A Year of Late Cornish Day 303

Trei Hansves Dedh ha Trei

De Merher, üdnegves warn ügens mis Hedra.

Wednesday, 31^st October

Thew Gool Halan Gwav po Nos Halan Gwav (Samhain e’n lever-dedhyow Keltek pagan coth). Ma howlsedhes o merkya diwedh hav ha’n seson trevajow ha dallath gwav. Gellys ew hanter golow an vledhen ha ma hanter tewal an vledhen o toas. Avorow a vedh Du Halan Gwav po Degol a’n Ollsens en lever-dedhyow Cristyon. An gordhûher ma ew gerys da gen flehes. Mowns o cül lugarnow dhort pompyons. Ma lies pompyon e’n shoppas. Da ew gen flehes knackya war dharjow ha leverel, “Higa po whegow!” Cowl pompyon avorow!

It’s Halloween (Samhain in the old pagan Celtic calendar). Sunset marks the end of summer and the season of harvests and the beginning of winter. The light half of the year has gone and the dark half of the year is coming. Tomorrow will be All Saints’ Day in the Christian calendar. This evening is popular with children. They make lanterns from pumpkins. There are lots of pumpkins in the shops. Children like to knock on doors and say, “Trick or treat!”

A Year of Late Cornish Day 302

Trei Hansves Dedh ha Dew

De Meurth, degves warn ügens mis Hedra.

Tuesday, 30^th October

Dillas liwys rüdh ew gerys da en pub ooj istorek. Rag cansow a  vledhednyow panweyth ha crohen o liwys gen daffar gnasek (natûrel). “Madder” (Rubia tinctorum) lojowen a deylû coffy o gonedhys en lies teller rag hy gwreydh. (Whei ell gweles an planjow ma en Ragdres Eden ogas dhe Austol.) An gwreydh ew cloutys, golhys, sehys ha devenys. Ma odhom a gabuly gwloan nebes gwreydh en dowr (tòbm po yeyn) warbarth gen substans moon, rag sampel crey po “alum”.  Ma’n substans moon o qweres dhe herlys dhe gansynjy an liw.

Clothes dyed red are popular in every historical age. For hundreds of years textiles and leathers were dyed with natural materials. Madder (Rubia tinctorum) a plant of the coffee family was cultivated in many places for its roots. (You can see these plants in the Eden Project near St Austell.) The roots are uprooted, washed, dried and chopped. Wool needs to be mixed with some roots in water (hot or cold) together with a mineral substance, such as chalk or alum. The mineral substance helps fibres to hold on to the dye.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 301

Trei Hansves Dedh hag Onan

De Lün, nawhes warn ügens mis Hedra.

Monday, 29^th October

En kidnyadh lies delen ew rüdh ha melyn gen aga materow atal. Bes pe le ma an liw glas dhort gwenton ha hav? An liw glas ew “chlorophyll” (nag ew hedna ger Kernôwek – thew dhort geryow Greca rag glas gwàdn ha delen). En kidnyadh sqwachys ew ev ha ma va o moas mes a wel. Ma remenadow a las meskys gen rüdh o cül liwyow gell ha gorm. Ma del rüdh o tastewydnya golow rüdh ha dena golow liwyow erel.  E’n barth aral, ma del gwer/glas o tena golow rüdh (ha blou/glas) ha dastewydnya golow gwer/glas. Nag eus golow howl lowr en gwav, etho ma’n del rüdh ha melyn ha gell ha gorm o codha dhe’n dor. Scon an gwedh a wra còsca.       

In autumn many leaves are red and yellow with their waste substances. But where is the green colour from spring and summer? The green colour is “chlorophyll” (that’s not a Cornish word – it’s from Greek words for pale green and a leaf). In autumn it is broken down and it disappears. Remnants of green mixed with red make light and dark brown colours. Red leaves reflect red light and absorb other colours of light. On the other hand, green leaves absorb red (and blue) light and reflect green light. There is not enough sunlight in winter, so the red and yellow and light brown and dark brown leaves fall to the ground. Soon the trees will sleep.

