2026 Day 81

 2026 Dedh Pajar Ügens hag Onan

De Sül, nessa warn ügens mis Meurth

Sunday, 22nd March

An bownans ew leun a liw. Düwon ew rag an re  na ell gweles liwyow. Brâssa radn an bobel ell gweles oll an liwyow an cabmdhavas. Edhyn ell disernya liwyow ewedh. An rüdhek a wra ajwon rüdhek aral gans y vrodn rüdh. Gwenenen ell gweles flourys en gòlow UV. Ma gidys nectar ow tastewydnya. "Otta nei" emedh an flourys.

 

Life is full of colour. It's a sadness for those that can't see colours. Most people can see all the colours of the rainbow. Birds can discern colours, too. The robin will know another robin with a red breast. A bee can see flowers in UV light. There are nectar guides reflecting. "Here we are" say the flowers.

2026 Day 80

2026 Dedh Pajar Ügens

De Sadorn, kensa warn ügens mis Meurh
Saturday, 21st March

Nicholas Boson a scrifas daralla rag y flehes, theram o cregy, en mil whegh cans trei ügens ha seyth. An hanow o "Jooan Chei an Horr". Ma dhen an kensa peswardhek gwers et y spellyans y honan. Remenat an daralla a veu cuntellys gen Edward Lhuyd  adro dhe dogens bledhen moy diwedhes. Scrifys ew hedna et y spellyans y honan. Otta an kensa dew  wers Boson. Ello whei convedhes radn an geryow. Bes pe le ma Chei a Horr? Ewa telher gwir? My a welas mappa coth - ha hanow gwel ew. Era hordh gwir? A veu an chei e'n gwel? Piw a wör! My a dednas hordh rag pedn bloodh ow mab wydn. Hedhyw ew an kensa jedh arwòdh An Horr

1. En termen ez passiez thera Trigaz en St.Levan; Dean ha Bennen en Tellar creiez chei a Horr.
2. Ha an Weale a Kothaz scant: ha meth a Dean Da an Wreag; mee a ved'n moze Da whelaz weale da weele; ha whi el dendal gose bounans obba.

Nicholas Boson wrote a story for his children, I believe, in 1667. The name was John of the Ram's House". We have the first 14 verses in his own spelling. The remainder of the story was collected by Edward Lhuyd about forty years later. That's written in his own spelling.  Here are Boson's first two verses. Can you understand some of the words? But where is the Ram's House? Is it a real place? I saw an old map - and it is a field name. Was there a real ram? Was the house in the field? Who knows! I drew a ram fo my grandson's birthday. Today is the first day of the sign of Aries, The Ram.

2026 Day 79

2026 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Nawnjek

De Gwener, ügensves mis Meurh

Friday, 20th March

Kehesnos lowen dhe bub onan. Gellys lebmyn ew an nosow pur hir. Wòja hebma an dedhyow a vedh hirra avel an nosow. Sòdhogel ew! Ma Gwenton ow tallath. Genes farwel, a Wav! Hedhyw, ma arwòdh an Zôdiak ow tiwedha. Genes farwel a Buskes! Gellys vedh an Puskes. Nanj ew termyn hir, me a dednas hebma rag pedn bloodh ow hor. Hedhyw e'n jedh, ma ger deffrans, spellyans aral. Avorow, ma'n stergelgh ow rei dhen An Hordh.

Happy Equinox to everyone. Gone now are the very long nights. After this the days will be longer than the nights. It's official! Spring is starting. Farewell to you, o Winter! Today, a sign of the Zodiac is finishing. Farewell to you, o Pisces. The fish will be gone. A long time ago, I drew this for my sister's birthday. Nowadays, there is a different word, another spelling. Tomorrow, the zodiac is giving us The Ram (Aries). 

