DRIFTWOOD - Nov 2013

So, towards the end of November, we saw the last of the summer sun disappear from our garden. This is its last appearance now until probably mid February...

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Despite living near an abundance and variety of beaches, very little interesting driftwood can be found. Judging by the vast the amount seen in shop windows, I guess that most decent pieces find their way very quickly to budding artists' workshops. 

The pieces we have collected are now displayed in the garden.

One day towards the end of summer we did find a seaweed-covered pallet floating about in the sea. We rescued it, cleared it of seaweed and then attempted to carry it back to the pick-up. We made a great discovery - that water-laden pallets are VERY heavy and that pick-ups are VERY useful!

Once  back at home, we waited several weeks for it to dry out as I had plans to use it in the utility room.

When we bought our house, our utility room was an outside barn with a tin roof.

  
Virtually the whole thing had to be taken down

Since being turned into a room, we haven't really done much to it, although it is put to good use. When we eventually finish the pathway up to the new back door it will become our dirty welly-boot entrance. 

The dried-out pallet is now put to good use as a coat rack

We have further plans for more pallets or driftwood which we may come across. Watch this space!



Next blog - One Year on

RUNNING OUT OF STORIES - Nov 2013

AUTUMN VISITOR

Well, more of an all year round pest . . .

. . . who, clearly not content with the Guinness, decided he wanted a snack . . . of peanuts from the bird feeder!

I caught him trying to escape

 Oh to be a slug . . . from size 22 to size zero in 0.0 seconds

He was probably safer inside, but escape he did, only to hide under the rim of the feeder, presumably out of sight of predators

I have no idea how long he stayed there, but he was there for some time before he disappeared. I never did find out if or how he made it back to ground level. I've never seen a falling or jumping slug so I can only assume one of two things . . .  He either tackled the assault course, over the lid, up the wire hanger, over the squirrel twirler, up the plastic hook, up the nylon strip, along the branch and down the trunk . . . 

. . . or a blackbird got to him first!




Next blog - Driftwood

SUMMER VISITORS - Sept 2013

Every summer, this area of Wales sinks under the weight of seasonal visitors. The roads become busy and we experience traffic jams (they may only be 5 cars long - but here, that's a jam!) Once September arrives, the land rises out of the sea a little, hampered only by the holidaying pensioners benefiting from the late summer sun.

We have had the privilege to meet some of these lovely people.

Sitting outside a local pub, we were joined by a group of 7 laughing ladies. They were celebrating the 70th birthday of one of their members and were clearly enjoying their holiday together. They had arrived at the pub via a long walk and were contemplating an easier return route. I convinced them that if they walked back, the calories put on during their generous meal helpings would be burned off and eating their meal would therefore be guilt-free. This re-motivated them and they started back on a different but potentially longer route back, which we also took. 

We soon caught up with three of the party who were resting on a bench relatively close to where we had parked, while the remainder of the group had called into a golf house to enquire about prices. The ladies on the bench had realised that their 2 mile walk was over ambitious and politely asked if there was any chance of a lift as their hips were 'playing up'. I told them that we only had room for two. While they were deciding who of the three were most in need of a lift, I jokingly suggested that one could sit in the back of the pick-up. As I walked towards the pick-up, all three joined me. I asked if they had decided which two would be taking a lift. "Oh, no, we're all having a lift" said one. I explained again that we only had room for two. "You said one of us could sit in the back" came the reply. I explained that I didn't mean it. It would be uncomfortable and dirty. Especially for smart ladies with dodgy hips! This didn't deter them. In fact they seemed quite thrilled at the idea.

I was beginning to wonder why I hadn't chosen this fun option myself, but instead, not wishing to see any of them suffer, I opted to let them all have a comfortable ride, while I walked and Will picked me up a few minutes later having dropped off the ladies - who, by the way, hadn't informed the rest of their party where they were!


On our way home. along our narrow lane we were met by a man and a small girl wearing her pyjamas and a dressing gown. They were blackberrying. (OK, so he wasn't a pensioner - nor were they necessarily visitors, but they could have been!) They were accompanied by a cat. As you know - nothing odd about that here! As they stood back to let us pass, the cat nonchalantly sat sphinx-like in the middle of the road without a care in the world. So the man picked it up out of our way. We expected him to hold the cat and stroke it soothingly, but no. He hurled it at a great height over the hedge!! Clearly not his cat!


On another occasion, I was stopped by 'Skateboard Man'. A middle-aged man with a skateboard tucked under his arm, and headphones around his neck. 

(My apologies Mr Skateboard Man if you are reading this and you don't consider yourself middle-aged!). He wanted to know the quickest route somewhere. I asked him if this was by foot or car? Silly question! By skateboard of course! I gave him directions after first discovering that he travels the country by skateboard, covering a good 50 miles a day! Good for you Skateboard Man!

