Cornish Chough

Image by polandeze via FlickrI went for a coast walk this morning with my friends. The weather was perfect; dry and sunny with a wind to prevent it from being too hot. After a tea at a cafe once we'd reached our destination, we walked home enjoying the birds and wildlife on the way. I was extremely happy as I saw my first pair of Cornish Choughs that I've ever seen outside of captivity. I managed to get a photograph of one from quite a distance away but just to view these rare birds was an extreme pleasure. It just goes to emphasise the beauty of this unique part of the world where we (myself and my friends) all live.

In Praise of My Garden

Here I sit, so tired and aching,
Bramble-bitten, scratched and sore,
Doing the garden took some effort
Dealing with brambles even more!
Yet I feel that all is worth it
For the moments of peace and joy
That my garden gives me quietly,
Pays back all my work and more.
Many lovely birds and insects
Share the space I call my own
I consider that all is worth it
Just to feel that deep connection
To the Earth and all.

Stress

I've been going through quite a lot of stress recently but I find that the countryside and scenery around where I live not only give me inspiration but allow me to deal with what is going on emotionally inside me. I give thanks that I live in such a beautiful part of the world where there is always something interesting to notice everyday. It really helps when the weather is bright and sunny like it is today.

Raven

I met up with some friends yesterday to go for a walk, for the first time for quite a period. We were blessed with bright sunshine and a coolish wind. Went for a beautiful walk around the cliffs where the gorse and heather were in bloom and looked gorgeous as did also the view to the sea. Saw a raven soaring overheard, doing playful tumbles and rolls in the sky.

Eggs

Image by Sidereal via FlickrI've recently been having an egg fad after hardly eating any for quite a while. I've rediscovered omlettes and am really enjoying both making and eating them. It made me think that the humble egg is often under-valued for the great nutritional and economic impact that it can contribute to our diets. They're also so versatile and can be used in so many ways. So here's my appreciation for the humble, nutritional, versatile and cost effective egg!

Purring Companion

When I started to write this blog I had the cat sitting on my lap. There is something very special about the companionship of a cat and the special feeling that happens when he jumps onto my lap, settles down and purrs. It was not easy to type though. I have been privileged to have shared my life with a cat for many years and am still fascinated by his behaviour and moods. Sometimes he is the sweetest companion I could wish for.

Cliff Roaming

Yesterday, as it was such a beautiful afternoon, I took the opportunity to roam around the cliffs. I was surprised at how few tourists there were about in the middle of August. The sea looked fantastic and I saw a pair of kestrels soaring in search of prey. On my way home I saw some beautiful little calves in a field. It was just the right weather for walking and I saw a stunning number of bumble bees making the most of the flowers.

Buddleia

From where I'm sitting I can see a buddleia in my neighbour's garden. For those of you who aren't familiar with this plant, it is a shrub most commonly seen with either purple or white flowers. It flowers mainly during July and August and looks very similar to lilac in its appearance but flowers later. In this part of Cornwall where I live, it practically grows wild and it is very good at attracting butterflies. On Sunday, I was lucky enough to be able to take a picture of a Red Admiral as it went after the pollen of a flower. I think it might have been on a buddleia and was most focused in its attention on its prize.

Tregeseal Stone Circle

This afternoon I helped the Cornwall Ancient Sites Protection Network clear the bracken and brambles from Tregeseal Stone Circle. This is a charitable organisation which undertakes the protection and preservation of ancient sites around Cornwall and a site clearance takes place about once a month at different sites, to keep the undergrowth under control. The afternoon was perfect for it with just enough sun to keep us warm and enough wind to keep us cool while we worked. Tregeseal Stone Circle is set in a beautiful location and it was a joy to work there this afternoon.

August Sunshine

Today it is a beautiful sunny day in West Cornwall, although it is also quite windy. There is quite a lot of blue sky with only the occaasional clouds as I look out of the window which is most unusual for this part of Cornwall where we have been getting bouts of quite thick fog, particularly in the early morning. Recently the farmer cut the grass in the field behind the house and left it to dry in neat rows. It all looks very summery somehow. The local birds made the most of the opportunity to catch the bugs which were now accessible from the cut grass, particularly the crows.

Blink!

Image via Wikipedia

Blink and I've missed it
Whatever that moment brought
Too concerned
With what is going on in my head
Not looking at what is around me
The surprises, changes and wonders
Blink and I've missed it.

Cot Valley Walk

Yesterday, as it was such a beautiful afternoon, I decided to go for a walk around the top of Cot Valley. It was a lovely walk and my route took me to places which were largely ignored by tourists. I took the opportunity of taking a number of photos as I went along marking the progress of my journey. I'm so pleased that my mobile has camera facilities as it is so much easier to carry on a long walk than my digital camera which is much heavier even though the photographs aren't always as good. My mobile often works as a spur-of-the-moment photographic recorder which can be a lot of fun as well as spontaneous.

Plymouth Argyle

Image via Wikipedia

So it's the start of another season and Argyle are in League One after being relegated from the Championship last season. Since that time, they've had a change of manager and several new players have been signed so I hope it's all go for Argyle this season and that they'll get back to the Championship. Today, they're playing Southampton away.

Chapel Carn Brea

After a fairly disastrous night I finally made it up to the shops and then spontaneously decided to drive to Chapel Carn Brea which is fairly close to where I live. It was bright and sunny with just enough wind to stop it from being too hot and it was a pleasant little walk from the road to the top. The view from the top was stunning and I felt glad both for the spontaneous thought and the walk.

Boundaries

Image by vincos via Flickr

As someone who often finds it hard to say 'no' and was brought up to put other people first, it has been very difficult for me to set personal boundaries as this in some way felt selfish. As I've matured, I have come to understand that it is so essential to be able to set boundaries both spacially and emotionally in order to be fully yourself and not at the beck and call of others all the time. In this respect I feel that it is essential that in my attitudes to myself it is as necessary to be as compassionate as I would be of another person's feeling or space. Everybody needs their own room to develop and grow unhindered by others and this is an important part of learning and spiritual growth, because if we don't feel happy with setting our own boundaries on what is and is not acceptable in our lives, then this is going to affect the manner in which we relate not only to ourselves and the rest of the world but also in our own personal relationships. I have had to start to set new boundaries in my life and am becoming very much aware of what is and is not OK. I read a very valuable piece on self-compassion and this certainly has a bearing not only on setting boundaries but how we learn to become more caring of ourselves in our lives and more forgiving of our shortcomings.

Water

Image via Wikipedia

Water is so important to all life on earth that we tend to undervalue it because we often get too much of it in the UK. I say this now as I look out of the window and it is raining again and has been for most of the morning. Perhaps we had high expectations after the lovely June weather that July didn't fulfill. At least all this rain is good for the garden even though it makes it hard to get out and do all the tidying and clearing that I would like to do.