2026 Day 78

2026 Dedh Trei Ügens hag Etek

De Yow, nawnjegves mis Meurh

Thursday, 19th March

Del gwer! Nebes dedhyow a howlsplan ha distowgh ma'n helyk ow tardha mes gen delkyow ha cathes helyk gwer spladn. An losyow on na ew segh marow ha crin, bes an cathes helyk nowydh ma ew criv. An idhyow ew bythwer - glas o dres oll an gwav. Prest gwer ew ow baywedhen ewedh. Gonys gen neb edhen ew homma, theram ow pedery. Ma hei ow tevy pur üskis. A-dhelher dhe'n avalen goth ha'n payl terrys ma'n heligen vrâs agan kentrevogyon gen lies delen nowydh. Noth o hei dres oll an gwav. Ma bleujyow gwedh gwydn dhe gentrevek aral et y ge, keffres hag idhyow. 

Green foliage! A few days of sunshine and suddenly the willows are bursting out with bright green leaves and catkins. Those old hazel catkins are bone-dry and brittle, but these new pussy willows are fresh. The ivy is evergreen - it was green through all the winter. My bay tree is also evergreen - this is planted by some bird, I think. It grows very quickly. Behind the old apple tree and the broken fence is our neighbours' big willow with many new leaves. It was bare all winter. Another neighbour has white tree blossom in his hedge, as well as ivy.

Gerva rag hedhyw Vocabulary for today

a-dhelher dhe behind

avalen (f) apple tree

bleujyow gwedh tree blossom

bythwer ~ prest gwer evergreen

cathes helyk willow catkins

crin brittle

criv fresh, un-cooked

del (coll.) foliage, leaves > delen (f) 

gwer green (usually brighter than glas)

helyk (coll.) willows > helygen (f) willow tree

howlsplan (m) sunshine

keffres ha as well as

kentrevogyon neighbours < kentrevek (m)

losyow on hazel catkins

payl (m) wooden fence

segh ~ seth marow bone-dry

tardha (mes) to burst (out)

terrys broken

2026 Day 77

2026 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Seytek

De Merher, etegves mis Meurh 

Wednesday, 18th March

 

Da ew genam natur, pub best ha plans, brâs ha bian (moy po le). Lôwen o vy dhe weles gwenen emesk an flourys et ow lowarth. Nag oma mar lôwen dhe 'ga gweles e'n chei, en beistry ûhel. Maglednys! Kellys! Emesk lies gwias kenisen. (Gwenton ew - termyn ew rag glânheans gwenton wòja an gwav.) Ma othom dhe'n wenenen wòcky ma a drouvya an daras egor po beister egor. Ellama gweres dhedhy? Theram ow kemeres own rag codha. Nag eus whans dhebm a sqwachya ow clün aral. Ma guckous nowydh ow tos solabres e'n lowarth. Clehigow blou - ha ma clehigow gwydn, ewedh, war vagas reb an vos.

I like nature, every animal and plant, large and small (more or less). I am happy to see bees among the flowers in my garden. I'm not as happy to see them in the house, in high windows. Trapped! Lost! Among lots of spiders' webs. (It is spring - it's time for spring cleaning after the winter.) This silly bee needs to find the open door or an open window. Can I help it? I am afraid of falling. I do not want to break my other hip. New bluebells are already coming in the garden. Little blue bells - and there are little white bells, too, on a bush by the wall.

Gerva rag hedhyw Vocabulary for today

clehigow little bells < clehik < clogh bell

codha to fall

glânheans gwenton (m) spring cleaning

gòcky silly, cuckoo < cog cuckoo (g>w)

guckous bluebells, cuckoo flowers

gwav winter

gweles to see

gwenen bees > gwenenen (f)

gweres dhe to help, give help to

kellys (va) lost

kemeres own (rag) to be afraid (of)

kenisen (f) spider > gwias kenisen cobweb

2026 Day 76

 2026 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Whetek

De Meurh, seytegves mis Meurh

Tuesday, 17th March

Treylyes ew loos an gwav dhe'n arhans (argan) hag owr an gwenton. Arhans ew an rüsk gwydn ow besowen wydn, ha owr ew an bagas eythin melyn war an ke coth. Oll ew gwyls, gonys gen natur. An brially? Melyn, pecar'a manyn. Nag ens owr.

The winter's grey has turned to the spring's silver and gold. Silver is the white bark of my silver birch tree, and gold is the gorse bush on the old hedge. They are all wild, planted by nature. The primroses? Yellow like butter. They are not gold.

