A sentimental journey

We took a sentimental journey to Stackhouse Cove

We took a sentimental journey to Stackhouse Cove from our home at Ednovean Farm this week, to enjoy the last balmy days of the Indian Summer, retracing our steps along the coastal footpath, that we used to walk our lurcher Blaize along many years ago. These days we are normally too busy to find the time to walk but this Tuesday we put some special time to one side and set off along the footpath that leaves Ednovean and winds towards Trebarvah before forking off across the field of old turf towards the cliff. The heady hum of the insects accompanied our walk turning the Cornish banks into throbbing hubs of industry and sea below whispered against the rocks seeking the tiny crevices in the granite and slate and stirring the pebbles, in its eternal task of claiming the land to its own domain.

Looking back towards Perranuthnoe with its big sandy beach and you
can see St Micheal's Mount beyond the headland

Blaize always used to sense when we were planning to walk to "our" secret cove for a picnic and would be beside himself with excitement but sit determinedly beside the back pack that was waiting to be filled - all morning if necessary, until the time came to walk the magic walk to Bunny hunting heaven and day of his people all to himself. some days if the tide was in he would swim across to the little beach cut of by the tide - something he only agreed to do in this particular place. he would race ahead down the cliff and prance across the rocks waiting for the slow humans before crouching low at the waters edge and lowering himself into the silky water and setting off like a little speed boat with me doing my best to keep up in a cumbersome breast stroke beside him

Blaize swimming for the beach

Exploring the rock pools

These days we haven't a dog to share our adventure but the cove loomed blow quiet and lonely - solemnly waiting for us on our yearly pilgrimage and the scent of the sea was enough to transport us back to happy days in the idle sunshine even though it stated to drizzle slightly as we ate our sandwiches and we had to retreat to a cave for a while. Too soon it was time to turn towards home and the waiting jobs but eh scent of the sea lingered on in our memory along with a happy lurcher, on our sentimental journey to retrace our step back in time just for a day

Cattle grazing blow Acton Castle

Acton Castle still stands above the cove with a fascinating history once even purchased by Nelson's navigator with his prize money from the battle of the Nile half remembered tales of smugglers and forgotten tunnels leading to the cove and the sea caves of course encrusted with mosses and looking like entrances to a fantasy world.

late foliage clothing the ancient banks

Sea caves and Mine audits in the cliff face

The water fall still flows down into the cove

Nets and flotsam gathered by a friend of the cove and put on the old
slipway

Our walk home along the coastal path

From our memories looking down into the sea

A draining sea pool at low tide

The waterfall after the rain

We live at Ednovean farm a little farm above the village of Perranuthnoe and alas these days we haven't a dog - just a cat and eight horses and possibly six guests enjoying West Cornwall

The fading days

The early morning mist brings its own charm to the garden

The first of the Autumn storms that arrived unexpectedly like a thief, to steal away those balmy wonderfully long days of Summer.   Now at last it has cleared away, with the softer gentler days of soft misty mornings and creeping nightfall. The golden fields of corn that we passed have all gone now leaving gentle fields of yellow stubble with the new shots of green starting to creep back and only the odd abandoned bale to mark the passing of the harvest. The country lanes are alive now with blackberry pickers seemingly behind each bush with a crackling plastic bag or ice cream container - my the jam pots of West Cornwall will be overflowing very soon!

We visited two of Danni's sons this week in Marazion and driving back along the river it took this snap of St Micheal's Mount, perhaps looking as it would have done to weary pilgrims many centuries ago - well maybe with a little bit smaller building!

St Micheal's Mount from Marazion Marshes

Marsh grasses tossed in the breeze in front of the Mount

The close of the day and i took this snap from our kitchen window of a
quiet golden sunset

A snap of our Dining room after Breakfast one morning always a cosy
 spot to start the day

Figs from the courtyard left over from Breakfast

A cheerful Dining room no matter what the weather is doing!

We had a gorgeously sunny afternoon

and so with changeovers completed, washing done
horses exercised, Spud and i sampled the steamer chair!

"Turned out nice again" Love Spud xx

I hope you've enjoyed a few moments from our week at Ednovean Farm do pop along to our web site to take a peek to! www.ednoveanfarm.co.uk

A beautiful sunset

St Micheal's Mount from our garden at Ednovean Farm
in the sunset

The pampass grasses have just started to shoot their
seed heads sky wards

The Mount lays Tranquil in the glowing embers of the day

The final moments of the evening sky and it's good night
 from me this week - have a good one!