A Year Of Late Cornish Day 300

Trei Hansves Dedh

De Sül, ethves warn ügens mis Hedra.

Sunday, 28^th October

En 1893, ha Edvard Munch (lymner a Norgagh) o kerdhes reb an fjord, ev a glowas üj et y bedn, dhort natûr car dre hevel dhodho. An termyn o gordhûher ha tho an ebòrn 'ga rüdh avel gooj. Ev a liwyas imach a’n üj a natûr na nebes gweyth, gen ebòrn cogh.

In 1893, as Edvard Munch (a Norwegian artist) was walking beside the fjord, he heard a scream in his head, from nature it seemed to him. The time was evening and the sky was as red as blood. He painted an image of that scream of nature several times, with a scarlet (blood red) sky.   

A Year of Late Cornish Day 299

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Nownjek

De Sadorn, seythves warn ügens mis Hedra.

Saturday, 27^th October

E veu loor leun nanj ew teyr nos; loor leun gelwys "loor  helghor (helhyer)".  En termyn eus passyes thera res dhe helghoryon ha helghoresow dhe setha bestas ha gwitha kig kens ergh gwav.  Hedhyw ma'n gwens dhia'n noor, yeyn ew hei gen nebes kesar, bes nag o vy helhores ha nag eus whans dhebm a helghya. Ha nanj ew pajar dedh e veu dalla an Scorpion, arwodh an Zodiak. Ma dhe nebes o herens pednow bloodh dadn an arwodh ma. An dedh ma ew pedn blood o mergh wydn. Pedn bloodh lowen melder.

There was a full moon three nights ago; a full moon called a "hunter's moon". In past times it was necessary for hunters and huntresses to shoot animals and store meat before the snows of winter. Today the wind is from the north, it's cold with some hail, but I am not a huntress and I don't want to go hunting. And four days ago was the start of Scorpio, a sign of the Zodiac. Several of my family members have birthdays under this sign. This day is my granddaughter's birthday. Happy birthday sweetheart. 

A Year of Late Cornish Day 298

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens hag Etek

De Gwener, wheffes warn ügens mis Hedra.

Friday, 26^th October

Liw rüdh en delkyow, garednow, flourys, losow ha frûtys ew dhort “anthocyanins” en killigow. Ma sagh bian e’n cres a lies killik, leun a liw dowrek. En dowr trenk thew an liw rüdh (gwrewgh pedery a eysyl ha bettys rüdh). Po nag eus dowr trenk thew an liw purpur po glas (gwrewgh pedery adro dhe vellyon). Frûtys rüdh ew da gen edhyn – ma hebma o qweres despersans has (war aga gòlvadnas po en aga theyl). Nebes bestes a gar debry del glas – ma rüdh o cüdha an glas en nebes planjow ha rag hedna nag eus pecar dynyans. Ma moy “anthocyanins” gwres en kidnyadh. Ma hebma o rei dhen liwyow kidnyavek.  

Red colour in leaves, stalks, flowers, vegetables and fruits is due to “anthocyanins” in cells. There is a little sac in the centre of many cells, full of watery colour. In acid the colour is red (think of vinegar and beetroot). If there is no acid the colour is purple or blue (think about violets). Birds like red fruits – this helps seed dispersal (on their beaks or in their poo). Some animals love eating green leaves – red hides the green in some plants and so there is not the same appeal. More anthocyanins are made in autumn. This gives us autumnal colours.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 297

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Seytek

De Yow, pempes warn ügens mis Hedra.

