Beauty is essential in these darkening times.

As I sit here  the evening slowly begins .I am looking at a soft grey and deep pink sunset in the west. here in Cornwall the sunsets are wonderful all year round.I live in a Cathedral City that lays in a valley under which three rivers run into the River Fal 

 This town has been my home now for many years although I am  probably still a foreigner  to the Cornish born  as I come from London.When I came here many years ago I was subject to a bit of what I felt must be like racism . I worked on a mobile library and a grumpy old chap greeted me at one stop with

"Pity some nice li'l Cornish maid didn't get your job"

 This came when I asked if I could help him choose a book!

I was upset but luckily there are so many good people here that the wound soon healed. I tell this story because I need to say that I am fearful of the present swing to right wing hate culture. This man was wrong but now the present climate both here in GB and USA is allowing this sort of thought to be respectable.

Christmas is nearly here, a time to spread peace and good will but we have been witness to the horrors of Aleppo and Yemen and to the increase of racist attacks both here in the GB and the USA.Is this what the future holds or can we  fight against this thoughtless and ignorant turn that is gaining precedence. What will it take to wake us up to climate change? How can rich nations let others starve and watch the poor of their own countries use food banks,mentally ill patients sleep rough and so on. 

 It must be  possible for us to start to resist the powers that have  engendered this?

 Let us return  to seeing other human beings with tolerance and understanding. Can we share and care rather than just accumilate our sad little empires of envy, fear and greed.
 Humankind thrived on this planet by cooperartion of all kinds and I prefer that to competition and bullying.
 Well have a good Christmas or whatever festival of light you celebrate and lets hope for love and decency to prevail so that we can continue to"walk in beauty"

My little rant about Europe and the way the world seems to be going!!

Well I shouted loud enough in my circle but it seems that I have to go with the small majority of quite ill  informed and in some case zenophobic Brexiteers. I feel that the huge gap that has opened up in recent years between the haves and have nots and  has also upset many people making them feel disenfranchised.  The gains we have had from our membership have not reached them. Now I fear they will suffer more at the hands of the present government. The press have been so inflamitory and irresponsible that at times I have nearly torn out my hair. Rabble rousers like Farage have been so cynically manipulating peoples fear that I would have thought some of his pranks could have had him in court but it seems he is for some reason immune. Poor Mr Corbyn has been hounded for far less!

Anyway it seems it is done and I am horrified by the swing to the right wing  fascists  in Europe and in other countries all over the world .It is  scary that intolerance and  lack of decency  seems to be 

 thought ok. 

It is however great to know that I am in good company in wishing we had stayed united and upholding the Human Right Act etc.

Anyway here are a few things I can peronally thank Europe for,things that have enriched my life and filled my dreams along with the inspiration I have had from my own country.

Life without the Sunflowers and the Starry night would be less wonderful.

Discovering the roads of France and the  first smell and taste of garlic when I was a kid on holiday with my lovely Mum, Dad and Brother.

Almeria Spain and the man who saved me from the depths of despair after divorce.

The life and works and original thoughts of french writer George Sand who seemed like my friend and still does.

The sensual and inspiring Colette,reading Sido changed my life.

Spending time in Corfu and reading Laurence and Gerald Durrel's work. Gazing onto Homers wine dark sea!

Ha Ha! and finding the civilized bathroom bidets in French houses.!

I could go on and on,Cazanne,Monet,Matisse,Vuillard and Lorca, Yes I love what Europe has given me personally and of course I realize that not everything in the garden was rosy but it was great to feel part of the European heritage and to share all the great things we have  here to offer others. Meaness and lack of hospitality are not attractive traits.

Some flowers from Gauguin to finish but what have I done, what about all that lovely food from Europe ,another post for that I suppose.

I have not posted on Bright Star for a while but I am hoping to be more prolific from now on.