rain and mist.

Now of course, I am missing him, but have a plan to do so many things, particularly in the garden. And also getting a room ready for my daughter who arrives next week from Vancouver. So exciting.

Late flowers.

Feeling a bit sad because my house was bereft of flowers, I pottered into the garden to see if I could find a few bits and pieces.

Amazingly a bunch of shades of red grew in my hand .

There are the last two Dancing Queen roses, Red Kaffir Lillies,

a few heads of deep crimson Hydrangeas and some Alstromeria.

Mixed with a few big Sedum blooms I felt I had a beautiful arrangement for the sitting room.

That's so much better than buying a bunch of flowers.

Sweet peas.

Where did September go?

Here is October, bringing its own colour range, with tawny leaves, scarlet berries and just a few late flowers.

Leaves are dropping from the old Apple tree, falling into the bird bath.  A busy little Toad skittered across my foot yesterday. Was he looking for a Winter hideout?

My Sweet Peas amaze me.

Every other day there is still a little handful of gorgeously scented flowers. I gather them, thinking that they must be the last ones, but a few days later there are more.

What a joy these few plants have been.

In a couple of weeks time my daughter will be flying in from Vancouver for a week. I so look forward to that.

Cornish pasties.

I mentioned the Cornish pasty in my Harvest post.

I know that many of you are familiar with this national 'dish' of Cornwall, but for those that don't know it, I thought I'd write a few words.

There is only one 'proper' way to make a pasty, and that is with Beef skirt, potatoes, onion and swede. Anything else is not 'proper'.

Pasties have been around for hundreds of years, but in Cornwall they were the food of choice for the Miners, working in hot, dirty conditions underground in the tin mines. It's said that one end of the pasty contained meat and in the other end there was jam or something sweet.

Hayle College in Cornwall have just made history by launching an intrepid Pasty into space. Working with Rowes the bakers, they organised this scientific experiment.

Attached to a weather balloon the pasty ascended over 35 000 metres and was suspended in the stratosphere for around 93 minutes, coming back onto Bodmin Moor. It arrived back completely frozen, but was apparently still edible!

Here's the Head Teacher trying it out.

You can read more here

http://www.rowesbakers.co.uk/about-us/first-pasty-into-space

The things we do in Cornwall!!

Harvest

On Sunday our Church celebrates our Harvest service.

It's a time when the churches are beautifully decorated with produce. Though in fact, sadly, we are now encouraged to take practical tins of goods. They all go to our local Food Bank......but I still miss the old ways.

As a child it was so lovely to walk into the church scented with Michaelmas daisies, apples and even a big loaf of bread made in the shape of a sheaf of corn.

We carried our offerings, usually a pretty tissue lined basket full of apples or vegetables, and put them in front of the Altar.

Flower vases were full of Autumn leaves and colourful Dahlias.

Strings of Autumn berries twined themselves around the pillars.

Tins aren't quite the same.

Often there was a Harvest supper, with of course, Cornish pasties!

We had a Harvest lunch in the Village hall today, and finished a very nice meal by singing 

'We plough the fields and scatter...'

a real Harvest hymn.

I think how fortunate we are to have such a variety of food at a time when so many countries have nothing and are torn apart through storms, landslides or war.

A cup and mug exchange

It's time for the lovely Cup and Mug Exchange,

organised by Stephanie of The Enchanting Rose.

I have taken part in this for the last three years, always sending and receiving a mug. Some very attractive mugs have given me much joy, and there is one from Sweden that remains my favourite coffee mug.

It's difficult to choose.

Do you like this blue and white one?

 Or a pretty Kath Kidston one?

 Or maybe a tall Cornish-ware mug?

 Initials?

Well, until I have received the information about my partner, I won't buy anything. But it's fun looking!

I shall find some good coffee or tea depending on her preferences, to include, as well as some typically English items.

It's such a fun exchange and goes all over the world.

