Monday 18 January 2016

Blue Monday

  
 







As in the colours of the beach, not my mood. I was ecstatic to be honest, as it was my first day out walking with Honey since the op. I paid for it with copious oozing (let's not go there shall we), but boy was it worth it. My camera really hasn't done justice to the silky quality of the sea. Or the gorgeous blue that seemed to push out from the sea itself. The mackerel sky wasn't bad either. Added to that a seal, Oystercatchers and goose barnacles, and I was in heaven.
 
The seal was having a lovely time basking in the shallows of Porthmeor. He spent a lot of time watching us knowingly, with his unblinking black eyes. When I stare into the eyes of an animal I'm often struck by who is studying who. He looked a wise and ancient soul to me, as he tread water in the shallows. We've been blessed with the seals this winter. It would seem that the fish in the bay that lured the whales, are also proving irresistible for our local seal population. The whales have moved on now, by the way. I never did see them, but have seen some lovely pictures of them. That will have to do until next time.
 
I was chuffed to see the Goose Barnacles. They don't wash up that often here. They were attached to a very heavy buoy of some sort, and must have been brought ashore by a combination of rough seas and high tides. They get their name from an olden belief that Barnacle Geese hatched from them. This was in the days before migration was a known aspect of bird behaviour, and they were often found on pieces of driftwood. Hence the belief that the geese laid their eggs on branches of trees before it fell into the water. I thought it was because the shells look a bit like a goose beak.
 
I have seen them before, attached to a glass bottle. They were writhing and gyrating about in a rather alien fashion, but these lot seemed much quieter. The shells are pearlescent, and I spent a long time inspecting them, taking photographs to show Olly later and just enjoying that they were there at all. Honey was intrigued by them too, but most other people on the beach didn't even seem to notice them. They were hardly difficult to spot, exposed on the tide line like that. I sometimes wonder whether people walk around with their eyes closed. Or even worse, whether people just don't care for this kind of thing. I'll never understand that indifference to the natural world. For me it made my morning walk along arguable one of the loveliest beaches in the UK, even more special.
 
In other news, I confess that I haven't been up to much. There has been a lot of lying on the sofa with my leg elevated to help ease the swelling and so forth. The operation was a painful but not excruciating, although I compare all pain to the pain of giving birth sans drugs. I just wasn't prepared for my lack of mobility. I could drive, but I couldn't walk. Hardly at all for the first couple of days. And not very well until today. I found it all very frustrating to be honest. It made me appreciate these old legs of mine very much. They may not be the most attractive pins in the world - my boys inherited their gazelle like limbs from someone other than me - but they work, and they get me where I want to go. And I like to go out and about a lot. I am a great walker. So to be curtailed was difficult. I can quite understand my Mum's fear of losing her own mobility, after having a wee glimpse into life without the power of one's own steam. 
 
So I read. A lot. And stared out of the conservatory doors at the garden beyond. I would recommend Patrick Gale's novel 'A Place Called Winter.' It's a poignantly sad yet uplifting novel. The authors' description of landscape was a highlight. I have enjoyed many of his novels. Some of them are set in Cornwall. Gale himself lives on a farm at Land's End. I missed the chance to see him give a talk at our local library last year, but I hope to see him at the Port Eliot festival this summer. Do give him a whirl if you ever come across him. 'A Sweet Serendipity' and 'Notes On An Artist' are other favourites by him.
 
I watched the garden birds. My garden is in a woeful state. I didn't clear away and tidy before the onset of Autumn. And then the days grew short and dark, and of course we have had incessant rain. I have stood looking out mournfully from my utility room window at the too long grass, and the bedraggled plants. I only pulled up some of the annuals, and I didn't cut back any perennials. I'm such a fair weathered gardener. But I have taken great pleasure from the fact that all manner of birds have been coming into the garden to forage and feed on what I left in the ground. I've decided if anyone asks, it was always the plan to leave the garden so.
 
For example, I counted twenty three Goldfinches eating the seeds from the Verbena Boriensis. I was desperate for a picture, but they are flighty fellows. In the end I contented myself with enjoying their company. They are such a joyous colour combination of yellow and red. They were joined by chaffinches, blue tits, great tits and a wee wren too. The sparrows seem to have taken up residence in the clematis that tumbles over the arch, and I'm hoping that they may nest there this year.
 
