A walk round the Fair

 

Keith and I used to be downstairs in this middle area (at the top of this block).  I have much more room upstairs now, which delights me as I have several small pieces of furniture I need to rehome. 

My friend K's stand (above and below).  Some nice things there.

The obligatory quilt photo, with matching cushion.

I wish I could source more samplers, but they have always sold expensively at auction.

Some lovely Welsh blankets.

Finally, Beth's stall is always my favourite one. She has lovely taste and often finds some really desirable items.

Gabby has been here today, helping me to finish wallpapering in the guest bedroom.  I just have to trim the paper in the morning.  I'll need a hand to move the big oak coffer back into place though.  We did more on the Probate and just need to ask one more question of the Which legal team.  Then I need to get all the paperwork together which is required too.  I also got her to put the screws in for the side bars on the rose arch, and have trained up a fast-growing clematis.  Will try and persuade part of the C. Montana to go across in that direction too.  She bought us lunch (good supermarket curry) and a treat for me of Dandelion and Burdock pop and some Raspberry Ruffles which she knows I like.

I hope you all had a good weekend.

Now, I want to finish the last of the JD Kirk books tonight.  A great read.

I survived!

 

Well, it was an early start - I was up at 5.30 and left 6.15, arriving 7.15 - and it was busy, busy, busy already!  I was very relieved to find there were several strong young men to help carry my boxes in (they do it for everyone), and again at going home time, they did it in reverse.  Phew.  That was my biggest worry - carrying boxes upstairs.  

As you can see I had a lovely spot - in fact, I think it is the best spot in the building!  Delighted to get it and to be back there again next month.  I didn't make a fortune by any means, but it was busy all day with a steady flow of customers and I will tweek the stock next month.  

The best thing was seeing all my old friends, and chatting as of old.

Chatted with lots of visitors too, and with the 3 other ladies I was up there with.  Some of the pieces I sold were, believe it or not, 10 years in my possession!  and others definitely pre-Covid.

Now I need to just unwind as my body is telling me it is tired.  Enjoy your weekend everyone.

The Strawberry Thief

 I never knew I was destined to have a real life version of William Morris's title.  I had brought all my potted strawberries into the greenhouse to stop the Blackbirds scoffing the lot.  Instead of Blackbirds, I had Rosie - who can actually nearly SAY strawberry now (you can understand the word which sounds pretty like) and now I have just ONE left - AND all the ripe wild Strawberries have been foraged too.  Yesterday Tam picked about 10 wild ones and offered them to Rosie, who grabbed the lot and stuffed them down pronto!!!  

Roses in full bloom at Plas Dinam the other day.

She is an absolute darling, and as you can see, into everything.  My living room could be called the House of Fun!  I need to tidy away tonight.  She brings such joy and is a happy little soul unless her new teefs are hurting her.  We have lovely cuddles, and she's always bringing me a book to read her.  The house is SO quiet when they go home, although I am exhausted from running around with her.  Yet my watch tells me I have only had 3 minutes exercise today.  Really?!!  I feel like I've run a marathon carrying a barrel.

The tent is in permanent residence, but the other things I move out. 

Tam started off putting the rose arch together today and did one side to show me how it went and I spent the afternoon working on that.   $!&^**$%** words were used as it was difficult and then when I got to the 2nd top arch it appeared to be drilled so that it went with one arch up and one down.  Gosh, the air was blue then, but I worked it out.  I managed to stagger out to the stables with it to get it under cover, but then one of the farmers popped in for a natter, and offered to put it in for me (I'd asked to borrow a fold bar - e.g. pointy ended metal bar.  He had one in the pick up.)  Phew, a job well done - just have to put the blunt screws in which hold the cross struts in place - my poor back had had it by the time I needed to do those.  A job for Sunday when Gabby's here.  

Right, tired as a tiredy thing, but as a break from the Construction work, I sorted out some of the pieces of (pre-Covid!) stock, when I had my business, and which need to Go, and some are even on trend right now.  There's a bit of luck.  I also threw together a huge pan of leftover Lamb curry, with tomatoes and green lentils.  Very tasty.  Off to watch tv for an hour and then it will be bed.  I will watch the final of Race Across the World. I presume it's the final episode anyway.  

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.