Tom Bawcock's eve tonight and 'the great Storm-Cat' really has stirred, the wind is whining 'like a wild thing'. Just been out to walk the dogs and put chickens and geese to bed and check horses and tuck some hay in the hedgerow for them to forage at and I can categorically say that 'at the far end of England, the blue-green sea' has most definately turned 'grey and black' and has drawn itself up into giant waves and is 'hunting the fishing boats in their hidden harbours'. If you do not know the story of The Mousehole Cat, written by Antonia Barber and illustrated by Nicola Bayley then I can thoroughly recommend it as a children's read or film.
And the 23rd December is a wonderful night to explore the streets of Mousehole and the christmas harbour lights and follow the lanterns and people's procession as it winds its way round the streets with jigs and reels. It is festive and fun with a serious side.
Rather the same as the concept of the christmas tree. Our tree this year is decked and adorned and has an array of presents surrounding it. We are hoping it survives the festive season (we invested in a little potted tree with roots this year) so that we can plant it out in the reservoir garden in the new year with a hefty shovel of horse manure to encourage it to flourish and grow!
Although the weather is a little wet and windy at the moment, we did have some pretty good weather at the beginning of the month which allowed my 'campsite support crew' to have some productive fun with a small digger, clearing and landscaping the corner of the reservoir garden which was still in need of taming. They did a marvellous job. And thankyou to the weather gods
who did not send too much cornish mizzle and rain to dampen what we
could achieve.We still have to rake it and grass seed it in the spring but it lends itself now to a little nurturing.
So, here we are at christmas, the stockings are hung, by the chimney with care and we are looking pretty festive. Not really the season to be camping on our campsite, but have been searching for christmas camping pictures and found this picture of a nenets' reindeer hunt camp. It has all the makings of a good campsite christmas card, snow, tents, sledges.... something to work towards for next year.
Best Wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Festive New Year from Ashfarm campsite!
