A Poignant Day

 View of the Brecon Beacons when we were on our way to Hay this week.

Well, this afternoon Keith and I watched as the Royal Family laid to rest HRH Prince Philip.  I don't mind saying that I had tears in my eyes, as I am an emotional sort of person and because the Queen coped with this alone - there may have been her family with her, all Socially Distanced of course, but she had to sit alone and keep her chin up and try not to cry in public when her husband of 73 years, her one true love, was laid to rest.  I think that would be a big ask for any of us.  I felt it was a very moving ceremony and wonderfully planned by Prince Philip and choreographed today.  I have just noticed on my newsfeed a little clip of Princes Harry and William, talking with Kate as they left the church.  I am glad that on this day at least, they have set their differences aside.  I am unashamedly a Royalist and always had a lot of admiration for Philip, the Rock behind the throne, although he had to always be in the Queen's shadow. He may have been privileged, but used that position to do a lot of good in his life.   

    Aside of that, I have had to rest up today, with a good book, the new Barbara Erskine novel The Dream Weavers, set not far from us here along Offa's Dyke and in Hereford.  I can recommend it.

    Late yesterday afternoon I suddenly began to feel very ill - sick and dizzy with ringing ears and my head began to whirl like I had drunk two bottles of wine.  I had to be helped to bed and only felt OK as long as I was laid flat in bed.  I am guessing it was a viral Labrynthitis and fortunately it was short-lived. (The treatment is a particular antihistamine and I take one each morning. I managed to stagger to the loo in the night without the whirling head returning and although I've had no appetite today, I have just managed to cook Red Rice for tea and eat a portion.  Tam complained of feeling nauseous and dizzy last week, but put it down to side effects from her jab.  Perhaps it was something she picked up at the Vaccination Hub as they make you remove your mask and wear a new surgical mask - no good for either of us as they fall off our faces - we have small ears and the wrong size face for them.

    After the funeral, Keith and I sat out on the swinging seat - I with my new book and he just enjoying the sunshine.  Then he did a little work to prepare some old oak for a repair to something we bought locally yesterday, but more of that tomorrow.  Here is a little teasing photo . . .

A few Good Books to read

 

This is my current reading, courtesy of my friend Gay, and I am enjoying it.  More to come by him Gay tells me!  I have a big pile of books to get through but gosh, never enough hours in the day!

My blogging friend Sharon is responsible for this purchase! (She recommended this series).  Period detective story set in 1929.

Recently read: the Ann Cleeves is one I treated myself to recently and can recommend. "The darkest nights can hide the deadliest secrets . . . Driving home during a swirling blizzard, Vera Stanhope's only thought is to get there quickly.  But with the snow driving down heavily, she becomes disorientated and loses her way, eventually stumbling on another car abandoned on the road.  With the driver's door open, Vera assumes the driver has sought shelter but is shocked to find a young toddler strapped in the back seat."  Murder most foul of course!

The other two are from my friend Gay and were both really good reading (couldn't put Castles in the Air down.  It deals with doing up an historic castle - Gwydir Castle in North Wales, and all the couple's trials and tribulations, including the resident ghost!)  Forging on is the story of an apprentice Farrier in Yorkshire, and made me LOL in places.  A nice relaxing read.

Some more reading fodder from my friend Gay, who has the same taste in books as me.  The Anna-Marie Morgan books are detective novels set in Wales.  The Edward Marston one of a Medieval series.

Finally, freebies - I just couldn't resist, but will read and pass on, apart from the Hovel in the Hills - I shall keep that copy (with photos) to replace my original elderly one.  Someone in town is clearing his late mother's bungalow and had a sign up outside his garage door asking people to take what was on offer to safe it from Landfill.  We also had an old Lloyd Loom chair from there, to go in the Summerhouse, but it needs a new cushion.

A Random Miscellany

 

Just a quick random miscellany of photos from the past couple of weeks.  The one above shows the red flag flying to show they are firing on the Eppynt range.  Below is the view across the mynydd where it links with civilized farmland.

Below: the Beacons snoozing in a little sunshine.

One of the Gousto recipes - remembered just in time to take a photo - this is Minty Lamb Meatloaf, Rosemary Potatoes and Gravy.   Very tasty.

Before the Leylandii hedges went - I must get another photo tomorrow to show the comparison - it's opened it right up.

The best I could do to show how much room they were taking up.  Today I have been clearing ancient rotting and weed-infested membrane from the area behind the shrubs, and I planted 3 big clumps of rescued Primroses by the Holly and damaged Cherry on the right.

Finally, from a walk the other evening, the first Stitchworts in bloom.

