Day 90 - 3 Months Gone - Goodnight!

I'm feeling quite pleased with myself for having done 90 days without a break.  It's been a struggle at times but I'm definately learning and experimenting more.  I hope my pictures are improving or at least that I've been able to incorporate enough variety to keep people interested aad amused.  I certainly think a bit more humour has crept in this month!


What have I done today ? Clearing the utility room was probably the most useful.  It's the place stuff gets put when I'm tidying and can't be bothered to put things away properly.  In particular all our shoes and boots migrate there to sit on the floor getting in the way. I was starting to have to wade through a sea of footwear to reach the washing machine.  Several pairs of aged trainers have met their demise in the dustbin after  a long retirement on the utility room floor. Other than that I've had my nails done and visited MiL.  She's quite perky now she knows she's coming home on Monday. Six weeks is a long time to be stuck in hospital waiting for bones to mend. One quick ps - the curry stains washed out of my top nicely last night, quite a relief!


Todays photo is a snuffed candle for Our Daily challenge of "smoke"

Good Night!

Day 89 Moss

Have had a busy day today. LB and I went in to town for a bit more shopping.  I've not had new clothes for ages and have decided to really revamp my summer wardrobe. LB needed some shoes and there were a few other odds and ends we wanted.  Amongst other things I bought a really nice turquoise top with matching cardigan.  I wore it this evening when we went out for a meal with both boys and girlfriend/fiancees.  It was Gareth's birthday on Monday so this was a slightly late celebration. We had a lovely time in a local restaurant.  It was the first time the six of us had been out together & it was really nice.  Unfortunately I managed to get some swordfish Thai curry on my new top.  Aargh!! I've soaked it, squirted it with Vanish and it's now in the wash.  Fingers crossed I can get all of the stain out!


Anyway I've not had much time to think of photos but I did pop out into the garden earlier as there were nice raindrops on the moss on the back steps.  this is my best photo

Moss

Finally I took my camera to the restaurant though everyone hates having their photo taken.  Here's the birthday boy trying to put me off snapping him. Well hard luck, I'm posting it for the world to see!

Day 88 Back Home

Well the weather wasn't up to walks on the beach or cliff path so we decided to come home today and not stay an extra night.  We've given the van a bit of a spring clean and LB has picked up a generator he had ordered from a company in Milford Haven.  We'll be using it with the touring van when we stay on sites without mains electricity.  LB has now popped in to see his Mum in the hospital.  She's been a bit rough in the past few days with an infection so he's been a bit twitchy while away from home.  I've just one simple photo today.  This is a sea urchin shell that we have had for years and that lives on the mantelpiece at Broadhaven.  The photo is taken through the hole in its bottom, looking at the pink inside as I was holding it up to the light.

Sea Urchin 

On second thoughts here's a second photo of the top of the outside of the same shell. Not so pretty but still fairly intriguing

Ha! Ha! I have just learnt that the big hole is the "oral opening" and the smaller  star shaped structure on top, visible in both photos, is the "anal opening".  I've been photographing an arsehole!!!! : )

Day 87 - Return to Broadhaven

We've taken a couple of days to come to our holiday caravan in Pembrokeshire.  We've a small boat which has been cluttering up the back garden all winter so we've brought that down to the boat park on the campsite.  We wanted to check the van has survived the winter ok, give it a bit of a scrub to get rid of the accumulated dust and dead flies and enjoy the peace and quiet without any hospital visiting.  Everything is fine here so when the sun eventually broke through the grey mist we've had I wandered down the beach and took a couple of photos. I think this is my favourite

Broadhaven Beach

but I like the simplicity of this one too.

Silver Surf

Unfortunately I can't seem to get the photos to load!  I'll try again later but if unsuccessful you may have to wait till I get home on Wednesday!.......Done it!

Day 86- It's in there somewhere!

Had a quiet day, gardening this morning, taking Dad to visit Mum this afternoon & LB visited his Mum this evening.  Single photo today again based on Our Daily Challenge on Flickr which was "looking in".  Well I can never decide with handbags - do you have a small one where you can find everything but can't fit it all in or do you have a big one to carry everything bar the kitchen sink but find nothing? Here's my take on it!

