Generosity

The generosity of bloggers amazes me, and I am so thankful for the many friends I have made, some whom I will never meet, but with whom I have such a link.

During the last week I have had the blessing of two lovely gifts, a beautiful Decal from

Rhondi, and some exquisite handmade soap from Sarah in Missouri. I have followed Sarah's blog for a long time, and love to read about their family farm and about their animals and produce. Their soap is handmade and is too lovely to use! It scents my bathroom beautifully right now.

But not only that.... I have also won three giveaways!

The first one was from Brenda whose inspiring posts I have been reading for some years. It is this book, Surprised by Oxford, which I am looking forward to reading.

Then Terri offered a giveaway. Terri is one of my most read people, and I have bought her beautifully sewn articles previously. She writes about her joys , her family, being a pastor's wife, and of course, her sewing.

She is a published writer and her two books were part of the giveaway, together with some Autumny sewn gifts, so pretty.

 I enter giveaways never expecting to win.

But to my surprise I heard that I had also won Sharon's giveaway!

Sharon, again, is someone whose posts I have been reading for a long time.

I worry about the postage costs for those kind people who send gifts.

I do ask them to re-gift to someone in USA if the mail cost is too high.

Thank you for all my lovely giveaways and gifts.

I am very privileged.

To all my American friends

Although Thanksgiving is not something that we have in the UK, I do believe that it is very special, and wonder if we should have something similar?

There is so much to be thankful for.

I would love to be invited to a real American Thanksgiving meal.

I can imagine how traditional it would be, and yet so unlike anything we do here.

So... I wish all my friends in America

A very Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Friends to supper.

Today we say good bye to two dear friends who are moving from Cornwall back to their home county of Herefordshire. We have known these friends for over thirty years, a friendship that has stretched over two countries, has seen joys and sorrows together.

So, a 'last supper' together.

The house smells deliciously of slow cooked lamb, which has been in the oven for four hours, covered in rosemary and thyme.

Mince pies to follow.

It's not a smart dinner, it's a 'come as you are', it's friends enjoying each others company.

It won't be the last time, as we hope to take a train next year to visit them.

We know that they are happy to be going nearer their families now. We know that real friendships never die. 

But, how we will miss them, their cheery phone calls to say 'Anything you need?'

The knowledge that if we needed help, they were first to come.

We have been blessed to have friends like that.

Christmas shopping

All of a sudden, and it is still November, I've discovered that the only time to go into town is before 9am. Christmas shopping is under way with a vengeance.

If I get to the supermarket by 8am, I can be out again by 9am, and back home.

The shops are full of decorations, gifts, cards, and even live Christmas trees.

Isn't it a bit early to buy a tree?

Although I love being back in England, I do think wistfully of the complete lack of pre Christmas rush in France. Shops were decorated, but not till well into December.

I have taken some short cuts this year.

Quite a few things are being bought on line and delivered here.

Our local National Trust shop at Trelissick is only a mile away, is full of little bits and pieces, and is so much easier than wading through crowds.

And of course, I am making various presents.

One favourite place to visit in town is our lovely Cathedral, which also has its own shop.
It's just delightful to sit quietly, gaze at the beautiful all white Christmas tree, and allow the real meaning of Christmas to sink in.

Do you enjoy the rush and bustle of the Christmas shop?

Weather!

Just after I had put a load of washing in the machine, on what started as a sunny blowy day......the hail came down!

It was sudden, brutal and harsh.

I'm hoping the sun will return (but not banking on it).

Charities.

It's the time of year when almost every post contains letters from charities, asking for donations.

There are charities for children, for elderly, for animals, for sufferers from so many illnesses .....I could go on and on. Sometimes they send little gifts, cards or stick on name tags. Then I am unable to use them unless I send even a small donation.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to give and give?

We support only two charities throughout the year, one for Blind Veterans and one for Cancer sufferers. We buy carefully chosen Christmas cards from a Charity.

I wish we could do more.

If only some of those millions from the Lottery could be diverted as gifts, but where would one start, and finish?

We do what we can.

Acts 20:35

New International Version (NIV)

35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said:‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Little hats.

You might remember that a little while ago I wrote a post about knitting little hats for bottles?

I know it sounds crazy, but it was for a good cause.

Innocent smoothies promote this every year and the hats are worn in November .

Today in Sainsburys supermarket the bottles were dressed.

I had to buy a couple, in the knowledge that for every one sold, 25 pence is given to a Charity called Age UK.

