Sunday Solace

 

Photo courtesy of Pinterest.

Good morning, good afternoon or good evening, depending on when you are reading this Post, which I'm writing here in ye merry olde England. First of all today, I would like to thank everyone who took the trouble to read my last Post, which was about the American tradition of Thanksgiving. I was quite overwhelmed by the response!  

We have had very strong winds over here for the past few days, so the leaves are almost down from the trees,  as the autumnal colours fade away for another year, and Winter approaches. Although I love the longer days of Summer, what a wonderful backdrop of stunning colour Autumn provides us with. I thought I would just show a few more pics to remind us.  These photos were all taken at Dartington Gardens, which is only a twenty minute drive away from where I live. The gardens there look wonderful at any time of the year...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 For my Sunday Solace feature today, I thought I would bring you some inspirational quotes - quotes that I have always loved. I do hope you will enjoy them.....

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt by the heart." (Helen Keller)

"Keep your face always towards the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you." (Walt Whitman).

"What we think, we become."  (Buddha).

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light." (Aristotle Onassis).

"Try to be a rainbow in somebody's cloud."  (Maya Angelou).

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." (Aesop) 

Just in case you're interested, my Featured Post (click on the link on the right hand sidebar of this Post) now takes us up the beautiful River Dart to the Summer residence of Agatha Christie, the famous crime writer. I think you will enjoy this one. There are some lovely photos of heavenly Devon!

Well, it's time for me to leave you once again. I hope all is well with you and that you have a good week ahead. 

Wishing We Had Thanksgiving ....

Hello....it's me....

 

Can you guess what I'm going to talk about today from the above picture?  Well, tomorrow in America, it's Thanksgiving - a day when families and friends come together ... to be THANKFUL, and I thought I would like to honour their tradition in my Post today. 

 

Thanksgiving originated as a Harvest Festival and the very first Thanksgiving was held in 1621, when the Pilgrims celebrated their first Harvest in the New World. This feast lasted three days and was attended by 90 Native Americans and 50 Pilgrims. It's interesting to me that the Pilgrims set sail from Plymouth, which is my home City.  They set sail on the 6th September 1620 and landed in Massachusetts after an arduous two month journey. This small group of people became known as the Pilgrim Fathers, the founding fathers of America. 

 

The commemoration stone on The historic Barbican here in Plymouth. 

 

The Mayflower Steps. 

I would like to finish by wishing ALL  my American friends a very Happy Thanksgiving and to say THANK YOU to them for being in my life. I have found the American people to be generous hearted, kind, thoughtful, caring, encouraging and supportive. 

 

So my friends, enjoy the companionship and the feasting tomorrow. I will raise a glass to you all! 

 

The Thanksgiving pics today are courtesy of Pinterest.

The following photo is of my two friends, Diane and Marcy, from Green Bay in Wisconsin, as they were preparing a Thanksgiving Feast for me when I was there in September, just so that I could have the experience! 😊

 

Sunday Solace

 

Picture courtesy of Pinterest 

Once a year, here in Ivybridge, a Quiz Evening is held to raise money for Children's Hospice South West.  This fund raising event was held on Thursday.  It is always such a fun evening and, because the venue doesn't charge,  and a local businessman sponsors the cost of the food for a very tasty supper, every single penny goes to the Charity.  This year, the magnificent amount of £800 was raised. 

The motto of the Charity is "making the most of short and precious lives across the South West".  The nearest Hospice to us is Little Harbour, just across  the border into Cornwall.  Little Harbour really is a home from home.  A place where each family member can find time and space to feel 'normal' for the duration of their visit. This includes mum, dad, grandma, grandad and brothers and sisters.  People often think of Hospices as sad places, whereas, in actual fact, they can be just the opposite.  

You may wonder why I'm writing about the Hospice in this Sunday Solace feature.  Well, the little piece I'm using today, is actually on one of the walls of the Hospice, and here it is .... 

The Starfish Story .... Adapted from the original by Loren Eiseley ....

"An old man was walking along the beach one morning, after a storm. In the distance, he could see someone moving like a dancer.  As he came closer, he saw it was a young woman who was picking up starfish and gently throwing them into the ocean.  

"Young lady, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?"  "The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I do not throw them in, they will die," she said. "But young lady, do you not realize that there are many miles of beach, and thousands of starfish?.  You cannot possibly make a difference."

The young woman listened politely, then bent down , picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea.

"It made a difference to that one', she said. "

Perhaps there's a moral for all of us in there somewhere. If we all just do small, good things, then perhaps we, ourselves, can make a difference. 

This is my own starfish, painted by my blogging and Facebook friend, Eva. 

 

If you click on the column Featured Post on the right hand side, you will be able to read about a visit to the home of Doc Martin in Cornwall, with some lovely photos. 

Visit To A National Trust Property

 

 

Knightshayes Court, Devon. 

For those of you who have never heard of the National Trust, it is a  country-wide Organization, which looks after the upkeep of wonderful country houses and their magnificent gardens. I have been a member for a great number of years, as the annual subscriptions help to keep these properties in a good state. They also look after miles of coastline around the British Isles. 

 

Killerton House in Devon

The ladies from the local Art Society were going on their annual outing to Coleton Fishacre, one of the many National Trust properties in Devon.  Thirty ladies of varying shapes and sizes congregated in the local coach park waiting for the bus to arrive.  It was already fifteen minutes late, and a rumble of discontent spread along the line. Thank goodness it wasn't raining!  The temperature, even at 9 am was in the mid sixties, and the sun was shining down.