Tomorrow we're going to Broadhaven, Pembrokeshire to our static caravan.. It's time to take the boat down there, check everything has survived the winter & give it a bit of a scrub.  We'll probably stay just the one night.  

Day 85 - A Walk in the Forest of Dean

Although only an hours drive away, the Forest of Dean is an area we have rarely visited and although we know the major landmarks we certainly haven't explored it fully.  Today we met up with our friends V & P and, at their suggestion went to Beechenhurst Lodge in the forest.  There is a cafe and visitors centre and the start of several waymarked trails.  after a sustaining brunch we set off on the Sculpture Trail.  This was a pleasant 4.5 mile walk through the forest with assorted works of art en route. The walking trails also cross the cycle trails.  Here both bikes and walkers shared an old railway line.

























Below is one of the sculptures, 4 high steel pillars with a litttle house on top. The photo is obviously taken from below so you can just see the pillars against the trees & not the house.

Finally here are my three partners in crime, walking the trail  & stopping to pose as soon as I pointed the camera at them!

The next picture is them  looking down at me from the top of a staircase which led nowhere! I'm not sure about this art. About half of it was fun & interesting but the rest was fairly meaningless to me. 


Anyway it was a great day out, a place well worth revisiting, perhaps in May when the bluebells are out.

Day 84 Dangerous!

No not a dangerous day but our daily challenge was "Dangerous" so I persuaded a reluctant LB to pose for me.  He didn't hang around long enough for me to get the shot I wanted but this is a fair approximation.  I can assure you he doesn't usually creep up on me clutching a kitchen knife!

 As for the rest of the day I had a quiet pootle at home this morning then went to the shops (again!!!) and bought myself some summer sandals to go with the skirts I bought the other day.  This afternoon took Dad in to see Mum.  It was an absolutely glorious spring day.  Not a cloud in the sky and the car thermometer gave an outside temperature of 17 - 18 C.  For the first time we were able to go out in the ward garden which was great.  Mum will only sit for a short time then she likes to walk so we went round and round the garden! Here's one of the flowers there.  I've no idea what it is but they were quite pretty.

Day 83 Love my Bike

An early post today as this afternoon we will be going straight from visiting MiL in hospital to pick up daughter in law to be and family, have a pub meal and then off to Cardiff for a show.  We're going to see We Will Rock You at the Millenium Centre. Should be a good night!


Our Daily Challenge on Flickr today is "hobbies" so I got my bike out and took this photo.  I hadn't realised how dirty the windscreen was so have now washed the bike which I should have done first! It would have been a great day for a ride today as it is really warm and sunny but sadly no time. I hope we get chance to get out on the bikes soon.  I'm missing it.

Day 82 CD Colour

Another productive day! It was gloriously sunny and at 8.00 am we were both back out in the garden, mowing the lawn, planting the conifers and adding the gravel to the front bed. After a shower it was off to MiL's house to meet Alan from the OT department of the hospital who was doing an assessment before her discharge.  He came up with some sensible suggestions to make life easier for her when she comes home, next week.  Then it was off to the shops again for some casual holiday clothes, mainly for LB but I also picked up a couple of skirts ( new resolution - not to wear trousers all the time!)  By the time we got home it was 2.00pm so after a late lunch we both had a snooze.  We're not used to all this activity! This evening we attended the final Cardiff Scientific Society lecture which was on the colour of fossil birds and dinosaurs.  It wasn't so much about what colour they were as to how the scientists are discovering ways of determining colour, so far largely in feathers.  The research has been done on the huge number of fossils, both birds and dinosaurs, found in China with feathers. Needless to say it was extremely interesting although I couldn't help wondering how the creationists would react to it.


Anyway after getting home and eating it was nearly 10.00 before I got around to photos. I tried another classic shot of refracted light off a cd with water droplets. They're a bit static but very pretty! Here's number one

And second choice

Day 81 Successful Shopping!

Have had a productive if somewhat expensive day today! It dawned bright and sunny so we started off with a bit of work in the garden. LB mowed the front lawn while I did the weeding.  We'll move on to the back garden tomorrow or Thursday.