2026 Day 75

 2026 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Pemdhek

De Lün, whetegves mis Meurh

Monday, 16th March

Gellys ew De Meurh Enes (dedh rag crampeth) ha ma Pask (dedh rag oyow Pask) ow tos - saw na whath. Thera nei e'n cres a dermyn Corawys, termyn rag sparyans. Bettegens, de o üdn jedh a lowender, Dedh Damyow po De Sül Mabmow. En termyn eus passyes e veu dedh heb whel, rag pobel chei yonk ha prentysys dhe vysytya aga mabm po eglos vabm (telher aga bejydhyans). Terweythyow e veu flourys ha tesednow bian rag an düs yonk dhe rei dh'aga mabmow. Hedhyw en jedh thera nei oll ow perthy cov a gan damyow - lies gweyth gen flourys dhort an gorvarhas po savla petrol !

Shrove Tuesday (a day for pancakes) is gone and Easter (a day for Easter eggs) is coming - but not yet. We are in the middle of Lent tide, a time for abstinence (fasting). However, yesterday was one day of joy, Mothers' Day or Mothering Sunday. Once upon a time it was a day without work, for young domestic servants and apprentices to visit their mother or  their mother church (the place of their baptism). Sometimes there were flowers and little cakes for the young people to give to their mothers. Nowadays we all remember our mothers - often with flowers from the supermarket or filling station!

2026 Day 74

 2026 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Peswardhek

De Sül, pemdhegves mis Meurth

Sunday 15th March

Pandra aljama perna e'n varhas de Sadorn en Trurû? Pandr'eus dhe werha (wertha)? Ma lies stall gen meur a voos gwres ha gonys gen an düs. Ew da genowgh neppeth wheg? Ma mel a Gernow, ma fujj gwres gen mel. War an keth stall ma kyfeythyow a lies sort, marmaladys rag sampel. Ma othom dhewgh a vara dhe dhebry gen agas kyfeyth? My alja gweles oll sortow torthow  ha tesednow. Martesen whei a bernas pyckel. Fatla ort tabm keus dhe dhebry ganjo? Ma whans dhewgh tria neppeth deffrans? Fatla gen tastya boos Turkek? 

What could I buy in the Saturday market in Truro? What is for sale? There are many stalls with a lot of food made or grown by the people. Do you like something sweet? There's Cornish honey, there's fudge made with honey. On the same stall there are various preserves, such as marmalades. You need bread to eat with your preserve? I could see all kinds of loaves and cakes. Perhaps you bought a pickle. How about a bit of cheese to eat with it? You want to try something different? How about tasting Turkish food?

2026 Day 73

2026 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Terdhek

De Sadorn,  pajardegves mis Meurh

Saturday, 14th March

"Clowow! Clowow! Clowow!" Egerys ew Marhas de Sadorn an tiogyon. Ma Crier an Dre Trurû ow teclarya an nowodhow. Marhas pur dha ew hei. 

"Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!"  (Hear! Hear! Hear!)The farmers' Saturday Market is open. The Town Crier of Truro declares the news. It's a very good market. 

2026 Day 72

 2026 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Dewdhek

De Gwener, terdhegves mis Meurh

Friday, 13th March

De, nei a welas imajys a buskes - lies briel ha üdn sylly. Nei a vires orth nebes crestenogyon - canker, legast ha nebes bibynes boubyn. Crestenogyon ew caffloryon temmigow.   Bes pandr'ew "nath"? Edhen ew, onan gelvin lies liw dhedhy. Hei ell degy nebes puskes bian et hy gelvin. 

Yesterday, we saw images of fish - many mackerels and one conger eel. We looked at several crustaceans - a crab, a lobster and some shrimps. Crustaceans are scavengers (collectors of debris). But what is a "puffin"? It's a bird, one with a colourful beak. It can carry several little fishes in its beak. 

Brilly ow clappya

Brilly ow clappya, geryow für, brabm an gath,

Mackerel chatting, wise words, bullshit (cat's fart)

Syllyes ow neyja, losyow hir, brabm an nath,

Eels swimming, long tails, puffin's fart (more nonsense),

Kencres ow mos dhe gova dadn

Crabs going to hide under

Gòbmon ha hûjes bily kern.

Seaweed and huge round pebbles.

Pandra ew hedna? Crogen las, lagas roos.

