Halloween is nearly here.

Yes. I have finally conceded to the fact that Autumn is definitely here. Although the warm days we have been having lately could make you think its mid June, the sycamore tree in my garden tells a truer tale as it is almost totally leafless, the ones still hanging on are of the dry crunchy brown variety.  Has you are probably well aware, Halloween and Bonfire night are fast approaching, indicated by the sudden appearance of pointy hats and hideous masks and the like, on shop shelves, all of  which means that the nights are really starting draw in and many business owners in North Cornwall who are geared towards the tourist industry tend to take a break at this time of year after spending months catering for the needs of others. But hold on a moment because even though Autumn officially started on the 23rd of September and although the weather has been somewhat inclement this Summer, it has not deterred the holiday making public from visiting our unique area of the country.  October is here and there are still many visitors around. 

 

Trebarwith Strand on the 6th September 2007

 

 

If you liked the above stop motion of Trebarwith click here to view a August 2007 Sunset using the same stop motion technique.

 

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Colours of Autumn.

As we all know, Autumn is marked out by spectacular changes in leaf colour as the greens of summer change into the yellows and reds of autumn. I,  like many, thought that this was the accidental by-product of the death of the leaves. But apparently these colours have evolved to help plants remove important chemicals from their leaves, for reuse next year. The autumn pigments do this by helping the plant continue to use the sun's energy during the period at the end of the leaf's life, so providing the energy needed to extract chemical nutrients before leaf fall. Contrary to what many people assume, photosynthesis does not stop once leaves change from green to red, and in the autumn, plants can be subjected to a potentially destructive combination of low temperatures and high light levels. The red and yellow pigments act like sunscreen, protecting the plants from the effects of chemicals produced by light acting on the contents of the dying leaf and may actually help plants photosynthesise better at lower temperatures.

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Who is responsible ?

This summer saw a mixed bag of sunshine and rain. Fortunately I was able to take advantage of one or two of the nicer spells this summer, and hit the beaches along our shore. However, one thing that I noticed, wherever I seemed to go, was the major increase of plastic objects collecting above the high tide line. Everything from Lego to lighters, golf balls to garden gloves, you name it and I probably found it. It is such a sad indictment of our throw away society. I saw young children foraging amongst the brightly coloured bits and pieces of Jetsam. Sea birds picking up and then discarding the same. Admittedly a lot of this debris comes from shipping and distant shores, but it affects us locally when it starts to mass on the beaches, becoming more and more of a health hazard. So next time you go beach combing or just for a walk along the shore... maybe take a bin bag with you and see how much rubbish you can collect. Has a tourist based area we need to look after our assets.                                                      Top

 Halloween Trivia.

#Hallowe'en is always celebrated on 31 October.
#Hallowe'en is one of the oldest celebrations in the world, dating back over 2000 years to the time of the Celts who lived in Britain
#Hallowe'en is also know by other names:
All Hallows Eve - Samhain - All Hallowtide - The Feast of the Dead - The Day of the Dead

#Our ancestors celebrated New Year on November 1st

 

Hallowe'en is derived from an ancient Celtic festival, Samhain. The Celts celebrated their New Year's Eve on October 31st. It was celebrated every year with a festival called Samhain (pronounced 'sow-in'), that marked the end of the "season of the sun" (Summer) and the beginning of "the season of darkness and cold" ( Winter). The beginning of the Celtic New Year on November 1st. The Celts believed that evil spirits came with the long hours of winter darkness. They believed that on that night the barriers between our world and the spirit world were at their weakest and therefore spirits were most likely to be seen on earth. The Celts built bonfires to frighten the spirits away, and feasted and danced around the fires. The Hallowe'en fires brought comfort to the souls in purgatory* and people prayed for them as they held burning straw up high. The fires of Hallowe'en burned the strongest in Scotland and Ireland, where Celtic influence was most pronounced, although they lingered on in some of the northern counties of England until the early years of the last century. The last night of October was transformed by the Church into the vigil of All Saints' or Hallowe'en.

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Just for Fun.

Q: What is the ratio of a pumpkin's circumference to its diameter?
A: Pumpkin Pi

 

Morris, an 82 year-old fisher man from Port Wenn, went to see Doc Martin to get a physical.
A few days later, Doc Martin saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm.
A couple of days later,  Doc Martin bumped into Morris again and said, "You're really doing great, aren't you?"
Morris replied, "Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.'"
Doc Martin said, "I didn't say that. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful."