After lunch our first stop was the garden centre for some gravel and replacement conifers as we'd lost a few, that were supposed to be giving ground cover and hence less weeding! We then went into Cardiff to review the clothes I tried on yesterday. We both agreed on an outfit for Huw's wedding & I'm really pleased with it.  I've a dress & jacket, shoes, handbag and ridiculously named "fascinator".  I think it's a hatlet or hatling as it's obviously a baby hat that's not yet full grown!  As we were leaving the store LB suddenly though of make up. I've got rather lapse about my appearance since finishing work and have hardly worn make up although I know I look better when I do. I really do need new supplies so I went and had my make up done at one of the counters and then bought a load of stuff!  If anyone else cares to marry this summer I would be grateful for an invite as all this is too nice to wear just once!


So photos.....shopping

and the hatlet!.....(price tag still attached!)

Day 80

Just spent today catching up at home. Took Dad in to the hospital to see Mum and we played balloons again.  This time I drew two faces on the balloon in felt tipped pen and we all ended up with black inky fingers!  It's the only thing I've found that she really enjoys and seems to come alive with though I think it might pall after a few weeks.


After dropping Dad off I went in to Cardiff to look for an outfit for son's wedding.  To my surprise I found a couple and couldn't decide which so I'll have to go back and take LB with me for advice.  It was dark by the time I got home so my photo is a simple shot of the speedo in the car. I just liked the bright colours! One more week and the clocks go forward. Hooray am I looking forward to light evenings!

Day 79

Sorry, I've had another day lacking photographic inspiration.  Got up late, did some tidying and washing, posted last week's photos, had a snooze, did some hospital visiting then home to watch the MotoGP.   That was it for today, not very exciting at all. So at about 10.00pm I had to find some thing to photograph!  Well this jug is quite cute with assorted zoo animals around the sides & is my one and only photo today.

Day 78 - Home

But you'll have to wait until tomorrow when I will post my daily photos and update the blog. For now - I'm enjoying a nice glass of wine!


A day without inspiration, particularly after the wine! So a slightly abstract one of the patterns on the wall that some fairy lights make!

Day 77 - Country Walks

Friday was a day of walks and trees!  The farm where we were staying had a "farm trail", a way marked path around the fields, which we explored in the morning. Todays main photo was taken on that walk and is just one of the hedges and a tree.

Later, after lunch we drove to nearby Church Stretton for a spot of shopping before a stroll up Hope Bowdler Hill. The Shropshire Hills are wonderful walking, high enough for fantastic views but low and gentle enough for pleasant ambles without all the gear needed on higher mountains. Here I saw another tree that looked suitably photogenic! Finally in the evening I snapped yet another tree in the moonlight

Day 76 - Powys Castle

Yet another place we have intended visiting for some time is Powys Castle. Although in Wales we realised it's only 25 miles from where we're staying now. We awoke to a lovely sunny spring morning so after a leisurely start we headed west back to Wales.

I've taken a few photos but have a very poor Internet connection so will post them later, possibly not until we're home on Saturday

Ok, it's now Sunday and time to get posting again now I'm home with a good interent connection.  I'm getting addicted to the internet, I really miss it when we're away.  Anyway we had a great time at Powys Castle on Thursday. It has wonderful gardens although they will look better in another month or two.  There's not a lot in flower at the moment. During the winter you get a guided tour of the house, rather than being allowed to wander & that was really informative. It was a proper Welsh mediaeval castle bbuilt for protection & warfare but has been lived in continuously till 1952 when the National Trust took it over.  It was greatly updated in at the end of the C18th and in early 1900's and is quite sumptuous inside.  No inside photos were allowed so my phot of the day is of one of the peacocks.  This fellow was splendid and had a harem of three peahens following him around while trying to look uninterested at his displays.

Here also is a view of the castle from the gardens

and finally some cherry blossom. Spring has arrived!