What is that? A blue shell, red eye,

Ema va tedna, scogyn mes, tabm boos.

It is pulling, a boiled mackerel head out, a bit of food.

Dew bâw deragto ow terry, trehy,

Two claws in front of it breaking, cutting,

Ganow egery, ow tebry kig.

Mouth open, eating meat.

Legast eth ewa! Mava tos, ebel stout,

It's a lobster! It's coming, a sturdy fellow,

Onan a'n brâssa, üthyk brâs, nag eus dout.

One of the biggest, terribly big, there's no doubt.

Ema an bibyn boubyn groovin’

The shrimps are groovin'

Cuntel an browyon dhor y li.

Gathering crumbs from his breakfast.

2026 Day 71

2026 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Üdnek

De Yow, dewdhegves mis Meurh
Thursday, 12th March

Pur wenjek ew an gewer hedhyw. My a welas gwenenen vlewek bes whethys o hei gen an gwens. Ma todnow war enep an mor bes moy hebask ew dadn an enep. Hedhyw my a vedn scrifa arta ow tòchya puskes. Hemm ew rîm skrifys gans ow howeth Neil. My a vedn rei an treylyans avorow. Otta pictours an "puskes" e'n rîm.

The weather is very windy today. I saw a bumblebee but it was blown by the wind. There are waves on the surface of the sea but it is more peaceful under the surface. Today I want to write again regarding fishes. This is a rhyme written by my friend Neil. I will give the translation tomorrow.Here are pictures of the "fish" in the rhyme.

Brilly ow clappya

Brilly ow clappya, geryow für, brabm an gath,

Sylly ow neyja, losyow hir, brabm an nath,

Kencres ow mos dhe gova dadn

Gòbmon ha hûjes bily kern.

 

Pandra ew hedna? Crogen las, lagas roos.

Ema va tedna, scogyn mes, tabm boos.

Dew bâw deragto ow terry, trehy,

Ganow egery, ow tebry kig.

 

Legast eth ewa! Mava tos, ebel stout,

Onan a'n brâssa, üthyk brâs, nag eus dout.

Ema an bibyn boubyn groovin’

Cuntel an browyon dhor y li.

 

2026 Day 70

2026 Dedh Deg ha Trei Ügens

De Merher, üdnegves mis Meurh

Wednesday, 11th March

Otta nebes gwersyow scrifys gen Kernow, Edward Chirgwin, en mil whegh cans pajar ugens ha nawnjek. Henwys "Delkiow Seve" ens. Hedhyw thera vy ow pedery adro dhe'n delkyow sevy. My a wra mires orth üdn linen - Rag delkyow sevy a wra mowesy teg.  Rag fra a venja an vos mos dhe'n venten rag delkyow sevy? Ew hodna an gwelha telher dhe guntel delkyow sevy fytty? Fatel alja delkyow sevy gwil mowesy teg? A vedh anjei da rag an yehes? Fatel alja mosy gwil devnydh a dhelkyow sevy? Üjy an vos ma orth aga debry, aga eva po aga gòrra war hy bejeth? Delkyow sevy ew devnydhyow aswonys da en fysek an bobel. Leun en jei a vitaminow, mònyow ha meur moy.  Te delkyow sevy ew vas rag an dyjestyon ha'n grohen. Oyl po cor gwenen gen delkyow sevy ew vas war guriegy.

Here are some verses written by a Cornishman, Edward Chirgwin, in 1698. They are called "Strawberry Leaves". Today I am thinking about the strawberry leaves. I will look at one line "For strawberry leaves make girls beautiful". Why would the girl go to the spring for strawberry leaves? Is that the best place to collect suitable strawberry leaves? How could strawberry leaves make girls beautiful? Will they be good for the health? How could girls make use of strawberry leaves? Does this girl eat them, drink them or put them on her face? Strawberry leaves are well-known ingredients in folk medicine. They are full of vitamins, minerals and much more. Strawberry leaf tea is good for the digestion and the skin. Oil or beeswax with strawberry leaves is good on spots.

