Mending

All strapped up now following a check up at a and e yesterday.  Comfortable as long as I don't take the splint off too long, but had a couple of hours cleaning white goods at Danny's this morning so now it's back on an back to one finger typing again.  Back later.

Sidelined

Guess which one i fell on!  i am typing with one finger today as little whale tripped me up yesterday afternoon and i fell and sprained my left wrist, which is like a puffball this morning. nothing broken - i can still move all my fingers but i have to rest up for a couple of days now . . . 

this was a fabulous photo for sale in tenby last week.  i wish i'd taken it.

T.G.I.F. and RSPB Great Garden Birdwatch Results

Back in the days when I was working (I hated being in an office), these initials stood for Thank God It's Friday.  Currently they stand for Thank God It's February!  January was NOT a good month here, and I didn't achieve much - you can't do much outside because it's so cold/wet/miserable and that cold lingered and I didn't feel like doing anything much.  Now I am feeling a bit more positive.

I want to get a walk in too, and perhaps some weeding in the front garden as it's a sunny day out (though still none too warm).  I have just a tiny bit of my old "get up and go" back, thank heavens.

(A certain Sam-cat would like to think he really IS a member of the family, but only managed this because all the others were asleep when he snuck in!!)

I spent a couple of hours yesterday redecorating in the blue bedroom.  I have painted the inset around the window in white, so that it reflects a lot more light (the room faces East) and am going to rub down the blue window paintwork today and hopefully free it up too by removing the beading.  The sashes are painted shut (ahem, I wonder who did that?!  Me of course, in a rush, in the past . . .)  There are a couple more like that I need to deal with . . .

Anyway, my RSPB Great Garden Birdwatch results are these:
Blue Tit - 9
Coal Tit - 1
Great Tit - 2
Greater Spotted Woodpecker - 1 (male)
Chaffinches - 3
Goldfinches - 5
Robin - 1
Siskin - 1
Long Tailed Tits -4
Magpie - 1
Marsh Tit - 1
Sparrowhawk - 1

These numbers are lower than we normally see.  No Nuthatch for starters, and he is on the feeder regularly.  Numbers lower too - far more Chaffinches, Blue and Great Tits normally, higher numbers of Goldfinches too.

The Sparrowhawk flew into the Damson Tree (where the feeder is) when the Long Tailed Tits were there, but didn't get any of them.  She grabbed a branch and glared around for a moment before flying off again but it was wonderful to see her so close.

We have a feeder in the front garden on an apple tree, and that has LOTS of Sparrows on/under it (we have a big colony who live under the eaves here), lots of chaffinches, blackbirds, a pair of Nuthatches, sometimes the Woodpecker, Blue and Great Tits etc.  The light is in the wrong place to identify the numbers easily though and they tend to lurk in the bushes behind the feeder so not so easy to count.

Right, my paintbrush is yelling at me so I'd best do some work!

A sea view at Tenby . . .

We had to go to Tenby to see someone today.  Gone was yesterday's sunshine and we drove down there through low cloud.  Not an enjoyable journey.  This was all you could see at the beach too - just the waves breaking on the shore.

Part of the Medieval old walls - this gateway dates to the 13th C.

This interesting old building was opposite the Medieval gateway.



This building was once the Medieval Guildhall and chamber.

Close up of the medieval window detail on the building above.

Spring in January!  Makes my one crocus flower in the garden here look a bit pathetic . . .

St Mary's Church, Tenby.

A little narrow side street.

No longer trading, but what a lovely memory of this company.

Georgian houses overlooking the sea (well tiled to keep the weather off).

Now THAT'S what you call a garden wall!!

St Catherine's Island and 19thC Napoleonic Fort.  It became a zoo for a time, and was open to the public for a short while.

Below: the information boards near the little Museum and Gallery.  We had intended to visit it, but the admission price of £4.95 each put us off - I have been before, and it is a fairly modest museum . . .

The view across the Harbour.

Finally the Tudor Merchant's House - sadly not open in winter.  

A Sunny Walk

Well, I wished for summer and I did at least awake to sunshine today, so I made the most of it and walked up the hill this morning.  Here are some photos as proof!!  :

The 2nd - and steeper - part of our hill.  This one has a VV marked on the map to denote steepness.  (I think it must stand for Very Very steep!!!)