Thursday, 25^th October

Gelwys “kensa liw” ew rüdh gen limnoryon. Na ell anjei y wil gen cabuly warbarth liwyow erel. Ma dew “kensa liw” aral. Thens blou po glas ha melyn. “Nessa liw” ell boas gwres gen cabuly warbarth dew kensa liw. Ma rüdh ha blou o cül purpur; ma rüdh ha melyn o cül rüdhvelyn po oranj; ma blou ha melyn o cül gwer po glas. An kelgh a liwyow ma ew dhort lever screfys gen Moses Harris en 1776. Ma nessa liw adall dhe pub kensa liw. Ma gwer adall dhe rüdh; ma purpur adall dhe velyn; ma rüdhvelyn adall dhe blou. En Sowsnek, gelwys ens liwyow “complementary”. Na ora vy an ger rag hedna en Kernôwek. Oll warbarth ma’n trei kensa liw o cül dû. Nag eus odhom dhe limnoryon a berna paynt dû; anjei ell y wil. Monet, lymner Frenk, a wras liwyow tewal gen liwyow kemeskys, heb dû. En imach, ma rüdh reb gwer owth hevely moy rüdh. E’n keth maner, melyn reb purpur ew moy bewek ha blou reb rüdhvelyn ew moy crev, car dre hevel.   

Red is called a primary colour by artists. They can’t make it by mixing together other colours. There are two other “primary colours”. They are blue and yellow. “Secondary colours” can be made by mixing together two primary colours. Red and blue make purple; red and yellow make orange; blue and yellow make green. This circle of colours is from a book written by Moses Harris in 1776. There is a secondary colour opposite each primary colour. Green is opposite to red; purple is opposite yellow; orange is opposite blue. In English they are called “complementary” colours. I don’t know the word for that in Cornish. All together, the three primary colours make black. Artists don’t need to buy black paint; they can make it. Monet, a French painter, made dark colours with mixed colours, without black. In a picture, red beside green seems redder. Similarly, yellow beside purple is more lively and blue beside orange is stronger, so it seems.

A Year Of Late Cornish Day 296

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Whetek

De Merher, pajwora warn ügens mis Hedra.

Wednesday, 24^th October.

Newher e veu howlsedhes pur rüdh. Golow dhort an howl ew scattrys gen podn, perthiglow ha molecûlednow e’n ayr, en gordhûher dres ehen. (Ma podn moy e’n ayr òja jorna tòbm.) Golow blou (gen tonnhesow berr) ew moy scattrys, etho kellys ew ha nei a wel golow rüdh gen tonnhesow hirra. Òja howlsedhes ma’n howl dres an  gorwel bes y wolow rüdh ell drehedhes an podn ha’n cloudys whath ha ga liwya. Nebes howlsedhesow ew moy rüdh vel erol.

Yesterday evening the sunset was very red. Light from the sun is scattered by dust, particles and molecules in the air, especially in the evening. (There is more dust in the air after a hot day.) Blue light (with short wavelengths) is scattered more, so it’s lost and we see red light with longer wavelengths. After sunset the sun is beyond the horizon but its red light can still reach the dust and clouds and colour them. Some sunsets are redder than others.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 295

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Pemdhek

De Meurth, tryja warn ügens mis Hedra.

Tuesday, 23^nd October.

An vergh wydn vy a dheuth tre hanath (dhort Spayn). Me a vetyas genjy dhort an tren. E veu lies tra dhe dhegy. Nag ew pell dhe gerdhes dhe hy radnjy.  Pub tra a veu oll en composter. Nei a wrüg egery an daras ha pana derosa! “Pandr’ew an blas drog na?” Ah, soweth! Marow o an copart rew ha leun ova a losow ha frûtys poder. Piw ew dhe vlamya? Me ew cablüs! Me a ladhas an brichel gabm diw seythen alebma. En gwella pres, nag era kig veth e’n stiver.

My granddaughter came home this evening (from Spain). I met her from the train. There were lots of things to carry. It’s not far to walk to her flat. Everything was alright. We opened the door and what a disaster! “What is that bad smell?” Oh dear! The freezer cabinet was switched off and it was full of rotten vegetables and fruit. Who is guilty? I am guilty! I switched off the wrong switch two weeks ago. Fortunately, there was no meat at all in the freezer.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 294

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Peswardhek

De Lün, nessa warn ügens mis Hedra.