Slippers and toiletries

A peek inside the Blue room bathroom

For a while now I've been thinking about  change in toiletries and finally opted for some gorgeously scented goodies from the body Shop for our en suite bathrooms. These join our hand made soaps that you all so enjoy from J.B Soaps in Penzance  ( Incidentally Jean does soap making course throughout the year if you would like to learn how to make your own special soaps) and the pretty lavender bags from Balms and Crafts

Bathroom goodies ready to greet  our new guests in the Blue room

 On top of a hand painted cupboard our new complementary slippers
with cotton wool buds and make up remover pads in pretty enamel
containers and of course the essential big bottle of Radox!

Warm gravel on an Autumn day

Ednovean Farm in September 2013

The first storm of Autumn has swept through today tossing the garden and rocking the terracotta pots but just as suddenly the skies clear and Spud can be found squirming ecstatically in the gravel in the car park in his own personal pussy heaven!

Spud CAT mouser extraordinary

It's a cat's life!

Just purrfect!

We had a lovely surprise visit from Ian Lowe who designed our garden last week on a beautiful sunny morning and he was kind about the garden, forgiving some of my mistakes and suggesting a few major changes for the winter months to come. It is fun to plot and plan the garden at this time of year looks forward to the next summer to come.....although digging up the fairly mature Olive trees may be hard!

The courtyard garden designed by Ian Lowe

The "other" side of the garden wall that frames the terrace

and finally looking across the lawn the other morning  towards the bay

Find us at :- www.ednoveanfarm.co.uk

A change in the air

A Butterfly warming itself after the storm in the afternoon sunshine

my! I had only just thought "there is a change in the air" when the skies darkened and we had a deluge of biblical proportions. We were lucky that we had just finished excising the two boys (horses by the way!) and contemplating a cup of tea before our new guests arrived, when the heavens opened. The rain pounded down and we couldn't even leave the barn to scurry into the house and so we just watched the gathering stream gush passed that had somehow circumnavigated out flood drains and headed fro the main courtyard. By the time we had sprinted into the house the water was gathering on the top terrace in front of the front door!

The flooded terrace looking out of our front door

A storm approaching over Mounts Bay from our Kitchen window

The extraordinary thing was that by the time our new guest had arrived all was calm again - strange thing the change of the air!

Sunset over Mounts bay

St Micheal's Mount at sunset

Every now and again we have a really special sunset - a sunset that captivates me and sends me racing around the garden looking for the best vantage point and at the beginning of September the very sea turned red reflecting the passion of the skies.

Palm leaves against the sky

Looking out through the garden gate across the bay
hmmm maybe I should check I keep the camera level
in my excitement!

A last look at the Mount

The final moments of the fiery sky

Find us at www.ednoveanfarm.co.uk

Deck chairs and idle moments

We found this lovely old vintage steamer chair at the
local reclamation yard and had it recovered many years
ago now

Last Saturday i decided on a "spring" clean for the garden room and pulled out a much loved but half forgotten find from many years ago found in a slightly dilapidated condition the late Trader Grey's Reclamation Yard.  Once I had sanded and oiled the wood and we had a new brightly covered canvas slip made for it, it became an object of some grace for the courtyard garden even if, alas, we don't actually have time to sit in it!

What wonderful days we have had for the garden and how lovely to watch the fields around us slowly emptying of corn leaving only the tightly wrapped bales behind as the blackberries ripen in the hedgerows.

Looking back towards the house over the lawn - the Pampass grasses will
soon be in full swing - the final hurrah of the summer party

Looking along the grass border in front of the Italian Garden - I bought the
pretty giant Timothy type grass from  Lower Kenneggy Nursery

A sunny terrace winding away in the dappled light of the early evening

Bright and blowsy Geraniums somehow suite this tiny
original window 

Santolina and Box balls leading up to the sundial garden

and finally to that newly Spring cleaned Garden room............

The cosy welcoming little room that we made from what was probable the
old diary

The mirror behind the sofa was a sale room find and the mirror reflected in it
was made to the same size as the vintage side board

I spent weeks stripping the old sideboard (£5 sale
room find) of its sticky dark varnish

Our garden room i much loved and furnished mostly with "found items" that have been patiently refurbished over many hours and somehow they feel more "ours" for the work that we put in to give them a new life and more special for their uniqueness - but not much time for Deck chairs and idle moments I must admit!!