Photos from the Celtic Rainforest day

 I keep waking at or before 5 a.m. and that's it for the day.  It means I get lots of jobs done, but my poor brain isn't functioning well. . .  This morning I have been sorting out and pricing stock for the Fair on Saturday.  I'm trying to even out the weight in each box as I have to carry them upstairs to my stand.  A PITA but can't be helped.

I had a lovely afternoon out yesterday, but the garden was a little underwhelming.  I'll write that up later.  I combined the outing with going into Newtown first, to visit the Textiles Museum there, and it was very good.

Anyway, time for Saturday's Celtic Rainforest visit.

We parked up and had a mooch around and did a little circular walk (Rosie in her pram) in front of the reservoir - there is a bridge across the river.

The view downstream towards the Visitor Centre.  We walked back along the path through the woodland on the right.

Mullein early into flower.

Our gorgeous girl in her hareem pants :)

These two coloured cobs (about 13.1hh or so tall) were giving demonstrations of logging, which is what they do for a living, working up in difficult to access valleys where machinery would struggle.  They also leave less impact on the land.

They were very fit, and once she gave them the word, they were off.  I had wondered why they were on the bottom (curb) rein of their pelham bits, but she needed that extra control!

One of the stalls there showed animal figures made with a chainsaw.  There were also stalls manned by RSPB, local Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, rural crafts and live music.  We had a bite to eat there as we stayed about three hours.

Rosie insisted on going down a steep bit of hill - on her bottom!

I stopped and had a look in the antique shop in Rhayader, but it's mainly books (ones not interesting to me - rather old and not very desirable) and the one I would have gone in was shut.

I managed to get a photo of the clocktower/War Memorial without any traffic passing.

This lovely old building has a wonderfully twisted chimney.

Right, this won't do.  Tam and Rosie on their way shortly and I need to make a start on the lamb and lentil curry for our meal later.

A wildflower meadow

Quick photo update:

LOTS of orchids - Common Spotted and Lesser Spotted.

A posting came up on my Facebook page, saying that for one day only, you could view the amazing wildflower meadow at Plas Dinam, just beyond Newtown.  I am shortly off.  That should cheer me up. Woke at 4.45 again and had to catch up after breakfast (when I had nightmares).  Back later.

Day two of feeling upset

The Lark Ascending bursting into bloom.

 I slept badly, was up at 5 a.m., have worked flat out and reached the end of the day with the realization that Alfie is continuing to look slim in the flanks.  He drinks more than the others, so it's possibly kidney problems and he will have to be taken to the vet.  The last thing I needed.  I am still feeling low after yesterday, so first thing I ironed the top Keith liked me wearing, and have that on now.  Being here alone is always hard when I am down.  Keith and I were always doing things together, and until he died, I had only lived on my own for 6 weeks in my entire life.  As you can imagine, loneliness lurks.  I had to get out today, so as I had forgotten the stir fry sauce, and had a short list of other essentials, I took myself off to Llandod.  It was good to get out of the house, and I had a little car picnic and read some of my book.

Another pink and yellow Aquilegia.  Have lots of them now.  This one is in the little strip I have dug and planted in front of the holly hedge at the front of the property.

All my kids have phoned today after Gabby found out I was feeling low.  I have such a wonderful family.

Not a good day emotionally

 

William Egwad, bard, remembered on a display in Carmarthen.  He lived in our old house in the 15th C and was visited by bardic poet Lewis Glyn Cothi (1420 - 1490), and they compared poetry and genealogy together.

I got up early and went down for a wander round the Fleamarket at Carmarthen today. I knew it had gone downhill and wondered if it had recovered enough to do again, but I don't think so.  It was a shadow of what it used to be - although I think the on and off rain deterred the outside stalls and there were only about 10 vehicles outside.  Far fewer buyers too.  I shan't bother.  I didn't buy a thing, but went to see my friend Pam again (her husband had a stall inside) and we had a wander round together.  I chatted to quite a few old dealer friends who still had stalls there.  A couple of people didn't know Keith had died, so that was hard and got me on a bit of a downward spiral.  

A really beautiful Welsh quilt, but alas there was damage to the reverse (with the pansies) on and never would you be able to match those or even match that turkey red in plain, to effect a repair.  It had rotted through in an area perhaps 5" square.  It was priced too high to take a chance on repairing it (£180).  Gorgeous Paisley design the other side.

The nicest stall there.

I think she must buy in France.  I just can't find stuff like this here at the right price.  These three photos were all one stall.

Sorry for the blur, but the wind was blowing quite strongly.  There are lots of Ox Eye daisies down the central reservation of the dual carriageway but the Council will soon chop them all down, quoting road safety!  Yet they don't come into the carriageway at all.

View from the picnic area on the Sugarloaf.

Whilst in town, I did the bits of shopping I couldn't do here - strung tags (out of these), a sandwich lunch and some lemons and a stir fry pack from Aldi, two packets of Nasturtium for the tubs out the front from Charlies (current flowers in them will go over soon).  Then I went to get "Rosie" (their name for them) jeggings from Matalan, and came out with some comfy stretchy cotton leggings too, and Keith guided my hand towards an orangey-coral t-shirt and matching sweatshirt, so that's my clothes upgraded for the next year!  £38.  That is the same colour as the jumper I bought in there to wear on holiday and as a colour it suits me.

I spent the journey home trying not to cry.  It was the first time back at that Fleamarket since Keith had died. Yet when I got back there was a warm feline welcome, though the house seems so quiet now.  