A very misty view across the Towy Valley, and a barely visible Dryslywn Castle at the very back  (that hill!)

I would have liked to walk past the old farm, which I used to ride by up to the Canter Field.  However, they have always had a motley crew of dogs running loose, and last time I went by I thought I would be bitten, so I have avoided this route (it's a there and back again one anyway).  Perhaps armed with a stout stick I may try it again . . .

Looking towards Pantglas in the far distance.

A flourishing Cow Parsley in the ditch.  I saw my first Daffodils in bloom near Cwrt Henry today too!  That IS early.

More milky distant views across the Towy Valley with wooded Grongar Hill just visible in the centre (John Dyer wrote a poem about it).  Here's a link, but me warned, Dyer goes on a bit . . . If you are intending to learn a poem a week to keep your brain active, this is not a good one to start with!!

Just looking across our valley here.  The little cottage and barn in the foreground is on the hill we drive up to go to Cwrt Henry.

Gorse blooming happily.  The nicest wine I ever had was home made Gorse Wine.  Oh my, it tasted of sunshine and was amazing.

Little pixie cups growing on a damp rail.  I don't know their proper name but they always fascinate me.

Off downstairs now to enjoy a book.  I am glad to report I am sleeping better and feeling more human today and I think that bit of a cold has finally decamped from my sinuses.

Please fast forward Summer . . .

Apologies for the lack of posts recently, but I am properly in the Doldrums and feeling very run down and jaded.  I have never enjoyed winter, but as you get older, it becomes worse!  I wish we could wake up one morning to full-on summer, but at least spring seems to be getting a move on and there are lots of Snowdrops in flower along the lanes, and I have the first Crocus in bud, and have had Cowslips blooming throughout December.

These lovely flowers have cheered me up a bit - one of my Romsey cousins popped in with her husband on the way back from a weekend in Pembs.  I'd not seen her since her mum's funeral, 3 years ago now, so it was good to catch up.

I used the last of the 2019 Elderberry Syrup last week, trying to knock this cold (in my sinuses) on the head and it helped, so I ransacked the freezers and came up with 4 lbs berries and made about half a gallon more!  Most of it is in the freezer now . . .  My sinuses are a bit clearer but I am still sleeping poorly - awake most nights between 1 a.m. and 4.30 . . .

Last weekend was the January Fair we always do.  It was a chilly weekend though as there is no heating most of the day and they have several of the ceiling lights open to replicate winter for the plants which live in here.  Sadly, antiques dealers do not thrive in the same temperatures (and wilt at the summer Fair!!)  It is a lovely venue though, and it was pleasing to see several special things go to the right people.  We are trying to scale down a bit now and get rid of old stock.

Right, that's about it.  I have numbed my brain playing game after game of Bubble Shooter on line - it's about all my brain can cope with at the moment.

Fighting Back!

Well, this immune system of mine seems to have taken a real beating with this cold, so I am finally fighting back with some home made Elderberry Syrup. I've had two lots today and that DID make a difference - if only stopping my runny nose for a bit and making me feel a bit brighter. I had a stroll up to our field gate and back (which believe me isn't far) but it was still very cold out and that effects my breathing, so I didn't want to push my luck.

I have watched an excellent programme about Henry VIII's first two wives which we recorded last night, and done a little of the stitching on my patchwork border for the W.I.P. quilt.  This was whilst I was Covered In Cats - who know they are onto a good thing when you are poorly!

I made Minestrone soup first thing - and made the mistake of putting a handful of Orzo in (pasta shaped like rice grains).  My goodness, I should have remembered that a little goes a long way and had to frantically add more water as the soup became nearly as thick as mortar!!  Anyway, it had cooking bacon in and was really tasty and it made me feel better just to have a bowl of that.

Peak flow about 475, which is respectable.  I am hoping I can sleep a bit better tonight as I have had nearly a month of very poor sleeping which doesn't help the immune system.

Right, off to watch tv for a couple of hours then an early night.  I am hoping the cold snap will kill a few germs in the neighbourhood.  It was much lighter late afternoon because of the clear skies too, so light till nearly 5 p.m.  Roll on spring - the birds have been singing in the mornings, which sounds SO good.  Onwards and upwards.