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Competitions

Win a Sony Camcorder courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

 All you have to do to win a Sony DCRHC45 Digital Camcorder is answer one simple question. Click the link to enter the paramount camcorder competition

 

Win a Home Cinema System. HMV  have teamed up with 20th Century Fox to  give away a home cinema system to watch great films on. Click the link to enter the    HMV Home cinema competition

 

Win an international modelling contract. Camelot Castle is searching the world for “The Most Beautiful Sleeping Baby” to use for their international advertising campaign. All entries to be submitted to Camelot Castle, Tintagel, England. PL34 ODQ. The winning baby and parents will be awarded an international modelling contract with Camelot Castle Artist Management. Click the link for more info:  Beautiful Sleeping Baby Competition

 

So far no one has answered all the questions below correctly, all though a few of you have been close, so here they are again. Ten questions and the answers can be found here in North Cornwall. Answer them all correctly and then forward your answers in an e-mail, to  info@northcornwall.org and you will be in with a chance of winning a great prize.

 

1. What is St Knighton's Kieve?

2. Which town boasts the largest church in Cornwall?

3. Which town was the ancient capital of Cornwall?

4. What is the name of the highest hill in Cornwall?

5. Where is the source of the river Camel?

6. Where is King Arthur's round table supposedly buried?

7. Who built St Petroc's church in Padstow?

8. How many arches where on the original bridge constructed on wool at Wadebridge?

9. What is the name of the rock where, legend says, a hermitage, dedicated to the Holy Trinity and St Michael, once stood?

10. Which North Cornwall hotel was portrayed has an asylum in the 1979 film version of Dracula?

 

   There are three prizes to be won:

1st Prize £50   2nd Prize £25   3rd Prize £10

 

Where's the Witch

All you have to do is find her so click here to get started.............

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Halloween Party Games

If you’re having a Halloween party you need to play some games! Whether it’s to fill the time before the food is ready or to keep the kids occupied before their parents collect them, here are some ghoulish games to play.

1) Pin the Wart on the Witch’s Nose: Draw or photocopy up a big picture of a witch; get lumps of green play-dough, blindfold each child and let them put a green wart on the witch’s face.

2) Apple bobbing is the traditional Halloween game. Float apples in a bowl of water, each player must try to get an apple with their teeth while their hands are held behind their backs. (This can get messy)

3) Musical Zombies: Find some suitable Halloween Music and play this version of musical statues. Instead of dancing the kids pretend to be zombies then stand still when the music stops.

4) Wrap the Mummy: tear up strips of an old sheet and see who can wrap up their friend the fastest.

5) Sleeping vampires: Quieten things down with this version of sleeping lions, they all have to lie silently in the crypt; the one who stays still the longest is the winner.

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Autumn Recipe

Slightly spicy Squash soup

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
Few knobs of butter
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 1 litre hot chicken stock
1 heaped tsp mild curry powder
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 apple cored and sliced with skin off

1 pear cored and sliced with skin off
4-6 thin rashers of pancetta, halved
Small handful of coriander leaves, chopped

Method:
Heat a heavy-based pan with the olive oil and butter, then add the onions, bay leaves and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well, then cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low heat for 5-7 minutes until the onions begin to soften.
Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to a simmer in another saucepan. Add the curry powder to the onions and stir for another minute. Tip in the squash and add a little more oil to prevent the squash from scorching too quickly. (It will also give the finished soup a velvety texture.) Cook for about 10-12 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and lightly caramelized. Add the apple and pear and pour in just enough hot stock to cover the vegetables and gently simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, lay the pancetta in a single layer in a hot non-stick frying pan. Fry over a medium heat until golden-brown and crisp on both side. Drain on kitchen paper and allow to cool slightly.
Discard the bay leaves. In batches, purée the soup in a food processor or liquidiser until smooth. Return the soup to the pan to reheat. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and garnish with some chopped coriander and a slice of crispy pancetta on top.

 

If you would prefer Pickled Pixies on horseback served with Lashings of Dracula’s blood then go here for a Hallowe'en treat.

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Where am I ?

To the left is an image of a location that is somewhere in North Cornwall.

So !!  Where am I ??

The task  is to identify said location and then e-mail your answer to us using the e-mail link below:

E-mail your answer to:   iknow@thisisnorthcornwall.co.uk

If you are really stuck e-mail us at the above e-mail address and we will send you a clue!!!

 

The first correct entry  drawn out of the hat will win a cash prize.

N.B.  Please include your name and full postal address or we will be unable to enter you into the hat.

Entries must be received by the 25th of  December 2007.

 

SUMMER WINNER

Has many of you correctly guessed, the location we were looking for in the Summer issue of NCN, was none other than the St Teath.

 

The first name out of the hat with the correct answer for the Summer edition was:-

Frankie Morgan of Tintagel

Well done Frankie, you will receive ten pounds in the very near future.

 

Well done to everyone else who guessed correctly.

Do try again this time.... You just might win.

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Only for North Cornwall Websites.

If you have your own website and you want more traffic then  GO HERE  for cost effective advertising solutions that beat pay per click hands down and will promote your website to the right audience.

 

If you wish to submit an article for publication please send your copy together with your name and address using the following e-mail link:     info@thisisnorthcornwall.co.uk

 

FINAL THOUGHT

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to see it, do the other trees make fun of it?

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