March 12 Aberglasney Gardens, Bonsai Group March 12, 2023

No Walking Well photos this post as I didn’t go! The walk was in Upper Brynamman, the other side of the mountain that we look out on. It would have been a special walk but to get there meant driving across the mountain and there was snow on that there mountain so I decided to be sensible (!) and go shopping in the Coop instead!!

I’m so pleased I did as I met a number of shoppers and had some lovely chats especially with one particular shopper!

The weather has truly been up and down or should I say snowy and sunny!

Aberglasney were hosting the Bonsai annual exhibition which proved very popular with visitors and me!

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The Gardens are looking beautiful in the early spring with lots of exciting additional plants being added by the new Head Gardener.

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Lots of activity with the birds in the garden. The Canada Geese flew in and out again and have returned today with some hangers on that they don’t want so there’s lots of honking and shouting going on! The mallards keep out of their way and just swim around all the squabbling and the moorhen follows suit!

A little tree creeper keeps coming back to the tree outside the kitchen window and pecks away at something delicious on the bark! The squirrel thinks it’s a bird as it takes flight when I bang on the window!!

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The garden is surviving! It has been blasted by cold winds, basked in sunshine and covered in a small amount of ice and snow all within the last weeks! Daffodils are blooming and the snowdrops fading fast but lots of signs that spring growth is coming and I can’t wait!

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For Ukraine…my flower arrangement in Aberglasney!

This is quite a rushed post as I am waiting for the arrival of our son and family from Canada. They are staying two weeks so I’m very excited!

Hope you all have something wonderful to look forward to as well! Enjoy St Patrick’s Day !

February 24 Llandovery Walk, Heart of Wales line to Shrewsbury, Botanic Garden of Wales February 24, 2023

A rather misty and chilly morning saw us all gather in Llandovery Carpark for our mystery walk with Phil. He did explain before the walk that there were some steep climbs through fields before some excellent views back over the town and then there would be some wet places through woods, followed by very wet and muddy places and then a downhill tramp over a road back into the town where we could all enjoy a coffee and cake! And lo …it all came to pass!

After walking up through some woods and up the side of a hill we stopped and turned around to admire the view below! It would have been so much better if it wasn’t so misty and murky but it was still pretty special to see the whole valley below. The church took central stage and the townscape expanded from there.

After going up we started going down passing lambs and ewes grazing in the fields.

Next came the wet and muddy part of the walk! We passed the time chatting with some off roaders, on trail bikes, who had ridden from Newport and were completing a circuit on green lanes before heading back home.

It was down hill all the way from now on still seeing some hills in the distance and passing through some more woodland, where teapots were hanging from trees, all ready for birds to nest in them….very pretty and great idea.

Nature’s art was everywhere to be seen and enjoyed!

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Thank you Phil for a wonderful walk and for taking us to West End cafe where we all enjoyed our cake and coffee! Great idea of yours to do the walk in reverse next time…look forward for that!

We enjoyed a lovely day out to celebrate Jim’s birthday on a visit to Shrewsbury on the Heart of Wales train line! He was really spoilt as I had also ordered online some Staffordshire oatcakes for him….his favourite ! They duly arrived and filled with cheese and heated in the microwave, they were his best present…apparently!

We set off from Llangadog station early in the morning in the pouring rain but by the time we arrived in Shrewsbury the rain had stopped and it was a pleasant day.

We enjoyed our walk around the town delighted to see many of the shops still open and we eventually ended in the museum. We always seem to end up in museums! Amazing places!

We later visited some of the churches and in one we were given a very interesting guided tour by an ex teacher. He certainly hadn’t forgotten his ‘teaching’ ways and would gain top marks anywhere!

The sign below details the sad tale of Cadman who in 1739 aged 28 tried to fly off the top of the church spire but didn’t succeed. Poor Cadman!

It was late when we arrived back at Llangadog station but we’d both had a great birthday treat!

A visit to the Botanic Garden of Wales to listen to an interesting talk about Plants on the Mekong was followed by coffee and cake in the Great Glass House.

