An evening walk in May

We have had a very busy working weekend again, but did well at today's car boot sale and got rid of a good few items which were cluttering up the junk room, so progress has been made.  When we got back and unpacked the car, I had a ham salad for a quick tea and took myself off for an early evening walk to make the most of the beautiful sunshine. The Stitchwort above are growing on one of the banks close to the house.

Crossing the bridge, I couldn't resist a photo of the green reflections of the trees in the river.

Then up a little stretch of hill garlanded with Ramsons (Wild Garlic).  On our travels this week we have seen half acre stretches of them in wooded valleys along our route.

I always say that at this time of year the trees are a hundred shades of green with their fresh foliage.  Here is an oak tree looking very festive.

Shades of green again, with the bluebells trembling in the faintest of breezes.  Their fragrance was delicate - like a light refrain compared with the heavy bellowing of the millions of flowers in Green Castle Woods last Monday.  Far more enjoyable.

The familiar juxtaposition of Bluebells, Stitchwort and Red Campion always found at this time of the year.

I need to get fit again so climbed half the very steep hill up the valley side.

Looking back down across our river valley.  The many Ash trees are only just considering putting out green tips and I think it will be June again before they are out fully, like last year.

One of the local farmers was cutting a field for Silage, and I counted EIGHT Kites above it, diving down at intervals to pounce on something Vole-shaped previously hidden by the long grass.  There were plenty of Crows with them.  Of course, this is nothing like the 100 or so Kites you get at the feeding stations in Wales, but it shows how our valley can support a good population.

This rabbit was totallyh oblivious to my presence as he ate his supper.

A dreamier view of the river as I crossed back over the bridge.  There was a little Water Wagtail on one of the rocks to the left but he didn't show up in the photo.

One last burst of greener-than-green as I climb our steep hill.  I was out an hour and still have the endorphines making me feel great!

Bluebell walk in Green Castle Woods

I missed out on a bluebell walk last year, so was doubly determined to get one under my belt this spring.  We normally go to Dinefwr Castle Woods, but our eldest daughter had suggested Green Castle Woods instead this year.  I've only been there once before, so don't really know the layout, and made the mistake of turning left (we had turned right before) to explore in that direction.  It was all newish woodland - 10 or 15 years old - where they hoped that the bluebells would spread from the remaining stretches along the old field boundaries.

This rather vertically-challenged oak tree was in the centre of a field, looking across the countryside in the vague direction of Carmarthen (which was out of sight behind the hills, and to the left a bit if I am honest).  The many trees without leaves yet are all Ash.  We have a lot of Ash in Carmarthenshire, and it is often June before we have a full complement of trees with summer foliage.

Above and below, unfurling fiddle-heads of ferns beside the paths.

Below: I loved this view!

Anyway, it was very warm and humid, and neither of us felt very well - heavy legs and headaches, so K headed back to the car.  Determined to find swathes of bluebells, I carried on and was rewarded.

Their perfume was amazingly strong.

One of several badger sets I passed.  There were even bigger ones which I was standing on to take this photo.

The paths were delightful, and embroidered by Celendines.

Early Purple Orchid in a sunny patch in the woods.  Such a vivid colour.

At about this point, the humidity really got to me and I had to use my Ventolin inhaler.  I was soaked in perspiration - wet hair, streaming face etc and for two pins would have stripped to my undies, had no-one been about, but it is a popular dog-walking area.  I did not feel well AT ALL and all plans to drive on to the beach at Llansteffan were promptly dropped.

I walked on, resting whilst I took a few more photos, and whilst appreciating the beauty of my surroundings, I just wanted to get out in the fresh air and catch a breeze and cool down.  I went Right off Bluebells! and their perfume became overwhelming.

That was a shame, as it was so beautiful and tempted one to linger.

One final photo of Stitchwort and Bluebells, and then I was in the fresh air again, and never was I so glad to get back to the car and sit down.  I gave myself the afternoon off.

Enjoy the photos.  I will head for Dinefwr woods another time, as you can catch the breeze better there.

Something finished, but Weary as a Weary Thing . . .

We have had SUCH a busy 10 days.  Trade has been getting worse and worse at the Unit (everywhere, talking to other folks) and we decided to get out there and spread ourselves about a bit.  I can't WAIT not to have to set the alarm for tomorrow, and to do just what I feel like all day.  I fancy going to the Bluebell woods.  Either Dinefwr or Green Castle.  Possibly the latter as we can go and get some sea air at Llansteffan afterwards.

This is the hexi runner which I finally finished last week.  Forgive its many flaws - it's got pulled out of shape from not being quilted in a hoop but on my lap.  Never mind, it's colourful and it's DONE!

We managed to fit visiting friends into our busy agenda last week, so I managed to do some baking.

  

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Blueberry Muffins; Chocolate Courgette Cake (SO moist and will make this lots), and Ginger Biscuits which are fine, BUT halfway through making them (brain still tired) I forgot that I had started off making double the mix, and didn't double the rest of the ingredients . . .

In the afternoon I listened to this and was in heaven for 43 minutes!  It was like having a really really good lecture on my favourite book.

Back tomorrow.

Book roundup

Apologies for absence, but I was very busy with gardening and housework last week, and we have been busy hurtling around the countryside for the past few days, trying to make a living -   which was a bit of a laugh really as not much has been selling at all!  Ah well, this was one morning when we were still here when the dawn rose.

