Perranporth and the Dragon
A few days’ holiday and the Year of the Dragon. The connection is Mr Word Loft. Major birthdays are usually celebrated with a big party by us, but we hope to move in a few...
Colliford Lake at Twilight
A parade of zingy gorse on a grey winter’s day always lifts the spirits. At Colliford Lake, the prickly evergreen shrub harmonises beautifully with Bodmin Moor’s dramatic scenery, and I can never resist pulling a...
Chance Encounter
“That’s where they sat.” My sister pointed to lawns edging Plymouth Hoe Promenade. I had strolled there often, been to the top of nearby Smeaton’s Tower, and written about the area, but had never noticed...
A New Lease of Life
The shabby little desk appeared sad in the corner of our local charity shop, and I knew someone who was the ideal size to sit at it. My six-year-old grandson. Instantly, I started to visualise...
Beach Life at Gyllyngvase
“I’ve been here before,” I said to my son, as we drove down a road dotted with palm trees and superb coastal views, and parked outside his new apartment. Mr Word Loft followed behind in...
Little Noel
It’s a splendid Christmas treat to see my short story, ‘Little Noel’, printed in The People’s Friend this week. It’s one I couldn’t resist writing and originated from a true family experience decades ago. I...
Counting the Days!
It’s like meeting old friends. After the boxes have been hauled from the loft and I start sifting through the ornaments, I exclaim with joy as favourites come to light. A few are handmade by...
Entrancing Trerice
Although smaller than the majority of National Trust properties, Trerice exudes magnificence, but on a reduced scale. The delightful Cornish Elizabethan manor house is enchanting to visit on a cold winter’s day with its open...
Music and Memories
“It’s upsetting, but we just can’t take them with us,” I said to Mr Word Loft when tidying out the loft because we are moving to a smaller place, and he agreed. Among heaps of...
Charming Olive Trees
Tidying fallen russet and golden leaves from around my potted olive tree was a wonderful reminder of summer holidays. Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Croatia instantly come to mind. Growing singular or in groves, olives are...