Today Tam and I had a good walk - not too long (being on steroids and not 100% yet. We drove up to the x-roads about 4 miles from home and did a circular route we'd picked out on the map, not too challenging as it was mostly contouring. This is the view looking across towards Garth from where we were parked. It was just under 3 miles though it felt further because of my still being on Steroids.
Looking back towards the sunshine!! Thought we did catch a little of it later on.
A lovely house sheltered in the valley, literally in the shadow of the first Eppynt bluff.
A steep cwm - bet there's lots of wildlife call THAT home.
Above and below: a welcoming lane ahead, overarched with trees.
The view looking back towards Builth (hidden in the dip) - just to the right behind those pine trees on the steep hillside, you can see Llanelwedd Quarry, the backdrop for the Royal Welsh Showground.
That
The original route we had intended taking went straight on behind that gate on the right, and it takes us up through the woods ahead. That would have added about another 1/2 - 3/4 of a mile so we saved that for another day, perhaps when there are some leaves on the trees and beautiful wild flowers in the hedgerows.
Instead, we went down the lane from a farm out of sight behind us, and joined the road and turned left. - thi
There were beautiful skies - this looked like grey candy-floss.
Signs of spring in the hedgerow with these leaves on the Hawthorn.
Four very happy cats out the front of the house. They have been around the yard and garden all afternoon, and have supervised me moving planters around with some help from Keith and Tam, and planting them with Wisterias, various. I found four good sized and well-rooted Aquilegias in one of the tubs we brought with us. From their slightly gracile appearance, I think they are the Pink and White ones which aren't as hearty as some of the other colours. I've planted them in little blue ceramic pots I bought with me, and one in the bottom of the drystone wall bank where the Georgian stable range once stood.Finally, we have started a subscription to Gousto, just for a month or so. Tam wanted some more challenging recipes and a bit of excitement, and we got a special offer, so . . . Last night we had a really tasty Fragrant Coconutty Haddock Curry with Lemongrass and fresh ginger. Tonight it is Hearty Meatballs and Farfalle Soup, which is in the middle of cooking at the moment (I made the meatballs which are cooking in the oven, and Tam is doing the rest.) We ordered portions for 4 and so have two meals of everything, some of which can be frozen of course. Then there is Chicken and Butternut Squash Korma with Coriander Naan to look forward to. Tam has some recipe cards from when she had a subscription back in Yorkshire, and they are all such tasty recipes and fresh produce. With the reduction, only slightly an indulgence!
That 
For some reason, the scene in the third photo (valley with the farmhouse) from the top made me think of seams splitting on the side of a dress. I can't wait to see your photos of the bowered tree lanes when everything leafs out later this spring and summer. Bet it will be spectacular and a cool, shady walkway on a warm day.
ReplyDeleteGood to see the cats have adjusted well. No hardship for them! Hope you finish up with the steroids soon--hard on a person. Take care.
Doesn't it just?! I think it would be so beautiful along there in the spring and summer - a little bleak yesterday but it felt so good to be enjoying exploring another new-to-us walk.
DeleteThe cats like it here and have even started hunting again. Ghengis likes to come and supervise whenever I am working in the garden, bless him. They love to roll on the lawn, which is very soft, being about 80% moss (easier to mow, that's for sure!)
Mynydd yr Eppynt us a beautiful area. Cleared by the army for their use, just over 100 years ago. A community, a dialect of Welsh, a unique way of life extinguished. I think there is a service in the village church once a year
ReplyDeleteThank you for telling me about that - I didn't know, but it is exactly the same as happened to Tyneham on Dorset, which we used to visit when we lived in the county. People were given a month to leave their homes, and told that it was just for the juration of the War. Lies.
DeleteHere's a link in case you are interested: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2008/12/10/tyneham_feature.shtml
It must have been heartbreaking for all those families involved in both places - they had been hefted there for generations. The loss of the Welsh dialect is dreadful. We don't hear Welsh spoken in the town (struggling to think if we have heard it at all) and Brecon has always been English-speaking when we have shopped or traded there. We put it down to being closer to the English border, but the Army continued up the process that the Welsh-Not began in the valleys from the 18th C onwards. . .
It has taken a while, but I have just made the connection between the Welsh cwm (which this machine does not recognise) and the English combe.
ReplyDeleteI am guessing the words have the same language root Tom. The Welsh pronunciation with the "w" is of course much shorter but there isn't an English word which is pronounced that way (I don't think!)
DeleteHi there, I came across an old post on your blog while searching for info on Jeanine McMullen. I share your interest in her books and others in the genre. After thinking about it for years I finally started a blog on this subject. My aim is to meet fellow enthusiasts and to discover more about the authors. Find me on Farmsonmybookshelf.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteHope to see you there!
Hi Miki - LOVE your blog. You and I come from the same place with this genre of books! Jeanine McMullen is buried at Llandeusant Churchyard, not too far from Llyn-y-Fan Fach, which we know well. We know someone on the Antiques/Fleamarket circuit (on hold at the moment due to Covid of course) who bought a box of her books from Llandovery auction, when her cottage had been cleared following her death. He said, she certainly smoked a lot, as the books were yellow with nicotine, which is I think what contributed to her death. I know the rough area where her cottage was (is still) but not the exact property.
DeleteI don't think I would ever want to come in with views like that surrounding me.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Indeed in the summer (providing we get a good one!) I think we will be spending most of our time outside.
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