  

Delkiow Seve

Pelea era why Moaz, Moes fettow Teag
Gen ackas pedden Dew (altered to bedgeth gwin, poss. by Tonkin) ha ackas Blew mellen?
Moas than ventan, sarra weage,
Rag Delkiow seue gwra Moesse Teag.
Ra ve moas gena why, Moes fettow Teag
gen ackas pedden Dew ha ackas Blew mellen
grew mena why sara wheag,
rag Delkiow seue gwra Moesse Teag
Fatla gura ve ackas gorra why en doar?-
[mellen]
Me veddn sefuall arta, sara weage.-
[moese] [teage]
fatla gura ve ackas dry why gen flo?-
[peden]
Me veden E thone, sarra wheage.
[teage]
Pew veda why gowas rag seera rag as flo?

Why ra bose ye seera, sarra weage.
[teage]
Pendre vedda why geal rag lednow rag as flo?
E sera veath trohar, sarra weage.-

Gwavas MSS. In Pryce's Archaelogia Cornu-Britannica

(p93 Ellis for notes) OC Vol IV No 6 Summer 1947 

2026 Day 69

2026 Dedh Trei Ügens ha Naw

De Meurh, degves mis Meurh
Tuesday, 10th March

Seythen-ma nanj ew deg bledhen my a welas kensa tycky-Duw an vledhen. Ev a gòscas dres an gwav, ha'n howl a'n difünas. Nag eus tycky-Duwes whath e'n vledhen ma. Solabres ma flourys lowr. Otta hokles, primula ha sevy. Nag o an gwav euthyk yeyn, saw pur wenjek ha pur, pur leb o ev. Nag eus gwenen whath naneyl. A wrüg anjei dürya po a veu anjei beudhys?

 

Ten years ago this week I saw the first butterfly of the year. It slept through the winter, and the sun woke it up. There are no butterflies yet this year. There are already plenty of flowers. Here are hawkweed, primula and wild strawberry. The winter wasn't terribly cold, but it was very windy and very, very wet. There aren't any bees yet either. Did they survive or were they drowned? 

2026 Day 68

 2026 Dedh Trei Ügens hag Eth

De Lün, nawes mis Meurh

Monday, 9th March

E'n vledhen mil whegh cans pajar ügens hag etek Capten Noel Carter dhort Breanek a scrifas dysmyk ow tòchya peskecha. En a'n lavaras dhe Thomas Tonkin. Pehen ew an pesk? Naw lost? Nag ew hedna pesk gwir, theram ow pedery. Martesen eth esel po eth bregh ha pedn. Terweythyow tüs an puskes a gachas padelenken, stifek po collel lesa et aga roos emesk aga hern.

In the year 1698 Captain Noel Carter of St Agnes wrote a riddle about fishing. He told it to Thomas Tonkin. What was the fish like? Nine tails? That is not a true fish, I think. Perhaps eight members (tentacles) or eight arms and a head. Sometimes fishermen caught a cuttlefish, or a squid or an octopus in their net among their pilchards.

Otta an rim en spellyans arnowydh, gen treylyans.

Here's the rhyme in modern spelling, with a translation.

Ha my ow mos en goon las,

As I was going in the 'blue down' (poetic for the sea),

My a glowas tros an puskes münys.

I heard the sound of the tiny fishes.

Bes my a drouvyas üdn pesk brâs, naw y losyow,

But I found one big fish, with nine tails (nine its tails),

Oll an bobel en Porth Ia ha Marhas Vian (or Marhas Yow)

All the people in St Ives and Marazion (Little Market or Thursday Market)

Na my a wör dh'y gensynjy. (Nevra na wör  dh'y gensynjy.) 

Nor me didn't (never) know how to get hold of it.

Otta an mûsek. Here's the music.

https://cornishnationalmusicarchive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CMA-2-1-33-Ha_My_Ow_Mos.pdf

A Mi a moaz, a mi a moaz in Goon Glaze,
Mi a clouaz, a clouaz, a clouaz, a troz, a troz, a troz, an pysgaz miniz.
Bez mi a trouviaz un pysg brawze, Naw Losia,
Olla Boble en Porthia ha Marazjowan
Ne mi ôr Dho Gan Zingy.
(Bor.MS: Nevra ni ôr dho ganzingy.

(in Borlase & Tonkin) 1698 OC Vol I (Tonkin MS)