Back home the sunrises, sunsets and sky nights have all been amazing to watch and enjoy.

Our pond is also filling up with all our amazing regular visitors! There are two mallards, two Canada geese and two moorhens and an occasional heron! There are birds on our feeders but not as many as before.

The garden is continuing to look more spring like with crocus and snowdrops all out and daffodil buds are slowly opening up too.

A painting of Saskia by Rembrandt has been lent to Carmarthen Museum by the National Gallery . I’ve enjoyed my visits to view it and my walks around the grounds.

For Ukraine:

Thank you for reading.

Hope all is well for you, your families and friends. Enjoy this time of year wherever you are in our world.

February 11 Gelli Aur Walk, Aberglasney, Llandovery Eisteddfod, Llandeilo Davies and Co, February 11, 2023

Bright smiles and cheery greetings were in abundance outside the Gelli Aur cafe where we all met up for our Walking Well Walk, which was being led by Pam. The weather was not the best with a damp mist hanging around but it didn’t stop us all from setting off in a jaunty fashion! Pam led the way following the path and the track out through the gates of the parkland, passing some magnificent trees, wonderful hedges which had recently been laid, banks of dainty daffodils and fossils in stones.

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Leaving the country lane we started off up the hills through the fields and onwards towards the woodland. It was a steep hill and we were all careful not to trip as there was a very deep gully to one side!

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We were all pleased to reach the top and clambered over the last stile with relief! Our break was enhanced by Phil providing us all with barley sugar sweets…I think a whiskey would have gone down well too! Following the mole hills we passed through some interesting gates and landed back on a country lane.

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The lane led us through some lovely countryside with oak woodlands and beech trees on both sides. There were fields with sheep and lambs near the village church and hall. Maybe if we’d been up in the aeroplane seen on top of a building we’d have had better views over the land! The three ‘Last of the Spring Beer’ group enjoyed their walk and put the world to right as they walked along!

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Back at the cafe we all enjoyed a hot drink with enormous helpings of cake…which all went down very well. Who could resist giving the cafe dog a treat!? No one! Thank you Pam for a lovely walk.

The days have been busy with visits to Llandovery for a very enjoyable visit to a friend. It’s a lovely town and there is excitement building for the arrival of the Eisteddfod in May : “The Urdd Eisteddfod is an annual touring Welsh-language youth festival of literature, music and performing arts organised by Urdd Gobaith Cymru and will be held in Llandovery in 2023′

Another visit to Llandeilo to meet up with art pals. Our sessions are put on hold during the winter months and will resume after Easter so in the meantime having a coffee together is very enjoyable. We met up at Davies and Co a wonderful building that houses great interior design products as well as a cafe and now a new deli too!

Never a week passes without a visit to Aberglasney. Some daffodils have flowered and now a blanket of snowdrops cover the land under the trees but the highlight at the moment are the orchids in the Ninfarium!

Back home in the garden there have been magnificent sunrise and sunsets to enjoy. Birds that fly in and out and eat all the sunflower seeds but decline to be photographed sensibly . Two mallards are now at home on the pond but flew off for a while when noise of our new gate was being erected. There’s nothing I like better than a bonfire to clear all the garden cuttings …it’s a jolly good job we’ve got such amazing neighbours!

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The Scarlet elf caps were hidden in the garden under leaf litter but I knew they were there as they always are at this time of the year. Always cook before eating…it says….I think it’s better just to look and not eat!!

There’s also lots of lovely lichen around on the trees.

After many years of splitting snowdrop bulbs they are finally flowering all the way down one side of our drive. The daffodils planted the other side have failed so this year the split bulbs are starting on the other side !

Our council has just offered us new refuse boxes for glass along with food waste , blue bags for recycling items and black bags non recycling items. It’s very good indeed but the collection dates have all been changed and which bags to put out each week has also been changed. We were pleased that we managed to get it all right!! No wonder we need all the coffee to keep us going…we must cut down!

