We are the World Blogfest # 46 Avoiding Food Waste ...

 

I grew up post War and we wasted nothing especially food-wise … granted some went onto the compost heap – which went to feed the soil and that next batch of vegetables …

 

This is an expensive book ...
but captured the words and ideas
I was thinking about - it appears
to be very comprehensive and 
thus suitable for research
or dedicated study purposes.

 

So … I’ve always grown up making use of all food in the fridge, or vegetable and fruit racks … thus a reminder to us all to make use of everything …

 

 

I can’t stand throwing food away … in fact in the 1960s I did a cookery course, that I’m fairly certain was run by a French refugee … she put literally everything to good use … all the outside stalks and leaves into soup, bones to make nutritious stock, made gravy from the roast meat juices …

 

Dustbin waste ... so unnecessary

… and it’s only really now in recent years that her assiduous use of each part of a plant, piece of meat, or peelings has really been coming back to me … my mother too would never waste anything … but we didn’t quite go as far as Madame … very nearly though!

  

We’ve been lucky … today we’re in the era where there’s too much on offer – which we do not need – it’s unlikely we’ll run out of food in our countries …

 

 

Froghop - has plenty of ideas for sharing
food, and for utilising it efficiently

We cannot afford to waste money – in waste food, or what could become a meal or two over the week … cheap and cheerful …

 

 It’s an emotive subject with so many in the world, and at home, going without food … while for our future we can set standards for the generations following us …

 

Horrible waste ... and smells ...

… there’s always something to do with left-overs or with ‘the too much we bought’ … I know here during Covid in the UK we’ve seen many of our commercial and local businesses readjust to help others in many, many ways …

 

 

This coming week – 1^st March – 7^th March is the inaugural Food Waste Action Week … which will wake up the nation to the environmental consequences of wasting food.

 

The W.R.A.P. website ‘Our Plan’ tells us more … we can all take personal responsibility by using and wasting a little less …

 

 

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

and

Waste Less Food

 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Treasure those Memories … part 2 …

 

Well ‘we left me’ in my very young nakedness on Carbis Bay Beach … my grandmother’s house was about half-way down the steep Porthrepta Road to the beach … and Carbis Bay Hotel, where the G7 Summit is going to be held (apparently!) …

 

Carbis Bay - looking south east towards
Lelant and Hayle;
Carrack Gladden headland + Hawks Point cliffs

 … opposite St Anta church and Hendra’s Hotel … my great uncle and his wife would come across from St Ives to the church – these two my mother would look after in her Care Home into their late 80s – they were great fun and we often visited them in St Ives.

 

St Anta Church, Carbis Bay

A little lower down Porthrepta road there was a lane through to a rough path above the railway line, which took us through nut groves … always overgrown – but if the steam train passed and the driver saw us … we’d get a toot, or two! – just what kids needed – we waited with baited breath on hearing the puffing billy approach.

 

 

It was not maintained in my day!

This track is now the 21^st century South West Coastal Path – there’s lots of information on the net about the various routes.  Back in the day – we’d grope through the hazel nut fronds pushing out to claim their light …

 

 

… this took us round Carrack Gladden headland and on towards the sand-dunes of Lelant … but hidden in these rocks above the path was Hawk’s Point – an early mine producing 670 tons of copper, 1 ton of ochre and some tin – most during its short life 1851 – 1870.   (see first photo above).

 

St Ives station c 1890

Hacked out from these 60 metre (200 foot) cliffs … transported somehow – possibly by mule to be smelted or processed at a local mine … probably via Hayle to the major mining area of Camborne/Redruth during the 1800s – 1900s – South Crofty, the last mine, closed in 1998.

 

 

Tin Mining Redruth, c 1890

Mining began in the early Bronze Age (bronze is mostly copper with some tin) … and it is possible that the Phoeniceans controlled tin mining (one of the earliest metals to be exploited) (c 1250 BC) … but more likely under the Veneti tribe of Brittany – trading with the Roman Empire.

 

 

Steam train coming from St Ives towards
Carbis Bay - with fishing boat 1950

But the railway did get to its westerly terminal, Penzance, in 1852 … and the branch line to St Ives opened in 1877 … too late for the ‘scraggy’ Hawk’s Point mine.

 

I’m having difficulty breaking down these snippets of remembrances into salient posts … but I think I’ve worked it out finally!  

