A few things happening this weekend

OK so it's supposed to be wet and windy but it's the August bank holiday so let's get out and have some fun... Low tides morning and evening.

28th August Bat event in truro area this Friday - 7.30pm start. Contact Kirstie Francis 01872 273939 ext 203 or email kirstie@cornwt.demon.co.uk to book a place, find out directions and further details.
Going Batty BOOKING ESSENTIAL. Learn from our bat expert and make some batty things indoors, then listen for bats hunting in the woods. Contact Kirstie Francis below to book your place, places are limited. Starts on 28/08/2009
Start time 19:30 End time 21:00
Type Fox Club
Location Carrick


August Saturday 29th, 10am -12 Marazion, Cornwall
COASTAL/ NATURE RESERVE WILD FOOD WALK 
http://www.wildwalks-southwest.co.uk/calendar.php

Adults/£10 Under 16s free
A walk along the coast and through the RSPB Nature Reserve.
Plants include; mallow, common scurvy, sea beet, sea kale, chickweed, alexanders, sea radish, common sorrel, nettle and rosehips *(please note, this may vary due to seasonal availability)
Level of walk: Flat, some walking on the beach, short distances
Meeting Point: Meet in Marazion, West Cornwall, by the outdoor children’s play area facing the beach. Grid Ref: SW515305
Transport: Bus No:2







29th of August   Te Respect Festival www.cornwallrespect.org.uk

This year's festival will be held in Truro on the 29th will start at 10am in Victoria Park, followed by a carnival procession through the streets to Lemon Quay where there will be entertainment. In Victoria Gardens there will be music, stalls, theatre, information, face & henna painting, artwork, and much more at Victoria Park. This part of the event will be alcohol free, and family focused. There will also various workshops including;

. Drum workshop
. Belly dancing workshop
. World dance workshop
. Children's marquee
. BME health marquee
. T'ai chi workshop
There will be a reggae sound-system, food stalls, film show, circus performers, live entertainment, DJ's, Dance, pleasant surprises, and much more.

30th August Stithians County Fair is on Sunday at the Stithians Showground. 10am - 5pm. Lots to see, cattle, dog show, food and craft marquee.

Death on the beach

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=20503

Beachcombing wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped so many dead shells, local fisherman was digging for lugworms and he said they'd all been wiped out as well. Par beach, right in the centre of St Austell Bay was totally littered with dead crabs and molluscs, hope there's going to be enough for for the birds locally. It all knocks on. The deaths were caused by a red algal bloom, read the link for more info.

On a good news note I found some oysters and one was still alive. God knows how the oyster catchers open them because I didn't manage to shift it an inch. Lots of oystercatchers around they are some colourful, noisy odd looking birds. RSPB have a lovely link here which also has an audio clip if you're not sure if you know their call. I bet as soon as you hear it you'll recognize it.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/o/oystercatcher/index.asp

Oh August!

Went blackberry picking last night and managed to pick a kilo so it's jam making today which is just as well because today it awful isn't it? I had a rotten night's sleep with the wind and rain banging on the window and it still hasn't blown through now. Beachcoming should be fun later on if I don't get swept away first.

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/8075/beautiful-blackberry-jam.aspx
To be honest if you can't find pectin just put some lemon juice in instead or a cooking apple or both! It's not an exact science but blackberries like strawberries are rubbish at setting and unless you really love blackberry syrup as opposed to jam them you'll need to do something to get some pectin in the mix. (Pectin makes  the jam set and most berries are pretty low in it)

Incidently, did you know that blackberies from the bottom of the cane are the sweetest, the ones at the top best only used for jam? A bit of a problem really because as we all know you're supposed to avoid all low lying blackberries as they are most likely to have been peed on by dogs!

and just some pretty scenery shots...

As if we actually need reminding of what a beautiful county we live in, still it's nice to look at the pretty pictures! If you click on any of the pictures they will open in a larger screen.

Weather photos

No sunshine shots, I wonder why?
If you click on any of the pictures they will open in a larger screen.

1.The first picture shows what happens to the sea when we have a lot of rain. The harbour is full of run off silt and soil from the fields and you can clearly see the point when the sea gets deeper, after some rain storms this deviding line can be really dramtic.
2. Early morning snowfall.
3. A beam of sunlight of the Helford
4. Even earlier mist on the Helford
5. August in Cornwall (thanks god September is always so gorgeous!)
6. Sows Mevagissey during a high tide storm surge with low pressure in the Atlantic.
7. An incoming hailstorm

2. 

And now some pictures of the local wildlife

Lots of small things, or newly formed things, or not going anywhere things. I don't have a good enough camera for birds and mammals and can never get close enough without Harry alerting all and sundry. I did get one nice shot of two legged lemmings though enjoying the brief sunshine.
If you click on any of the pictures they will open in a larger screen.

Photos of local plants

I'm sure that there's a better way to do these photos but this will do for now - some shots of the local flora. Fauna next, then weather and landscapes.
If you click on any of the pictures they will open in a larger screen.