THE NORTH WALES WEATHER - July-Aug 2013

Phew! It's hot!! or at least it has been for probably about 6 weeks now with endless blue skies and sun, in views resembling The Med! We had the first rain for weeks, last week. So much for all those non-believers who think it rains constantly in Wales!!

We've had barbecues galore, and admittedly it does cool down in the evenings under the trees here, but hey, with views like ours who's complaining? 


We've had sunset walks along the beaches ...

Fantastic skies ...

Wimbledon and Pimms in the garden  ...

And when the evening midges became too much, we continued watching from inside ...

We've put a picnic table at the top of our field where we have refreshments throughout the day (and evening - the sun shines here until sunset). 

The views from this spot are spectacular ...

Is there any wonder work on the house doesn't get done quickly?


Our new parking spot resembles a Fiat advert!

Bracken has taken over from the nettles and invaded the field. It has proved too much for the strimmer and the sheep!

The goats have cleared off, up the mountain.


The cats have had a field day, catching anything that moves including a number of rabbits, voles, mice and 6 moles! We managed to save this mole which was running around the house bashing blindly into walls!

Unfortunately, they've yet to master the art of catching squirrels. The pesky squirrels eat all the bird food. They nibbled through the plastic hanging bird feeders, so we bought squirrel-proof metal ones. They have chewed through those too. We tried this squirrel baffler which doesn't seem to baffle them in any way whatsoever!

Next plan? 'The Big Cheese Tilt'n'Spin Squirrel Repeller' which Kieran very kindly bought for my birthday. Supposedly it tilts and spins when squirrels land on it, throwing them off into outer space! I feel a game coming on around taking bets as to how long they will cling on for, or where they will land! 
That's going up in the garden tomorrow.


Following the 2012 washout, we decided to make a feature of our soggy garden and create a bog garden. The builders kindly dug out the hole for us. We lay down a liner and began filling it in. That was back in April. Since then, the ground has dried up and any bit of rain we have had has made no difference. We now have the makings of a dry bog!!!

So how do we turn it into a bog garden???? There's only one way really ...

Stick a bog in it!!!



I've never had a great deal of success growing tomatoes outside, but now I have 5 plants outside bearing tasty fruit. The sheep, squirrels. goats and slugs haven't found them yet! Ssshhhhh!

Our office has moved outside ...

There was one morning without sun - the one morning we planned lunch at our local pub, voted "The 3rd Best Beach Pub in the World"!! The mists came down, we could just about find our way along the beach

By the time we reached the pub, the mists started to clear and 'our' mountain appeared before us above the mist ...

By lunch time, we were sitting in full sun!

All this, and we're not even on holiday!!!

Next blog - "Daliwch i gredu"

PROBABLY THE BEST DIY TOOL IN THE WORLD ... EVER - July 2013

Over the years of decorating, renovating and now practically rebuilding our houses, we have built up a fair sized tool kit comprising of big power tools down to simple gadgets, costing hundreds of pounds down to pence. However, there is one tool  which has been used probably every day during these renovations. Its use has surpassed any expensive power tool. It is the one tool Will and I have fought over, both claiming that it is essential to the project we are working on at the time. I have been known to hide it so Will has to make do with a lesser being wannabe (Ssshhhh).


We have named this tool "Omnitool". Omnitool can be used for virtually ANYTHING & EVERYTHING!

If a tin of paint needs opening ... call for Omnitool.

If old paint won't come off a wall  ... Omnitool will come to the rescue.

If you can't remove those fiddly things holding the lid onto a tin of B&Q mixed Dulux paint .. use Omnitool.

If you need to grout between tiles - floor or wall ... then Omnitool's your tool.

If you can't find an applicator or mixer for Polyfilla ... Omnitool does the job equally as well, if not better.

If you want to stir paint ... Omnitool does it excellently.

If cement has been incorrectly placed ... it removes well with Omnitool.

You name it - Omnitool can do it.

What, you may well ask. is this wonderful tool?



This is it ...

An old kitchen knife from which the original handle has disappeared.



And this is a Wannabe ...