Anyway, I have been sleeping badly, on top of everything, and fighting a chest infection - worst time to get one.  We were due a viewing next week, but fortunately (in some ways) this has had to be rescheduled (still waiting to hear when).  So I was able to rest up for two days before having to do the hurtling round the countryside.  This wonderful book, Meadowland, was one I treated myself to a couple of weeks ago when I found it for just £1 in one of the Llandeilo charity shops.  It is so beautifully written, and the farm is situated on the Herefordshire border, just behind the Black Mountains.  I can't recommend it highly enough.

Here's another Charity Shop find, and also unputdownable.  I've wanted it since reading a review of it in the weekend Telegraph.   I love it because there are lots of horses in it too and it evokes a time that seems familiar to me (though I was born 10 years after the author).

I just couldn't resist this addition to my Bronte collection.  A different perspective on Charlotte Bronte in this book, and worth reading if you are a Bronte fan.

As I have been sitting down (all day yesterday near Bristol), I have had time to finally read big chunks of this wonderful book, which evokes happy Wiltshire memories (I used to live near Salisbury) and a time now long forgotten, with customs and stories which have otherwise been lost.  A modern print of this would make a wonderful present for a country-lover.

OK, I couldn't resist this book on Wessex for £2 - I didn't NEED it, but I do have several others in this series and am a Wessex lass.  This still had all the colour illustrations in it - many didn't survive intact and had the plates taken out and framed up to sell as pictures.  I have Dorchester in my hallway, taken from a copy of this book (but not done by me).

This was just a pound, and is to be read and then passed on.  Honest injun.

Ahem, this wasn't anything like as cheap as it's just been published, but I had a sod it moment.  It was worth buying and I would truly have regretted leaving it in the shop . . .

What have you all been reading?

Old sayings

Near Crickhowell.

I am laid up with a cold (and a very poor night's sleep), so don't expect intelligent thought today!  (Yet again).

This topic came about because I was discussing it with my husband earlier on.   I am sure many old sayings are dieing out from lack of use.  My mum had a wealth of them at her fingertips, many of which I still use, but I don't hear my offspring using them.  Perhaps it is mobile phones and emails which have stopped their use.

These are some of the ones I grew up with:

I'm not Keyhole Kate you know (about getting through a narrow space, or shutting the door too soon).

He (or she) looked like the Wild Man of Borneo (dishevelled)
or He looked like Shock Headed Peter (from a book of her childhood).

A fool and his money are soon parted.

Not for all the tea in China.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

The early bird catches the worm.

One swallow doesn't make a summer.


Places might be "a stone's throw away", you might buy "a pig in a poke", know something because "a little bird told me", "an ill wind blew nobody any good", people might run "as fast as greased lightening, be "as bald as a coot", "as happy as Larry", or "as fit as a fiddle", and great satisfaction was had when someone was "taken down a peg or two".  There was often "a storm in a teacup",  "beggars can't be choosers" and I went "up the wooden stairs to bedfordshire"(or the land of nod) and when I was tucked in, I was "snug as a bug in a rug".  People kept on the "straight and narrow" or perhaps, "went Widdershins", there might be "jiggery pokery" or "stuff and nonsense" and people were known to talk "until the cows came home" or they "talked the hind leg off a donkey."  When we played card games, in Beat Jack Out Of Doors, the Jack often "saved my bacon".

Before the pop group, "a rolling stone gathered no moss".  Weather had lots of descriptions, it might be "as black as Jack's hatband" over there", or "coming down in stair-rods", or "raining cats and dogs" "blowing a hooley", and everyone knew that red sky at night was shepherds' (or sailors') delight, but red sky in the morning was shepherds' warning.

What family sayings did you grow up with?

Catch up post

Theo in the apple bowl, peeved at having his photo taken!




I am barely awake here as we were up early again today (it's the car boot season) and since we got back, have both been working very hard.  I've been cracking on with the garden again, despite having a bug which leaves me rather croaky.  Today I was continuing in the yard, which was looking very messy with leaves and ash keys, either caught up in overgrown bits at the edge or strewn across the concrete.  I've got the worst sorted, and we have a Tip Trip tomorrow with completely useless bits of plastic and metal (e.g., my flying polytunnel!) and we've also had a bonfire of boxes and dead branches which were no good for kindling.

Not a very good picture of my cleared and newly-planted rockery, but it shows it looking MUCH better than it did when it was covered in a mass of broken off dead rose branches . . .  I took away 3 barrowloads of twigs and weeds from this area.



Sunrise on the road to Malvern last Sunday.

We went to Malvern Fleamarket  whilst Tam was staying with us.  It took us 6 1/2 hours to walk round.  I was just giving up the will to live when I found this "me" present, a lovely old Victorian jelly mould.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it inside one of the sheds, sensibly priced.  I shall enjoy it for a while.

Also in the sheds - something I have been looking for all my life!  Truly.  A Victorian field worker's bonnet, just like the one worn by Tess of the D'Urbervilles.  A connection with my own agricultural roots in Devon.  It was £11.  I love it.

Either side of the green Udder vase, a lovely Torquay pair of vases that my dearly beloved bought me in lieu of a birthday card!  A card would have been FAR cheaper . . .

I found the black spotty Torquay vase (pale blue interior) at Malvern too.  Cheap (£2) as it had a small chip on the foot rim, but it's situated too high up to see that!  I have cleared out several other pieces of lesser Torquay to make way for these new ones.

Meanwhile, much tidying in the garden has been happening.  Here is the first half of the herbaceous border weeded and with a good covering of compost to mulch it a little and stop more weed growth.

Above and below: still to be worked on, plus all the edging needs to be done.

Sorry this is such a feebly-worded post, but my brain has gone walk-about.  I am fit for nothing tonight.  Hopefully joined up words will be used again soon!