The astonishing thing was....I saw one of the bottles wearing a hat that I had made!

I didn't buy it. I chose these two instead.

Over the last ten years, Innocent have raised more than a million pounds.

Just with bottles wearing little hats!

Remembrance.

I can't let November 11th go by without a picture of poppies.

Reminding us of the men and boys who fell on the fields of Flanders in the first World War, these will always be a symbol of selfless bravery.

Sadly, wars have continued and we now have so many young men who have not returned from their tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They must never be forgotten.

The Queen laid a wreath today on the steps of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, and after the ceremony came a March past.

10,000 people were in that March, many of them veterans.

Poignancy in so many little things.

A young girl pushing  wheelchair for an elderly man, his eyes blazing with fervour, his hand tapping to the beat of the military band.

Blind veterans, marching with companions.

Disabled men in wheelchairs, sitting proudly.

Commanders being interviewed, saying 'We only did our job'.

And the most lovely moment during the televised ceremony in the Albert hall.

A small group of young girls called 'The Poppy Girls' sang a haunting song in front of the huge audience.

At the end of it the announcer said that sadly the father of one of the girls (Megan aged 10, on the left.) was on duty in the Indian ocean so would not have been able to see his daughter perform. 'But, Megan' he went on, 'we have a surprise for you'.

Her face as she saw her Daddy come down the steps towards her was unbelievable.

I think we all shed a tear.

Going out, a bit more added.

It's raining...but the sun is shining.

We are going to go out, visit the mobile Library,

and then take a walk in Trelissick Gardens.

We may get very wet, but it's more fun than staying in!.

Edited later;
And so we did.
The rain held off, the sun came out.
We borrowed a wheelchair from the entry, just in case of tiredness.
We wandered along the flat paths, looked over the view to Tregothnan , framed in Autumn colours.

We paused to sit and admire the view through the trees.
There were very few people around , which made it easy.

Then, the wheelchair largely unused, we returned it and wandered into the Courtyard Cafe for a reviving bowl of soup.

Here people were sitting outside,enjoying the rare November sun.

We are so fortunate to have this lovely place less than a mile away from our home.

I remember our happy meeting with another blogger, Bayou, earlier this year.

What a pity you weren't here to enjoy it with us, Anke!

5th November/Bonfire soup.

In England November 5th is traditionally Bonfire/Firework Night, when the sins of one Guy Fawkes are remembered, and fireworks are lit.

In actual fact, most of the big celebrations were held last Saturday, being a weekend.

I remember with nostalgia the Firework nights long before Health and Safety's Public displays were invented. It was a family night, when we all piled off down the lane to the folk with the very big garden. We carried our trays of Treacle toffee, jacket potatoes and of course, the sparklers.

It was fun. We were watched carefully by parents and friends, and there were no accidents.

Probably the most exciting thing would have been a Catherine wheel zooming off the stake, to shrieks of delight from the children.

This is the Firework Soup that I made for years for my children.

Recipe;
3 rashers bacon
2 sticks celery, 3 carrots, 2 potatoes, clove garlic, 1 onion, 1 leek.
(To add later; Quarter of a small cabbage, 1 oz quick cook pasta, 4 oz peas.)
Butter, tomato puree, stock cubes, herbs,
3 pints boiling water.
Chop bacon, celery, dice carrots, cut potatoes into dice, Slice onion, trim leek and cut into slices.
Crush garlic.
Melt butter in a very large saucepan, add bacon, celery, carrots potatoes, garlic, onion and leek. Fry slowly for 5 mins without browning.
Add tomato puree (1 tsp)
Add stock cubes dissolved in 1 pint water, together with mixed herbs and seasoning and the rest of the water.
Simmer for 20 mins.
Wash cabbage and cut off any tough leaves, shred finely. Add pasta, peas and cabbage to soup.
Bring to boil, simmer for another 20 mins.
Thicken if needed with beurre manie (or cornflour)
Serve with grated Parmesan and crusty bread.

Decorating, again.

Our decorator (second one) has just finished the sitting room.

A few weeks ago the first decorator started the room and made such a frightful mess of the papering that we asked him to leave.

In came Les, also known as 'Slightly scary Les', due to his tattoos, earring and gold tooth.

Les has been wonderful.

He is quiet, doesn't bring a radio, doesn't smoke, just gets on.

He ripped off the bad paper, sized and filled the walls and papered them with a much better quality paper.

Not one bubble was there.

Les is an artist.

So now we can put the furniture back and enjoy our new room.

There may be photos later.