#1414 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn weatherLeave a comment

3rd Feb 2026 is not quite as inspirational as 3 years ago. Today has dawned as greige as greige can be. Hard to find my bloggers muse.

The day absolutely needs a touch of aqua to lighten the mood.

Aqua is an instant mood booster, particularly on a greige day. Not one of my favourite colours in the normal  run of things but greige is not my favourite place to be at any time of year. But in hunting out this picture of rinsing water some lovely aqua images popped up.

The sea at Monomvasia

Aqua or turquoise makes the world a better place. We are promised another couple of days of heavy rain so Lola and I took two morning walks  in the greige while the greige was dryish. There was no specific rain but the atmosphere felt wet. People seemed to be weighed down by the mud beneath their feet and the promise of more rain. The urge to get fresh air is a powerful motivator. For me and Lola it was a reward for dull jobs achieved in a timely way. Not that she was particularly involved in the dull jobs but she appreciated the R and R break afterwards.

I returned refreshed and ready to write about a dull day enhanced with images and memories of a bit of turquoise. She has returned unaware of my problem with greige. She is just happy to have been out.

A dogs actual view of life is somewhat greiger  than mine even on a fabulous day so she has no idea what I am missing.

This afternoon I will be more dog, just happy to be out.

#1413 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity, WinterLeave a comment

Hard on the heels of St Brigids Day and Imbolc yesterday comes Candlemas on the 2nd February.

Churches often bless all the candles to be used in the church for the year . Other Christian significant things have been added to the day but just like Imbolc and St Brigid’s Day it marks the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox

We are frequent users of candles.  Especially fragranced ones, The quality of light a candle produces is one of the great positives of winter evenings.

Australia in December was an unusual scenario. Sunshine, candles and other-worldly fragrances in the run up to Christmas. Our return luggage had many essential oil blends that could be added to candles or fragrance diffusers that look like candles.

Candles are a true positive of the darker evenings of winter. The fragrances of Australia have added to the pleasure this year.

Candlemass a worthy Celtic and Pagan celebration.

#1412 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Cornwall1 Comment
February Dawns

February has arrived. I make no apology for using a new photograph of an old subject. My favourite old, green door in St Ives.

A little worse for wear, due to some building work but in all the right ways looking perfect as a portal from January to February.

If January is the endurance event of Winter then February is the beginning of a downhill race to Spring. And today it started very well with sunshine and another best seat in the house for our lunch.

Possibly the best cloud of the day too.

February thank you for a good start , keep it up

#1411 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment
Cobbles in St Ives.

We missed celebrating the Winter Solstice on the 21st of December in Penzance due to grief for our dog and a friend’s chest infection. But we are gathered here together in St Ives for the weekend of Inbolc.

The world does feel as if something is shifting.

The views from our roof terrace were full of early morning promises.

Just like last night we wandered streets and alleyways with no particular purpose or plans. A ‘good’ coffee was an essential but as a target for a day that was it.

A coffee with the best view in the house was a bonus. Double bonus and a gold star when achieved twice.

On a meandering cliff walk I found the perfect name for a character for a novel. (As yet unwritten).

Rusty Lovelocks

Who is Rusty Lovelocks? What genre?

Romance

Erotic literature

Adventure

Historic fantasy

Crime

Psychological thriller

For some time I have wanted to rehabilitate the name Beryl. Of all the lovely gemstone names, Beryl seems not to have floated back into fashion. And yet I have never met a bad Beryl.

How better to do that than write a novel featuring Rusty Lovelocks and Beryl Heliodor.

Beryl Heliodor brings gravitas and a touch of Skandi Noir. A strong woman.

Rusty Lovelocks, sexually ambiguous, softer maybe but with a fierce loyalty and intelligence.

Whatever sort of novel might I write. But  I digress.

Today is about the reality of sunshine. And Imbolc. Things to look forward to.

#1410 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Cornwall1 Comment

We are on a little winter adventure. But first we stopped at a cafe that we used to visit many years ago. Just a cafe in an old stable, nothing fanciful.

The last time we came we were turned away. The cozy stable cafe had been discovered as a ‘location’ for a Television Series. Beyond Paradise.

Turned away because of filming it is many years since we have gone back. The sign predates the filming by possibly 50 years. Do not enter signs in gaudy neon were the modern itteration.

Today however it was on our way to the winter adventure. The old stable has glammed up quite a bit.

The Stable. Port Eliot

A good breakfast and coffee set us on the road to the far end of Cornwall.

