360 Degrees of Beautiful

In 2004, Kev and I decided to walk from a place called Boscastle to Tintagel on the coastal path.  It was a beautiful day and we have always wanted to try it again on one of our trips over.

The coastal path goes all the way around the coast of Cornwall.  Kev decided that each time we come here we should walk a portion of the path.  Saturday morning Kev and I, plus Uncle Trevor, Ben, Kev's old friend and his lady Louise, walked from Morwenstow back to Crooklets Beach at Bude.  It was a total 8 miles.
It was stunning.

 Cornwall is beautiful on any day, but if the sun is shinning it is stunning.  When you're on the coast path, no matter which way you look you can see something that will take your breath away.  Whether it is rolling hillside one way, rocky cliffs another, or the turquoise expanse of Atlantic crashing below you, it is stunning.

The temperatures were warm but we were blessed with a wind that at times felt like it was going to carry us into the sea.  We also passed several beaches that almost looked unreachable except by boat.  The were sandwiched between high rocky cliffs that covered them like hidden jewels.

We were on a time schedule while Grandma watch the girls before she left for work, so we were pretty focused on our hike.  However,  we did take the time to walk out on this dicey headland.  I can not explain the wind to you.  I actually wanted to crawl out on all fours, but I didn't want to seem like a scardy cat to the others.

 This picture is of me trying to be brave.  It was more steep than it looks.

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This picture is of Kev and Ben.  Ben was the best man at our wedding.  He and his lady are easy company.  Our children love them and I think that they might run away from us to go and live with them.

This is the top of their heads while they are looking over the edge of the headland....In case you can't tell it is long way down.  I didn't look over the edge.

This picture was to demonstrate the wind.  This bit of cliff was one of the higher points and the wind was insane...pictures don't do it justice.

Maybe before we retire we'll make it all the was around the coast.
Happy hiking.

Grace and Peace
xoxo

By the way, I believe this is the first post in about 3 1/2 years that does not contain one picture of my sweetlings.  Just thought I would make a record of that.

Everything's Rosie

Down the road from my Mil's house is a little beach cafe that serves the most fantastic mocha.  Sometimes I dream a happy dream about watching the tide come in while I sip on one.  When at last we reached the beach cafe this trip, I was faced with a conundrum.

Right next door to the beach cafe I dream about was a new cafe. At first I was a little annoyed that they would build another cafe next to my favorite, making it more congested and stealing business, but as I sat and looked at it I couldn't help my curiosity.

I  was lured in by their retro colors and play ground for the kids...plus they have fantastic ice cream flavors.   My beach cafe allegiance is shifting, and I'm not afraid to say it.  I not only love going to Rosie's, I'm pretty sure I want to own it.  I'm a sucker for turquoise and red, polka dots, reclaimed furniture...everything this place offers, plus they serve their coffee in flowered mugs.

Speaking of the beach, every time my children get near a puddle they make a bee line for it no matter how big or small.  You can imagine how hard it has been to keep them out of the Atlantic Ocean.  Most days, like this one (this was also the day I found the Cornish pixie:) I was extremely unprepared, but b/c they giggle when their toes touch the sand I forget to care about their clothes getting wet and sandy and I just let them play.

The sea mist was amazing on this day.  One minute you could see the person standing with you and then the mist would roll in and they would be gone..Hence the reason  I stole the pixie up while I could.

Because the tidal range in Bude is huge, it makes fantastic rock pools along the sand when the tide is out.  In them you can find all sorts of weird and wonderful things like barnacles and sea snails and wet babies.

The first day we got here we expected colder weather, so we bought both of the girls a new pair of wellies...All the weather men were wrong though, so several days later we bought them sun suits and rash vest, so they could really play in the sea.  Libby calls it her surfer girl outfit, and runs across the sand calling to Maggie "come on surfer girl."  I might even have a video of that from Uncle Trevor.

I know this is hodge podge post and not the mega post I promised, but it does cover 2 days instead of one...
Maybe tomorrow I can mega post, and tell you about our mega hike.
Until then,

Grace and Peace

Cornish Pixies

I found a little Cornish pixie in the sea mist just the other day.  She looked so lovely sitting there in all her magic ways, I wrapped her up and carried her home with me.

Keep your eyes peeled for magical creatures..they are all around us :)

We're off to one my favorite places...I'm hoping to mega post later today!

Grace and Peace
xoxo

Afternoon Tea

One of my favorite thing about the English is that in every and any situation they find it appropriate to drink tea. Every year we come here, one of the first things we do is go to tea room and have a Cornish cream tea.

 A Cornish cream tea is a pot of tea, served with two scones, strawberry jam, and clotted cream.
Let me just pause here and explain the deliciousness of clotted cream...The closest thing I can describe is something that is nearly the texture of butter and marshmallow fluff, but the flavor of fresh whipped cream.
Amen.

We go to a particular tea room every year at a place called  Morwenstow.  It is an old church rectory with a lovely garden.  Just beyond the garden, there is path that leads down to the coastal path.  So after we fill our belly's with all the good the tea room has to offer us, we walk off to the cliffs and admire the beauty that is this place.

The sea, the rocks, the sky....

Drink tea, lots of tea.

Grace and Peace
xxx

Long Post, Lots of Pictures

Yesterday morning when I looked out of my window this is the view that I saw.

