All good things come to an end

Back home once again from our well trodden pilgrimage down to Cornwall to visit with dad. We had fantastic weather and got loads caught up with in the garden – had a bonfire, strimmed, mowed, weeded and l even planted tatties and tomatoes. This photo was taken just after we got started- you can just make out the smoke from hubby's bonfire.

We also took a few drives down to the beaches and did some shopping but now it's back home to 'auld claes and parritch'. This is such a typically Scottish expression and can be said once you get back from a holiday away, in our case a working holiday but nevertheless it means coming back home to your old clothes and usual porridge breakfast. All good things much come to an end.

While away we took a short drive down to Mawnan and the photo (left) is of the Lych Gate at Mawnan Church. You can see the granite coffin rest and the inscription above can be translated as, "It is good for me to draw nigh unto God." This gateway was where the dead would be placed on the stone rest before the funeral. This particular Lych gate dates to 1881 but the site of the church is much older, built within the confines of an ancient earthwork. The photo of the trees (above) was taken looking over the adjacent field just as we were leaving.

And just like the sunset in the photo l also must get on- too nice a day to stay inside. I'm away to get caught up in our own garden now.

Moments of Calm

I think sometimes we take for granted what beautiful and unusual places we live in- the people, the sounds and scenes. We rush from one thing to another but sometimes it's good just to 'stand and stare'.

Early this morning as l drove around running errands l watched as the big ferry pulled out from the pier, cut its path across the choppy water - waves and white horses slapping against its side. The sea and sky teeming with so many different shades of blue and the rain dampening all sound. A moment of calm.

This afternoon l stopped and leaned against the door-jamb on the way out again, breathed in the cool sea air and watched as two Wood Pigeons made their way around the garden, then listened to the beat of their wings as they eventually picked up and landed on the shed roof close by. A time to focus.

This evening when l had to pick up Sam from his friend's house - a surreal moment when the air around me suddenly filled with the haunting melody of bagpipe music (from one of the local hotels no doubt). Everything looked more beautiful, the sky neutralised by a blanketing mist, saturated foliage and saturated colour beneath me - the wind so still. What a wonder.

It made me think of the poem by William Henry Davis:

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

Bouncing through Spring

Last week was a busy one again- so many school things on the go just before the holidays- Sam is on his school break now – thank goodness! We're planning another visit down to Cornwall this month so the car goes in for a service tomorrow and l've noticed that my lists of things to do and remember have started to grow. I've got into the habit of writing everything down so l don't forget. Lists for everything- from booking hotels to shopping and packing - it's just the way l function and l've noticed my older kids doing it as well.

I'm not sure if l mentioned but we had more insulation put up in our loft a few weeks back which meant clearing the whole space out – years of clutter and stuff - so much of it! It has taken a while but we've managed to go through most of it, spaghetti tangles of christmas lights and computer cables, transformers and chargers for goodness knows what!! Memo: ALWAYS label chargers/adapters etc! Old toys and bags full of baby clothes to exclaim over. We're nearly there now- have floored part of the attic space and boxes that are back up are only what we have decided to keep- most things have gone to the charity shop. I feel so much lighter!

It makes you wonder though about all those attics, cellars and cupboards, drawers and sheds all over the world filled with such clutter and keepsakes- blows the mind!!

Yesterday was Mother's Day here in the UK. I spent a quiet Sunday at home with the family- did a little gardening, listened to my new Adele CD from sonser and enjoyed a long afternoon nap. Hubby said l must have been tired as l was completely out of it for a couple of hours! He did make a splendiferous Sunday roast dinner though!!

Earlier when we were out the back my husband cut out an old bit of unused pipe that ran up to the outhouse - he lay it down the side of the house to take to the dump. I quickly picked it up and decided to twist it into a spiral to sit in the garden- a piece of art! My son and husband spent the rest of the day making fun of my 'spring' so l decided to call it that, 'SPRING' -lol.

They compared me to the woman on the movie TWISTER who had a garden full of wind chimes, etc. I didn't mind because l love things like that , things that are different. An old red phone box sitting in a garden or a claw foot bath filled with pond plants - these things make me smile. So l am thinking of making my own kinetic wind sculpture - will do a bit of research first though - there are plenty of things that you can recycle. Sometimes it's just finding the time.