Snow on Snowdon.

Beautiful blue skies and plenty of sun to lift the spirits today but cold with the promise of getting even colder in the next few days. It wasn't too surprising to see snow on the mountains in the morning but most had gone by the afternoon.

It would be so easy to keep opting for long lie-ins and lazy days watching the sea but fortunately my self imposed schedule gives me that extra motivation to get on with things. And once I've made that initial effort I really enjoy myself whereas if I just stayed at home I'd start getting miserable and cross with myself for living an unhealthy lifestyle. It's always easier when the sun is shining but even when it isn't being outside and appreciating nature makes me feels good. There may come a time when I'm less able to be so active but for now I'll enjoy what I have.

I wasn't enthusiastic enough to cycle to the zoo but took the car instead. There I was able to work in the sun weeding various flower beds. It got warm enough that I was going to take off my yellow workman's coat but didn't as it gives good protection when I'm scrabbling around established bushes. Even so I got whipped across the face a few times and added one more scratch to the collection. I removed a lot of bamboo from one bed and took it to the two billy goats who really enjoyed it. For billy goats they don't smell too bad, I have known some that had eye watering aromas. Later as I walked round to see what needs doing next week (maybe the buddelias) I came across the pigs, all three of them stretched out sleeping in the sun. Rodney the boar must have been having a good dream 'cos every now and again he'd make a happy little grunt.

When I got home the air was so clear I knew I stood a good chance of getting a decent photo of Mount Snowdon if I went up the cliff to the war memorial.

Up I went, making it all the way to the top without stopping and sure enough I could make out the snowy peak of Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) emerging above the Llyn Penninsula. I checked the distance on a map when I got home and it's over 40 miles to the peak as the crow or should I say, seagull flies. 

After my little jaunt up the hill I returned to our Welsh homework and by stopping the recording every few words I was able to write down what I thought they were saying. When I checked the notes I found I was pretty close to the correct spellings and I've been able to translate quite a bit so far without resorting to the course book or Google translate. I still find it very hard to understand the spoken conversation but there is some progress. To finish I had a bit more of a sort out of the cardboard boxes in the hall as it's recycling day tomorrow.

All too soon it was time to walk down to the hall for Pilates. Like last week we finished off with a quarter of an hour of relaxation. Lying under the warmth of the giant heater hanging from the ceiling and following our teacher's voice almost sent me to sleep and a few others too I imagine. The brisk walk home through the chill air soon woke me up. It was a lovely walk with the high tide booming on the shore and still a hint of orange in the sky shading through turquoise to navy blue with Venus and Jupiter shining brightly in the darkest part of the sky.

Looking inland (eastwards).

 

Cold and Wet.

The day began not too cold with enough wind to make it worth hanging out some washing. Out to sea the clouds were white and fluffy but as they blew towards us picking up moisture from the sea they turned darker until inland they were steely grey. Later on we had the rain too and the temperature plummeted. I see that the forecast mentions snow again on the higher ground here. If it gets icy I'll be staying home thankful for our heating.

I had planned a relaxed day which I've had, more or less. I've started making measurements and plans for the bookshelves all along the hall wall. Peter wants to check the boxes to see how many books we still have and to clear the way I slid the very large boxes containg the new bathroom sink unit and the damaged one, into the bathroom. I've been looking at shelf brackets and as soon as we finalise the plans we'll order up the materials and can start on the shelves.

Other things achieved have been piano practise and an initial listen to a conversation in Welsh which was this week's homework. Right now I can't make head nor tail of it apart from working out that one person has the 'flu. Not hard when the Welsh word is also 'flu. I'll have to keep listening and then try and write it all down. It might make sense that way.

Now for a few more photos from yesterday.

Lichen and moss were growing everwhere.

One of the many dormice boxes on the trees. We looked and the entrance hole is on the side next to the tree. There's just enough room for a fat dormouse to squeeze in and I guess it stops birds from using them as nest boxes.

Some pretty Welsh mountain ponies with the dished faces typical of the breed.

 

Watch Out For Ghosts.

A cold grey day with rain later in the afternoon.

I'm always happy when I wake reasonably early and can get things done before breafast as was the case today. That included putting washing in the machine, Duo Lingo and washing the front windows after a fly-by seagull attack. That was followed by a leisurely breakfast listening to The Archers and then getting my things organised for the walk.

This afternoon's walk was through the nature reserve at Clettwr [kleh-tur] about 15 minutes drive away. No wide gravelled paths this time but narrow trails carpeted with bronze oak leaves hiding thick tree roots waiting to trip up the unwary.

The nature reserve is a very deep and steep wooded valley where we followed the path of the tumbling stream which once powered a water mill. In these days of rapidly rising energy costs it might be economical, and a lot greener to re-introduce water wheels or turbines to generate power for local use. (I suspect I may have said this before.)

The original plan had been to walk along the right-hand side of the stream but our way was blocked by a sign warning of ghosts so we went over the bridge and walked along on the left-hand side instead.

Lots of small waterfalls along the way and a few pools that looked as if you could take a dip in them if you didn't mind the cold.

Our path became steeper and narrower until we were squeezing between the young trees which were quite handy to hold onto to avoid falling down the steep slope by our side.

Eventually we came to point where we had to clamber over fallen trees and then the path was completly blocked so we back tracked until there was enough room for us to perch on the path to eat our lunch.

After our stop we followed the stream back for a while then turned up a steep track that took us high up the side of the valley,

and eventually out through a field. As it had begun to rain by this time we were grateful that it was only a quick walk down a narrow lane back to Clettwr.

I put my feet up once I got home though I don't think we walked very far, maybe 3 miles. However it was good to be out in the fresh air walking with friends. And no ghosts were seen on the walk. Maybe they only come out at night.