Monday, 22^nd October.

Ma todnow isrüdh dhort an howl o tòbmhe an dor, dor noth dres ehen. Ma prasow noth tòbm o tòbmhe an ayr. Ma ayr tòbm o sevel emann ha gwil thermal. Nag eus lies comolen. Edhyn a gar hedna; anjei ell neyja awarha (awartha) heb strivya, scodhyes gen an ayr tòbm o sevel. Hedhyw me a welas lies golan ha dew vargas ûhel a ûham e’n ebòrn.

Infrared waves from the sun warm the ground, especially bare ground. Warm bare fields heat the air. Warm air rises up and creates a thermal. There are not many clouds. Birds love that; they can soar without effort, supported by the rising warm air. Today I saw many gulls and two buzzards high above me in the sky.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 293

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Terdhek

De Sül, kensa warn ügens mis Hedra.

Sunday, 21^st October.

Todnhes golow rüdh ew adro dhe seyth cans nanometer (620-750nm). Hedn’ew todnhes hir. Hirra es hedna ew isrüdh (tòbmder). Nei ell gweles golow rüdh ha edhyn ell gweles hedna ewedh. Rüdh ew liw a bris rag nebes anodhans. Ma brodn rüdh dhe rüdhek. Ha da ew edhyn debry mor/greun rüdh, ke nag ew oll mor/greun rüdh da rag debry. Scaw cogh ha bryony ew winyk.

The wavelength of red light is about seven hundred nanometers (620-750 nm). That is a long wavelength. Longer than that is infrared (heat). We can see red light and birds can see that as well. Red is an important colour for some of them. A robin has a red breast. And birds like eating red berries, though not all red berries are good for eating. Woody nightshade and bryony are poisonous.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 292

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Dewdhek

De Sadorn, ügensves mis Hedra.

Saturday, 20^th October.

De Sadorn eus passyes me eth dhe “Skians” ha de Merher eus passyes me eth dhe vagas art. E’n dhew guntellyan e veu cows adro dhe liwyow, ha lebmyn thera vy o pedery adro liwyow ewedh. Pandr’ew liw? Golow “gwydn” dhort an howl ew gwres a wolowow a nebes liwyow. An liwyow ell boas radnys gen glaw en cabmdhavas. Fraga endelha? Ma dhe bub liw todnhes deffrans. Cabmys ens gen glawednow ha mowns o toas mes ales. Ma dhe dodnhes berr nerth ûhel ha ma dhe dodnhes hir nerth isella. Agan lagajow ell gweles todnhesow deffrans, etho nei ell gweles liwyow. Na ell lies brodnek gweles liwyow; dall ens dhe liwyow. 

Bes ma odhom dhe nei a henwyn rag liwyow. Pe hanow ew golow gen todnhes hir ha nerth isel? Ma golow pecar’a hedna o tastewydnya dhort gooj, horn coth ha mor/greun kelyn. En Kernôwek “cogh” ew an ger rag liw a wooj. Horn coth, oxîdyes dhe liw gooj, ew “gossen”. Heb mar, ma horn o rei an liw dhe wooj. 

Geryow erel ew “rüdh” ha “roos”. Kevys ew an re ma en henwyn teller, rag sampel “Wheal Reeth”, “Zawn Reeth” ha “Goonreeve”. Ma gwers en Curl Sent Dey:

4. Greun rüdh eus dhe’n kelyn, ’ga rüdh ’vel an ros,

Ha Maria dheg Jesus a dhassorras e’n nos.

Last Saturday I went to “Skians” and last Wednesday I went to an art group. In both meetings there was a discussion about colours, and now I am thinking about colours as well. What is colour? “White” light from the sun is made of lights of several colours. The colours can be parted by rain in a rainbow. Why so? Each colour has a different wavelength. They are bent by raindrops and they come out apart. Short wavelengths have high energy and long wavelengths have lower energy. Our eyes can see different wavelengths, so we can see colours. Many mammals cannot see colours; they are blind to colours. 