We have plenty of Wannabes, but none are as effective as the original Omnitool!

The Omnitool at work

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And what else has been happening?

Well . . . You remember all those killer nettles I removed? Look what I have just found growing in a four foot high hedge...

You need a close up? ...

And the lower part of the house has gone from this ...

To this ...

And now this ...

Getting there slowly!

Next blog - The North Wales weather

A DONKEY VISIT - June 2013

At this very moment in time there is a VERY brave donkey - 'Chico', walking around the coast/border of Wales along with his even braver companion - Hannah. They set out from Aberystwyth about a month ago and headed northwards along the coast. 

Follow their adventures on seasidedonkey.co.uk

Chico

This week they were due to be passing us as we are situated on the coastal path. So we offered them and Hannah's lovely mum who had joined them at this point, an overnight stay in our albeit chaotic surroundings. After a very long trek, they arrived just as it was getting dark and Chico was taken to our field to unload and rest.

Our field currently has no gate to it, so I was a little concerned as to how we would keep Chico contained. I needn't have worried as he came equipped with his own fencing from which Hannah constructed a small enclosure where he stayed happily overnight.

Chico proved to be a most placid, gentle little donkey. But it's easy for me to say that when he was happy being left to himself in a field of long fresh grass, and I was only with him for a matter of minutes. Hannah who is with him 24/7 for potentially many months to come may well tell you a different story.

Yoda cat who has a history of attacking visitors' dogs, however large, soon discovered Chico the next day and began stalking him with interest and a look that said "hmmm, another dog in MY territory? I need to get rid of this one too". Not wanting to upset a donkey with a long trek ahead, we made sure Yoda didn't get as close as he would have liked to.

Once Chico was loaded up ready for another day, they set on their way with our very best wishes for a happy trek around Wales.

Bye Chico!

Next blog - Probably the best DIY tool in the world ... ever!

UPDATE - June 2013

Not written for a while. Nothing really to tell you. 

During the recent nice spell of weather, I have turned to gardening and have waged war on a new threat to my garden . . . killer nettles. Nettles which cover much of our land and grow to triffid-like proportions at breakneck speed. Chainsaws would marvel at the razor-sharp teeth edging the biggest nettle leaves seen. 

Weeding them one by one, takes two pairs of gloves worn over each other along with a good dose of antihistamines. Despite these precautions, my hands throb from the multitude of nettle stings. The one positive is that at 4 feet tall (the nettles - not me!), I don't need to bend down to pull them up. I am making headway and have cleared the path which runs along the top of the garden, it has been transformed from this...

to this ...

My next war is targeted against the bracken!

Building works coming along. I have just started painting a room which at the start of the year had no roof, windows or doors !!!!!!



Next blog - A donkey visit

WAIT & SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT... May 2013

Well... Not a lot!

But did I ever share this with you?

You have read about our experiences trying to learn the Welsh language. Well we visited our new dentist whom we assume from his name, is Greek. He is clearly trying to pick up the language too.

As you may know, the Welsh pronounce 'CH' as in the Scottish loch. And we all know that 'LL'  is a sort of ''lclhl' sound (not easy to write!!) So the poor dentist called us in from the waiting room, attempting to say our surname in his best Welsh! You can imagine the result. At least he had a go! 

Nothing else to tell you.

No updates on the building.

However, for all those people who think we have made a brave move ... 
While sitting out in the sun, overlooking a very peaceful blue sea and spectacular mountains, drink in hand, we are of the opinion, it is you who are brave - staying where you are!!!



Next blog - Update

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF A GOOSE IS GAY? April - May 2013

Well . . God clearly didn't put me on this Earth to be a farmer. Good move God! The farmer told me today that Rihanna (see previous posting) is a heifer, not a bullock!

For any of you readers who live in the country or by the sea, you may wonder why I'm blogging about the obvious. But for us, having spent many years in suburbia, this is all a novelty, and one we're loving and enjoying sharing with you. 

Early Spring brought some cold weather. We didn't get the more recent snow which seemed to hit the rest of the UK, but wet weather and melted snow had resulted in a series of waterfalls falling down the mountainside behind the house. These froze quite spectacularly during the cold spell. We took a two hour walk to see them at close range, which involved quite a steep climb. 

