Truro Cathedral and White Feather Stories Which Comfort the Bereaved

This is Cornwall's cathedral in Truro. The foundation stones were laid by Edward, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall in 1880. The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary was finally completed in 1910.

On a recent visit to the cathedral I snapped a few photos.

While in the cathedral I noticed the poem, as below, titled The White Feather Sniper.

This made me smile as I have collected many stories about  white feathers over the years.

The stories I have collected all have the same theme: where people have seen white feathers following the death of a loved one.

I realise many will think of this as being in some sort of fairyland, but I have experienced this myself.

In a very short period of time, a few years back, three people very close to me died within a fifteen month period.

This was obviously a difficult time but my wife and I started seeing white feathers, completely out of the blue. They were mostly large fluffy feathers which often appeared when we were thinking of our loved ones. For some reason the white feathers brought us comfort.

Here are just three of the many white feather stories I have collected:

(1) My dear husband, Gene, passed away and ever since then I have found white feathers.

My grandson and I were sitting in the same place my Gene and I would sit in Church and a white fluffy feather landed between us. In the Spring my son took me to a major league ball game and down came a white feather. And it goes on and on. I'm making a collection of them.

 Just when I need a feather from Gene, down it comes. In my heart I know its the Lord and my Gene saying every things alright!

(2) When my mother died, it was the worst moment of my life. I was in tatters and, as silly as it sounds, I couldn't believe that she had really died.

At the funeral I was in bits as we stood around mother's grave. As I looked down at the coffin a large white feather fluttered down and settled on some flowers, on top of the coffin. A good friend said, "Look your mother is thinking about you." I wasn't sure what she meant but somehow it was as if I had pulled myself together. I stopped crying and felt at peace.

Over the next few days I saw other white feathers and I believe they were from mother telling me she was alright and I should get on with my life.

(3) My sister passed away very suddenly aged 17, a few years ago.

I had never seen a white feather in our house ever before, but they began appearing every single day for the first couple of weeks after she passed away. I wasn't very religious beforehand, but I definitely took it as a sign.

When it was time for me to leave my home a few weeks later, to go back to college, I found a gigantic white feather on my bag, and one stuck to the car door.

I'll leave it there with just the three stories, though I have dozens and dozens more.

It's a difficult, emotional time when a loved one dies and I guess we like to think that they live on.

When my mother died I found a poem in her purse - I feel she knew I would find it there. It was handwritten and I had no idea at the time who it was by. I have since learned that it was written by Canon Henry Scott-Holland, 1847-1918, Canon of St Paul's Cathedral, London. Here's the poem:

Death Is Nothing At All
Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped away into the next room,
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
that we are still.
Call me, by my old familiar name.
Speak to me,
in the the easy way you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
What is death, but a negligible accident?
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you,
for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just around the corner.
All is well.
Nothing is past; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh
at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

Thanks for reading today's blog, despite it being a little different to my normal posts. I'll finish with another photo of Truro Cathedral. 

Boats, Ferries and other Crafts in the Villages , Harbours and Towns of Cornwall

Boats and crafts of all sorts hide away in the harbours, coves and rivers of Cornwall.

I'm zig-zagging all over the place. Mevagissey  above and then Newquay, on Cornwall's north coast.

Back to Cornwall's south coast on the River Fowey. This is the ferry which crosses over from Fowey to Polruan.

Another ferry, which carries cars and other vehicles from Fowey, this time to Bodinnick.

Along the coast to Mevagissey for the ferry to Fowey in the summer season.

Meanwhile on Cornwall's north coast the ferry which crosses the River Camel from Padstow.

Some boats prefer to hide away in peaceful creeks, as this one in St. Just in Roseland.

Zipping across to Cornwall's city of Truro and the River Truro. An abandoned boat gradually deteriorates. 

Boats paraphernalia, some quite old. VR for (Queen) Victoria Regina.

Boxes used by fishermen.

And, of course, boats at sea need lighthouses as per this one at Mevagissey. I got a bit wet taking this photo!

Heading over to Padstow Harbour now. A very popular place in the summer months.

Still in Padstow.

Moving on, this time I was actually on a boat heading along the river to Falmouth.

Zooming back to the small cove of Polkerris, only a few boats in the harbour. Tresco is the name of one of the Scilly Islands which are about 25 miles off the south west of Cornwall.

Meanwhile at Charlestown there all sorts of boats, ships and sails.

Finally red sails in the sunset, okay not quite, but I remember my dad singing the old song. So a happy memory.

"Red sails in the sunset, way out on the sea
Oh, carry my loved one home safely to me.
She sailed at the dawning, all day I've been blue.

Red sails in the sunset, I'm trusting in you ...

...and so on".

Walking to Malpas, Cornwall Alongside the River

We decided on a shortish walk starting at Boscawen Park, Truro - where there is free car parking. From here there are views of the cathedral, though it looks better when the tide is high.

From here we walked alongside the Truro River. The park's playing fields and the trees are all very pleasant.

The river is quite muddy when the tide is out.

So, a muddy view follows. I read that the mudflats are feeding grounds for wildfowl and wading birds as well as fish species including European sea bass, thicklip grey mullet, European flounder and European eel. 

The sun popped out brightly as we reached the aptly named Sunny Corner.

Several small boats on parade - real stick in the muds though!

The Flower Pot Family welcomed us with a smile.

It was then time to climb some steps onto a footpath, which led through the woods.

The path took us to Malpas Village. The only problem on the path was that the tall trees hid the views of the river.

Perhaps we hadn't missed much as the river was still very muddy. 

At Malpas the river becomes the Tresillian River, which later flows into the River Fal.

There are some pleasant houses in the village overlooking the river.

A few small boats visible now.

The river widens as it makes it's way between the tree laden banks.

Bits and pieces  to enjoy on the river.

For a moment the river sparkled in the sun, all looked so peaceful.

This photo just because I like Porshe cars!

We started to retrace our steps ...

... passing the Heron Inn

In normal pre-virus days we would probably have had a drink here - but times have changed. We found somewhere overlooking the river to sit and devour our packed lunch - and a flask of tea (of course!)

We wandered back and soon found ourselves  at Sunny Corner once more. There's a veranda here with seats, so we sat for a while - as there was no one else about.

We then made our way back to Boscawen Park.

The park usually has some impressive flower beds but this year they have been sowed with wild flowers - beginning to fade now though.

The cricket pitch looked well cared for - with the score board in position.

It was then just a short walk back to our car.

A couple of other random walks:

(1) Walking to Black Head, Cornwall - With Magnificent Views of Coastline

(2) 33 Photos: A Circular Walk Based On Gover Valley, St.Austell, Cornwall