For Ukraine:

Thank you for reading. Hope you all have a good St Valentine’s Day on February 14th..it’s a good day to love and treat yourselves to something special but also a good day to keep sending love to all those around the world who need it the most.

January 28 Mynydd Mawr Walk -Aberglasney and Botanic Garden of Wales Visits January 28, 2023

A brighter but still chilly day was perfect for our Walking Well Walk around Mynydd Mawr Woodland Park led by Malcolm. We all set off down the footpath leading to the park passing a very interesting post which held all the necessary tools to mend a cycle!

Anyway we didn’t need to choose any of these tools.. a post holding cups of hot coffee and cakes would have been of more use!

We followed the track over the old colliery land and although parts of the path were rather muddy we were a very jolly group.

The paths led over some ponds and then along a boardwalk before we looped back through a woodland alongside a river.

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It was a very enjoyable walk with different terrains and lots to enjoy. A wonderful regeneration of the old colliery land for walkers, cyclists and all to enjoy.

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We ended the walk at a bakery, on a local retail park, where I enjoyed a delicious coffee, fruit pancake and bought a huge sausage roll to take home for Jim’s lunch …all for less than £4! Bargain! Thank you Malcolm for a great walk and company.

Being a member of the Botanic Garden of Wales brings many benefits and one is the members’ coffee mornings . We went to the first meeting of the year led by the curator, who gave an illustrated talk providing an overview of a modern botanic garden and the projects currently underway at the Garden.

One of the things he explained was how they have planted a new orchard. The process takes three grafts! One root stock, one ‘trunk’ stock which is later added to with another top graft meaning that the tree can grow and fruit much earlier. With this in mind after the talk we found the new orchard and will keep watch on all the grafts as they take place!

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Aberglasney Gardens have a lovely display in the mansion of photos by Nigel McCall. His photographs have won many national prizes- they are amazing! Sorry my photo of his photos is so rubbish!

Elsewhere in the garden the new Head Gardener has planted some rhododendron bushes in the wood area.

The daffodils are blooming beautifully in the borders as are the hellebores and the cornus and all watched over by the Head Robin!

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It’s hard to believe the different weather that we have had over the last weeks. There were more floods over the Towy Valley causing roads and land to be flooded.

Stopping on a bridge to take the above photos there was an interesting lichen on the top of the stones and in the distance there were herons to be seen.

My fascination with the Carmarthen Fans seen from our garden continues with photos of the hills during the different weather conditions. Also some amazing sunrises we have had recently.

In the garden there has been ice, frost, water, birds and flowers!!

For Ukraine. I’m delighted that my mum and grandmother’s fur coats have at last found a use! They have been sent to Ukraine by a wonderful organisation that is sending warm clothes to help in Ukraine.

Thank you for reading. Hope you all stay warm or cold , which ever is best for you wherever you live, and stay safe.

January 14 Abergwili Walk , Aberglasney Visit January 14, 2023

After days of rain and wind Huw had waved his magic wand for our Walking Well Walk around Abergwili and it was dry! There was even some blue sky as we set off on our walk through the village of Abergwili and passed all the floods.

We walked along some back roads before crossing to some footpaths which ran alongside the Gwili railway. https://gwili-railway.co.uk/train-rides/vintage-train-trip/

We carefully crossed the railway lines at the crossing checking that there weren’t any steam trains puffing towards us! The path led us over fields, past old cottages and back to the start of the walk by the Carmarthen museum, which I’d visited not long ago.

These two walkers cheered up immensely when they saw the delicious cakes that were on offer in the museum cafe! Many thanks Huw for leading us on such an unknown and varied interesting walk.

Due to the wet weather not many visits out have taken place.

A Sunday trip to Aberglasney with a friend was the highlight! Passing all the floods in the Towy Valley on the way! Arriving at the entrance to the Gardens it was pleasant to be met by a ‘host’ of daffodils which lifted the spirits!

There were many other signs of the advancing spring in the gardens with lots of juicy buds on bushes, snowdrops amongst the leaf litter and hellebores brightening up the borders.