The last of Summer

Little of colour is left in the garden now. A few days of strong winds and torrential rain have wiped out the last Summer blooms.

Just a few heads of my Gertrude Jekyll rose. The scent is unbelievable.

A Clematis has surprised me with late flowers.

There's a Gladiolus in front about to flower.

One last Dahlia. Her name is Roxy and she has been in a large pot all Summer, flowering so well. 

The Monarda, bee balm, has been covered with bees. Even though it is nearly over there are still furry bodies buzzing around it.

In the Greenhouse my Dianthus cuttings seem to be rooting. It was time to dig up the old plants as they had become very woody.

Last but not at all least, the tiny stems of Sweet peas still giving out a glorious perfume.

Soon it will be time for Autumn cutting back and maybe a bit of Bulb planting. Summer is over.

Many thanks for all your kind and encouraging comments and messages. After three weeks on strong antibiotics I am much better and working carefully on my energy levels!

Gratitude.

Creeping back to near normal life after three weeks on antibiotics.

Gratitude for so many of your kind  comments, prayers and emails. How blessed we are to have friends from so far and near. Thank you so much.

Grateful for loving family and friends who were a huge support and brought me jellies and other easy to eat things. (including live yogurt which I loathe but is in the words of my Grandma, 'Good For You').

So grateful for a husband who put up with rather odd meals without a murmur (except to beg me to rest more)

Grateful too for two or three hot sunny days, when sitting in the garden was such a gift.

All I need now is an injection of energy and a brain that might come up with something to write about!

Off line for a while.

Off line for a while, recovering from a nasty chest infection and on second round of antibiotics.

A village wander

Let's have a wander around the village.

It's name makes people curious.

Playing Place? The name comes from the Cornish 'Plain an Gwarry'. What's the history? It's said that way back in medieval times there were troupes of players, musicians, dancers who performed here in one specific place. Sadly no one seems to know where it was!

I suppose the Community Hall is the centre, where things go on.

Years ago I ran a Brownie pack here, and I believe there are still Cubs groups. 

So many opportunities...Aerobics, Choir, Folk Dance, Garden Society, Line Dancing, Bowls...and more. Our church has a monthly lunch for anyone in the village and about 40 of us enjoy that.

So many villages have now lost their shops, but we are fortunate to have a little Spar shop with Post Office included. the goods are more expensive than in the city supermarkets, but it is convenient if you don't want to, or can't, drive.

There's a very good bus route into Truro about 10 minutes away. No I haven't yet tried it.

A little further round the village and we come to the Alms Houses, dated 1726.

Not too many villages have Alms houses, but we are the proud possessor of four tiny cottages.

You never know who you are going to see in the village, but a sight that we all enjoy is M. leading his two horses round the lanes for their exercise. One is a lovely shire horse, whose name is Caleb. Sadly I haven't always carried a camera when they are around.

Children can have fun in the village too, although we sadly lack a traditional Village Green. Next to the Hall is the skateboard rink and a play area.

It's one of those villages that isn't quite one thing or another. It is less than 5 miles from the city, but not part of it. The population is around one thousand. The church is about four miles distant and not in the village. The primary school is on the outskirts. The pub is a mile away.
So somehow it has not got a socially integrated village feel, although it is a very convenient place to live with easy access everywhere.

Surprises

My birthday came and went this week. Nowadays I really don't get very enthusiastic about birthdays...they tell me the years are passing too quickly.

We had a lovely day, with friends coming in for a simple lunch in the Conservatory. The sun was shining which made it very pleasant.

There were phone calls from Australia (son), a voucher from Canada (daughter), beautiful cards and some thoughtful presents too.

On the same day, I received a surprise gift from Debbie, a charming lady with a very talented daughter, Stephanie. It was so kind of her to send me this delightful set of tea holders and mats, and I think they were from Stephanie's shop.

Surprise gifts are so lovely!