Wednesday 20 January 2016

2016 Happy new year

Although we are three weeks in this is my first post of the year so my first opportunity to make such a greeting here on my blog.
It's the 20th of January & on this day in 1925 my father was born.
Sadly he left us two years ago, but I think it's right to post some pictures from his beloved homeland.
Views I'm sure he enjoyed as much as I do, although he never owned a camera or wanted to record moments in the way his son does.
First a photo of the man, although at the time, wasn't much more than youth.
My favourite photo of all time, taken when he was in his late teens, near the end or soon after the end of WW2.
Standing in his Sunday best with his horse Star, leading the carnival queen & her attendants in the local carnival.
I'm wondering how many hours my Father & Grandmother took to get Star looking so smart.
Polishing leather & brass, plaiting mane & tail.  I hope the young ladies on the cart where suitably impressed.

To some of the views I know he loved.
All taken from Carn Grey where my Father was born & lived & farmed for the first fifty or so years.
Looking East towards Bodmin moor  Helman tor with Rough tor & Brown Willy.
 With Knightor house in the foreground.
Gentlemans farm above Par beach with Polruan in the background, not like our little hill farm with its low hedges made from stone pulled from the small fields & more rusty galvanise than fine stone walls.
But he loved his land regardless & I don't think he envied those that had better.
The Gribben. & St Austell Bay.
William Joseph Mitchell 20/01/1925 to 27/01/2014 a life celebrated in the places he loved.