Ad in the late 1920s or 1930s

I’m going to cover the first 20 years of my life to 1968 – the time my grandparents were still alive and living in Carbis Bay, before my mother moved her mother over to the house she’d bought in Penzance/Newlyn – where she made her future life.  They won’t be long … bits of history added in …

For info: T for Tin Miners ... post

 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Write … Edit … Publish … Bloghop / ISWG hop: The Kiss …

 

She looked out over the harbour … the gentle swell of the waves rocking the boats … heard the odd shout from the fishermen as they unloaded their catch …

 

Old Slip Newlyn c 1908
by Harold Harvey

Bliss, it was a warm sunny day … with the odd fluffy cloud casting around in the high heavens as she walked down to the hard, smelling the scent of the sea, along the quayside, avoiding the fishy sea-water trickles and puddles until she got to the fishmonger’s …

 

StarGazy Pie - c/o The Valley, Cornwall

Nate, the fisherman, welcomed her, noticed her eyes on the fresh sardines … he’d had some of her very tasty StarGazy Pie at the local fish feasts the community put on … so he guessed one was to be made.

 

 

She bought her sardines, a piece of cod, a monkfish tail and some of the local smoked haddock … this would make a good expansive pie for her friends …

'A Fish Sale' by Stanhope Forbes (1885)

… as she and Nate discussed the weather and the local news … he wrapped her fish, while checked in that it was a pie in the making … yes, oh yes … just what she needed today …

 

At home she was welcomed by her black and white cat – called ‘Boot’ for some reason unbeknownst to childhood her … 

Not quite 'Boot' - but near enough to remind me!

... he wrapped his body around her legs, his tail reaching up to gently tap her calf … he continued with this rigmarole … until he realised he’d have to wait … snucking off to his cushion, in the sun on the window seat …

 

 

She loved having him around … someone to mutter to … someone to make her feel wanted … she was content in her little Cornish cottage …

 

The History Telling Hour - 'Mouzer'

She got to work on the pie … the pastry was rolled out … she used the buttery flaky type … the large pie dish was filled with pieces of fish, the whole sardines were ready to be put in amongst the filling of sliced cooked potatoes, chopped hard-boiled eggs, some frozen peas, topped with a thick fish-flavoured white sauce …

 

Sardine catch

The pastry was placed over the pie … slits cut in it for the sardine heads to pop through … lightly encouraged by her … the pastry was brushed with beaten egg … a couple of extra holes to let the steam out …

 

Into the oven for 40 – 50 minutes … she had an Aga in her small kitchen … Boot by now was up and about … winding her up for his food … some of that delicious fresh fish bought earlier … she diligently chopped some up … added a little fish stock …

 

Bertie - another
B + W pussycat

… picked him up, gave him a good cuddle … he always felt so wonderful … his purring beggared belief … he was happy – she was too – she lightly kissed him …

 

 

Newlyn Harbour 21st century

The pie came out of the oven … how long would she need to wait for her friends to arrive – not long she reckoned … as she poured herself a glass of wine …

 

Her friends turned up, the green beans were cooked … supper was ready … a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley …

 

StarGazy Pie from Jusrol

Now for the pie … first she lifted it up near her nose to deeply inhale the richness of the StarGazy Pie … too close - her lips inadvertently brushed a cooked sardine head … the kiss – before she could eat …

 

Oh how they enjoyed the pie … and certainly hadn’t minded, in fact laughed, as the sardine’s head brushed her lips …

 

 

Boot then demanded a snooze on her lap as she and her guests relaxed … another brushing kiss of his beautiful coat … two kisses to remember …

 

The Golden Kiss Awaits

 

… one day she’d get to the Austrian Belvedere Gallery in Vienna to see the ‘Golden Kiss’ by Klimt … the postcard always reminds her …

 

 

For today the two kisses would suffice, ahead of her so delicious pie … yummy, yummy …

 

Star Gazy Pie – originating in Mousehole, Penwith, Cornwall in the 16^th century …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Seaside and Lockdown Snippets …

 

Funny old life … in my ‘aged’ wisdom I decided I needed to end the connectivity aspects of my very aged ipad – well and good … wheels put into motion for the 6^th …

 

Looking east - freezing easterly wind - snow
has gone ... 

… Saturday the 6^th – no internet … me: no idea why … one of Hilary’s Law of Unintended Consequences had occurred … the ipad I don’t use … but the connectivity I did!  

Ah well … once I’d worked out on Monday what was going on … I ordered a new sim card – thank goodness for a good postal system …

 

There's two men just about to go into the
water here ... any protuberances left?

Only 5 days without a connected life!  Freezing cold too – we had some snow here … and it’s still freezing – the wind has been positively awful … enough to freeze anyone’s protuberances off!