Variety is the spice of life!


Next blog -  errrm? Running out of stories!

ANOTHER VISIT TO THE NEIGHBOURS TODAY? Oct 2013

Another visit? I think not!

You want a closer look?

I think my visit to her can wait 'til another day!





Next blog - Summer visitors

ANOTHER UNEXPECTED GUEST - Sept 2013

Our nearest neighbours in both directions live across a couple of fields, one is a two minute walk via the road, the other 15 minutes including a trek up a steep muddy track. A quicker route to the latter is across the fields through our newly repaired side gate.

 

On a recent visit to this neighbour, I met a man who lived in our house as a child during the 70s. He told me that his parents converted the house back to living accommodation after it had spent many years housing cattle. He remembered a donkey living in what is now our lounge. His family knocked through something like 13 fireplaces before managing to expose what we assume is the original inglenook fireplace, now housing our log burner.

A week later, as I was about to go through the gate to visit the same neighbour, an unfamiliar couple strolled up the drive. The man told me he used to own our house in the 80s. It transpired that he bought it from the family of the man I had met the previous week. As I showed him around his old home, myths I had created in my mind quickly morphed into the not-so-romantic-reality.

I had read that centuries ago, people in poor Welsh houses used rocks as furniture. I had therefore convinced myself that a stone jutting out of a wall at an annoying shin height (fondly known as the 'Cerys Seat' - named after my 3 year old niece who likes to sit on it) is a centuries old seat. I often pondered over the thought that in days gone by, many a Welsh bottom could have perched on that rock whilst chewing on a goat shank!

My visitor put me right. He had exposed the stone in the 1980s, while opening up a doorway in the thick stone wall!  :(

The Cerys Seat

I also assumed that a stone pond in our 'courtyard' was centuries old. I now discovered that it was made from the stones taken from said doorway. Pah!

Pond now housing plants

In raising a roof last year, an old beam was removed. In order to keep it on view, we re-used it to hold up the stairs and to minimise the bouncing of the upstairs floorboards. I told my visitor of this and he informed me that he had originally put the beam in the house and that it had originated from the old granite crushing building after it closed following the closure of the quarries. My myths, like the granite, were further crushed.

Apparently the neighbours also have a beam from the same crushing building.

And what of this 18 inch high milepost/tombstone lurking in the corner of the kitchen?

I forgot to ask! I'm free to dream. There is nobody here to tell me otherwise. My (very nice) visitor lives far away in Mexico and is unlikely to return for a very long time - if ever again!

Next blog - Another visit to the neighbours?

AN UNEXPECTED GUEST - Sept 2013

Possibly the last barbecue of the year, and Will discovered a new drinking partner!

Good things come to those who wait!! 

(Remember the advert?)

Next blog - Another unexpected guest

IS THE SUMMER OVER? - Aug/Sept 2013

Summer view of the cottage

There was a time many years ago as I waited for the school bus on those damp, misty September mornings with an Autumn chill in the air when it suddenly hit me in the pit of my stomach, that those hot, hazy Summer days were over. 

Then many years later, not quite so many years ago, as I drove to work on those damp, misty September mornings with an Autumn chill in the air, a huge blow in the pit of my stomach served to remind me that those hot, hazy Summer days were over. 

Despite never following football, I also remember a time when the start of the football season indicated that Summer had ended. That no longer seems to apply as football appears to only have a 2 week holiday :(

Now, here in Wales, overlooking the sea under blue skies, continuing to work outside in the garden, I feel a sense of Summer invincibility. It could go on forever - or at least a lot longer. But no - something hit me in the pit of my stomach . . 

. . . a pungent smell in the air. Goats! 

Face Off

Caught in the act - eating hawthorn

They must have cleared the mountains of vegetation and started to make their way back to the lowlands as is their lifestyle at the end of each Summer. As we had no Summer last year, they never went up the mountain. It's been great to have a goat-free garden for a few months. Now they're back with a vengeance, signifying the end of my hot, hazy Summer days and probably the end of life for many plants in my garden.

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So how have we spent our last few days of Summer?

Well . . . let's start with the obvious ...

. . . sheep chasing!


We've been studying beach life during walks. 

We spent the best part of a day trying to keep up with a 3 year old as she climbed 'our' mountain. Picking bilberries proved a great distraction . . . for me.

Sadly for me, she has put an end to me thinking of myself as a hero, for being able to climb it!

'We' have been shifting and relocating fences and gateposts. It's hard to admit to our age-related lack of strength and fitness, but hey, why worry when there are resources we can use on site? 

Enter big strong son and Beastie with a tow rope. 

Gizmo clearly thinks his hot, hazy Summer days are not over!

Next blog - An Unexpected Guest.