The Gardens hadn’t escaped the floods either with damage to some paths and a flooded cafe! This didn’t stop the coffee and cakes though which were delicious and eaten under the cover of the marquee!

Back home the roads have been flooded, flooded borders in the garden and the house some flooding too but all well now!

The sheep have rushed up to me on my morning walk and complained bitterly about the wet and are delighted when the friendly farmer turns up with extra bales of hay and extra treats. Who couldn’t love these sheep? Their faces are adorable. Glad I’m a veggie!!!

We do have some interest in the garden… the birds!

No gardening outside except for the flowering hellebores, a couple of daffodils and witch hazel looking and smelling lovely. Indoors the plants give pleasure and the hyacinths scent out all the rooms!

For Ukraine:

Thank you for reading.

Next week it’s supposed to stop raining! The rain, however, is to be replaced with cold, shivery weather and the prospect of snow! Wherever you are I hope the weather is to your liking and you stay safe.

January 1st 2023 Brecon, Botanic Garden of Wales January 1, 2023

The New Year starts with a continuation of wet and sometimes windy weather which was the reason for the cancellation of our Walking Well Walk last week.

Christmas also came with a cancellation of family visitors due to covid….will it ever go away …for good! The holiday period has therefore been rather quiet and many walks would have been taken if it had stopped raining for a bit! However, a trip to Brecon to visit the cathedral on Christmas Eve turned out to be a highlight! We were the only people in the whole cathedral! The lights were on, the candles ready, the nativity scene set, the tree lit and decorated and the peace and quiet gave us time to reflect on all that had happened in the year and helped us look forward to the year ahead.

Whilst we were in Brecon we visited the John Uzzell Edwards exhibition, the museum and had a walk around the town, noticing all the beautiful garlands decorating the house doors.

There are too many things in the museum now that reminded us of our childhood……! We remembered the coronation of Queen Elizabeth and in a display there were many of the artefacts that we had as children to remember the wonderful occasion. It will be interesting to see what designers come up with for the coronation of King Charles!

Sheep Faces Radovan Kraguly 1934-2022

Celtic stones

John Edwards was a Welsh artist who was inspired by Welsh and Celtic  art and craft, including Welsh quilts. His work was exciting and interesting and also there were some original Welsh quilts to admire and enjoy too.

The river was running very high and no fishing taking place!

No parking not even for very small cars!

A visit to the Botanic Garden of Wales with an enthusiastic friend was most enjoyable. We dodged the heavy showers and had to cut short our intended long walk all around the lakes but it was good to get out in the fresh air and spot the first daffodil of the season!

The gardens are all being lit up at night for people to walk around and enjoy and the light installations could be seen all around the grounds!

In the foyer there was a beautiful Christmas tree decorated with origami hangers made by garden volunteers and in an exhibition room there was a Lego display depicting a winter scene and also a display by the Heritage Costume Group, who had made wonderful costumes from second hand materials…recycling at its best!

On a walk around nearby Abermarlais I discovered a new path! New to me! It was a lovely feeling and quite exciting to walk through the woods and find new vistas to enjoy. It was only a very short walk but fun!

New steps leading to ‘the walk’ !

Black Mountain

Back in the garden everywhere is wet! The bog garden is a pond, the real pond is overflowing but the water still only comes half way up the moorhen and the visiting mallards! There are signs of snowdrops and daffodils poking through the soil but already the hellebores are showing how brilliant they are to bring colour and life to the garden already!

There has been an increase of birds to the feeders over the cold and wet spell and the fat balls disappear really quickly when the long tailed tits arrive en masse with their blue tit and starling pals!

For Ukraine :

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2023 to everyone who reads this blog.

I really appreciate your comments both online and in person! I’m really pleased that the blog helps people stay in touch with our Lletty Cottage and with the villages Llansadwrn/Llanwrda.

Hopefully the blog also helps to show that this area is the most beautiful part of Wales! Come and visit!

Even the old squirrel from my mum’s garden has put a scarf on to keep warm and dry!