Pam gave me back both the Lisa Jewell books I bought her (to read and return).  So I have started on one of those - Then She Was Gone.  Easy reading.

Back to watching a new-to-me Jason Statham film - A Working Man.  Keith and I loved watching his films together - saw some several times.

I hope everyone has had a nice weekend.  I'll put up pictures from our outing to Celtic Rainforest day in the Elan Valley tomorrow.

Tewkesbury Abbey Part III

4.20 a.m. and I was too hot in bed so have come down for a while.  I got around my  stress-levels yesterday by doing some family history research, and think I may just have cracked my brick wall of 45 years!  My gut feeling told me that although I had found my Bolt family in Wolborough/Highweek, Newton Abbot, there was a link to the Cheriton Bishop area.  Later family members being in Moretonhampstead and gravitating to/marrying into a Cheriton Bishop family.  I found a census link to Tedburn St Mary with that family too, and yesterday - having gone back through a chance finding in the late 1600s - found the Tedburn St Mary link.  Full circle.  Delighted!  

Below:

So skilfully done - love these little cherubs.

Don't fall out with the Mortimers . . .  Last time I was in Hereford I walked over the very place (marked) where he died.

Absolutely stunning glass by Tom Denny in the Chapel of St John the Baptist and St Catherine.  These commemorate 900 years since the founding of Tewkesbury.

Sorry that this isn't very clear.  There was a book purely on the stained glass of the Abbey, but I resisted temptation and just bought the guide book.

Lady Diana Spencer was descended from the Despensers.

Another of the Medieval stained glass windows in the quire clerestory - a rare survivor of 14th C glass.

I will go again, and soon.  Next time I will have the guide book in hand, rather than buying it at the end.  It was so beautiful there and SO much history - and without that history there is no meaning to a building or a place.  Worcester Cathedral is also on my list for a visit this summer.  I am near enough when I go to Malvern - it's about 9 miles further on.

Celtic Rainforest day today, at the Elan Valley.  Think it will be sunshine and showers and it's looking a bit showery out right now.

Screaming ab-dabs! . . . and update

Dog rose on my walk this morning.

 I am tearing my hair out here.  I decided this was the time to chase HMRC about the chunk of money they overcharged me when they put me on an emergency tax code.  However, from having ALL the paperwork from Keith's death piled on top of the big chest of drawers in the kitchen (Emma's, and taken by Danny a few months ago), I can no longer put my hand on ANY OF IT, my tax raid included.  Where did I put it?  I have searched in the places it should be, searched book and paperpiles on the table (guilty of untidiness as charged) and am climbing the walls here with frustration!  I have been through the wooden trunks with paperwork in.  All much older stuff, which needs going through, but not today.

I've been for a walk (earlier) - which would have been a good way to calm down.  I have received the two missing bars for my rose arch, but think if I start trying to put THAT together now, I will really blow my top.  Is is just me who is such a twit when it comes to paperwork?  I have all the Probate stuff together and was sure that was where my HMRC letter was, but no . . .  The only good thing should be that it is all together - I just have to find out WHERE.

Update:  Found them, tidied neatly away in a blue box file which had "stuff" piled on top of it . . .  It will take me a while to get down off this stress level though.

A surprisingly productive day and some old stock rediscovered

 I was late getting up this morning, and felt rather drained.  I got washing washed and hung up to dry and two lots taken upstairs, and some ironing done, and Luna Lapin's bloomin' dress finished - quite pleased with the way the bow turned out in the end (thanks to Lizzy D's suggestion of putting a loop round the middle.)  

Clipped in place with a tiny safety pin on the back.  Not perfect, as it should have been turned a little tighter at the bottom of the bow, but it will do.

Then I screwed up with the next patchwork block so came downstairs in a huff and played too many games of Solitaire for my peace of mind - I needed NOT to be wasting the day.

Aeron pottery bowl with a great glaze.

A big Spider Conch shell.

I took myself out into the stables to bring in the nearly empty box that had the huge piece of art pottery (great shape and imaginative glaze) from Aeron Pottery I think.  Then I had to find the bigger box which I knew had various items coloured glass in (that would be on trend right now).  Other folk had twigged that trend when it came up on a posting online - but at Malvern there were tables with masses of green glass collections, and other old pieces which aren't what people are looking for from what I surmise - hoping I have the balance right.  I found out about some vintage cut glass coloured Roemer hock glasses I had bought at auction around 2018 or so - I think they are Val St Lambert. I also found both the Housa black ceramic pots (Nigerian) that also came from auction around a similar period and hadn't sold.  Lens told me they were ink pots and rare.  One is a/f but the other perfect.  The holes in the top are where leather thongs were threaded through for carrying. Plus a little vintage Crown Devon elephant, and a 12" Spider Conch shell.  It was like finding treasure!  These boxes haven't been touched since we moved.

Very rare piece of studio glass signed on the bottom by Alicia Browle, and made in 1975.

Crown Devon - isn't he fun?

I had all these pieces when I had my business - I did say I had a lot of old stock to clear.  They were in Units and taken to Fairs, but no interest.  Fashions change though.  When I first started going to car boot sales, some 40 years ago, "anything old" in the way of china, glass etc - oil lamps in particular - were all the rage.  Include copper, bits of old horse harness and brasses, hunting prints, anything cottagey.  Mid-century "rubbish" went straight to the tip!! As did anything rusty or damaged.  How times change.

Right, I am going to go and rest now and watch an extra bit of tv (need to get back to the Chelsea coverage!)