Busy week

The week has flown by.

Family were down staying nearby, and brought these exquisite flowers. I don't think I have seen such amazing coloured roses before.

A very beautiful sunrise the other morning, not terribly well photographed through my bedroom window.

Carpet fitters last night and this morning came to remove one carpet (the last of the previous owner) and bring in a lovely new one. 

Furniture moved in and out by our extremely helpful family, who have sadly gone back to their Manchester home now..

Here's a bit of the sitting room, no longer floored in dull grey-green, but in fresh pale carpet...Sea Breeze by name, wonder why?!

I'm very happy with it. The room looks lighter and brighter.

Changing colours.

These Hydrangeas are all from the same bush. I am always amazed by the changes in colour as Autumn arrives.

 Back in the Summer the bush produced beautiful blue flowers.

Just two or three are left, mingling with the amazing ruby red of the others.

This is how it looks today.

You can just see one or two of the light coloured flowers hiding.

Soon the flowers will be completely over.

Maybe I'll dry a few.

Hydrangeas are very much a flower of Cornwall, and most gardens have at least one bush. The colours range from pure white through to the darkest blues and pinks.

Lovely plants.

Jelly jars.

Seventeen little jars of glowing jelly.

Marleen asked if I would share the recipe.

Way back in September 2008 I did a sort of photo 'tutorial', but I cant find a way to link it so that you can pick it up straight away.
http://frenchvillagelife.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/apple-jelly-day.html

But like any jelly making you just need a big preserving pan (you can see mine in the photo) in which to boil the fruit, a jelly bag to strain it, and preserving sugar to add to the juice. I put 1lb sugar to 1 pint juice.

Bring it to a rolling boil and after about 10 - 15 minutes the set will be starting. Fill lots of warm jars, and wait till it cools to eat!

Crab apple time.

Guess what I'm doing this weekend.

Once again Crab apples have fallen off their branches, rosy red and gleaming. These came from a friend, and sadly many of them were windfalls and not too good.

However, I have two large pans boiling and tonight they will be strained ready for the juice to be turned into jelly.

Jelly here, for US readers, is a lovely clear jelly, not a jam.

We eat this with chicken or pork.

As a child it was always a treat when my Grandma made Apple jelly and we had a slice of bread with the shivery ruby jelly. So tasty!

A cottage in Brittany.

Following slightly in the footsteps of Magali, whose blog tells us all about the renovation of her Breton cottage, I thought I would go back in time and show you our first cottage in France.

We bought this in  Brittany in 1995 as a holiday cottage...somewhere to run during the school terms and holidays.

It did not look at all like the photo.

Poor cottage had been lived in for years by an elderly bachelor and was decidedly scruffy.

But...the most amazing thing was that it had a modern bathroom, put in, I think, by the council. That made it all possible, as we knew there would be much renovation to do.

In those days there were no programmes on 'the French Dream', no magazines full of advice, there were few solicitors who knew how to deal with a property buy in France, and we had to struggle through all sorts of hoops concerning inheritance laws, tax payments in another country, et al.

However, we bought it and in May 1995 rushed over at half term,buying two white plastic chairs from the nearest supermarket, and took possession.

The cottage was at the end of a lane in a small hamlet known as 'Le Vieux Bourg' (The old village), slightly separated from the newer village which was within 3 minutes walk. There was one tiny shop in a front room, a post office, a Dr's surgery, and naturally, five bars.

In a village of 1200 people.

When I can find some more photos I'll tell you how the 'dream' progressed.

The Mikado

Japan came to Truro this week, in a production of The Mikado.

One of Gilbert and Sullivan's best known works, it was performed by the National Gilbert and Sullivan Company.

 The costumes and settings were very attractive, and there were some lovely voices in the company.

The well known 'Three Little Maids from school' song.

As my husband says, one is either a Gilbert and Sullivan person, or not. He is. I'm not terribly!

We always have good seats in the Truro theatre, as a front row on the entry level is kept for disabled people. It does mean that all the other theatre goers are at risk of tripping over walking sticks, wheelchairs, electric chairs and crutches. 

And a Guide Dog. 

But it's all taken in good spirits.!

Vacouver storms.

Sunday evening means a call to my daughter in Vancouver, and I was surprised to find that the line was unreachable.

It wasn't until she emailed me this morning that I knew of the devastating storm that had hit Vancouver and Vancouver Island during the weekend.

Around half a million people have been without power. Trees have been falling on houses, on cars, on roads, with nasty accidents as a result.

In addition to my daughter and grandson, I'm thinking of people such as Lorrie, Honora, Christine, Joanne and many others who live in that area.

Thoughts and prayers are with you all.