After The Rain Came {and my first hill}

Hello Friends!

Though April showers may come your way
They bring the flowers that bloom in May
So if it's raining, have no regrets
Because it isn't raining rain, you know, (It's raining violets,)

It's been an odd April.  We've had hardly any rain, and most of us who garden have had to begin watering by watering can or hose in the last week or two.  It's also been bitterly cold for the time of year.  So, imagine the collective sigh of relief to sweep the country as we see rain in the forecast.  Truly, I never expected so many of us to be saying how happy we are to see rain at the end of April, surely normally the wettest month.

One morning, almost at the end of April, I awoke to that long awaited moment of blissful petrichor on the air.

The rain came in the night, silent, gentle and refreshing, yet not nearly enough but it's a start.  Although it's cold today, and I awoke early to a grey sky kind of day with scudding layers of clouds, the world is brighter, greener, slightly more lush and verdant, sparkling as it does only after fresh rainfall.

My return to walking begets more walking, and my desire to do so is growing daily now.  I have not been around my beloved, green valley since February of last year.  How my heart has missed it and my feet have yearned to tread those steps so familiar to me,  where my forebears also walked.  Although I never knew him, I always think of my Dadcu {grandfather} who walked this way many times daily, for he lived {with his daughter my Mum, and his wife my Nanna} in the grey stone house on the hill by the cemetery at one end of the valley, and he worked in the Cathedral at the other end of the valley.

As I began following the old, familiar way down, I turned to take a photo of some picturesque stone cottages

and the wall, opposite, covered in bluebells, white garlic flowers, valerian, and more

Just around the bend is Ty'r Pererin an old Victorian school, now a pilgrim visitor and education centre

I continued on my way, and suddenly I was more than half way down the hill, the point of no return ahead, for now the only way home is to turn around now, or go forward and up a hill.  Naturally, my planned route is the longest, steepest hill.  Decision time!

Onward, and downward I go.

The hill leading down to the valley

I have put it off, and put it off for one reason.  The hills.  Going down is not so bad, but coming up is another thing entirely! It's a long and steep climb from the river up to the Cross Square!  Still, with views like these, it has to be worth it; it has to be done, right?  I got this.

The bridge where my Dadcu would stop and light his cigarette,
before climbing up to his home on the hill.

The lichen smothering this tree looks like a fuzzy fluffy coat!

A lone dandelion clock!

I love mossy banks, covered stones and walls.  Here's one of my favourites 

How Green is My Valley?

Folk lore says that the higher up in the branches the rooks build their nests, the finer the coming summer will be.  I think we're in for a pretty fine summer from the height of these nests, don't you?  Any higher and they'd be out of tree!

Of course, no walk around my valley would be complete without a view or two of our magnificent mediaeval Cathedral.

and as I started my climb up the hill, I  paused for a moment where one of our greatest Welsh actors, Sir Anthony Hopkins, stood just a week before.  Congratulations, Sir Anthony, on your recent Best Actor Oscar {I like to think he picked Wales over Hollywood}

This is what he saw

If you ask me, that's a view that beats anything you'd see in LaLaLand.  Maybe I'm a little bit {a lot} biased.

I got there just in time to catch the Call to Worship bells ring out to bring the faithful to Wednesday morning worship, but had no idea how much the wind was battering me until I played it back!  {hope it works, if not I've shared to Twitter and Instagram}

You know it's cold out when you come home and wash your hands {Hands; Face; Space washing of hands} and as you run the cold water through, your hands are so cold that the cold water feels warm.  I should have worn gloves, but they hamper my photography.

Until next time

Stay Safe, Stay Well

Meanwhile, A Trip to the Tip!

Hello Friends!

Goodness, it's been three weeks, most of which have been utterly glorious Summery weather, since I last wrote. If we have had the odd rainy day then it's gone mostly unnoticed, blanketed by blue skies and warm sunshine, and lazy ocean breezes billowing gently across sun baked hay meadows and ripening corn fields.

Welcome to my new followers! Thank you, and I am thrilled you now follow my ramblings.

I have a little news to share!  I started a new job on July 1st, and this is the reason why I haven't written an entry here for a short while.  I applied and interviewed in June, and shortly after was told I was the successful candidate! Yay Me!!!  It's part time, and that suits me well right now. It's taking a little getting used to, but I do love it.  My official title is Retail Assistant, but it also involves giving out a lot of information on the area to tourists and visitors who are looking for things to do, places to visit, and general things that all tourists need help with. I love helping people, and I simply love it!  Oh, it's with the National Trust, by the way. Many of you will know I am a huge fan of the National Trust, and I know many of you share my passion, so I am doubly happy to have got this job.  I am so grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to work for them.

So, today is a day off and when my lovely neighbour asked if I would like to go to the "tip" with her, I jumped at the chance.  Those of you who know me well know that I can get a little excited over a trip to the tip {officially, it's the Civic Amenity and Recycling Centre} as it brings back such happy memories of going there with my Dad when we had rubbish to take for recycling, and we would always route around to see if there was someone else's unwanted treasure that we could use. I've always been a recycler long before it was fashionable, you see.  Off we went to take away her garden waste, and I could not resist taking photos of all the flowers growing around the centre, they are such a haven for wildlife!  Here are a few.

There was a huge bank of Convolvulus and the pristine white flowers were simply gigantic! It has many names, including bindweed and morning glory, but is generally considered the bane of gardeners and farmers alike as it chokes out everything in its creeping path.  Did you know there are over 1,650 species of Convolvulus?  Neither did I.  I think it is a very beautiful plant.

A hedge full of all sorts of wild flowers, and some that may have seeded from the nearby composting centre

I love umbelliferous plants of any kind. Their flower and seed heads make my heart go pitter patter and the birds will feed happily for many weeks to come.

