Sarah in the Gardens

If you had told me last year that I would one day discover a people-craving extrovert within myself I would have laughed in your face. No...wait. That's a lie. I would have been far too shy to do that. I certainly would never have imagined I would be meeting and spending time with strangers on a semi-regular basis.

How glad I am that the walls I once surrounded myself with are crumbling. How freeing it is not to feel as if there are a million judgmental eyes always fixed in my direction. I can't tell you where this new confidence came from and neither can I pinpoint the exact moment it burst into existence, but as I mentioned in Here Ends Dinosaur I am forever grateful that it found me. So many new possibilities have come my way and I have met such wonderful people as a result.

Once of those people is Sarah of The Salty Sea Blog. You can read her journal entry about our day together here. She takes gorgeous photos and has an absolutely magical way with words. Not to mention, it is always rather fun to read two different accounts of the same event!

I would also like to apologise for the delay with this post - I want to make regular entries but I am finding it difficult juggling work and family life...but balance will come in time, I'm sure.

Photo by thesaltyseablog.blogspot.co.uk

We decided to make our way to Trelissick Garden, which is located in Feock. Trelissick is possibly one of my favourite places to visit. It is ever-changing with the seasons and always breathtakingly beautiful. In the summer it is heavy with the scent and sight of blooming flowers. In the dead of winter it is stark, romantic and haunting. I can't help but continue to come back for more as the year progresses and the seasons change.

Fun with double exposures!

Sarah and I originally knew of  one another via our mutual friend, Tom (who I am sure will make an appearance in my future blog entries). I had always admired her beautiful photos and wonderful way with words. I recently reached out to her for advice in regards to starting a blog, and from there we decided to meet.

I'm glad we did! Sarah is truly excellent company. She possess quick wit and sharp insight, but it goes hand-in-hand with a natural kindness and gentle spirit. I enjoyed her company and the easy conversational flow. We discovered a lot of common ground in the way our minds work. Many times, an exclamation of, "Oh, I've always thought that!" could be heard. It felt truly lovely to talk so freely without fear of judgement.

The above images were taken during our exploration of Trelissick House. It possesses an interesting and rich history, but its most distinguished owner was Leonard Cunliffe, who was a former director of the Bank of England. Apparently, he fell in love with the house as he sailed passed it on his yacht in the early 1900's. He fell hard for the dramatic views into the wooded valleys and estuary. Who could blame him? Even now, the scenery never fails to make my heart stop for a moment.

In 1937, Leonard passed the house down to his step-daughter Ida Copeland and her husband Ronald, who was part of the potteries aristocracy. Throughout their careers, they continued to live at Trelissick before donating the house and gardens to The National Trust in 1955.

Sarah and I couldn't resist taking some shots through the incredible art-deco window, but we were soon asked to cease our activities by one of the sterner housekeepers. Apparently, taking photos so close to the window is not permitted. But we still managed to appreciate it from a distance!

Photo by thesaltyseablog.blogspot.co.uk

We decided to head deeper into the gardens. I am so glad I recently decided to become a member of the National Trust - finally getting to explore an area of Trelissick that was once a mystery to me was such a treat. Experiencing it with a fellow photographer just made it all the more special, as it meant that we could both stop to snap away as often as we liked, without fear that the other was perhaps becoming bored or impatient.

Photo by thesaltyseablog.blogspot.co.uk

I love Sarah's ability to look completely ethereal and beautiful one moment, and then turn around and surprise me with an outstanding whale impression. Unpredictability is a trait I truly enjoy in other people - that, and a sense of fun, both of which Sarah has an abundance of!

I'm going to share one of my most intimate fantasies with you.

Do I have your attention? I bet I do.

That house. I want to live in it. I dream of waking up one morning and discovering that - ah! I am the owner of the cottage and I live within the gardens of Trelissick. This thought haunts both my daydreams and nightdreams. It raises goosebumps on my skin and makes my heart flutter.

Excuse me, I need to take a cold shower.

