A holiday

 Sadly I am still unable to leave comments, despite tweaking and changing things in my Blog settings. It's strange how apart from you all it makes me feel.

Anyway, to share a bit of news with you..... I'm going on a holiday in June. I feel ready now to do this, and have chosen to go with a company that picks you up at the door , drives you to the airport and hands you over to a Company rep. (All a bit like nursery school, but very reassuring!)

I'm going to Italy! To one of the smaller lakes, Lake Orta, to a hotel right on the lake. It all sounds lovely and I look forward to the warmth. Italy is somewhere I have wanted to go for many years, and I have fond memories of my mother's descriptions of her one trip abroad to this very area.

So far my packing has managed to comprise two pairs of chinos and a sketch book.

 Blogger is not allowing me to leave comments, for some unknown reason.

I am reading your posts but so sorry not to be able to comment.

I have a new laptop, so possibly the reason lies there. I hope it sorts itself out soon.

Tomato seedlngs.

'Blossom by blossom the Spring begins'. (Swinburne)

 I can't say that we have Spring weather yet, but Spring flowers are certainly appearing now.

I love these little patches of mini daffodils and crocus.

Some pretty cyclamen defied the frost and are still flowering.

Clusters of Tete a Tete daffodils throng my flower beds. Primroses nestle up to them, and it looks like there's even a Tulip getting ready.

 

'Spring is when life's alive in everything' (Christina Rosetti)

A little local history

 I promised to tell you a little more about our Tudor Pendennis Castle.

 One can't really consider Pendennis without its 'partner', St Mawes Castle, which lies on the opposite  side of the headlands. Both were  built as artillery forts by Henry V111 around 1539 - 1545. These were to counter invasion from Catholic France and Spain  

The map below shows their positions.

 Can you imagine the French fleets sailing up to Pendennis Point and realising that they would be besieged and attacked by not one, but two Castles, opposite each other.

Pendennis Castle

St Mawes Castle.

Two websites telling you more..

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/pendennis-castle/

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/st-mawes-castle/

Now there is so much to see and do at the two castles. There are days of jousting, of re enactment. There's a day of Knight's Tournaments, and a Pirate day. You can even have your wedding at Pendennis Castle.

These two Castles have stood for hundreds of years, keeping watch over one of the most important anchorages.

 Now they sit serenely in their green fields, places where children can come to learn about Tudor history, or to enjoy a day of reenactment, places where visitors can take a cup of tea overlooking the cannon emplacements.

What history they have seen.