Sunday 30 October 2011

An Extra Hour .....

In which to contemplate recent walks .....

Miners Walk and Kilgetty Woods
It had been very wet and I planned a 'Berry' nice walk in the mist and rain,
But the sun came out and we followed the Begelly/Kilgetty Miner's Walk, starting with the railway bridge over the main line to Carmarthen, Swansea and Cardiff.

Because of the rain it was very lush and green everywhere.
With beautiful views across the valley towards Kilgetty Farm.
Past little waterfalls
Raindrops.
Autumnal bracken
Then we got lost for a bit ...
But found the bridge by the footpath eventually
Which led us through the woods and out in to the village of Kilgetty
~
then we went to ...
Little Haven ...
Little Haven Beach, looking across St Bride's Bay
Spectacular scenery
Wonderful warm, sunny weather
Lunch at the St Brides Inn (formerly St Brides Hotel)

With its own well - inside the bar! ....
The water was crystal clear and was very good.
Being a seaside hostelry, we chose fish soup and 'pint of prawns' for our lunches.
An excellent place to visit if you are ever in Little Haven.
~
Hope you have had a lovely weekend and used your extra hour well.
~
Ann x

Friday 21 October 2011

Strolling Round Tenby - A Few Different Views

What better way to start our Strollers walk than a rainbow behind the car park.
~
Nine of us set off from the North Beach car park, getting this stunning,
if overcast, view from the other side of the beach.
This is the beach from which the recent Ironman Wales contestants started their swim from at 7.00 am!
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This is the view from a very lovely gardens which I had not found before.
Lots of seats to sit and contemplate the colourful houses.
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The covers are over some of the Caldey ferry boats that are now laid up for the winter. One of the walkers told me that she lived for six months in that gorgeous blue house in the corner of the harbour. She loved every minute and said that if it was a rough night she would open the window of her dining room (the one above the black doors), so that sea spray would come through on to her dinner guests! She only had to put her wellies on once in order to paddle out of her front door when the tides were at their highest.
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A deserted Town and South Beach, now that all the visitors have gone.
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An interesting door knocker as we went through the town.
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Another walker took us to this 'secret garden and duck pond' which none of the locals knew about. It is fiercely guarded by the nearby residents and we were indeed closely watched all the time that we were there.
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We spied this bird in a nearby tree and none of us could identify it.
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When I managed to enlarge it on the computer I believe it to be a mistle thrush, but never having seen one before I am not sure.
It certainly looks like one from the pictures in our bird book.
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These photos were unfortunately taken against the light and from quite far away.
The enlargement has been done on the computer, hence the lack of detail.
If anyone can identify the bird for us walkers we would be delighted.
~
Have a great weekend.
~
Ann x
(Please click on any of the above photos to get a much better view, especially the bird to help me identify it. Thanks )

Thursday 20 October 2011

Autumn Magic

Another of our favourite walks from Stepaside to Wiseman's Bridge was quite magical at the weekend.
Out in the warm sunshine, tramping through the leaves, listening to the birds.
Passing other, cheerful walkers with their dogs.
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Tall pine trees line the lane.
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Bridleway covered in autumn leaves.
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Gently trickling stream with dappled sunlight on the tree trunks.
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Fruits of autumn.
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Blue skies far above the trees.
Repairing our souls in readiness for the winter to come.
~
Ann x

Sunday 16 October 2011

Autumn Sunday...

The sunshine shining on the changing colours of the leaves.
First signs of autumn in our garden today.
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Still some colour remaining in the hydrangea.
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The teazels are ready to brush your velvet with!!
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Raindrop-catching nasturtiums shining at us.
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Lupin seed preparing themselves for another year.
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Our red cabbage ready to pick. The first time we have grown them.
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A last, lonely autumn raspberry.
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Windfalls
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The last sorry-looking tomatoes.
Very disappointed with my tomatoes this year. Had 6 plants, but most of the fruit just went black and were completely inedible. After my great success last year (in a different greenhouse) I was not very happy, so will have to think anew for next season.
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Signs of new growth already appearing in the lavender.
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Other Half's begonias just keep on flowering and flowering. They continue in to winter and keep up a cheerful batch of colour by the drab garage.
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We spent the morning, cutting down, pruning, digging up, clearing up and sweeping up.
Hope you have had a happy autumn Sunday.
~
Ann x

Friday 14 October 2011

Relief ...


"What a Difference a Day Makes" sung by Dinah Washington- the first choice of music on Desert Island Discs this morning.
~
A very appropriate song for me this morning. Yesterday I was not in a happy place, worrying so much about my appointment with the consultant this morning. However, last night a phone call from the hospital to say that my results were mostly 'benign', that word you only wish to hear! Therefore, I do not have to make the hour long journey to Llanelli today. Apparently I will have to go again, as they still wish to investigate further the biopsy results they took last week.
~
The relief is palpable. I am a changed person. My Other Half says that I have 'come back to him' after being in whatever place I was being dark and unhappy. I had not even realised it myself until I literally suddenly felt the change and noted I had a smile on my face and was singing along with Dinah Washington.
~
Ann x

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Family History

I have done such a pleasurable thing today.
Uploaded photos of my Mum and Dad on their wedding day on to my Family History Tree.
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Dad aged 29 years old.
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Mum aged 29 years old.
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Rowland Palmer Rous and Doris Winifred May Scroggs
Married on 17th August 1935
in Stoke Newington, London
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Don't they look young, serene and beautiful?
I was even able to fit into that wonderful lace wedding dress when I was about 16!
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I still have the artificial coronet of apple blossom that she wore.
Her rosebuds were yellow and they have been tinted yellow in one of their sepia photographs.
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Was your parents' wedding day as beautiful - of course it was.
~
Ann x