The scenery within Trelissick is not only dreamy, but also varied. I can't get enough of it. Quite often, I like to immerse myself in it for hours at a time and will walk from Trelissick to Roundwood Quay. I absolutely recommend taking that walk if you visit. Make sure you check out the Iron Age promontory fort hiding among the woodland. From Roundwood - get lost. Just wander. Don't backtrack unless you absolutely must. Walk for as long and as far as your feet can bear to. Some of my best memories come from doing such a thing. Alone or with company, it doesn't matter. It is an absolute must.

You may even meet an elderly dog named Badger, who belongs to the owner of a very cute tea room. He once both followed and led myself and some friends for miles before we returned him to his owner - who was very nonplussed! Apparently, he regularly heads off on little adventures. He is wise.

Trelissick is my heart's home. I always find myself returning here time after time. I've given up trying to pin down exactly why. It isn't just the beauty of the area. After all, Cornwall is full of stunning scenery. Perhaps it is the atmosphere...it feels different with each visit. It stays with me afterwards and finds me again later at night, deep in dreams.

I feel as if part of me is always there, among the ancient trees.

We found a little walking stick! Stealing from fey-folk is just plain rude (and bad luck), so we made sure to return it back to where we found it.

Sarah provided a lovely little picnic of fresh fruit and pasties. I had spent the night before baking sugar cookies as my contribution. However, due to the fact that I lack anything resembling common sense, I decided to follow a different recipe rather than sticking to the one I knew was compatible with my fickle gas oven.

The results were...inedible. That's putting it very kindly. I ended up supplying leftover birthday cake.

My oven is capable of producing many things. None of them edible. It appears to specialise in the taste of regret and wasted efforts. Do you enjoy muffins that taste of frustration and hatred? No, neither do I.

Photo by thesaltyseablog.blogspot.co.uk

The ol' 'photographer squint'. One day, the wind will change at the wrong moment and I'll be stuck like that.

Sarah really compliments the scenery, doesn't she? Perhaps she could easily give the cast of Poldark a run for their money (although, from what very little I have seen of it, I gather that wouldn't be too hard. I still get nightmares about the sweaty scything scene. Yuck. Someone explain the appeal of receding-hairline-slightly-apish Captain Poldark to me. Oh dear...this has turned into a tangent. I am also severely abusing parenthesis - and to ramble about a silly television show of all things).

I'm tired and sleep deprived. Forgive my strange rantings!

Photo by thesaltyseablog.blogspot.co.uk

It was quiet in the long grass. Our picnic was a peaceful one - as all picnics should be. The only sound was our conversation and the music of chirping insects.

Our talk was refreshing and interesting. In fact, we discussed something that I have rarely spoken about with other people before, and to my pleasant surprise found that it was a source of common ground between the two of us.

For a long time, I've been vaguely aware that physical attraction was something I never experienced without an emotional bond forming first. Of course, I would be aware when someone was physically attractive, I just wouldn't be attracted to them. It's a little tricky to explain without examples...I've never experienced lust, or wanting to be with someone based purely on their appearance alone. I fell in love with my husband before I really knew what he looked like. I know that people do get into relationships based purely on physical attraction, and sometimes they fall in love later - but I've never been able to comprehend it. I need the emotional and intellectual compatibility to exist first before anything else can come into fruition. Looks are, after all, the least interesting thing about another person. I hope it doesn't sound like I am being judgmental, because I'm honestly not. Things like gender and appearance have just never really...registered? The fact that I have an aversion for labels probably doesn't make matters any less complicated.

Anyway, my original point was that discussing this with Sarah made me feel a lot less alien. Not to mention, I have done a little googling since then and discovered that there are plenty of people wired the same way. It has made for some truly interesting reading! I love getting insight into the minds of others. It's half the reason I enjoy reading blogs so much.

We became quite lost in conversation, and sadly, the time flew by far too quickly as it often does when you find yourself in good company.

Photo by thesaltyseablog.blogspot.co.uk

Of course, I couldn't leave without taking a photo of that famous little Rapunzel-esque tower. I would love to see the interior one day! In person, of course. I have seen the photos many times, but to actually walk around inside would be a fantastic experience. 

More fun with double exposures! I do apologise for the low quality - this one was compiled on my phone.

In conclusion, I have to say that meeting with and getting to know strangers until they are no longer strangers is something I will endeavor to do more often. It really made me look at a well-loved place with a fresh pair of eyes.

That is the wonderful thing about truly good company - your perspective changes.