Big skies, big beach, big colours at Freshwater West today ...

 

 

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Pembrokeshire at its best.

What a wonderful, sunny, gorgeous day.

The only place to go was Freshwater West.

An absolutely fabulous, huge, wonderful beach; especially when the tide is out.

The sky was amazing, the beach was amazing.

I wish I knew more about geology.

The rock formations and colours are wonderful.

The different types of rocks, are so interesting.

We had a great walk in a wonderful place.

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Hope you had a super Saturday too.

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Ann x

Last pickings .....

Actually, we do still have some apples, carrots, beetroot and rhubarb left,

but this is the sum total of today's pickings.

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These Laxton Superb apples are delicious for cooking or eating.

We have the James Grieve left to pick. Not ready yet.

I couldn't even shake them off the tree!

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We had some of these autumn raspberries with yoghurt this evening,

but the rest are destined for a raspberry cheesecake I'm pleased to say!

There still seem to be loads left for picking next week.

They just go on for ever.

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These really are the last of the runner beans. Other Half pulled down

the trellis and these were all that were left.

Not many this year, mainly because of the weather.  Here's hoping to better next season.

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I was very pleased with my sunflowers, never having grown them before.

They grew to about 10ft tall - very minute after seeing photos of the chap with his 26ft plants!

However, I had left them to go to seed and the birds have already been

delving in to them as there were great spaces where they had already got some of the seeds out.

The rest of the heads have been put in bags in the garden shed to dry out,

 so the birds can have them later in the year.

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The evenings are drawing in, the light is softer, the curtains drawn earlier.

Autumn

A time of fruitfulness.

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Living here in West Wales, all our thoughts this week have been with the family of beautiful little April Jones.  We have visited Machynlleth several times and are not surprised

at the outpouring of love and help that the community has given to the family and friends.

We add our love and support too.

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Ann x

Oh Dear .....

Sorry, not a pretty sight, but it does get better.

The rain-soaked summer played havoc with all my lovely tomato plants.

Those I had lovingly nurtured from seed.

Especially my Tigerella plants!

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There were a few tomatoes that looked OK

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But these were all I managed to save (note one lonely Tigerella!)

I hope they will ripen eventually.

My friend made me green with envy today when she told me that all the plants

I had given to her were producing the most lovely fruit and the Tigerellas

especially were delicious!  GRRH! 

She is going to leave us some on the doorstep next time she passes!

 Luckily the apples are magnificent and we should have loads and loads.

The ones we have eaten so far are delicious.  James Grieves and Laxton's Superb.

 We did lose quite a few runner bean plants, but those that are left are doing their best!

Quite a few late flowering roses to try and cheer us up!

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Hoping for an Indian Summer.

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Ann x

Milford Haven

The plus side of visiting our dentist is that the practice is in Milford Haven.

I don't have to return for another six months and OH has to go in a fortnight for an x-ray.

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As the weather was glorious, what better than a stroll to look at the

magnificent waterway of the Milford Haven estuary and some of the enormous

tankers waiting to be filled at the refineries

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Then a leisurely walk alongside the Marina, with all the expensive-looking

yachts (I'm sure some of them only ever get moored, so that we can look at them

but don't go out to sea in case they get wet!!).

The leisurely walk includes checking out all the little shops alongside the

Marina promenade. Quite a few folk about in the autumn sunshine.

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Lots of masts, with their ropes 'singing' in the sea breeze. I love that sound.

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Finished off sitting in the sunshine with tea and cakes by the waterside.

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Hope you have had a lovely day too.

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Ann x

Ironman Wales 2012

We have been out watching the cycling part of Ironman Wales today. 

Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 miles cycling and after that a 26.2 marathon!

The start was at 7.00 am in Tenby when over 1600 contestants went in for the swim at Castle Beach.
After that they began their cycle which involved two laps coming through Wiseman's Bridge, where we went to watch and cheer them on.  Plenty of folk about clapping, cheering, ringing bells and clappers.  The St John Ambulance were on hand for medical support and were pretty busy.  We saw some riders go by with grazes on their faces and plasters on their arms, fairly soon after one  ambulance had raced by with its 'blues and twos' going.

How they can then go on to do a marathon as well defeats me.  But the first man home was Frenchman Sylvain Rota in a time of 8hrs 52mins 43secs round about 3.30 pm.  The last contestants will still be arriving at midnight!  Incidentally, there are male and female entrants and one of our local doctors has entered.  We shall be looking out for her. 

If you want to check it out Ironman Wales will have all the final results here.  Also 'Ironman Wales' and 'Love Pembrokeshire' have lots of photos on their Facebook page and will probably show the first female home when she arrives (not up yet as I am posting this). 

A good trip out, as our viewpoint was at the pub!  So sustenance was available.

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Ann x

(First female home : Regula Rohrbach of Switzerland in a time of 9hrs 45mins 09secs)
Fantastic! All of them - right down to the last one in. 
What amazing athletic prowess we have seen in recent weeks.
I love it!

Yesterday .....

..... we went to Laugharne, for a walk with friends.

Just the four of us on part of 'Dylan's Birthday Walk'. 

He wrote a poem about his birthday walk and you can take the same route as well.

We all enjoyed it in spite of the never ending mist and drizzle!

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Looking across you can see The Boathouse, Dylan's home on the right.

We had a brief lunch and then drove straight home.

The weather was appalling!!  Stair rods! Flooding! and strong wind!

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Only one answer after all that - a sauna.



We treated ourselves some years ago and it is a godsend when we arrive home cold and wet.

A friend came to join us and it was so cold we even had to put the heating on!

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To warm us up some more I picked some rhubarb and apples.

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Only one thing for it - rhubarb and apple crumble with some home made yoghurt

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The sun has just decided to come out today, so we are going for another walk.

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Hope you are keeping warm and dry this holiday weekend.

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Ann x

Been busy ...

Had grandchildren visiting this week so have been out and about

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Munchies with their dad on lovely Amroth Beach

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Lots of lovely pebbles to make towers

Missy Granddaughter made 15 small ones!

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 Master Grandson made a whopper!

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21 pebbles high!

Grandma Foreveryoung even went in for a swim, it was so warm for once.

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A visit to Manorbier Castle was very poplular.

Lots of rooms to visit.  Nooks, crannies, wells, dungeons and crypts.

Just the place to let the little ones loose.

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Lovely medieval windows.

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A visit to the new playground in Kilgetty proved popular too.

'I'm the King of the Castle!'

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They went home yesterday and it has poured with rain ever since!!

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Hope all your summer visitors are having a great time too.

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Ann x

Roses in the Rain

The last couple of days have been very wet, but I noticed that our roses

were revelling in it and looked very beautiful

with raindrops all over them.

I hope you enjoy them too.

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Ann x