Memories of Cornwall & Monday night's rehearsal

For some strange reason today's work seemed to keep reminding me of our last couple of holidays in Cornwall, our first job was a bit of a clearance, an over grow border needed to have it's edges found, then over to another garden where we planted some asparagus, and some osteospurnams. This reminded me that the osteospurnam I grow in my front garden is a cutting from one in the garden of the house in Fowey we stayed in the last two time we went to Cornwall. Of course I love to visit the gardens in Cornwall, and it is one of the strongholds of Brass Banding, there are some very nice beaches and restaurants as well; we have really missed Cornwall the last couple of years.

Then up to the Vicarage where I found the I had put in a cutting of the cutting from Fowey. Last time there I also took some cuttings from the huge but lovely Hydrangea beside the house, we now have two Hydrangeas out growing their pots and one has been given to the friends who let us use the house (now sold)

So after a hard, but good, days work in the gardens, it was off for a Brass Band rehearsal, we had a decent turn out with someone from every section of the band apart from the basses. This meant that for the first time for a few weeks we could do some proper work on a couple of pieces. We just took a couple of straight forward "Bandstand" pieces but took then apart, looked at what made them work, the articulation, dynamics, which part is important - when to bring it out when to support -, and made some real strides forward in our playing. At times it was quite hard work but ultimately very rewarding.

After rehearsal up to the Grape & Grain at Crystal Palace to listen to the "Big Beer Band" and sup a couple of pints of "Doombar" Cornish ale, which of course only served to reminded me of sitting on the terrace of the Galleon looking out over the Harbour at Fowey










Funny old day really..........