Saturday 6 April 2013

Polar bears and clotted cream...

(Click on the image if you want to see the whole "post card".)

A few weeks ago, we were talking about what to do over the Easter holidays. We decided that a change of scenery, and preferably one involving a beach, sounded like just the thing we needed. 

With the Easter weekend approaching, we were becoming more and more worried that our idea of sand castles on the beach and nice long walks along the coastal path, might involve risking coming face to face with polar bears and having various body parts freeze and fall off, but having booked our little cottage in St Ives in Cornwall, we resolved to adopt the British 'stiff upper lip' approach and ignore the weather.

Hey ho.


Hum.

Ignoring the weather when the winds are the coldest you have ever experienced (and I am Swedish, so that should say something) may have proven a little difficult...

However, with views like the ones above and this...:


... and this...:


... who cares if you waddle along the wharf looking like a bank robber on an Arctic expedition (scarf and hat only leaving your eyes visible), if you have to force yourself to have an obscene number of Cornish Cream Teas (for those of you who may not be familiar with the splendid concept of cream tea, it means a pot of tea of your choice, together with a couple of yummy scones with delicious jam and clotted cream), and if, in the end, you are eaten by a polar bear anyway ...?!


And again, to my delight and surprise, I found evidence of feisty floral assertiveness. These flowers grew in a border in the middle of the Downalong area of St Ives, only a few streets away from where the sea embraces the "tip" of St Ives on both sides, where the gales come in with full force and where it felt like these cocky purple petals were showing the rest of the world what flower power is all about. No moaning about cold feet. No sheltering from the elements. Simply an undefeatable unison chant...: 'You can't stop us now! We are starting it! We are "springing" it! 

Flowers, I salute you!

I wish you all a day filled with inspiring flower power!
Helena

Next time, I will show you some photos from what I think may just have become one of my top two favourite garden destinations in the UK. A clue? Despite otherwise hinted, I found them without any difficulty! Can you guess where I have been?

14 comments:

  1. As always beautiful photos.....I think there is nothing nicer than the Cornish coast.

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  2. I love lighthouses!
    Isabella

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  3. Det är fantastiskt vackert även om det
    var bitande kallt. Det är något speciellt
    med havet, du har tagit så fina bilder.
    Här har vi fortfarande varma dagar och
    kalla nätter, men det är ok.
    Solig kram
    AnnaMaria

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  4. Å alla dessa drömställen man skulle vilja besöka! Cornwall är helt klart ett av dom. Jag blir alldeles fnatt-tokig och vill packa väskan på direkten.

    Kanske inte det vädret man tänker sig när man vill ut till kusten, men det ser i alla fall varmt och somrigt ut på dina bilder, tycker jag. Och även om det inte var läge att gå barfota i sanden just den dagen (rackarns!) så kanske det ändå var skönt med ett scenombyte för en stund..?

    Önskar dig en fin och skön helg!
    Många kramar Sanna

    (ser inte den där livbojen "bekant" ut:))

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  5. Cornwall is magic. Have you tried the Pembrokeshire coast too? Some lovely beaches and lovely places (St Davids, Narberth, Broad Haven....)there. Sunny here today - yay! Abby x

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  6. Ljuvliga bilder du fick ändå, trots den ogästvänliga kylan! En kall vinter/vår, eller vad man nu ska kalla den när trädgården fortfarande är full av snö en bra bit in i april....!

    Så trösterikt med lite blommor ändå - då finns det hopp om att den snart är här - våren!
    Ha en härlig helg!
    Kramar
    Lisa

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  7. Gardens? Have you been to the Lost Gardens of Heligan?? Visiting the sleeping maid and the funny giant who just shows his head coming out of the ground??

    I like your photos... spring has finally arrived to Germany - here in Palatine we are waiting for the almond-trees to get into bloom.
    Claudia

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  8. Thanks for the postcard!! I just love those colours - the sea, the sand and the sky! Jätte fint! MVH, Sally

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  9. Otroligt vackra bilder...njuter verkligen!

    Ha en skön helg!
    Titti

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  10. Ah St Ives - my spiritual home and most favourite place on the planet . Thanks for taking me - I needed my fix! xxxx

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  11. Cornwall is someplace I've always wanted to visit - the land of Daphne du Maurier and Rosamunde Pilcher. I'm glad you found beauty in spite of the bitter winds. How warming those cream teas would have been.

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  12. I think, that one of the most beautiful garden places are lake district. But I am curious of your favourite garden. greetings from czech republic

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  13. Hehe, I guess you found the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Huuu, I loved it! It was pouring down heavily when we visited it, but I just had to give me all those garden feelings. Afterwards we enjoyed (wet through and through) cream tea in the coffee shop. I can't wait to see the next post.
    Well it was nice of you to munch some scones so that the polar bear could have a different kind of flavour in his mouth eating you :o). But who could withstand scones with strawberry jam.
    Have a lovely week.
    Alex

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