Suddenly the coach could be seen chugging up the steep hill, and the mood of the assembled throng immediately changed, as they started to chatter excitedly. Once everyone was safely on board, the driver headed off to their destination. Soon, he turned off the main road, onto the winding lanes of the Devon countryside. They drove through the pretty town of Dartmouth, travelling across the River Dart on an ancient little ferry, continuing along the narrow lanes to the little hamlet of Kingswear. 

 

The pretty little town of Dartmouth in South Devon.  

Suddenly the sea mist lifted and there was the house in all its glory.   Coleton Fishacre was built between the years of 1923-6 for Rupert D'Oyle Carte, whose father, Richard, had been the impressario behind the operettas of Gilbert & Sullivan.  Rupert had developed the business empire he had inherited, which included the very posh and upmarket Savoy and Claridges Hotels in London. 

 

Coleton Fishacre

Rupert D'Oyly Carte, and his wife, Dorothy, actually found the site for their new house from the sea, whilst sailing their yacht between the quaint small towns of Dartmouth and Brixham. The interior of the house really does invoke the modernity of the Jazz Age, and it would be just perfect for a weekend in the country. 

 

Interior shot, courtesy of The National Trust. 

All the ladies agreed that the house was absolutely perfect. The Architect who designed the property, Oswald Milne, was an assistant to the famous Sir Edwin Lutyens.  A particularly appealing feature of the property is that you have quite stunning views of the garden from every room in the house. Although the house does speak of elegance from a by-gone age, the ladies agreed that they could all imagine themselves living there and, on a beautiful Summer's evening, wafting out onto the terrace with a drink in hand. 

 

The garden itself is quite magical as, like several in the South West of England, it descends from open views around the house, down through increasingly jungle-like vegetation, until you get spectacular views of the sea beyond. 

 

The gazebo look-out  at Coleton. You can just see the steps leading down to the sea. 

 

How about this for a view ?!

I hope this has given you a little insight into the beautiful houses and gardens owned by The National Trust.  So then, another blog post hits the road. I hope to see you again soon, and, as always, thank you for dropping in!

 

 

 

Sunday Solace

 

Well, my friends, what a week it has been!  I pray that our world can come together and I pray that peace, love and kindness may prevail - for all of us. 

Sometimes we may feel helpless and forsaken, and, yes, even angry, with events that happen around us, but we must each keep our own little candle burning,  to spread the light to others. Otherwise the haters will surely win. 

As a gentle reminder to us all, here is my Sunday Solace feature for today ...

"Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better, to paint a picture, or write a letter,

bake a cake, or plant a seed - ponder the difference between want and need.

Dust if you must, but there's not much time, with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,

music to hear, and books to read - friends to cherish and life to lead. 

Dust if you must, but the world is out there, with sun in your eyes and the wind in your hair.  A flutter of snow, a shower of rain - 

this day will not come round again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind, old age will come, and it's not kind, and when you go, and go you must, you, yourself, will make more dust."

I'll leave you today with these words by Mother Teresa...

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."

I took an Autumn walk this week - not by the sea this time!  The last pic I found on Pinterest and I hope you like it as much as I did 🍁🍂

 

We Will Remember Them

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the whole of the United Kingdom falls silent for two minutes each year to remember those who gave their lives in service to their Country. 

 

I took the above photo of the remembrance garden here in Ivybridge.  The poppy is used as a symbol of remembrance, as they were said to be the first flower to grow from the freshly dug graves of dead soldiers on Flanders Fields. 

"They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them."

(Poem by Laurence Binyon). 

 

Image courtesy of Google.

Here is a photo of my little grandson taken a couple of years ago on a Remembrance Day Parade, which will take place again on Sunday in every town and village throughout the United Kingdom 

 

Sunday Solace

 

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Hello again! As I write this, there are only 17 days until Christmas Day. Maths was never my strong point, so you might like to double check that! 

 

Pleased to say, that I'm pretty well prepared. Just the turkey to get and the last minute veggies! The deccies are up, the tree decorated, and sparkling fairy lights everywhere. 

My lovely granddaughter is 22 today. Where did all those years go?  Why does time fly by so fast ?! 

Anyway, my feature for this Sunday Solace is called "Slow Dance" ....

"Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,

or listened to rain slapping the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,

or gazed at the sun fading into the night?

You better slow down, don't dance so fast.

Time is short, the music won't last. 

Do you run through each day on the fly?

When you ask "how are you?", do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed,

with the next hundred chores running through your head?

You better slow down, don't dance so fast.

Time is short, the music won't last.

Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow,

and in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a friendship die,

Cause you never had time to call and say "Hi"?

You better slow down, don't dance so fast.

Time is short, the music won't last. 

When you run so fast to get somewhere,

you miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

it's like an unopened gift, thrown away. 

Life isn't a race, so take it slower,

hear the music before your song is over. 

Yesterday, here in heavenly Devon, we had a glorious, sunny day with clear blue skies, but we had the first frost of the season....

 

 

 

I really can't recommend Verbenas enough for any of you gardeners out there. These have been in flower for over four months, and they are still standing tall after the frost!

 

Thank you for dropping by - see you again soon 💖