But we need names for colours. What’s the name of light with a long wavelength and low energy? Light like that reflects off blood, old iron and holly berries. In Cornish “cogh” is the word for the colour of blood (blood red or scarlet). Old iron, oxidized to blood colour, is “gossen” (rust). Of course, iron gives the colour to blood. 

Other words are “rüdh” and “roos”. These are found in place names, e.g. “Wheal Reeth” (red mine), “Zawn Reeth” (red chasm) and “Goonreeve” (red downs). There is a verse in the St Day Carol:

The holly has a red berry, as red as the rose,

And Mary bore Jesus who rose in the night.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 291

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens hag Üdnek

De Gwener, nawnjegves mis Hedra.

Friday, 19^th October.

  

Teg o an gewer hedhyw. Ha me o kerdhes gen an keun me a glowas gwedhen o whirny. Me a viras emann ha gweles dr’o va overdevys gen idhyow o plejowa. An son a veu lies gohien, gwenen ha gwiben, o cuntel nectar keniver onan. Me a welas ticky Düw mantel rüdh ewedh (po mer morlû rüdh).      

The weather was lovely today. As I was walking with the dogs I heard a tree humming. I looked up and saw that it was overgrown with flowering ivy. The sound was lots of wasps, bees and flies, each one gathering nectar. I saw a red admiral butterfly as well.

A Year Of Late Cornish Day 290

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Deg

De Yow, etegves mis Hedra.

Thursday, 18^th October.

 Nag ew da melwhes dhe oll an bes. Nag üjy kenifer onan o cavas an bestes na teg. Bes an enevales ma ew teg, heb dowt. Na vedn nagonan naha hedna. Ma plev (plüvednow) liwüs (leun a liw) dhe bayones gorow. Ehen a vlou ew creiys warlergh an liw war bedn, codna ha brodn an edhen ma. Blou payon ew ev – liw moyha kerys o wheger. Ha gen plev anjei ell neyja. Da ew ganjans boas clujys war tohow. Le liwüs ew an baynes venow bes hei ell neyja whath.

All the world does not like slugs. Everyone does not find those animals beautiful. But these animals are beautiful, without doubt. Nobody will deny that. Male peacocks have colourful feathers. A type of blue is named after the colour on the head, neck and breast of this bird. It is peacock blue – my mother-in-law’s favourite colour. And with feathers they can fly. They like to be perched on roofs. The female peahen is less colourful, but she can still fly.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 289

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Naw

De Merher, seytegves mis Hedra.

Wednesday, 17^th October.

Ew hebma eneval teg po ewa anwheg? Ma va o tebry flour dans lew melyn ha ma dhodho min rüdh-velyn fettow teg dh’y gorf. Pana best ew? Melwhejen ew – “Jan Jiek”! Flourys melyn ew da gen melwhes (lesyow an gog dres ehen), bes nag ew melwhes da gen lowarthers –tabm veth.

Is this a beautiful animal or is it unpleasant? It’s eating a yellow dandelion flower and it has a pretty orange edge to its body. What animal is it? It’s a slug. Slugs like yellow flowers (especially marigolds) but gardeners do not like slugs – not at all.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 288

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens hag Eth

De Meurth, whetegves mis Hedra.

Tuesday, 16^th October. 

De Sadorn me a welas casek coos deg reb an vorr (fordh) bes, soweth, na veu genam o hamera. Da via genam foto da a gasek coos. Hedhyw me a wrüg gweles best reb an vorr – gòdhor (godh dhor) marow. Me a glowas an edhen ha parys veu camera vy – bes na aljama hy gweles. Me a gerdhas pelha. E’n coos bian ogas dhe’n chei vy me a welas diw edhen vroas, saw me a gemeras marth. Anjei a bònyas adheragam dhe’n daras rag o hentrevoges. Payon ha paynes ens. Nag ew anjei edhyn genejek. Ma dhe gentrevek aral dew bayon ha diw baynes. Enevales dov ens – ha ballow. Lies gweyth mowns o scapya ha shindya bleujyowegy ha kibellow.   

