have fun

And peace on earth!

google translate fails again

"Take me to your Biscuit, now!"

just missed

It was extremely wet and windy yesterday!

still shell shocked, and hanging on for dear life, or like grim death. (It is interesting that these two similes have the same meaning).

very old indeed

Our village post  office (in Stoke Climsland) is 175 years old next year. We will be celebrating!

birds of prey flock together

Up to 14 buzzards have been seen sitting together in these bare fields. Buzzards are usually fairly solitary birds, but they seem to be congregating in these fields, possibly to feed on the worms, or to warm up in the morning in the winter sun.

Christmas tidings from Duchy College

a giant corn dolly prepared by Duchy college ready for the ritual sacrifice of a student (still to be selected) at the winter solstice.

Bal maidens

images from A Hole in the Ground, an exhibition (in aid of NSPCC) in our parish hall of arts and crafts inspired by mining in the Tamar valley and a reflection of the harsh life of young men and women who worked in the mines locally.

Come and have a look

Another exhibition of photographs from Spot's blog is now on show at the Old School Community Centre, Stoke Climsland. Entry free (! of course !)

p.s. Tea towels with this attractive image will soon be available, get your orders in now!

winter scenes

Wonderful and strange light this afternoon, followed by a crescent moon and Venus brilliant in the evening sky.

on the first day of winter

Alfie, today's guest dog. I have no idea what he was doing in the top picture, possibly looking for water-fowl or otters, but we had a 2 hour swim and run marathon along the Inny which exhausted the lurchers but not Alfie.

Hard though it is to remember, these meadows were full of butterflies only a few months ago (see link). Below is an example of witches' broom, a gall of birch caused by a fungal infection

autumn

Light pouring into the woods today, and, away from the sun's warmth, a frost flower in bloom.