We already have a resident Blackbird and his companion. He's the first into the garden in the low light of the morning, and has staked his garden as his. His girl likes to busy herself down in the leaf litter, while he struts about on the fence. She flings it all up into the air looking for grubs, and he occasionally flies down and plucks a worm from the grass. He's been joined by a rather handsome Robin, who is also all bluff and bluster. He flits and flies around the garden, and has put on a rather wonderful aerobatic display by zooming around the shrubs, making curving shapes as he goes. I've never seen this kind of behaviour before. Most of the Robins I've met have just shouted at me while bobbing their head up and down. Or soothed my frayed edges with their wonderful bird song. Does anyone know what he may be up to? CT, do you have any ideas?
 
So I have been kept company by books, birds and unadorned Christmas cake. It was meant to be for my Mum, but she didn't take it home. It's gone now. I'm happy and sad about that; happy that it has finally gone, yet sad that there's none left. There's not a sweet thing in the house. Unless you count the fourteen jars of marmalade that are lined up on the kitchen window sill. It was a bit of a faff to make, but it was the good kind of faff. And not to blow my own trumpet, but it tastes lush
 
Onwards and upwards for the week ahead, I think.
 
Leanne xx
 
A big thank you to you all for your kind well wishes. It warmed my cockles. You are all so very lovely xx
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



25 comments:

  1. So glad the op is out of the way and that you are up and about again. Your photos are wonderful, and what a fantastic lot of things to see. I've never seen goose barnacles before, they're beautiful. I always used to be amazed on my way to work at the Arnolfini building when there were cormorants in the water and no-one seemed to even notice. I wanted to shout, "LOOK! Cormorants!" I know what you mean about animals looking at us. I sometimes wonder if they're the clever ones, not messing the planet up, but carrying on as ever. I hope your recovery continues apace. CJ xx

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  2. Lovely photos - my 'nature' knowledge is very poor and you put me to shame... But glad you're out and about again, and that you are able to enjoy and appreciate your beautiful surroundings. Am impressed that, mid-January, there was still Christmas cake in your house: you're a better woman than me - mine was gone by new year's eve... Xx

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  3. Glad to know that it went well, I have been thinking about you. I hope that you are all better very soon. Take care of yourself in the meantime! The barnacles are incredible aren't they, I have never seen anything like them before and was fascinated by them. Cherish yourself! xx

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  4. I'm so glad you're on the mend. I can just imagine how frustrating it was sitting around all that time, but you used it well - thinking, planning, reading and resting. Your beach walk looks like sheer winter-beach perfection. Xx

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  5. Your photos are really beautiful. I don't think I've ever been to the beach in winter. It looks like a very interesting time to be there. I hope your recovery continues to go smoothly. I'm glad you're taking the time to rest and recover doing calm things you enjoy. You deserve it and you'll feel so good about yourself when you're all better again. Take care.

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  6. Glad you got your mobility back, it's hard sitting still, even for me who loves to sit and read. I too am often surprised how little people see of the world around them.

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  7. Hi Leanne. Your beach walk sounds wonderful - seeing a seal in October was a highlight for me. I read A Place Called Winter before Christmas and enjoyed it too especially as it was based on his family history. Glad you're on the mend xo

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  8. Your posts always make me yearn for the sea; that beach is just heavenly and then seals and goose barnacles too! My job for today is marmalade making - I shall think of you as I stir! So glad that your recovery is going well; you'll be back to normal before you know it. xx

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  9. I'm glad you're on the road to recovery. As always a lovely evocative post from you I enjoyed my sea visit for today & I learned something new about goose barnacles so thank you. I don't cut anything down until early spring - it means I have the grottiest looking garden in the lane but I don't care. I have birds to feed & bugs to hide xx

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  10. Hi Leanne. Your beautiful writing put my right into the feel good zone, thank you. I am glad you are able to follow your passions once more albeit at a slower pace maybe. Legs are a miracle, aren't they? I would say the majority of people don't care about the beauty that is out there. Not on a screen, not seen. I cycle through the woods twice a day. There is always something to see. Today a majestic fox (it looked like a wolf from the distance), not one of those scrawny front garden foxes we have by the dozen in our street. I am keeping a keen eye on the three bird boxes on my route. Soon the activity around those will start again. My favourite is number 7, it seems to be the home of a pair of little blue tits. Have a lovely week my friend, get those boys to make you lots of toast with marmalade, and cups of tea of course. Christina xx

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  11. Thank you Leanne for this special nature post from your beach and garden. Really lovely to read and your photos, especially that wise bottling seal, are a tonic. Rest those legs, you'll be needing them soon. I haven't had time to do anything in my garden either but it is alive with visitors and I saw a frog in my pond yesterday. I also made marmalade yesterday - all those orange jars with the low sun behind looked wonderful.