Day 75 Wroxeter & Ironbridge

Many years ago LB & I enjoyed a weekend exploring Shrewsbury town. We didn't have time to visit the nearby Roman remains of the town of Wroxeter or Virconium & a subsequent visit was aborted when my father was taken I'll. Today we finally got there! It was a cold, very grey & misty day, with no light for interesting photos so really these are just a couple of holiday snaps. There was a large town here but only a few low level remains of the baths and market remain. The exercise hall or basilica was HUGE! here is some of it's remaining wall viewed from the far side of the baths.



After stopping off at the surprise find of a vinyard and buying the locally grown and made wine we moved on to Ironbridge for lunch and a view of the first bridge in the world built of iron by Telford in 1779.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 74 On the Road

Not a good photo but taken in the car as we were setting off with the caravan for Shropshire




We are now settled in to a very rural, small, 5 van farm site. This afternoon we just did some shopping and visited Acton Burnell castle & church. My favourite photo of the day is this one from inside the church. I don't know who she is but she looks like a nun & was carved on the wall of the nave. I know it's stupid as she's made of stone but I wonder what she's thinking.




While away from home I will be posting via my phone though photos will have been taken on my Canon cameras & transferred via the laptop to phone. Unfortunately we can't get online with the laptop. Posts will have to be short with only one or two photos

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 73 Spring Flowers

It's been a fairly quiet day but the weather was beautiful & springlike, for once.  Pottered around in the house and did a spot of gardening this morning, then picked up Dad and went to visit Mum this afternoon.  Unfortunately she was asleep when we arrived and wasn't really with it the whole time we were there.  It was difficult to get any reaction from her as she sat staring into space, so different from Friday.

Tomorrow LB and I are going away , to Shropshire, for a few days in our touring caravan. His Mum won't be discharged from hospital until next week at the earliest so this is our only chance to get away for a bit. We've organised friends and family to visit her while we're away.  I'm not sure what sort of internet access I'll have as we're staying on a small farm campsite but will endeavour to keep the blog update as best I can though I might have to resort to using the phone for photos again.

Anyway todays photos are some nice crocuses growing on the verge near the house.  Although the yellow ones are prettier I've chosen the white one as todays photo as I thought the fly made it a little less run of the mill.

Don't forget to wash your hands before eating!

Day 72 - Cosmeston Mediaeval Village

This morning son no 2 & GF suggested a visit to Cosmeston.  We'd been there in January for a walk around the lakes and park but today we explored the adjacent mediaeval village.  During the construction of the park in the 1970's the remains of a village were discovered. After a full archeological dig it was found to be a fairly large settlement of the 14th century sited on the main east/west coast road to St Davids.  The foundations excavated were used to rebuild the village although much of it is thought to be under the adjacent modern road and housing estate. We were given a very informative audio tour which explained the history and way of life of the village.  On entering the gate we were greeted by a flock of chickens and a very splendid cockerel.  My main photo is of his feathers which were spectacular in the sunlight.

Cockerel Feathers

We met Henry one of the villagers ( also reconstructed!) working in his garden

He is the pig man of the village. He butchers the pigs at one end of his cottage & lives in the other end. He smokes hams, makes sausages, pork tallow candles and works the skins all in his cottage. It must have stunk! The pigsties are outside his door & he introduced us to his 3 sows who were very pleased by the attention, in particular they loved having their bellies rubbed!

It was a very pleasant morning. We then parted company with son & gf and headed home.  We had another afternoon of hospital visiting to LB's Mum then home for a relaxing evening!

Day 71 Museum

We're having a lovely family day today.  This morning was spent in the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff at the suggestion of grand-daughter to be.  I was quite impressed at a six year old choosing to go to a big museum.  We had a look around part of the art gallery then the history of Wales to see the cave men & evolution gallery as she wanted to see the dinosaurs.  Took the compact camera for todays photos.  The Chinese lanterns are there to advertise the rather impressive Buddhist Chines rock carvings on display at the moment.


After returning from visiting MiL in hospital this afternoon number 2 son & girlfriend came around. They're going to have a takeaway with us and stay the night which was a nice surprise.  It's great having both boys close by at the moment & being able to enjoy their company.