   

On Saturday I saw a lovely woodpecker by the road but, sadly, I didn’t have my camera. I’d like a good photo of a woodpecker. Today I did see an animal by the road – a dead mole. I heard the bird and my camera was handy – but I couldn’t see it. I walked further. In the little wood near to my house I saw two big birds, but I was surprised. They ran in front of me to my neighbour’s front door. They were a peacock and a peahen. They are not native birds. Another neighbour has two peacocks and two peahens. They are pets - and pests. They often escape and destroy flower beds and tubs. 

A Year of Late Cornish Day 287

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Seyth

De Lün, pemdhegves mis Hedra.

Monday, 15^th October.

Da ew genam kesten. Thens o know an moyha kerys. Ma gwedhen kesten reb an vorr (fordh). Codhys ew an del gen an gwens, ha codhys ew nebes plisk – saw gwag po glas ens. Res ew dhebm gòrtos rag kesten e’n shoppas. Bes gwrewgh gòrtos! Pandr’ew hebma? Soweth, na ellama y dhebry – conker ew, teg, gell ha lentrüs, dadn wedhen kesten margh. Nag ew an del kehaval.

I like chestnuts. They are my favourite nuts. There is a chestnut tree by the road. The leaves have fallen with the wind, and some husks have fallen – but they are empty or unripe. I must wait for chestnuts in the shops. But wait! What is this? Sadly, I can’t eat it – it’s a conker, beautiful, brown and shiny, under a horse chestnut tree. The leaves are not the same.

A Year of Late Cornish Day 286

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Whegh

De Sül, pajerdegves mis Hedra.

Sunday, 14^th October.

Gellys ew an gwens ha gellys ew an glaw. Hedhyw a veu jorna pur deg, gen howl dres nebes ourys. Termyn nos ew lebmyn ha me ell gweles lies steren en ebron heb cobmol. Me ell clowes son an mor, keth ew moy es üdn mildir alebma. Ma glouth war an gwels – thew an ayr yeyn, saw nag ew yeyn lowr rag rew. An loor e’n nos ma a vedh gwarek o cressya (saw na ellama hy gweles whath).

Gone is the wind and gone is the rain. Today was a very lovely day, with sun for several hours. It’s night time now and I can see lots of stars in a cloudless sky. I can hear the sound of the sea, although it is more than one mile away. There is dew on the grass – the air is cold, but it’s not cold enough for frost. The moon in this night will be a waxing crescent (but I can’t see it yet).

A Year of Late Cornish Day 285

Dew Cansves Dedh Pajer Ügens ha Pemp

De Sadorn, terdhegves mis Hedra.

Saturday, 13^th October. 

Res veu dhebm gwil ethol hedhyw. A dal vy moas dhe vetyans gen cothmans e'n bagas scriforyon ha scriforesow vy? (Nei a vett pub mis.) A via gwell moas dhe gescussullyans "Skians" (rosweyth whithrans adro dhe'n tavas Kernowek)? An scriforyon ha scriforesow a dhebatyas fatel scrifa fugieth fienasow. An whithroryon ha whithroresow a dhadhlas lies tra. Me a dhewisas Skians. Na vedh Skians moy terebo nessa kidnyadh (dres lycklod). E veu paperyow o tochya politegieth ha laha, istory, Kernowegoryon ha Kernowegoresow, gramasegow ha spellyans, omdhegyansow bedn an tavas ha gerva.

I had to makea choice today. Should I go to a meeting with friends in my writers' group? (We meet every month.) Would it be better to go to the Skians conference (a research network about the Cornish language)? The writers discussed how to write suspense fiction. The researchers debated many things. I chose Skians. There won't be another Skians till next autumn (probably). There were interesting papers concerning politics and law, history, Cornish speakers, grammar and spelling, attitudes towards the language and vocabulary.