Cookery

The camera has hardly been in use since our holiday so here's one of a balloon floating over the Towy valley. I noticed that when I was away from my cookery books, my culinary imagination was paralysed. I couldn't remember any of the interesting veggie meals I make at home and had to revert to English auto pilot of meat and two veg. Early memories must get really ingrained and even though we might bury them under later sophistication, they pop up when we don't have our props.

We have finished our latest village newsletter and it is ready for distribution. Rather a rush job this time as our friendly printer went on holiday so we had to prepare it before. Since then HoF has been to visit Miss P and I had a pleasant two days alone. Not that I'd like to be permanently alone but for just two days it is quite nice to only have one agenda. Today I took an elderly friend to the Hat Shop, a favourite eatery and who should come peeping through the window but HoF, just returned! Dreary weather today, so a well-timed outing. When the weather improves I will be out picking plums and clearing the veg patch for spinach and green manuring.

Bethlehem

For the last two days of our break we stayed at Bethlehem. Yes, really. A tiny dot on the South Wales map, which enabled me to visit two gardens.The first was the National Botanical Garden of Wales. An enormous place, worth an all day visit and plenty of stamina. Set out in a logical way as becomes the title but not all that photogenic. Well worth a repeat visit, though.

The second was Aberglasney where house and garden have been brought back from decades of ruin and neglect. This was very photogenic and also worth another visit. I'm looking for inspiration for our front garden which will need something doing one day before the conifers completely smother or demolish the retaining wall. Any suggestions?

We were the only van on the site and did wonder if it had ever been visitied before. The grass was long and HoF was worried about the car's catalytic whatsit setting fire to the field. The water was almost worth a car drive to obtain from the farmyard and wasn't in the cleanest of settings. But it was rather nice being on our own and in such an unspoilt spot. It was in the vicinity of Llandeilo which is a stop on the Heart of Wales two-carriage line so we might revsit that way one day. Perhaps when you come to stay?

Now we are home I am rather at a loose end. When one's on holiday it's OK to play all day but now I need some 'work' to justify my ''idle' moments. And it isn't lack of things to do as much as umph to do them. And decisiveness over where to start.

The Gower

Just back from six nights in three locations in South Wales. We started of at Usk, an attractive, floral town and then the Satnav took us a rather hair-raising journey, towing, down narrow lanes amongst giant tree roots, up onto a common with an amazing view, then across the valleys and down to The Gower. Somewhere we'd heard of but never been. We arrived there with some good weather.

I was reading Wesley's Journal at the time ( thanks, Mike) and was delighted to find this little cottage in Oxwich with a plaque saying this is where he had lodged and preached. I was impressed with the Journal and with the amazing amount of travelling he did, thousands of miles a year on horseback.

This was the view from the hill above the site on our last morning. Wild horses, sand and sea.

Summer - such as it is

We have been away for a few days in the caravan. Stayed two nights at The Quinta where our son once travelled to do the accounts. Had a sunny day in Llangollen and went on a steam train bringing back memories of childhood train travel.


We moved on to Ruthin where the weather was not so good but what a lovely little town. Just so happened it had a record office so of course I had to do a bit of sleuthing. What better way to spend a wet holiday. Thomas Jones who went to America in 1855 had a sister living in this area. I like to imagine he stopped on his way to catch the boat at Liverpool.

Denbigh Castle. Not such a pretty town as Ruthin but a cafe called The Glass Onion was good and had home-made as opposed to home-cooked food. We differ when it comes to eateries and almost decided to patronise different establishments. HoF thinks it's Just Food whereas I want An Experience at the same time, well occasionally anyway. He says my own cooking is so good that I'm not easily satisfied. I suppose that's a compliment.

And when the skies cleared that evening we managed a walk along a section of Offa's Dyke with 360 deg views. The same hills we could see from our caravan parked below. Must dash, just off to a few days in South Wales now.