December 18 Caio , Penpont, Llandeilo, Myddfai Visits December 18, 2022

A perfect, magical, winterland walk around Caio with the Walking Well Group ended a week of very cold wintry weather. So cold our water pipes froze and part of the filter system for our bore hole exploded!! It will all get mended and working again when the thaw is complete!

Our walk pleased all the senses with the crunchy ice under foot, the sparkling ice on the trees, the smell of pine and the freezing toes and nose!

We arrived back in the pretty village of Caio and entered the charming Brunant Arms, which is under under new management, where Biddy had arranged to have our Christmas lunch! After we had all enjoyed a superb lunch with absolutely all the trimmings we all headed back home, very slowly, on the very icy roads! Thank you Biddy…Happy Christmas to all.

There are many Christmas fairs happening around the local towns and villages but the weather has sadly cancelled many! Aberglasney Fair was fortunate that the weather over the weekend was suitable for all the visitors to attend. As always it was perfect!

Penpoint, a wonderful estate, and owned by the same family since 1666, is not too many miles away to visit. As the roads were gritted we enjoyed a visit to their Fair and a look around at all the crafts for sale and enjoyed a delicious lunch in the converted stables. It’s such a special place to visit, where you are greeted by the fantastic hedge of elephants, the ‘ducks’ in the bird bath, the amazing buildings, the beautiful 17th century bridge, covered with ice and lichen , over the river Usk and the walks around the estate. We didn’t visit the maze this time …but next year…..it’s on the list!

Before the ice set in we had a drive out to Myddfai and enjoyed a walk around the village , a slice of delicious Christmas cake in the cafe and a root around the gift shop…all very pleasant but cold!

Llandeilo, our local town, is as the town website promotes…’The handsome market town of Llandeilo fuses farming feet with country chic.’!! I’m not sure where I fit in there but the town does punch above its weight in art and craft galleries! It’s a great place to walk around and find such a wide variety of amazing art.

Back home the garden has taken on a silvery covering of ice which is all very pretty but the birds are not happy with frozen bird baths and big birds muscling in to eat the smaller birds food!

The views over the fields to the Fans has been constantly changing as has the size of the sheep’s hay bale!

For Ukraine…not the correct colours but just an acknowledgement of thought at this time of year.

Thank you for reading and wherever you live in the world, from the heat of Australia, where it sometimes hails, to the cold of Canada, where it sometimes rains and snows, to all the countries, whatever the weather hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

December 2nd Llangadog Walk, Dinefwr Fair and Llanwrda December 2, 2022

A beautiful start to the morning with a stunning sunrise over the mountains and then my daily drive …2 miles..to Llanwrda to collect the paper. What a great start to any day!

It’s then time for our breakfast. Our woolly friends in the front field also like their breakfast early!

The Walking Well Walk today was a short drive away in Llangadog where Phil had planned a lovely walk across the fields and to the bridge over the Towy. He had said there wouldn’t be any muddy places…how wrong he was! Never mind- it was a great walk.

Bridge over Towy River

Phil taking a photo of the Group to send to Biddy .

Thank you Phil for a great walk and for your very delicious homemade flapjacks! I visited the Post Office in Llangadog to post my Christmas letters to overseas addresses and little package to Australia…hint to all…get all your posting done early as strikes will be taking place before the big day! After that I rushed to The Telegraph Garden centre to meet up again with the walkers for warm coffee and cake.

Earlier in the week we visited Dinefwr Christmas fair, which was wonderful. Even though it was raining it was enjoyable to see all the amazing variety of stalls and to enjoy a tasty hot cheese toastie and coffee!

Inside Newton House the Christmas tree was on display in the hall and decorated with beautiful hand made decorations. I really loved the decorations!

On another visit out we went to the newly refurbished Carmarthen museum, which in years gone by was The Bishop’s Palace. It was excellent! Outside the gardens have been given a fresh look and everywhere was bright and green!

The museum inside the Bishop’s Palace has also had a refurb and it was a really enjoyable visit especially as a brand new cafe had been opened on site serving the best Christmas cake and coffee!