It was my birthday yesterday. Another step nearer to 70!! The very high tree pollen count has hit me for 6 and so we didn't go far (normally, as regular followers of this blog know, I always have a Special Day Out on my birthday and we go and visit somewhere special and not local, that we wouldn't normally go to. However, of course, this year is completely changed because of the Pandemic, and even my original plan of walking back from the view of the mountains up on the Horeb road changed, because it was too hot and my breathing not good (despite the steroids.) Now I will HAVE to be on house lockdown and not go outside until it'sunder control again, which is a right royal PITA!
I began the day by opening a present from a friend - 3 super books which had arrived early enough for a suitable Quarantine period! I also read a few pages of the Mudlarking book I treated myself to. Then Keith and I went along to our friend up the road, to raid her muck heap again (beautifully rotted down to thick black soil you slice with the spade). We also swopped frozen Blackberries for a dozen hen and duck eggs. I was amused to find the hen eggs had their names on them so I knew who laid which one!!
Anyway, after the change of plan for the walk, Tam suggested we do a walk along by the river. It couldn't have been more local if it tried - literally, just a few hundred yards downhill, but it was LOVELY. Though I had my third "thing"of the day - having broken the head off the broom sweeping the patio, then breaking the handle off the good spade when digging muckheap (both offending parts PLASTIC) - and so when I stepped on a bit of dried mud on the slate of the river's edge and found it was still wet underneath and sat down rather abruptly, it was no great surprise! Dignity hurt more than body, though I did scrape my underarm on the rock. Tam - of course - took a photo!!!
It was stepping onto this section where I "sat down"!!
An old old stag headed oak tree still leans companionably over the river. 300 years to grow, 300 years to rest, and 300 years to decline . . .
The path ahead - the easiest bit. A lot of it is very up and down and uneven underfoot, but I think that is very good for balance, and something I need to do regularly.
Rocks and spume. We sat on the bank and just soaked up the sun, and the birdsong, and the river's noisy music.
A quieter section past the old Mill.
First Bluebells.
There had been a hatching of Orange Tip Butterflies too - we saw several whilst we were out.
Finally, Celendines and Violets.
So, a totally different birthday to what I had planned, but a really wonderful day, with phone calls and messages from friends and family and an extra unexpected gift from Middle Daughter, who bought me the Kim Diehl book I had been lusting after (Simple Harvest). I want to make everything in it - and try the recipes out too!
We rounded the day off with a rolled boned shoulder of Welsh Mountain lamb, Potatoes Dauphinoise, veg, and a velvety bottle of Shiraz (some left for tonight). I hope to have a "2nd birthday" (like the Queen!) later in the year, when we will be able to go out again. The furthest I've been in the last few weeks was 5 miles away to Dryslwyn, and since then, the car has done two 2 1/2 mile journeys (each way). How life has changed.