Banana Maple Muffins recipe

 BANANA MAPLE MUFFINS

2 cups (300g) Self Raising Flour

1/3 cup (50g) Plain Flour

1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda

1/2 cup (100g) firmly packed brown sugar (I used Demerara)

1/4 cup (60ml) maple-flavoured Syrup

2/3 cup mashed bananas

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup (250ml) buttermilk

1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil

Coconut Topping:

15g butter

1 tablespoon maple-flavoured syrup

2/3 cup (30g) flaked coconut

To make: Melt butter in a small pan, add maple syrup and coconut, stir constantly over high heat until coconut is lightly browned.

1. Grease a 12 hole (1/3cup/80ml capacity) muffin pan (I just used muffin case liners).

2.  Sift dry ingredients into large bowl.  Stir in maple syrup and banana, then eggs, buttermilk and oil. (I substituted a couple of tablespoons of papaya and mango yoghurt for some of the milk as I needed to use the yoghurt up).

3.  Spoon mixture into prepared pan, sprinkle with coconut topping. (I didn't bother using this).  Bake in moderately hot oven for about 20 mins.  (180/190 deg. C/350-375 deg. F, Gas mark 4).

Makes 12.

No photo - but enjoy.  These had a lovely subtle banana flavour and the maple goes well with it.  Recipe taken from The Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook - Muffins, Scones and Breads.

Happy in Hay-on-Wye

 

We went to the market in Hay-on-Wye again last Thursday - it was a nice morning out and we enjoyed a stroll around the town after we had made our purchases.  Above and below: lovely new window displays in the antiques centre - the blue and yellow one was very pretty.

Down near the clock tower (below) was a beautiful illustration from artist Jackie Morris's book "The Lost Words: A Spell Book" which seeks to put back words from Nature into children's lives, words which are being lost.

I love this crowded little window above one of the shops.

Our friend Rob's shop window display.

Across the lane and up a tiny way is a new shop which will be able to throw its doors open to customers soon.

The Castle is gradually having its final titivations and there is only a little bit of scaffolding on it now.

I didn't shop in here last week, but love to see what heritage apples they have in season each autumn.

Finally, mouth watering goodies from the Patisserie stall. Mine was the lemon tart topped with white chocolate and strawberries.  The one to its right was almond and apricot, and below - this one had pistachios, cinnamon, plum and a couple of other ingredients.  All were scrummy.

Cat Flap Deliveries and progress in the garden/paddock

 

Little Whale on the Primrose bank in the garden.

    Since we fitted a cat-flap here, it has shown itself to be the perfect place for post deemed too big to go through the letterbox.  It happens regularly but always makes me smile!

Here is the progress being made front of house. The old tired sagging larch lap panels taken down and replaced by these much stronger planks.  The bit behind the gate is the border between us and the cottage next door, replacing a very thick Leylandii hedge which our neighbour wanted to replace.  It has given us both more room, as has skimming up the little stretch of lawn we had that side. I shall now be able to put some plants in pots this side of the new fence. Photo below of it before and the view across the valley beyond, beautiful with all those trees.

    Today we had sunshine first thing, but couldn't get out as early as we had hoped as the quarry chippings which had been ordered, were delivered first thing, rather than later in the day, so we had to wait until some of the heap were spread out and we could drive out.  

This is the paddock partly cleared and ready to be landscaped.

The flatter bit up by the boundary, where we can put up the polytunnel and make vegetable beds - good soil in this area.

There were two enormous Leylandii hedges here which I knew I could not cope with keeping trimmed - 7 feet high by 4 feet thick. They took up a LOT of room.  We checked for birds' nests (none) and they were removed.  It has opened the garden up no end.  The post and sheep wire fence was also removed at the same time, and the gate, as this area used to be where a small pony was kept. No more horses for me (no room here anyway).

I will put the Magnolia towards the back, and also the Witch-hazel which Keith bought me for my birthday.  Lots of room for Perennials too.  

    Here's a hint to where we went today . . .

   

And then it snowed!

 

A rather strange day weather wise today.  At 8.30 this morning, though we had had a frost it was feeling warm in the sun as there was no wind.  Two hours later and the wind had sprung up and an hour after that, the first hailstones made an appearance.  This afternoon we have had snow off and on, and the lawn is still white in places.

Everywhere was looking Christmassy!  Though I have a Tulip out - I shall blame that for bringing the snow in April!

Through the kitchen window - poor daffodils.  I had not covered up Podophyllum Spotty Dotty at this point and the poor plant can't have enjoyed this much.

Above and below: the view from the bathroom window - gradually the snow slowed down and blue skies appeared and Aberedw became visible again.

The replacement fencing for the sagging larch lap panels (removed yesterday) has been put up today.  Photos tomorrow.  Progress is being made on the paddock too, which is being cleared of brambles, old bonfire sites and rubble so that we can sow it with grass and wildflower mix and then plant it up in the autumn with young fruit trees.