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  12. Gorgeous post, I really loved reading it. I've never seen Goose Barnacles before- aren't they wonderful?- so thank you for those too. You won't be surprised to hear that the garden here is looking a wee bit bedraggled too, but the wildlife is happy and that's good enough for me. I suspect your Robin is sorting out his territory in time for breeding, and possibly working on attracting a mate too. Looking like you know how to fly well is a sure-fire winner when it comes to reassuring Mrs Robin that you can take care of her and the wee ones, and at the same time pass on some desirable flying genes too :o) XX

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  13. ps- completely forgot to add I'm glad the op went well and you're on the move again. Nothing worse than enforced rest! x

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  14. Lovely photos, although I can never decide if goose barnacles are beautiful or a bit weird and creepy! Glad to hear that you've enjoyed the downtime and envious of your marmalade making - we get through a large jar every fortnight! x

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  15. I"m so glad you are up and about again, Leanne. As a fellow walker I totally understand how horrible it must have been to be confined to the couch. I'm glad you had books and the birds to console you. I checked out the description of A Place Called Winter on Amazon and I'm very tempted to put it on my Kindle. I'm intrigued by the fact he ends up in Canada. I think you were brilliant to not tidy up your garden (unintentional brilliance is every bit as good as the intentional kind!). It will only take a day's work to clean it up in the spring, and in exchange you have all those lovely birds to watch.

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  16. Stunning photos Leanne, I hope you're ambling along better now too. I was planning on marmalade but haven't gotten around to it yet...story of my life I think :) Have a great week xxx

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  17. Just found your blog thanks to Countryside Tales. Your photos are brilliant and how lovely to see the Goose Barnacles, I have never seen them. How frustrating it must have been for you not to be able to get out and walk but glad you found some good books to read while you were laid up. xx

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  18. So glad the operation went ok and that you have managed to get out yesterday. The blue colours are amazing, it must have been wonderful to see the seal and Goose Barnacles. We were thinking of going to Port Eliott this year, I didn't realise the tickets were already on sale - I'm now off to investigate! Take care. Sarah x

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  19. The goose barnacles have a lovely pale blue tint! I love the sleeping oystercatchers too.

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  20. Glad to hear you're getting back on your feet! Operations always knock me on my arse for days...think it's a big shock on the body to have things poked and prodded about! Nice to see Honey again ( last time it was across the sand on Porthmeor beach!) she's a cutie. Hoping our own spaniel will be conceived any day now (tmi??!) xx

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  21. I found your blog this evening and I love your photos. I`m looking forward to more of your beautiful West Cornwall images.

    Wishing you a quick recovery from your operation. best wishes, DW

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  22. so glad you're recovering and got out to that gorgeous mackerel sky and those barnacles, they're gorgeous. Loving the description of all your garden feathered friends, so although you didn't enjoy it I'm glad I got the benefit of your lack of mobility ;) take care, don't do too much too soon, (which a friend of mine did after the same op.......) xxx

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  23. Continue to Get Well Soon my virtual friend, oh how your writing warms the cockles of my heart.
    Mary Jenkins

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  24. Hello Leanne! Goodness knows why it's taken me so long to check out your blog but I'm so glad I have. It's lovely. Just my kind of thing. Sorry you've been laid up. I broke my big toe in November, so I know a little of what it's like to have to rest, feet up. Not good. I bow to CT's superior knowledge but I wonder whether that robin was also catching flies. I've seen one do something similar and that seemed to be what it was doing. Beautiful photos from your walk. Take care of yourself and make sure you heal properly – oozing doesn't sound ideal. Sam x
    PS Marmalade is good medicine.

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  25. I haven't been on here for a while (work again) and missed hearing about your op. Hope all is well. I love Patrick Gale and read A Place Called Winter last year. Took me a while and I didn't enjoy it as much as some of the earlier books but I do love his work. How lucky you were to have goldfinches in you garden. We have occasional visits, but somehow birds have deserted our garden at present. Perhaps I'll put out some new treats this weekend to tempt them back - I could do with cheering up.x

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