 

 

This time tomorrow I shall have had my jab

Another funny … a vaccination centre opened at what is known as the Welcome Centre, next to the Congress Theatre … next to the wonderful Towner gallery … as seen here …

 

 

I’ve been waiting for my call – at one stage they asked me by text if I’d like to go to another centre east of the town – that would have entailed a bus ride … but I don’t use texts … so only picked it up over 24 hours later … life in the aged not terribly Hilary techie lane! 

 

The hospital is on the outskirts
not where the jabs are happening

But … the Welcome Centre only opened up last week … so with my details I booked an appointment for tomorrow at 3.00pm.  

Blow me down … if my brother doesn’t mention that he booked his appointment for 3.15 – so we’ll have a brief chat, in the cold, tomorrow – he lives about 9 miles away.  Our second appointments are on May Day … different times though – he kept his 3.15 … I opted for the last slot of the day at 5.00 pm.

  

The Town Hall

Eastbourne, today, was on the main 1.00 pm news, and then on the local news … busy time we’re having.  Our Council budget doesn’t balance … not enough income from tourism … sad, but true … and it was obviously so important – I can’t remember why it hit the local news!!!!  

Cuckmere Haven - iconic Sussex view

Oh I remember ... these cottages are going to be protected against the sea - apparently for 85 years or so ... I suspect 'the 85 years' might be rather long!

 

 

I’ve been reading Bill Bryson’s book … a birthday present … rather interesting – sending me off to look up other things … the brain connecting its dots, or expanding their range.

 

Next comes the WEP story challenge - see badge… and then I’ll revert back to the G7 and tales from the past on Carbis Bay in Cornwall.

 

Now to catch up … stay safe one and all …

 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Jo – a blogger fest, but missing the leading recipe temptress …

A wonderful idea to remember Jo by … and I’m inviting her down for my last birthday celebration for this year … I held it back!

 

Jo's logo

I know she’d love asparagus … but she’ll have to come back for that … in a few months’ time – if we’ve any pickers to pick the stuff … bearing in mind our politics at the moment – but I won’t go into that …

 

A drink or two - 
Support Bubbles 
no less!

I always have my asparagus plain and simple … with some (lots of) butter … a glass of quality vino or fizz … black pepper, occasionally with shavings of parmesan … to be eaten during the British (as we are at the moment) season … early/mid May to nearly the end of June.

 

 

Straight from
Scotland

Then I had another present and I just knew Jo would love this too … smoked salmon from Inverawe, Scotland … a few packets – so we can share!  Again I do simple … perhaps some brown bread and butter, lemon and ground black pepper … with a peppery, leaf salad.

 

Parmesan breaded crusted Asparagus

But as she’s invited I’d make sure I’d ask her a suitable recipe for both … and then make sure she had those to sample too …

 

We’d have to have a drink, or two … per my cards … and I have a bottle here for consumption at some stage …

 

 

Chocolate Roulade and Negro Chemise

I guess … I’d have to have a chocolate dish … and that’d be chocolate roulade with Cornish cream …

 

Jo – now I’m hungry … but I’ve enjoyed you being here … amongst your English land … where Queen Anne style houses exist – and you were lucky enough to experience living in one …

 

These are Cornish Mudflats

… then the Muddy Medway that you often remembered in your comments on some of my posts … eg:

 

“Thanks for the shout out Hilary. In fact the Mudway is much cleaner today and it is another place where the fish are returning. Hoo is where we lived for a number of years, just downriver from Upnor, which has a castle as I mentioned to you a couple of years ago. The docks on the Medway are where Nelson's Victory was built although today the docks are closed.” – to a post in 2014 on M for Marshes, Marsh Mallow, Marsh Samphire, Mudflats … as part of myCoast series.

 

 

Then we’d while away the afternoon nattering about all things English … and you’d tell me about your trips and days with your parents on their Dutch sailing barge … which you loved …

  

A card from my god-
daughter ... telling me not
to worry about age - it's
IRRELEPHANT!

It’d be a girls’ belated birthday feast for me with a wonderful meet up from you joining me … that’d be so much fun … one day, but sadly not on this planet …

 

… still here’s to the good life … and for being a friend to us all … and especially sharing that wonderful range of recipes with us …

 

You could come back for the
G7 Summit in the summer - but I'd
be surprised if you did ... 

Jo was a great gourmet … tempting us to try new things – I do miss her and her approach to life … with thoughts – old fruit! … and such a pity we couldn’t enjoy today’s feast together at some stage … rest in peace though …

 

Thanks to Alex and organisers of the IWSG administrators for setting this tribute up for Jo …

 

Stay safe everyone …

 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

We are the World Blogfest # 45 St Kilda Postcards to remember …

 

While we’re in lockdown and I’m just mopping time with thoughts – not moping … just on a very slow day-to-day travellator through the daily info-pack …

… I’d come across an article about postcards sent from an archipelago in the north Atlantic … it’s delightful to read about, while the history of St Kilda deserves to be told.