The night before Kev took the girls  and I to visit his dear friend Jemma and her parents.  They own a B&B in a little village called Cawsand.  It is officially my new favorite place.  Literally, it is a hidden jewel of the world that no one knows exist except for the lovely people that live there.  Everyone...everyone knew each other.  It was like Maybury by the sea and with English accents.

It was a bit like having a vacation within a vacation.  We arrived just in time to head to the beach to watch Penny, Jemma's mum go sailing.  I have been watching the weather in this part of the world for the last month or so.  The weather channel gave me no indication that we would be experiencing any kind of of spring like weather during our visit.

That being  said, when I tell you that the weather in Cawsand was about as close to perfect as you can get, I am not stretching the truth in the slightest.  It was beautiful, and while the salty sea air was balmy and warm, I am afraid to say that the English sea never gets warm enough for me to consider even letting my little toe get wet.  This was not the case for my Little though.  With in minutes of settling into our seats in the sand her dress and leggings were off and she so perfectly fit her name of name of Freedom Flower...

Moments later, after a few too many waves washed over her as she sat on the shore line she completely disrobed.  We tried to stop her, but she just went running down the beach in all her greatness, laughing all the way..

I added the heart

To be honest we have had some rather difficult nights with the girls, since being here.  I guess it is to be expected, but this night being about the 5th in row of sleeping with little girls in my arms, coupled with the fact that Maggie and I got up at 5:30 in the morning, I was feeling exhausted.  When Maggie started to cry I told Kev I didn't want to talk about it.  I firmly expressed to the Littlest that she was done nursing for the night, then laid her next to her father in the bed...I then went and got Libby and laid her on the other side of Maggie.  I crawled into Libby's empty bed, and enjoyed a night of sleep, all by myself.  The girls normally sleep with a sound machine of waves crashing, but in Cawsand all we did was open the window.  It was a great way to sleep.

Tuesday morning  Jemma fixed us a lovely breakfast, she spoiled us really.  After that, we walked down to the beach and there we stayed all day.

Yesterday was one of those days that I didn't want to end.  I'll put it down in my books as one of my favorite days and places of all times.  

I've pretty much decided that I'm moving here when we retire.

Grace and Peace

xox

Enchanting

We left London Friday evening, made a stop in Bristol to visit our dear friends, then headed for the Cornish coast.  There is a beauty to this part of the world that I can not explain if you have never been here.

The hedges were fresh with spring leaves that curl over the roads that make it seem like you are driving through tunnels made of leaves.   Right when you think that it can't get any more magical, you come out of the tunnel and see patchwork fields of green, or golden road, or English lavender....absolutely magical.

Even though we didn't arrive here until later in the evening, Kev insisted that we walk down to the beach before bed time.  The beach and the sea were ours.  My Littles managed to jump and splash in every tide pool despite the temperatures that were less than what one would expect for May.

Today we ambled around town, tasting our favorite Cornish things and seeing our favorite Bude places.

I've so been looking forward to being able to just amble, to have no obligations, to just be with my family with out a to-do list in front of us.

Enchanting.

Grace and Peace

Touch Down

We landed.

I really appreciate Kevin taking this picture of me and then not suggesting that we try it again.

I'm happy to report that we had our smoothest flight to date.  Thank you for praying for us.  Before the captain turned off the fasten your seat belt sign, both little girls were fast asleep.  When they woke for the last 2 hrs of flying time they were all smiles.  Last night was different story, but that is done now and tonight they seem to be catching up with this time zone just fine.

This is a doll house at Kev's grandparents house.  It has tiny towels and wash cloths on that tiny little shelf, plus teeny tiny rolls of toilet paper.  Libby has spent hours playing with it since we arrived here.  Who wouldn't, there is even a tiny tea set, tiny old Toby mugs, and tiny kittens.

We're back in my husband's homeland.  With every step off the jet way I could see a little twinkle in his eye getting brighter and brighter.  Something inside him told him he was home, or maybe it was the captain when he said said "welcome to London, Heathrow, the temperature is a chilly 3 degrees Celsius, but it should warm up nicely for the afternoon."  Whatever it is was, it does us both well to be in this country.

You can't tell from this picture, but the Littlest is chasing a pigeon.  The pigeons in London are as big as chickens .  I think that Mags wants one as a pet.

This is the grandparent's back garden.  It is a little like a Beatrice Potter tale.  Apparently, there is a hedge hog that lives here and every night they are visited by  a certain Mr. Fox. With those red curls I think that if Mags was wearing a pinafore she could easily pass for the little girl in Miss Tiggy Winkle

Obviously for him, it is because he is home.  For me, it automatically takes me back to when I first met him.  When I walk through the double doors at Customs in Heathrow Airport's terminal 5, I can still see him standing there behind the velvet ropes, in his grey hooded sweatshirt waiting for me.  I was a nervous wreck, I didn't know if I should hug him or kiss him or shake his hand or run back to the plane.  As it turns out I didn't have to make that decision.  He threw his arms around me, hugged me and smiled an ear to ear smile.

Libs was so excited to play at this park with her cousins.  You don't need to wiped off your computer screen, there is dirt smudged all over her face.

I am so happy to back here.  Happy to spend time with our family that is watching our girls grow in pictures, happy to have three weeks of vacation time with my husband, happy to be reminded of what it was like when I was 22...just happy.

Grace and Peace
xoxo