Mounts Bay at night

St Micheal's Mount was floodlit last night - view from the lawn at Ednovean Farm



Mounts Bay from our courtyard



The village road runs at the bottom of our fields - I once had a horse that didn't like the dark, so he used to sleep under this street light for the night

Yesterday evening fulfilled all of its promises and by the time we went out to check the horses last thing we were enveloped in the warm blanket of the night. We had missed the promised sunset but went out on to the lawn to take one last look at the lights around the Bay and met two of our guest taking a last stroll around the garden in the enchanted dusk. We didn't linger long to leave them to their memories of Ednovean Farm but Charles snapped St Micheal's Mount quickly for me, which was flood lit last night and looked quite magical for a last impression of the day before bedtime.

This morning was a perfectly peaceful "blue" sort of day, calm and tranquil and we hacked up the winding, unmade road that leads out of Perranuthnoe to the little hamlet of Trebarvah. There is always a gorgeous view over the bay from here and the tide was out, with the waves lapping the silky arch of the beach below. As always, I felt immediately seduced by the sea below, stretching towards the horizon but Sooty had other ideas skipping and snorting and shying at passing butterflies as horses do! We did not like to leave Lizzie alone for too long but she shows no more sign of having a foal at the moment, than joining the ladies sowing circle at!

Such a comfortable spot for a cat to catch up with his sleep

Ollie's evening must have gone on for some time longer and aside to trying to pack himself in a car with the luggage bound for Germany after Breakfast, he spent a peaceful day snoozing on a "comfortable" piece of furniture - such is the life of a cat - I quite envy him sometimes.

Only occasionally turning over

Trachycarpus fortunie

The palm almost unnoticed in a quiet corner with its three curving flowers

The strange blooms

Gardens are always full of surprises, usually when you least expect it, sometimes pleasant sometimes less so but tonight ambling (or was I pottering) along with a friend past the hairy trunk of the courtyard Chusan palm (otherwise known as Trachycarpus fortunie on high days and holidays) we found it had produced three extraordinary flowers. So this was one palm that proved excessively hardy and has even thrived in the recent unkind winter - although my little book assures me it is very hardy, originating from China and impossible to overfeed!

A small pleasure from the garden on this milky warm evening, bathed in golden sunlight, that promises a glorious sunset for its finale and please please a foal for tomorrow just perhaps....?

No news of a foal still

Dani studying the paper this morning whilst his shoes are changed by the Blacksmith


Charles, Danni and our blacksmith Nigel were all working very hard this morning


"Any news?" Our guests ask each morning and each morning we say sorry no sign, and poor Lizzie grows larger by the day. But tonight she is walking very slowly and tenderly so surely it must be soon?...............Dani has been dubbed locally "The culprit" I think Lizzie may well agree!

Today Charles was "very busy" as the blacksmith came to re shoe Danni and trim Lizzie's feet ready for her big day. As I walked around the corner with that vital supply of tea for them all (Danni loves tea too and drinks it carefully from a cup) I could see they were all working very hard - well the blacksmith was anyway. Danni looks entirely unconcerned about his forthcoming new responsibilities as a father - maybe that's the Spanish Stallion Daily he's reading!

Our AA inspection

The entrance to Ednovean Farm tucked under the lane

The time had come the Walrus said for the AA inspector to call again. And so he did, completely unexpectedly this afternoon, although we know he will wend his way to our door each year to complete our annual inspection. We had plenty of time this afternoon to wander around the bedrooms and look at our new decoration ventures before settling down for a cup of tea to discuss the house. I hope he enjoyed his visit this year and I think every thing was OK - as he pointed out "five star is the Ritz of B&B standard" so that's a lot to live up to each year!

The lane outside has blossomed still further into life and I couldn't resist the horses gourmet delight the cow parsley - such an enchanting flower in its delicacy, life and movement. I spent some time waiting beside the beautiful ivy climbing up this old granite gatepost that had looked alive in the sunshine but despite sitting in the lane for a good twenty minutes the sun didn't come out again to grace the photo! So that's it without sunshine bu still intriguing I think.



The gorgeous froth of cow parsley that has started to line the Cornish lanes (and very tasty it is too according to Sootty)


An ancient gateway into one of our fields at Ednovean - our field boundaries are thought to date from the Iron age.

Over the archway

A plaque over a garden arch at Ednovean farm

Little detail mean a lot sometimes - like this small plaque that i found for sale in Penzance - a mermaid perhaps frolicking in the weed on the sea bed or a Celtic maiden born of the undergrowth? Who knows but she sits over the door canopy of beautiful old silver scantle slates rescued from our original barn renovation. A little detail half seen half remembered but adding to the whole, to the fabric of my garden and adding to my pleasure each time i walk under it.

Elsewhere on the farm Lizzie has still to foal, now growing still larger she sauntered dreamily out to her field this morning casting sideways glances at the newly emerged cow parsley; the creamy white flowers swaying gently in the breeze along the lane to her field and dancing tantalisingly under her nose. Now that is what she calls a useful detail - a tasty passing feast to be enjoyed for the season and then forgotten until next year, a plaque would give her little pleasure I think!

"Any news" the guest asked at breakfast this morning, well sadly not yet, Lizzie has her date and will not be telling anyone just yet!

Little birds and big mares!

Lizzie due today to foal to our stallion Danilon (but nothing has happened yet!)



Lizzie - it surely can't be much longer?

A gentle cheeping has started just under the eaves, by the stable door upstairs as the first young birds have hatched for the spring. Only a gentle tinkling chirping at the moment but it will rise to a crescendo before the sudden silence went the young birds are fledged. and out in the paddock Lizzie is still waiting, expanding by the day, dreaming gently of the stuff that horses dream of, wearing an other worldly expression, as she crops the rich fresh grass.

We have already had several sleepless nights checking her progress and tonight looks no exception, as Lizzie keeps her own counsel about the imminent arrival, blinking politely under the stable lights at being woken up yet again.

And in the garden my mulching of an area of weeds with some discarded horse bedding has had an unexpected effect that intrigued Charles as he mowed the lawn. Its a very fine_____? indeed don't you think. And News of Lizzie tomorrow I hope?!

A very fine crop off ??

Cornwall this morning

The early morning light at the beginning of the day

We woke up to perfect blue skies this morning so any one coming to Cornwall this weekend is in for a treat. The first hours of the morning are always very special and this morning as Charles and I went to feed and turn out the horses before cooking our guests breakfast the morning sun was just beginning to catch the edge of the little courtyard where we sometimes serve breakfast as the summer draws on. The dew lay heavy on the grass this morning after the recent storms but the day promises to be prefect as the horses sniffed the air in appreciation before strolling away to conduct their own private horse business ans we went in to tackle the sausages.

My poor pot there was a victim of the winter gales, always a top heavy design - i fear a trip to the garden centre is imminent!!