 

We are the World Blogfest … was set up to bring positiveness and light into this dark world of ours … originally before Covid, but now as the pandemic cavorts through all populations …

 

 

St Kilda's geographical
position

… this is a reminder about how much joy a posted letter or postcard can bring to the fragile, elderly, self-isolating peoples in this world today.

 

 

 

The St Kildan islanders had learnt to communicate the need for help by launching tiny waterproof boats … in the hope that they’d be picked up by passing ships or make it to the mainland (over 40 miles to the north and east) … 

A journalist, John Sands, in 1877 became stranded … carved a little boat … let it out into the seas … the currents took it, within 9 days, to the Orkneys … when a boat was sent out to rescue him and nine shipwrecked Austrian sailors. 

 

 

Please Open ... a boat launched in the 1930s

Eight years later a huge storm battered the islanders and their food stores … a young lad had known about the way of communicating … made 5 boats and sent them out … one arrived quite quickly in Lewis … they raised funds to provision the lost stores and launched a boat to bring relief. 

This practice was adopted and the tiny mailboats became famous in popular culture … 

The islands were evacuated in the 1930s … but contact was maintained through military personnel, conservation workers, volunteers and scientists …

The children, who found the little
wooden boat sent out in 2010 - here they
are in 2020:  c/o National Trust Scotland

 

The archipelago is now owned by the Scottish National Trust … but when an archaeologist in 2010 decided to send out his own boat … with seven postcards to St Kildan contacts … who knew where they would end up …

 

 

… surprise, surprise and to much joy to four little ones in Norway – the boat, cargo intact, arrived safely on a beach on Andoya, north Norway – about 180 miles inside the Arctic Circle and over 1,000 miles from St Kilda – after ten years floating in the currents …  

As the kids’ (twins aged 9, 6 and 4) grandfather says … what excitement and treasure this find has given them … 

… then the recipients too … so many memories coming back …  the lad back in 1885 … one of his ancestors, now in Norfolk, England, received a card …

 

c/o The Mail Oxford

Going back to today’s ghastly times … how about writing to relatives and friends with snippets of fun stories … or making bundles of cards, or notes … to be delivered in due course … a wonderful way to note down a few things … perhaps that just might escape the memory bank in a few months or years … 

 

My mother and uncle, in their final years, were always thrilled to receive letters, or postcards from family and friends … something we might want to consider today … 

 

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

 

 

 

The full story of St Kilda mailboat's epic journey ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Treasure those Memories … part 1 …

 

Nothing like peregrinating … which I’m still doing after last week’s ‘new year’ … my brother’s card was ‘don’t count them (good thing) … just ‘Treasure those Memories’ …

 

… fortunately life comes to my rescue … as the G7 Summit 2020 is coming to Cornwall in June 2021 … and, of course!, they’ve chosen Carbis Bay … where I learnt the importance of enjoying life: not many clothes, with possibly a bucket and spade on that beach.

 

 

Penwith - the western end of Cornwall
(St Ives at top)

So be it … don’t get too agitated … that’s it really … but I thought I’d do a couple of (few) easy posts along treasuring memories about Cornwall and the Carbis Bay region.

 

My grandmother with her 2^nd husband had a house on the road down to Carbis Bay beach … it’s about 2 miles outside St Ives – the picturesque seaside town that was my grandfather’s hometown … where his family had been a major force, before an accident killed him in the early 1920s.

 

Aged 2 1/2 perhaps?

So I have many memories of days spent in St Ives, of staying in Carbis Bay … and of seeing my father’s grandmother, (who was a Londoner) living opposite the Bed and Breakfast we stayed as kids for holidays.

 

Carbis Bay beach 21st C

 Those childhood holiday memories have been coaxed back to life … our history of where we began.  I’ll enlighten you a little in the coming posts … shortish but with some of my background … starting with today’s nakedness on Carbis Bay beach!

 

Tiny twisty lanes

I am somewhat worried about the decision to hold the Summit down there … do they know how tiny the lanes are?  Gridlock is coming … I suspect … and perhaps other things, especially if they haven’t sorted the fishing industry out by then …

Idealised Great Western Railway
poster +/- 1920s

More Treasure those Memories to follow … it’s certainly bringing that era back into childhood focus … while knowing it’s where our maternal roots came from …

 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories