Dedh Cans ha Wonan warn Ügens

 De Yow, degves warn ügens mis Ebrel
Thursday, 30th April

Diwedh a vis Ebrel ew, an diwettha dedh an mis. Diwedh ew, ewedh, a'n awel deg. Comolek ew an ebòrn. Dû ew ev en pelder. Ma glaw ow tos arta. Gwenjek ew hei - otta an del brâs gwedhen gestenen marth whethys war üdn tû. Ma'n gwens ow whetha dhort an noor-west. Pur las ew an pow adro - glas ha gwydn. Ma trei ehen a redenen - glas pub onan, keth ew tavas a'n carow môy spladn. Flourys kestenen marth, aga hantolyow, ew gwydn, pecar'a an kegis bûgh . Res ew dhen whilas liwyow môy hedhyw. Agan kentrevoges en üdnek, ow kerdhes gans hy hei, ew leun a liw. Ma côta rüdh dhedhy.

It's the end of April, the last day of the month. It's the end, too, of the fine weather. The sky is cloudy. It's dark in the distance. Rain is coming again. It's windy - see the big leaves of a horse chestnut tree blown in one direction. The wind is blowing from the north-west. The countryside is very green -  green and white. There are three types of fern - all green, though hart's tongue fern is brighter. Horse chestnut flowers, their candles, are white, like the cow parsley. We have to look for more colours today. Only our neighbour, walking with her dog, is colourful. She has a red coat.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

cantolyow (plural) candles

côta (m) coat

diwedh (m) end

diwettha last

en pelder in the distance

kestenen marth (f) horse chestnut

leun a liw colourful

tavas a'n carow (m) hart's tongue fern

üdn tû one direction, one way

whilas to look for, seek

Dedh Cans hag Ügens

De Merher, nawhes warn ügens mis Ebrel
Wednesday, 29th April

Da ew gans an gorgath bos a'y wrowedh war an stappys en tòbmder a'n howl. Nag eus othom dhodho a waya. Bes nag eus sygerneth rag gwenen gwels, termyn veth rag anjei dhe vos a'ga growedh. Pur vesy ens e'n bleujow cuckou, ow cuntel bleus a'n flourys. Na venja best veth bos e'n lowarth e'n mettin. E veu glaw - hager gowas. Òja an glaw, thera lies dagren war warednow an Alsanders-ma. Thera mir dhodhans a jowals, delk, corden adamant. An rüdhek a dheuth dhe vires ortham ha'm camera!

The tomcat likes lying down on the steps in the warmth of the sun. He doesn't need to move. But there is no laziness for wild bees, no time for them to be lying down. They are very busy in the bluebells, collecting pollen. No animal wanted to be in the garden in the morning. There was rain - a heavy shower. After the rain, there were many droplets (tear drops) on the stems of these Alexanders. They looked like jewels, a necklace, a string of diamonds. The robin came to watch me and my camera!

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

a'y wrowedh  lying down (mutation according to person/possessive)
bleus a'n flourys (m) pollen
dagren (f) drop, droplet, tear drop
delk (m) necklace
garen (f) stalk, stem
gorgath (m) tomcat
gwaya (m) to move
hager gowas (f) heavy shower
sygerneth (f) laziness, slowness, idleness
tòbmder (m) warmth, heat

Dedh Cans ha Nawnjek

 De Meurh, ethves warn ügens mis Ebrel
Tuesday, 28th April

Sowena! My a wonethas has, ha lebmyn ma skyll dhebm. My a wrüg gonis has lojow-kegin ha ma lojow-debry dhe dhebry. Hedhyw nei a wra debry nebes skyll fav kemeskys gen lojôwen-gegin aral. Pe ehen? Ma lies anodhans dhe dhewis e'n spens ha yeyner. Pandr'eus res dhebm ûsya en kensa? My a dhewisas caretys, kegisen wheg ha spinach - lies liw. My a dal fittya an magdulans Kernow avorow.  Re vian dhe dhebry whath ew an has en kerynyow, bes mowns ow tos emann. Ma nekevys genam an peth ew gonys genam, etho anjei a vedh sowdhan. Ma gwedhen avocado bian ow tevy en bòssa coth - bes re vrâs ew hei rag hy havas. Ma othom dhedhy a geryn vrâssa.

Success! I planted seeds and now I have shoots. I planted vegetable seeds and there are vegetables to eat. Today we are going to eat beansprouts mixed with another vegetable. What kind? There are lots of them to choose in the larder and the freezer. What must I use first? I chose carrots, celery and spinach - lots of colours. I should cook the Cornish greens tomorrow. The seeds in tubs are too small to eat yet, but they are coming up. I have forgotten what I have planted, so they will be a surprise. A little avocado tree is growing in an old bussa (earthenware jar) but it is too big for its container. It needs a bigger tub.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

a dhewisas (preterite) chose, selected < (verb) dewis

a wonethas (preterite) sowed, planted < (verb) gonis

dewis (m) choice 

kegisen wheg (f) celery

keryn (f) tub

lojow debry (plural) vegetables, eating plants > (singular) lojôwen-dhebry (f) 

lojow kegin (plural) vegetables, kitchen plants > (singular) lojôwen-gegin (f)

magdulans (m) greens

nekevys forgotten

sowdhan (m) surprise (you can also use marth)

Dedh Cans hag Etek

De Lün, seythves warn ügens mis Ebrel
Monday, 27th April

My a gramblas emann war tûa'n ke coth, reb oll an flourys blou. Ma bleujow a'n guckou war an ke ewedh, keffres ha flourys rüdh - nebes soudoryon. Ma toll nowydh e'n ke ha meyn war an gwels - thera neb eneval ow palas e'n nos. Piw ew an paler? Eus whans dhodho bos trigys et ow lowarth? Re vian ew an toll rag dorgy, ha na alja logojen po cònin gwaya meyn brâs. (Ha nag eus gwelys genam cònin veth.) Na. Res ew bos brogh. Ma remenat gwedhen goth ha marow en ke. Dres lycklod pedrys ew an gwredhow ha leun a brevyon - croust da rag best nownek. Ma'n gath ow mires orth neb tra. Nag era vy ow pedery dr'ew an gegisen vûgh. Üjy hei ow helhy? Thera vy ow mires war nans. Nebonan ew besy. Ma tanjys dhe gentrevek ha ma'n gour vy ow payntya an yett gwydn.

 I climbed up towards the old hedge, by all the blue flowers. There are bluebells on the hedge too, as well as red flowers - a few red campions. There's a new hole in the hedge and stones on the grass - some animal was digging in the night. Who is the digger? Does it want to live in my garden? The hole is too small for a badger, and a mouse or rabbit could not move big stones. (And I haven't seen a single rabbit.) No. It must be a badger. There's the remains of an old dead tree in the hedge. Probably the roots are rotted and full of grubs - a lovely snack for a hungry beast. The cat  is looking at something. I don't think it's the cow parsley. Is it hunting? I look down hill. Somebody is busy. A neighbour has a bonfire and my husband is painting the white gate.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

best (m) animal, beast
crambla to climb
dres lycklod probably
eneval (m) animal
gwredhow (plural) roots
keffres ha as well as
paler (m) digger (palores f. digger is also old name for chough)
pedrys rotted, rotten
soudoryon red campion (literally) soldiers
war tûa towards

Dedh Cans ha Seytek

De Sül, wheffes warn ügens mis Ebrel
Sunday, 26th April

Na veu whans dhebm gòrtos en chei na fella bes my a venja kerdhes adro. Etho, nei eth e'n vorr a-hes, dres an gorla, dhe'n gwelyow. Leun a flourys blou ha gwydn ew an keow - bleujow a'n guckou, kegis bûgh, kednin gwels, ha ma reden glas nowydh lowr. Ma brially gusklyn melyn tredh radn an meyn bedhow, bes ma kednin gwels (kednin trehornic). Pur deg ew saw nag ew an sawarn mar dha. Gellys ew an cawlvleujow ha turnyp, arys ew an gwelyow ha gonys gen ys. Nei eth bys en gwelyow, war an trap, drefen thera whans dhebm a glowes an melwheses ow cana. Thera anjei o neyja pur ûhel. Nei alja gweles an mor saw na wrüga vy merkya an edhyn bian.

I no longer wanted to stay indoors but I wanted to walk around. So, we went along the road, through the churchyard, to the fields. The hedges are full of blue and white flowers - bluebells, cow parsley, wild garlic, and there are plenty of new green ferns. There are some yellow cowslips between some of the grave stones, but mostly there is wild garlic (three-cornered leek). It is very beautiful but the smell is not so good. The cauliflowers and turnips have gone, the fields have been ploughed and planted with cereal. We went to the fields, on the style, because I wanted to hear the skylarks singing. They were flying high. We could see the sea but we did not spot the little birds.  

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

bleujow a'n guckou (plural) bluebells

brially gusklyn (collective plural)cowslips

corla/corlan (f) churchyard

kegis bûgh (collective plural)cow parsley 

kednin gwels (collective plural)wild garlic

kednin trehornic (collective plural)three-cornered leek

melwheses (plural) skylarks

meyn bedhow (plural) gravestones

reden (collective plural) ferns

ys (collective plural) cereal, grain, corn

Dedh Cans ha Whetek

De Sadorn, pempes warn ügens mis Ebrel
Saturday, 25th April

Thera nei lebmyn dadn arwòdh Zodiak nowydh. Gellys ew sin an Hordh, ügensves mis Ebrel, ha devedhys ew sin an Tarow, kensa warn ügens mis Ebrel. Ha ma'n Loor ow cressya ewedh - e veu loor nowydh second warn ügens mis Ebrel. Nag ew gwelys genam an ebòrn nos a-dhiwedhes - na wrüga vy mires! Na wrüga vy gweles cowas veteor Lyrids naneyl. Martesen nag ew re dhiwedhes. My a wra mires war tûa'n ebòrn haneth dhe nos, naw po deg ar gloh. Po nag ellama gwil hedna (comolek ew an gewer lebmyn) res vedh dhebm gòrtos bys en nessa bledhen. Devedhys ens en gwenton lies cansbledhen, derag Crist ewedh. An Chinogyon a's gwelas.

We are now under a new Zodiac sign. Aries (the sign of the Ram) is gone, on 20th April, and Taurus (the sign of the Bull) has arrived, on 21st April. And the Moon is waxing as well - there was a new moon on 22nd April. I haven't seen the night sky recently - I didn't look! I didn't see the Lyrids meteor shower either. Perhaps it is not too late. I'll look skywards this coming night, at nine or ten o'clock. If I can't do that (the weather is cloudy now) I shall have to wait till next year. They have come in spring for many centuries, before Christ as well. The Chinese saw them.

  Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

a-dhiwedhes recently

Chinogyon (plural) Chinese < Chinek (m) Cornish man

comolek cloudy

cowas (f) shower

derag Crist D.C. Before Christ B.C.

diwedhes late

haneth dhe nos this coming night

kewer (f) weather

mires  to look 

war tûa'n ebòrn skywards, towards the sky

Dedh Cans ha Pemdhek

De Gwener, pajwora warn ügens mis Ebrel
Friday, 24th April

Ma termyn ow tremena ha nag era vy ow merkya. De a veu pednbloodh Shakespeare (ev a verwas an keth dedh ewedh). Nei ell trouvya et y wariow ha sonettys lies devyn vas. "Pana ooj euthyk lebma ma pednow bobba ow governa an dall." De a veu Degol Jory ewedh. Ev ew sans tasek Pow an Sowson. Kekeffrys Shakespeare ha Sen Jory ew perthynek dhe'n dedhyow ma -  ma kevrednow gen hagar plag. Jory a ladhas dragon anal-plag. En gwary coth nei a wel an geryow "ema dragon vrâs heb mar e'n cav òbma rebon nei." Nag eus dragon dhen dhe dhrei own, bes ma nebes pednow bobba ow rowlya! Ha'n virus a'gan trobla. Na via lons ûs veth war y bydn.

Time is passing and I don't notice. Yesterday was Shakespeare's birthday (he died on the same date as well). We can find in his plays and sonnets many handy quotations. "What a terrible era in which idiots govern the blind." Yesterday was St George's Day as well. He is the patron saint of England. Both Shakespeare and St George are relevant to these days - there are connections with a terrible plague. George killed a plague-breath dragon. In an old play we see the words "there is doubtlessly a great dragon here in the cave by us." We do not have a dragon to bring fear but there are some idiots ruling! And the virus troubles us. A lance wouldn't be any use against it.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

anal (m) breath

devyn (m) quotation

heb mar doubtlessly, without doubt

kekeffrys both

kevrednow links, connections

ladha to kill

merkya to notice, pay attention

pedn bobba (m) idiot

perthynek relevant

plag (m) plague

Dedh Cans ha Peswardhek

De Yow, tryja warn ügens mis Ebrel
Thursday, 23rd April

My a drovyas nebes levrow coth ow tòchya planjow (plansow). Onan anodhans, "Flourys an Als Kernow", ew pur goth - my a'n pernas en mona coth! Hedna a veu ken degedhekheans en mil naw cans trei ügens hag üdnek (De Lün, pemdhegves mis Whevrel). Ev a gostyas trei sols ha whedner (whegh diner), scrifys 3s6d po 3/6 - hedna via seytek ha hanter diner (nowydh) lebmen. Hedna via pur ras e'n dedhyow ma, saw my a dhendylas le e'n dedhyow na. An levrow erel a veu heb cost. Pandra wrüga vy desky et ow levrow? Üdn wedhen ell bos yonk, arves po cowldevys, po ancyent. Hei ell bewa lies bledhen. Branchys ew kellys dhort gwedh coth ha ma hedna ow qweres dhodhans dürya pelha. Ha my ell cawas losow nowydh dhort losow coth (saw my a wor hedna solabres!). Òtta onan my a wras môy a-varr.

I found several old books about plants. One of them, "Flowers of the Cornish Coast", is very old - I bought it in old money. That was before decimalisation in 1971 (Monday, 15th February). It cost three shillings and sixpence, written 3s6d or 3/6 - that would be 17.5 (new) pence now. That would be very cheap these days, but I earned less in those days. The other books were free. What did I learn in my books? A particular tree can be young, mature or fully grown, or ancient. It can live for many years. Branches are lost from old trees and that helps them to survive longer. And I can get new plants from old plants (but I know that already!). Here's one I did earlier.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

arves mature, ripe (of fruit)

bewa to live

costya to cost

cowldevys fully grown, mature

degedhekheans (m) decimalisation (obviously a neologism)

dendyl to earn

diner (m) penny (left over from the Romans)

dürya to last, survive
heb cost free, without cost

sols (m) shilling 

Dedh Cans ha Terdhek

De Merher, nessa warn ügens mis Ebrel
Wednesday, 22nd April

Thew an jedh ma an nessa dedh warn ügens a vis Ebrel, ha ma hedna ow styrya Dedh Norves. Hanter cans bledhen alebma e veu dallathys Kesrosweyth Dedh Norves, rag cressya warneth a challenjys omgelghek ha rag adhescans fatel ellen nei sawya an Norves. Ma môy es cans kenedhel pajar ügens ha terdhek e'n Kesrosweyth. Ma stat devedhek an Norves et agan diwla. Nei alja medhya agan omgelghek po nei alja y ûsya der vaner euthyk. Ma troblow brâs dhe nei. Gweythresoryon kerthednedh a lavar der nei a dal gonis gwedh, lehe agan ol treys carbon. Na dal nei destria gwelfos na lesky oyl, glow ha gass. Da ew genam gonis gwedh - pur blesys o vy a'm gwedh! 

This day is the twenty second day of the month of April, and that means Earth Day. Fifty years ago an Earth Day Network was started, for increasing awareness of environmental challenges and for education in how we can save the Earth. There are more than 193 nations in the Network. The state of the Earth is in our two hands. We could nurture our environment or we could abuse it. We have big troubles. Environmental activists say we should plant trees, reduce our carbon footprint. We shouldn't destroy wilderness nor burn oil, coal and gas. I like planting trees. I am very proud of my trees!

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

acressya to increase

adhescans (m) education

devedhek future

gweythresor (m) activist

kenedhel (f) nation, kindred, clan (you can also use nacyon)

a'n kerthednedh environmental

kesrosweyth (m) network

lehe to decrease, reduce, lessen

omgelghek environmental < om self + kelgh circle

ûsya der vaner euthyk to abuse, mistreat

Dedh Cans ha Dewdhek

De Meurth, kensa warn ügens mis Ebrel
Tuesday, 21st April

Sowena, falladow ha labmow lôwen - ma hedna ow tescrifa ow whel lowarth ha kegidnieth. Ma va ow tescrifa an art vy ewedh, ke vo môy falladowyow brâs es sewenyansow bian. A vedham sowyn gen has e'n gwenton ma? Res ew dhebm gòrtos. Nei a wra gweles skyll bian po plansigow glas, dhe scona dhe well. Ow kestenen vian ew labm Nadelik lôwen. Ow gwedh erel (ha'n alsanders) ew sewenyansow brâs - bes martesen anjei a vedh re vrâs. Ha'n Nicotiana teg? Thew hebma mystry et tien.   

Success, failure and happy accidents - that describes my gardening and cuisine. It describes my art as well, though there may be more big failures than small successes. Will I be successful with seeds this spring? I must wait. We'll see little shoots or green seedlings, the sooner the better. My little chestnut tree is a happy Christmas accident. My other trees (and the Alexanders) are big successes - but perhaps they will be too big. And the pretty Nicotiana? This is a complete mystery.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

descrifa to describe
dhe scona dhe well the sooner the better
falladow (m) failure > (plural) falladowyow
kegidnieth (f) cookery, cuisine (fittya boos is more traditional)
labm (m) chance, accident
lowarth (m) garden (final th silent, so can be written lowarh or lowar)
sewenyansow (plural) successes
sowena (f) success (or soweneth)
sowyn successful
whel lowarth (m) gardening ( also lavür/gonis lowarth)

Dedh Cans hag Üdnek

De Lün, ügensves mis Ebrel
Monday, 20th April

Hanter cans bledhen alebma, môy po le, my a bernas nebes taclow en gwerthans poblek en Truru. Gellys lebmyn ew an chayr treth, terrys po skith, bes ma brith liwyow dowr dhebm whath. Piw ew an lymner? Na ora vy. Nag eus hanow warnodho. E veu frammys en Falmeth, bes pe le ma'n teller e'n pictour? My a wrüg y drouvya, theram ow perdery, en Porth Ia, termyn my eth dhe Soler Art Tate. An Deijy ewa, bohes treylyes en môy es hanter cans bledhen. An beistry ew deffrans, nowydh ens, bes ma'n chymbla ha lehednow cregys ena whath. Ha nag eus lugarn war an vos. En termyn eus passyes pescadoryon o trigys e'n deijiow bes e'n jedh hedhyw, en hav, ma havyjy.  Saw e'n teken ma thew Porth Ia gwag dre reson an virus. 

Fifty years ago, more or less, I bought some things in an auction sale in Truro. The deck chair has gone now, broken or worn out, but I still have a watercolour painting. Who is the artist? I don't know. There is no name on it. It was framed in Falmouth, but where is the place in the picture? I found it, I think, in St Ives, when I went to the Tate Gallery. It's The Digey, little changed in more than fifty years. The windows are different, they're new, but the chimney and hanging tiles are still there. And there is no lantern on the wall. In the past fishermen lived in the cottages but nowadays, in summer, there are summer visitors. But at this moment St Ives is empty because of the virus.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

alebma ago

chayr treth (m) deck chair

deijy (m) cottage

dre reson because of

gwag empty

gwerthans poblek (m) auction (public) sale

havyjy (plural) summer visitors < hav summer

lehednow tiles

lugarn (m) lantern

pescadoryon (plural) fishermen < (singular) pescader (m)