Mach Monday.

It took a while for the sun to break through the morning haze. Later in the day when we returned from a sunny and very warm Mach the haze lingered under a blue sky giving a distinct chill to the air.

When we got to Mach this morning because I was wearing a bodywarmer and had thrown my phone and purse in with my Welsh books and course folder I found that I didn't have any glasses with me. As I only need cheap over the counter glasses I have numerous pairs. A pair in each jacket and one in each of my three handbags. This was a potential disaster as I would have struggled to read anything in the library. Fortunately I also keep a pair in the car so I quickly went back to the car park to get them. To be on the safe side I've now put a pair of glasses in the bag that I use for my course folder.

We had our usual useful session. Anne had brought along copies of a crossword from a magazine for learners which we had fun doing. Much use of dictionaries and Google translate for both the clues and the answers. Now we know that 'swallowed a mule' is the phrase used to indicate 'sulk'. We went through the rest of the unit we are currently working on in class and there was much laughter when after carefully translating a list of questions illustrating the use of  'sy wedi bod' (who has been) I eventually noticed that the translations were written right next to them. In general we laugh a lot anyway.

 

I had hoped to be basking in sun at home but it felt cool even in the sun. I spent some time using a bottle brush to remove blanket weed from the pond checking carefully for water snails. There were some tiny water snails, about the size of a mustard seed, which shows that the snails, either this year's or last year's are breeding which is good news. Then back inside I came to do more sorting in the utility room. 

A few more photos from yesterday.

Not zoomed in! This friendly Section C Welsh pony put his face right up to the camera.

(Below) One of his field companions. All around were more ponies, all trace clipped, in fields sectioned off with white tape electric fencing. 

Earlier, by the ruined cottages I'd looked down and seen a strange black bird in a paddock next to a property and then some others of different colours. I'd only seen the usual spotted grey guinea fowl before so it took an on-line search to find out they come in a variety of colours from black through to very light grey. There were chickens in the same field in a fully enclosed coop as per the avian flu restrictions and these free roaming Guinea fowl should also have been enclosed to prevent contact with wild birds. Tut, tut. 

Common dog violets. I've been calling them wood violets and wondered if that was just me but having looked them up I see that they go by either name. No scent unlike sweet violets.