Last night it was such a lovely evening that I walked across the lane to the field opposite, to try and find a few blackberries (believe me, it was a FEW as well - about 2 dozen!) I found I had a trio of cats following me - Banshee (who spends all the warm days of summer in this field), mad Miffy (the boys' mother), and on the cow highway above the bramble bushes, grey tabby and white Sheba (aka Misery Guts) was yowling for me in her deep Eartha Kitt tones). Ban and Miffy were running around the field like they'd never been free before. Sheba carried on moaning, because she didn't know how to reach me. I nursed my dodgy knee and tried not to turn my leg in the poached areas where the lame cows had been hopping round that week. Sheba finally found her way through a gap in the brambles and joined us, but kept her distance from the other two - she doesn't like any of the others At All. . .
Anyway, we had had a very long day and I am surprised I had any energy to move as we had been up since 6 a.m. and not home till 4.15, having been to a small car boot sale all day. It was finally worth the effort, when our two rocking chairs went to a new home at a knock-down price, to a dealer on holiday . . .
The photographs are the views from our recent day out in Laugharne. What an idyllic spot beside the marshes. I watched Swallows and House Martins swooping low above the brackish tidal stream just flipping their beaks and wings beneath the water and then soaring upwards again in a thousand silver drops. Gulls and other seabirds floated on the still waters of the high tide. A swarm of other waders flew up as one from the mudflats as something disturbed them, jinked in a cloud of wings and disappeared from view in a parabola of movement. A heron stalked at the water's edge, stiff and hesitant like starched grey silk. Holiday-makers walked below the castle, intent on visiting Dylan Thomas's boathouse. They paused for photographs - lingering and making the most of the scenic backdrop.
After delivering some artifacts from my husband's family to the 1940s Museum (they were delighted with them and part of my husband's family history is now part of the tour!) we visited St Martin's Church , and found the grave of Dylan Thomas, marked by a simple wooden cross which people had left seashells and pennies on. His wife Caitlin is remembered on the other side. (She survived him by half a lifetime . . .)
Today our son is home from his travels and we are having a celebration meal (roast pork with all the trimmings was requested). I think we will all sleep well tonight.
You would think that after all the rain the blackberries would be really good this year wouldn't you? But ours are the same - little skinny things.
ReplyDeleteOur cats sometimes come half way down the field on walks with us, but usually they find something attracts their attention and they wander off.
All the blackberries here are distinctly green and not berry-like at all. I fear for our autumn raspberries which are hugely tall but not very productive looking!
ReplyDeleteOur blackberries in the lanes are hardly worth picking this year. Good to hear that yours are better.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased that your son had an amazing time on his travels and is safely home again.
Laugharne is somewhere i have always wanted to visit. It sounds beautiful and those wooden crosses for Dylan and Caitlin, with their little offerings of seashells, are so moving.
Weaver - I looked at ours flowering last month and thought, oh gosh, we'll have a good crop, but no - on the whole they are shrivelled pathetic looking things. I picked them all the same - needs must!
ReplyDeleteEm - Our summer raspberries gave us a good crop and the autumn ones are wonderful this year, so if my son and I can forbear scoffing them straight from the bush, we will have wonderful Raspberry Ratafia at Christmas.
DW - You would love Laugharne. It is such a peaceful little town, truly sleepy and recumbent, though I am told for youngsters, some of the pubs are a tad on the rough side . . .
how lovely to be surrounded by companion animals, each with their own unique little personality. We are fortunate indeed :-)
ReplyDeleteGlad you managed to find a few blackberries and you reminded me we haven't been out yet to collect any. I gather though its a poor year for them :(
ReplyDeleteLaugharne looks beautiful and I loved the descriptions of the birds you had seen in the area.
I hope you had a lovely celebratory meal with your son.