Our Monthly Craft Group is now back! Meeting on the third Wednesday of each month at the Murley Hall, members are free to do their own craft projects, or to join in and try something collaboratively. Tea, coffee and biscuits are available, and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere is guaranteed.
Congratulations to two members of our Camera Club! Sue Pitts and Lisa Elsey were category winners in the County Photography Competiton. Lisa was also awarded Best Overall Photo, and the Geeve’s Cup for her photograph of St Michael’s Mount at low tide. Well Done both!
We had a fascinating November talk by Kate from House of Colour. Kate explained the importance of choosing colour to compliment the individual’s own natural colouring, and how everyone falls into one of four groups named as Spring, Summer Autumn and Winter. She then went on to illustrate how to dress for both self-confidence and to display confidence to the outside world.
Set overlooking the beautiful beach, The Welloe at Praa Sands was a definite hit with members of the Meet and Eat lunch group. The food rivalled the location, with fresh tasty fish and chips, seafood chowder, and goat’s cheese mac and cheese getting top votes.
Read more about The Welloe here
What a fantastic turnout for our November Coffee Morning. The Murley Hall was lively with chatter as the group escaped the wild weather and enjoyed delicious cakes baked by Secretary Jill.
We were delighted to welcome back Martin Brockman to The Murley Hall to listen to his talk on the wooden lifeboats that served West Cornwall. From the 1840’s to The Solomon Browne in 1981 these boats and their crews braved the coastline of our local area, through treacherous seas and hazardous weather with unfailing committment to save.
Local author Paula Rooney gave a truly inspirational talk on her solo travels around Europe after the age of 50. Waiting until the time felt right with her children following their own paths, Paula set off alone with her backpack and Interail ticket to explore Europe by train, on a budget. Journalling as she travelled, her daily observations, achievements and challenges were transformed upon her return into the above book. Paula also spoke about her subsequent travels, and encouraged everyone, whatever their age, to get out and explore the world.
A group of Crowlas and Ludgvan WI recently visited the beautiful Grade II listed Georgian Country House, Pencarrow House, near Bodmin. En-route they enjoyed a coffee stop at a garden centre near Wadebridge. The house has been used as a filming location in a number of tv programmes and movies, in particular adaptations of Rosamunde Pilcher novels and in the Doc Martin tv series.
Following an interesting tour of the house some members walked the grounds to see a large lake and area of an Iron Age Fort while others relaxed in the gardens. The afternoon was completed with a delicious cream tea in the Pencarrow tea room.
Our August book choice was Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks – everyone enjoyed it – it scored mostly 10s and all felt it was very well written, with the added bonus that the story was derived from a true event in Derbyshire in 1666.
An unforgettable tale, set in 17th century England, of a village that quarantines itself to stop the spread of the plague.
When an infected bolt of cloth carries plague from London to an isolated village, a housemaid named Anna Frith emerges as an unlikely heroine and through plants, as an healer. Through the eyes of Anna we follow the story of the fateful year of 1666 as she and her fellow villagers, particularly the vicar and his wife, Elinor, for whom Anna works, confront the spread of the disease and superstition. As death reaches into every household and villagers turn from prayers to murderous witch-hunting, Anna must find strength to confront the disintegration of her community and the lure of illicit love.  As she struggles to survive, despite the loss of her two young sons, a disastrous year becomes a year of wonder.
A lot of the characters of the village are incorporated into the story – from the people in the Big House disappearing to a safe place without any regard for their community, to a young Quaker girl left on her own to mine coal from her coal mine.
The story is inspired by true events of a village Eyam (pronounced Eem) in the rugged hill country of Derbyshire, it is a richly detailed evocation of a singular moment in history.
The remedies obtained from plants in this era is so very interesting – no doubt many of them in use today.
A book highly recommended by the Book Club.
Our Meet and Eat lunch group visited the historic pub The King’s Arms in the pretty village of Paul. The menu is interesting and varied and includes a wide range of local, sustainably sourced ingredients. Several members of the group agreed that the highlight of this trip was the amazing, plentiful and delicious Ploughman’s lunch. You can find more details on the pub HERE
Crowlas & Ludgvan WI 