And guess who accompanied us all the way?   ... Yoda!

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Some of the trees in the garden needed overhanging branches removing so the wind doesn't bring them crashing down onto the conservatory. A friendly neighbour/tree surgeon kindly agreed to help out. It was good to see he used ropes for safety. I thankfully wasn't put on this Earth to be a tree surgeon either. Another good move God!

We have many branches lying around which make good firewood. So I regularly break up twigs for kindling. Gizmo joins me by picking up and snapping twigs with his mouth, then dropping them onto the ground for me to collect.

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May. And Spring is definitely here. Caernarfon Bay resembles the Med

And we have found a temporary spot to sit outside

Well. This blog has caught up with current time. So no more adventures for the time being.

I have recently had an operation which will take several months to heal, so work on the house is at a standstill for the time being, while I recover and Will takes on the role of carer.

One last story...

While I was in hospital, waiting to be taken to the operating theatre, various trivial topics of conversation took place among fellow theatre goers which developed into the subject of keeping geese and how one goose had become very attached  to his owner. There was then a suggestion the goose could be gay! This led to the question from one gentleman ... How do you know if a goose is gay?

I'll leave you with that thought. Hope to be back soon showing further progress on the house.


Next blog - Wait and see what happens next ...

SHEEP ALL LOOK THE SAME? DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT - April 2013

So you might think all sheep look the same. It's easy to see why, and there certainly are some family resemblances ...

... but we now recognise individuals, and of course we have had to name them...

Our favourite has to be 'Chav Ram', a young ram with attitude.

Then there's his father with his magnificent mane - 'Lion King'.

I swear to you that is not a falsey attached with Velcro!

'Fleecy' is frequently found in our garden. She must be the only sheep who can't jump. But she finds a way through or under whatever she can. Clearly her ways through are a bit of a struggle, hence the state of her dodgy fleece.

'Basil' is the only sheep with a fox's tail...

Every other sheep has a tail like this ...

And this? This is 'Lippy'

Now don't those lips need lipstick???

The lambs have arrived and certain ones are regulars in our garden. They can fit through holes which their mothers can't, but then their mothers can jump fences they can't. The most regular culprits are 'Johnny 5' (name taken from the escaped robot in the film Close Circuit),

and these two who are branded 41, but both named 'Naughty One'. They are the naughtiest of the bunch. 

I wonder which of the above nuisances are responsible for nearly devouring a pot of rhubarb Richard had kindly donated? Fortunately I managed to salvage it before all the leaves disappeared.

Herding the sheep together and off our land is not easy for two of us. Yoda must be aware of this because he has now taken up the role of sheepdog! Every time we go out to chase them away, we can guarantee Yoda will be there too doing his job.

As time passes, herding gets easier. There was a time the sheep would run all over the place, into any difficult to find place, except through the gate. But now, not long after the sheep have spotted us and Yoda, with a little persuasion from us and a bit of a moan from them, they make a hasty exit down our drive and through the gate.

There is a young bull in a field along the lane. For some reason I found a resemblance between him and Rihanna - not OUR Rhianna, I mean THE Rihanna. So guess what? He's now called 'Rihanna'

Rihanna and Yoda aren't sure what to make of each other. Here they are having a face off.

I am so grateful that there is a fence between them, especially when Rihanna chases Yoda. I am a little daunted though as the rickety gate at the far end of the field is very low and I'm pretty sure wouldn't stand up to an angry or playful Rihanna!

We haven't spotted a difference between any of the jackdaws yet, so we haven't named them, but they have started nest building. I wonder if a fleece lined nest is an indication of what to expect from the summer ahead?

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Meanwhile, our own nest building continues to go from strength to strength. The lower part of the house now has windows.

Yoda and Dobby of course are very curious about it all, and insist on coming to look at it with us. We closed the door on them to prevent them walking through wet concrete.

But there was no stopping them with a two inch high gap to squeeze through ...

Next blog - How do you Know if a Goose is Gay?