St Ives

Walking the streets of a seaside town on a winter night is such a lovely thing to do. Warm pubs have space,unimaginable in the Summer. The one we chose, The Sloop has been welcoming people since 1312. 724 years of offering beer and spirits to whoever walks in the door. A building that has just had one job. Barrels and bottles, the unchanging tools of the trade. Inn Keeper the centuries old job title. How many jobs can say that after 724  years of time. My lifetime seems tiny and inconsequential in the face of such continuous history.

#1409 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn weather, Winter1 Comment

Waking up with a different perspective. Not a deep philosophical epiphany. Just the first morning with actual sunshine since the big winter/post-Christmas tidy-up and I am facing our Ikea lampshade from a different direction.

I believe we are at the end of the urge to tidy up and reposition furniture. There has been some clearing out but I sense more could be done when the daylight hours actually provide genuine daylight. This morning’s early effort was short lived. As morning tips into the afternoon a luminous Greige is the default version of daylight.

Similar light fitting, same lampshade, different room.

We have had between twice and three times the normal level of rainfall in January. The last two days of the month are scheduled to drop even more heavy rain on our already sodden souls. It has crossed my mind this morning that these lampshades are like mood reflectors. Upstairs the sun-touched one brought me the same visual joy as a tasty meringue, downstairs I have just replicated a grey raincloud. Nobody needs another one of those in my humble opinion.

I appreciate that other people in other locations might have a different perspective. Which is exactly where this blog began.

A circular economy of thought…

#1408 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Hugo and LolaLeave a comment

Wandering the cobbled backstreets of Plymouth hunting down my hair stylist who has swapped salons. Successfully as it happens, and I have had my winter haircut. I feel like a Spring lamb or perhaps more like its mother who has had a woolly winter coat sheared off. Co-incidentally the sun came out as I skipped up this lane with considerably less curls than an hour earlier.

Talking of curls, we have had Miss Lola in our lives for 10 years this week.

A bit like me with a new hair cut she looks a little different this week compared to her first week with us.

She is paler and curlier. Her pale is just paler, mine is greyer. But that is what ten years looks like.

#1407 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity, Stonehouse Lawn Tennis Club, StormsLeave a comment

It has been a tough week at the office. Three large storms have taken one tree down and two huge boughs off others. Storm Chandra the last of 3 arrived yesterday and took down another already damaged bough.

On a positive note this morning, no rain, just wind, a lot of wind and some sunshine.

Tranquility Bay was looking and feeling fairly untranquil.

A day that required a dry robe and wellies.

The dry robe had a bittersweet moment for me in one of its huge pockets . On the day our dog Hugo died we went walking on the beach and I found a rock that looked like a cracked heart.

#1366 theoldmortuary ponders

I had tucked it in my pocket and forgotten about it. Until this morning.

So while I was busying about photographing damaged trees for Tree Surgeon quotes the heart shaped  pebble found its way into my hand. I immediately realised what it was. A comforting sensation rather than completely sad. I might keep it in my pocket.

#1406 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment

The last week of January, not that I am counting!

One whole month since Christmas and only a small piece of Christmas Cake left, 4 mince pies and a late arrival Christmas Pudding.

The date on the box says 1849, so that is quite a late arrival.

Last night our evening dog walk took us past one defiantly gorgeous Christmas tree alight in a warm and cozy 6th floor sitting room. Credit to the home owners for keeping the festive faith for so long. We still have ‘Winter Lights’ in the yard.

This scrag end of January is stormy and grey. Not much to recommend it in the outside world except the Aurora Borealis on clear nights last week.

©Aaron Jenkin

We didn’t get quite the same glorious show on our little peninsular but pictures like this,dropping into my Social Media, have made some lovely memories.

©Stephen Thompson

I believe my efforts to take a more positive attitude to Winter, and in particular January, are paying off but it occurred to me last night,that in all hierarchical lists something has to come bottom no matter how much embellishment is applied.

This week will be the long farewell to my least favourite, but more bearable  with a positive attitude  month. 

#1405 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn ponderingLeave a comment

November and December in Asia and Australia tricked my skin that winter had not arrived. Late January and the truth has started to hurt. Skin soothed by an early Southern Hemisphere Summer is now calling out for richer moisturiser and at the same time as rejecting it by breaking out under the pressure of heavier creams. Rain and constant storms and a small dog requiring a walk are not good friends with my face.

These hand blown baubles were reflecting the weak sun of a rainy day on the Mornington Peninsular, Victoria. They look like tiny apothecary jars. I wish my bathroom cabinet looked as pretty as I search for balm to nurture my sore skin. But they remind me of a moment not so long ago when rain did not wreak havoc with my complexion. Mornington has an extreme heatwave warning today. So absolutely no point  wishing I was there right now, my skin would still be sore, but for different reasons. The baubles would be more vivid in harsh unforgiving sunlight.

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