 

Shelves Done.

Another cold, grey day.

But I didn't mind because at last the alcove shelves are finished,

and filled with a random selection of books from the first boxes I opened. I thought I wouldn't have too much to do today but when I opened the box of records I found they all needed cleaning. I think most of the dust had got into the box here but to tell the truth I don't ever recall cleaning the record covers and most of them go back over 45 years. It took a long time (hours!) to clean all the covers and then my inner librarian took over and I shelved them in categories and then all the classical and more modern records were put in alphabetical order. So now The Incredible String Band sits next to James Taylor and Jethro Tull. So many memories resurfaced as I went through those records. Luckily the boxes of books had been sealed shut and the books were in good condition. There's half a shelf of children's books, some of which go back to my childhood, others were the boys' and the rest tried and tested crowd pleasers from my days as a supply teacher. I had hoped to be reading those to small children here but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. The rest of the shelves are mostly filled with LOTR books and books on Roman history. On the floor underneath the shelves are two spare tiles for the blue loo. Although the tiles were not that expensive the delivery charge was horrendous so I bought a couple of extra tiles. Those two tiles aren't fixed to the floor and could easily be taken up to be used in an emergency.

This is the only photo I have of the original cupboard taken on the day we came to view when the house clearance man was sorting through stuff. I think it was too dated for me to ever want to have a proper photo of it.

And late in the afternoon this was my treat of a billionaire's brownie from Pwdin. I was going to chill out with something mindless on tv but when I turned on the tv Mozart's clarinet concerto was playing on Classic FM. Not the usual extract but the whole thing and I've never been able to turn it off. It's got to be my favourite piece of classical music as hearing it takes me back over 30 years when we took the boys on our annual holiday at the beach in North Devon. I would play a tape of this while Peter went running with the dogs and the boys played outside in the sand. While I cleaned the kitchen after breakfast I'd hand the boys toast through the window and then we'd all head down for a day on the beach. Those were the days.

 

Chilly.

A cold and clammy day today.

After breakfast I drove to town to do the usual round of Lidl, Morrisons and then the main shopping street- North Parade. At Morrisons I see that they have begun stocking the covered 'garden centre' and was tempted to go and look through the clematis varieties. But it's too cold to be planting out yet and I want to see which of the many climbers I planted last year survived the winter. At the moment there are plenty of leaves on the honeysuckles and there are leaves appearing on some of the clematis. One of the ones I planted two years ago also has what look suspiciously like flower buds so I hope we don't get a cold spell. Everything else looks either dormant or dead, only time will tell.

I gave the shelves a coat of paint before breakfast and a second one in the afternoon. Just one last coat to do and we can start emptying out a few boxes. Hooray!

The sea was flat in the morning but this afternoon heavy swell began rolling in. A sure sign of bad weather out to sea. The surfers appeared and waited for the swell to develop into surfable waves but they were out of luck. Only a chap in a kayak had some fun paddling over the rolling sea.

One reason for going into town was to collect a frame I'd ordered for the print I'd given Peter for Christmas. I've named the picture 'Two Old Birds Having a Morning Stretch', just like us waking up in the mornings. Another stop was at Pwdin to speak Welsh while I bought one of their very special brownies. Our extensive work on describing the weather also came in useful and I managed to understand most of the conversation. The brownie is to celebrate the completion of the shelves so I haven't had any of it yet. 

 

Blue Skies.

A real change in the view today with pastel shades in the morning turning later to tropical blues.

It was so good to see that the sun has finally reached our north facing garden. However I still have lots to do for my house blitz before I can devote all my days to being outside. The alcove shelves had another coat of paint and are now in place. All the gaps due to the uneven walls have been filled in since although the current plan is to put books on those shelves so most of the gaps woud be out of sight I like to do a job properly. You never know, I might want to use them as display sheves rather than book shelves in the future.

The middle part of the day was taken up with our Zoom class. Before we began the lesson our tutor spoke about the National Eisteddfod which I'm ashamed to say I didn't know very much about. I knew it had competitions for Welsh poetry and song but that was it. In fact it is a festival and celebration with over a thousand different competitons/classes in every aspect of Welsh culture. There are also exhibitions, displays, crafts and music of every genre. She also told us about the Eisteddfod Urdd, the young people's/chirdren's event. Heats for all the performance competitions are held in schools then at a regional level and finally there is national festival which this year may be held at Mach.

It seems to be non stop building work up here with a constant stream of builders' vans and delivery vehicles. Not surprising when so many of the houses are either holiday or retirement homes for people who have enough money for home improvements. That's one reason why it's so hard to get builders to come and work but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the bathroom might get done by the summer.

 

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus

Happy St David's Day. 

St David is the patron saint of Wales who died on the 1st of March 589.

Today has been wintry and cold with a few light showers in the morning turning to steadier rain in the afternoon.

First thing this morning we were surpised by the arrival of one of our builders and his lads. (He sent a text yesterday evening but Peter hadn't checked his phone.) They had come to re-do the gutter on the street side of the house. When they replaced all the gutters none of us realised that only one of the two downpipes went into the drains with the other going into a soakaway. Naturally I picked the wrong one and I'm sure that so much water in the ground has contributed to the damp problem at that corner of the house. Now the majority of the water will go into the drains and the water from the other down pipe will feed a garden water butt.  While all this was going on the council man came and replaced the sign post - sigh!

I didn't go to the zoo this morning because my back was sore after last night and also I like to be here when the builders are working. What I did do was paint two more coats on the walls of the alcove and carry on with the crochet now that I've more or less sorted out how to do the design. Just enough time now for a voice warm-up and then I'll be off to choir.