Teasels in a tiny patch by some giant concrete monoliths. Loved by goldfinches particularly, and also by me to put in dried arrangements for Autumn decorating.

I think this one is having a 1980's style aerobic workout!

Another umbel gone to seed

Such a pretty colour on the sorrel plant. As a child, I would pull all the seeds off in my hand and scatter them like confetti as I walked the country byways with my Nanna. Little did I know my sweet game was spreading the seeds far and wide!

Buddleias abounded everywhere! Butterflies will be in abundance when the sun comes out, for sure.

One of the fun things is finding new treasures from the discarded items others have brought to recycle, and today I found these two, tiny cut glass bowls. I think they may be salt cellars, but whatever they are, they are pretty, vintage pieces that I am happy to give a new home.

Uh oh! As we approach the junction back on to the main road, we suddenly discover we will be stuck behind a tractor pulling a trailer full of hay bales. The joys of Summer in the country!

Soon enough, though, he turns into the farm lane and once again we are on our way!

So, I hope you enjoyed your little trip to the tip!  I am gathering material for more gardening entries, but you will have to bear with me as I adjust to working and I settle down into my new routine.

Until next time
Deborah xo

When The Rains Stopped

Hello Friends!

Well, it rained; and it rained; and it rained; and it rained. Then it rained some more, but this morning after what seemed a monsoon season long wet weather system, and certainly not anything like June is supposed to be, I awoke to glorious sunshine peeping through my curtains from a bright world rejoicing as the sun glinted and danced around the pristine, freshly washed land.

Today is so beautiful; the temperature is pleasantly warm; the breeze is as gentle as a butterfly's wings beating; the sky is oh! so blue behind the cotton puffed sky; the sea is calm and gently laps the shore.

I had to get out of my cottage. After days of being stuck indoors while the deluge deluged down from above Cabin Fever was setting in. Off I set, turning left at the bottom of the road, and off into the byways and country paths that surround my cottage I strode.

Like Bilbo Baggins, I went out of my front door on an adventure.

A Hobbit walking song is a good idea!

Still round the corner there may wait

A new road or a secret gate,

And though we pass them by today,

Tomorrow we may come this way

And take the hidden paths that run

Towards the Moon or to the Sun.

taken from one of JRR Tolkien's poems.

I have not been out on the coast path for a few years, and this morning when I set out it was not my intention to do so as I went walking past horses and cows in the meadows 

with the music of the wild to accompany me as I sought out butterflies and bees going about their business, making honey while the sun shines brightly

Fox Moth

Painted Lady

I have tried to correctly identify, but if you know better, please leave a note in the comments!

On I wandered, following the road as it meandered through the fields, as it narrowed, and passing by some tempting little paths that I mark to return another day

So on and on I went, eventually arriving at the coast. Oh! how magnificent it looked this morning in the pre midday rising sun!

The sea so blue, so calm; the sky so big, so bold, so blue, so puffy cloud strewn and bright! The land in countless shades of green and cliffs in many hues of richest brown.  Clear as the eye can see to the wide, adventurous horizon.

Does it matter which way you turn, which way you look? I don't think it does, do you? It is all majestic in it's splendour.  I stood, I turned, I drank deep draughts of salt sea air, fresh and cool, refreshing, restoring, traveling deep into my being.

The tide is low, far out, and rock pools and caves exposed, for we are on a big Spring Tide cycle right now. How fun to explore the shallows and the nooks and crannies along the rocky shore?

I have seen many repurposing uses for the old GPO red telephone boxes, but this one is a new use to me! A doggie comfort station! How quaint; how sweet; how thoughtful indeed!

Returning to the village, I see yet another view to make me gasp, out across the Cross Square, over the rolling meadows where sheep do safely graze, and away to the vast and distant ocean.

Oh, I took many, many more photos, but they are keeping for another day!

Until next time
Deborah xo

A Strange and Intriguing Foxglove

Hello Friends!

I was out for an afternoon walk today when I came across a most intriguing looking foxglove. It was not of the usual native foxglove ilk, with long and slender stems, bolt upright with a gently curving top, and the stem dotted with the familiar, pink gloves at intervals, nor did it have that bare space at the bottom where the early flowers have withered to produce the ripening green seed heads. No, this one was quite different indeed.

This picture of a group of foxgloves is of the sort with which I am more familiar.

See how the little gloves are spaced out, and tend to be more to one side of the stem?  Well, imagine my surprise to find this chunky, almost formidable, quite frightening looking beast nearby!

Whether it is because they are so tightly packed or not, the gloves do not seem to have that same elongated, elegant appearance of the more usual foxglove, appearing much stubbier in shape.

Now, it doesn't matter which angle I snapped it from, the gloves are tightly packed and wrapped completely around the stem. You can just see a tiny piece of stem at the very bottom of the plant.

Not only that, but just look at those vicious looking flowers yet to open at the top of the stem! Why, they look like tiny alien babies, with gaping maws and horrible yellow teeth. I have never seen so many anthers, or the like of this, before.

I think if I were a bee, I would fly quickly in the opposite direction!

Even my favourite foxglove shot shows what appear to be extra stamens inside.

Here is a picture I took several days ago of a more typical foxglove, and the inside is quite different to the Beast.  It is more how I expect a foxglove to look. Sweetly charming, soft, and ready to fit gracefully onto the paws of a fox.  I always think the flowers would make darling little hats for pixies, elves, and fairy folk.

In my curiosity this afternoon I have Googled images of foxgloves and my only conclusion is that this frightening looking beast may be a hybrid cross between some of the more specialised cultivated varieties and a native wild species. What do you think? I will be interested to know if any of you, especially in the UK, have seen anything like this before.

Until next time
Deborah xo