Here's the photos

Chinese Lanterns

Ammonites

Quartz Crystals

Day 70 - Balloons

Todays the day of the great earthquake  and tsunami in Japan.  The video footage of the tsunami wave was aweinspiringly awful - the way it progressed inexorably across the countryside carrying everything with it.  Hated the sight of moving cars or pedestrians ahead of it, oblivious to what was coming although thankfully the tv shots were edited so I didn't see anyone actually be carried away to their death. The thought of it was bad enough.  Also ongoing conflict and atrocities in Libya. It's depressing times at the moment.

Anyway pottered around at home this am with tv on constantly in the background.  This afternoon took Dad in to the hospital to see Mum.  When we visit she is often either sleepy or stares vacantly and fairly unresponsively into the distance. It can be quite hard work to engage with her.  She does enjoy throwing games so I took some balloons in today.  I blew one up and we spent a good hour tossing it back and fore between the three of us.  She really enjoyed it and it was nice to see a sparkle in her eyes as well as a smile on her face!  So todays photo is a balloon. Not the same one, as I left that with her, and I've put a string on this as I thought it looked better.  It's a  nice sunny reminder for me though.

Day 69 - Paella

Those who know us well will be aware the LB is quite keen on cooking, particularly outside on a bbq.  This causes problems as he nearly sets fire to himself while getting it to light.  This summer may be different as he has bought himself a new toy. We can't use it camping on the bikes but the plan is to take it with us when we use our caravan as well as at home.  It's a paella cooker + appropriate pans! Son and daughter-in-law to be came around for a meal tonight so LB cooked a large paella.   Unfortunately he doesn't like fish or shellfish so it was a meat one & very nice too, with pork, chicken & chorizo.  Todays photo is a celebration of the new paella cooker!

Day 68 Vertigo!

Hmm I've relapsed a bit today, was really tired & flopped about at home not doing much. Our daily challenge was "blur" so experimented with blurry photos this afternoon.  Fancied getting some movement blur rather than out of focus stuff but was too lazy to move much myself! I've ended up with one half decent though not perfect photo. 


 This evening we went to a Cardiff Scientific Society lecture entitled With Scott in the Antarctic which was about Dr Edward Wilson the expeditions senior doctor & scientific officer who reached the pole & died with Scott on the return trek to their ship.  It was interesting & informative but the speaker  gave a very dull & flat delivery that had me nodding off at times! Anyway here's a photo to wake you up!

Day 67 Yet Another Castle

This morning we went for a bit of a drive in the car. I took a couple of photos of the windfarm near Gilfach Goch and then we headed to Bridgend.  We intended having a look at the oldd Tondu Ironworks, built in 1838, but despite it being an ancient monument it's not open to the public.  We headed home via Coity Castle so that's my photo of the day.  

Day 66 - Relief!

I'm better.  Hooray! Still feeling tired but the brain has cleared at last.  It was a lovely sunny Spring day today and, knowing there was going to be a low tide this afternoon we drove to the beach at Penarth.  I had envisaged taking a photo from underneath the pier with great perspective and the piers of the pier shrrinking into the distance & the lapping waters of the Bristol Channel.  Somehow it didn''t turn out like that. For a start the tide was so far out it was nowhere near the pier & my lovely perspectives didn't look how I imagined. I did get some nice photos, though my photo of the day was almost an after thought as we left, having had a cup of tea on top of the pier.

Shadows

Pier - where's the tide gone?

Cardiff Bay from Penarth

Day 65

Still feeling rough, apathetic and uninspired.  So no stories and just one contrived indoor photo.  I read about this effect on a website today so had to try it. It utilises the effect of polarising light & is quite dramatic.  

Rainbow Glasses

Ah! I have had a second wind and taken one more photo. Our Daily Challenge was "aged" so here is my oldest book, a medical dictionary printed in 1757.  As well as medicine it includes bits of physics, natural history etc.  Needless to say it contains some very interesting snippets.  As a teenager I avidly read the entry entitled  "Generation, parts of, particular to men " In the second paragraph of which, it mentions "the penis, or yard" !!!!! Men obviously aren't what they used to be!

Final comment on this.  I've just realised the printing of this book was before Captain Cook discovered Australia & before the US Declaration of Independence! Impressive? Yeah!