fish and flowers

Last week we headed off to Cornwall for a four night break in St Mawes, at the tip of the Roseland peninsula. Unlike the dramatic surfy coast of North Cornwall, the south is a land of gentle creeks and estuaries.  The easiest way to get around is to dump the car and hop on the little ferries that putter backwards and forwards across the rivers. At this time of year the footpaths and lanes are bursting with flowers and heady with scent. Pockets of sub-tropical microclimate have drawn gardeners to create their fantasy landscapes. The area is studded with historic big hitters like Trebah, Glendurgan and Trelissick. These succulent beauties were local to us at Lamorran...

..and we travelled up the road to St Austell to visit the modern vision at the Eden Project.

But I am drawn to the the wild volunteers that spring from every hedgebank and crack in the wall.

Babingtons Leek - a garlicky native of the area

Mexican Fleabane - Erigeron karvinskianus

Couldn't resist collecting some seed to soften up the new hard landscaping back at the ranch.

Resisted these - a seaside themed bathroom was rejected by Mr AP

We dressed up for smart cocktails at Hotel Tresanton,

and ate fish and chips by Falmouth Harbour.

Home now and back to work tomorrow.

The forecast says it's going to be hot - and that means horseflies!

I must go dig out the insect repellent...

tea time two

the first homemade herbal tea of the season

with mint from my new herb garden

and lemon balm from the community garden that I helped out a bit

next year there will be home grown fennel seeds

it needs a few elderfowers for sweetness

I have some drying in the shed

it feels good to store the first harvest of the year

sunshine in a cup

xxx

guarding the flame

Having a compelling reason to move to a new place is one thing - settling in and making it your home is quite another. The decision can be made quickly, but there's no rushing the process of growing yourself some new roots. Having moved hemispheres/countries/towns a few times, I reckon two years is a good yardstick for giving it a proper go. In that time you have to guard your little flame - the winds of change will always make you falter and doubt. But slowly new connections will be made, habits formed, special places found. Yesterday we threw open the doors, lit the lanterns* and had a party to celebrate two years in our house - old friends, new friends and neighbours. Moving to this neighbourhood was coming home for me, but Mr AP has lived west of the river for 30+ years. I knew he was taking a leap of faith for me, so I said I wouldn't ask him if he was happy and settled until we'd been here at least two years. 

So yesterday the words were uttered….

..and I think we're staying….

xxx

*I was hunting around for something to put citronella tealights in - can't stand it when they blow out all the time in jam jars. So I bunged them in the steamer baskets for Mr AP's old pressure cooker - worked a treat!