National Botanic Garden of Wales

We had a lovely visit to Wales'

National Botanic Gardens last week.

Just before the rains came.

Have a small look round with us.

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We had not been for a very long time.

The walled gardens and hot houses were superb.

Couldn't photograph in the hot house because everything misted up!

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As well as all the flowers, vegetables, and helpful and chatty gardeners,

there are superb views over Carmarthenshire.

The courtyard cafe has tasty food which we ate in the very hot sun!

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A worthwhile day out if you are visiting Wales.

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Ann x

A few days away .....

We took ourselves off for a couple of days.

First via Abergavenny during market day.

Then to the Black Country Museum in Dudley

and finally back via Aberglasney Gardens.

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Lots of pictures taken for you to scroll through

Hope you enjoy them.

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Never seen pigs flying before!!

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 Abergavenny town centre

Then onwards to Dudley for the Black Country Museum.

 I really fancied this 'yellow peril'.

We were told she had done the London to Brighton Run

 Not been in a red bus for a while.

Then it was round all the little houses

They had all been specially moved to the museum brick by brick

A lovely fireplace in the 'front room' 

Our scullery in North London had one of these coppers in the corner.

I grew up in Clapton during WW2. I don't remember my mother ever

using the copper for her washing though! 

The chemist's store 

The hardware store.

The range of goods to see was astonishing and would fetch a fortune at auctions.

Piles and piles of galvanised buckets, baths and pails

and lots of wonderful kitchenalia including the Tala measuring jug still in use today!

Another kitchen/outhouse, reminiscent of my childhood

My maternal grandmother had a similar mangle in her scullery. 

The above chain-making area was used during the filming of Peaky Blinders.

Last sight of the bus which gave tours round the grounds.

 Then to the beautiful Aberglasney Gardens, Carmarthenshire.

Ending with tea and cake!

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Ann x

Not seen every day .....

Saw this the other day

and thought it

made a change from walking the dog!

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We don't have a dog

so this was an unusual sight!

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Ann x

How not to grow carrots!!!

When you sow your carrot seeds,

high off the ground,

so the carrot fly cannot find them!

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Remember not to sow them too close together!

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Or this may be the result.

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They were very tasty in a salad though.

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Ann x

Jelly fish etc ....

I'm sure you have all heard about the large amount of jelly fish that are coming ashore.

We have had quite a few here in West Wales

as I found out this morning when I was having a paddle in the sea at Wiseman's Bridge!

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When I turned round, there they were - or rather their bodies!

Most remarkable creatures.  I think they are the Barrell jellyfish.

They don't feel slimy, but are remarkably like very dense rubber.

I found them fascinating.

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Some of their lovely colours shining in the sun

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Glistening in the outgoing tide.

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Then I walked through the tunnels to Coppet Hall

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I'm pleased the flash shows exactly how the tunnel was hewn out.

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When I got to Coppet Hall there was an even larger jelly fish to be seen.

The little girl was fascinated and kept running around it.

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It was a beautiful hot morning and there were plenty of sunbathers

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And swimmers

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Afterwards we had some fine dining at the Wiseman's Bridge Inn!

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This fellow helped himself to as much as possible before being dismissed!!

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Hope you are having good weather too.

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Ann x

Fit to be on the Road! ...

I think I've told you that I am a member of the IAM,

the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

My card tells me that I have been a member for 'over 24 years',

no-one was more surprised than me when I read that.

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Anyway, when I was 70 I belonged to the Group in Carmarthen and had

a driving assessment to make sure my driving was still OK

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Seven years later I thought I should do the same again!

So off I went this morning, to meet the Chairman of the Group for him to

check me out.  We were out for over an hour and went down every type of

road and lane, wide and narrow, z-bends everywhere, huge, horrible

roundabouts and dual carriageways, busy roads, busy lanes and empty,

quiet bye-ways, going past castles, fields full of sheep and cattle

and finishing in the middle of the town at full-on prime-time

shopping in a supermarket car-park!

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Verdict - all very good. Good anticipation and awareness.

A bit slow perhaps on some of the windy roads, (which, incidentally, 

I had never been on before) and I was just over speed once in a 30 mph area.

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Not bad for an old one!  So I am very pleased and will keep it up as long as I can.

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I really believe we should all be aware that as we age our perceptions

of things is sure to alter and that may be doubly so while we are driving.

So please make sure that you keep an eye on your own driving as well as

those nearest to you who may think they are doing better than they really are as they age.

If you would like an assessment just contact the IAM at www.iam.org.uk and they will send you 

a form and information of your nearest local Group where you can be checked.

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After feeling very pleased with myself, we went into town for some lunch and 

a look around.  Quite a treat as we don't get to the 'big shops' very often.

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Got some lovely tomato plants in the local market.  Some cherry tomatoes

which I haven't tried before and also some MoneyMaker which always do well.

Re-potted them this evening and got the outside bed ready for when

they can be planted out properly.

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Then we have just sat down to watch 'Gently'!

What a good day.

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Hope you've had a good day too.

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Ann x

We wondered what it was!

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When we found this plant in the garden we wondered what it was!

It looked like a dandelion, but it obviously isn't.

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It is a miniature daffodil  called

Rip Van Winkle!

Isn't that lovely!

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I'm sure lots of you knew that anyway, but we had never seen one.

We have Tete a Tete and some other small daffodils

So Rip Van Winkle is a welcome addition to our garden.

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Ann x