Snowed under by paper work 9th - 11th October, 2013.

Well, I'm ploughing thru' the stacks of papers, books, plus a few letters which need answering.  It's all going pretty well until Friday afternoon when, thinking about petrol for my journey tomorrow, I decide to take the car for a little ride to Sainsbury's petrol station and fill-up my lovely green Mazda.

The key turns, the engine roars and splutters but, my car won't start and certainly it's not sounding so good.

Of course, it's been three week's since it's gone out for a little drive and, probably, that's the trouble; simply too many short hops.  I know the battery's fine because I had a new one installed in February, and here's the same nice RAC man, checking out my car today.  It's a moment of pure recognition.  The name, the car and the situation, so we're off to a flying start.

He's even noticed one of my tyres is a little flat and promising to inflate the damaged one, plus checking the other tyres, for good measure - what a star!

Within a very short time, the battery's fixed, the tyres ready to roll and I'm ready to take my car for a good spin, to encourage the battery into forward thinking for my drive to Wales for the weekend.

It's raining, getting dark and darker because of the rain, and I must drive for at least half-a-hour to make things tickety-boo!  I'm leaving as early as possible tomorrow morning and that's that.

The drive goes well.  I go, come back, have supper and pack my bag for tomorrow.  Even for a weekend, it seems still to take me ages to stow away a few items of clothing, not to mention checking the route and remembering to turn-off the boiler before I turn in for the night.

The next morning is as dark as it could possibly be.  I eat my porridge, drink a mug of tea and decide to venture out to check the morning air.  Guess what, it's not nearly as dark outside as it seems to be indoors so, grabbing my bag and coffee flask, I go to the car, open her up, insert the key and proceed to think about going.

The windscreen is lightly covered by a light, icy frosting.  The rear window is fogged by mist inside, and the outside is wringing wet, frosted style.  The heater is warming up nicely and within a short time, the icy frosting is beginning to disappear.  However, it's another long while before the screen is clear and I can leave.  The time is now 9.15 am and I've been up since 6.15 am hoping to get underway.  Oh well, Wales will wait for me, won't it?

I plan to go cross-country but, somehow, the motorway signpost materialises before I get my bearings, so there I am, driving onto the motorway for the Midlands, and it's raining.  Cars are whizzing past me, throwing spray onto my windscreen, and I'm wondering why they're going so fast.  Don't they realise it's raining hard!  Oh well, never mind.  I'm happily chugging along at my own speed and doing nicely, thank you.

Its a good journey, the rain eases  little, and we happily pull into Brecon's parking spaces about 11.30 am.  Wow, I'm here, it's a Saturday, and I'm off to find the market to look for a Welsh shawl.

Wish me luck......and more news next time!

Toodle oo

Daisy

Home alone - Tuesday to Friday - October 8th - 11th, 2013

Raiding the freezer, stocking up on Satsumas, apples and bananas, wonderful and warming porridge for breakfast plus gallons of hot tea to keep me going!!!

There's no Alice to walk, so I walk myself two or three times a day.  It keeps me warm, exercises the framework and energises the  imagination, particularly during the lunch time stroll.  This is something I've noticed over the years.  No matter how busy and preoccupied I am, going for a short brisk walk in the middle of a hectically busy day, not only refreshes the spirits, it breathes new life and light into the head, exciting new thoughts, ideas and dreams to emerge...I return to my desk all fired up and ready to go again!!!

Nose to the grindstone, one task at a time.  Sorting papers, stacking up the co-ordinated notes, separating unconnected papers and suddenly, there's a space on my desk which is empty; uncluttered and free.  It's a miracle.  Of course, the problem is me.!

I just give myself too much to do.  Too exacting, too persnickety, too fussy and "I know what I'm doing, don't stop me now!!!"

The other problem is the finish, the end-and-here-we-have-a finished project.  This often is not the case.  In fact, if it's too bothersome a project, I seem to work more and more slowly, I prevaricate, excuse myself from a finish and go for a coffee and I  know it's me who's doing the delaying!!!

I used to be like this with my A-level exams (Engl. Lit and Philosophy).  I'd set up my books and papers etc. for about thirty minutes, then give up whatever I was doing, just to get some coffee or tea, or whatever! Making the entire revision session a sham, for I never fully got to the right ending and conclusion, for that evening's session, so I would have to do part of it the following evening.

And still today, I can find myself working too slowly, prevaricating, just because it seems the task in hand is difficult or puzzling and I'm unsure about pushing myself to work out the solution to a particular section or page of research.

On Wednesday, a girlfriend called in for a mug of tea and we spent a pleasantly-filled hour of chat but, apart from that, I was all alone, at home, by myself and pushing me to get my work done.

And, guess what, by Friday evening my desk was quite uncluttered.  True the piles of books were still towering but the assortment of papers, notes and notebooks were all correctly collated, gathered in and things were fine.

Tomorrow, I'm leaving as early as can be, shortly after I wake up, have breakfast, and throw my bags into the car - yippee and away!!!

Just one problem - the car won't start...  But, I'll tell you all about this tomorrow!

Daisy

Back home and back to Wales - October 7th - 13th,2013.

Lazy day at home after walking Alice, getting on with my grandson's jumper - almost finished now, hope it fits him!!!

And then the family descend and all of us go over the fields and down to the stream.  We clamber over slippery rock, splashing into the sparkling water swirling about our ankles, and my ankle boots are too low.  Now I'm water-logged in one boot, the others are wondering why I didn't wear my regular wellington boots,  and so am I.  Oh well, never mind, a little water won't hurt me.

Two of the younger ones go off further up the stream, balancing carelessly, not a wit bothered about falling in or over the boulders, not even the tiniest bit afraid of falling into the stream.  What it is to be young, confident and self-possessed, hey?

I knows, it's all in the mind.  The idea that you'll slip over, go head-over-heels into the soft, boggy ground on each side of the river.  Silly me, just grit my teeth, find a stout stick to lean on, and keep up with the others as best I can.

So, we climb back over wire, away from the moss-covered rocks and back on dry land again.  Hey ho, now for the upward-climb back up to the higher ground, we've only just slithered down, what fun this all is?  The sun's shining, it's not raining and the family are together.  What more could any one want?

I'm the last one up the hill, puffing a little, for it's all a sheer scramble over very rough undergrowth, but I make it and have to laugh at myself for making it all look such hard work.  I mean, I'm the one who takes Alice each day for her walks, often twice, even three times, a day.  I should be fitter!  Actually, it's just the upward climb that gets me every time.  Something about my ability to balance I think.  Never mind, I made it and now we're going home and folks are thinking of mugs of hot tea and "what's for supper!"

Well, that's my territory.  I know what food's in the fridge and help is offered to get supper on the go, and we're off.

We'll have both pork and gluten-free grilled sausages, potatoes, and that Sweetheart cabbage, thinly sliced and steamed.  Then there's the liver that really must be cooked tonight or else it will be wasted and I really hate throwing good food away.  It only takes a couple of minutes to cook, once the onions and bacon are sauteed and the gravy's ready cooking.  I do love liver although  I understand lots of people don't like eating offal but liver and kidneys are great when cooked well.  Liver and bacon with onions is a great British staple and well, it's good for you.  We're not having calf's liver, for that's just too expensive for an everyday family meal, but wonderful for a special meal for two, sometime!

Finally, it's all ready and seven of us sit down to a friendly family meal.  In what seems just seconds, it's all gone and folk are up and off to do their own thing about the house, even though the washing up needs to be done.

Washing gloves on and I'm ploughing thru' the dirty dishes when I'm told it shouldn't be me who clears up!  But the job needs doing and I hate leaving the kitchen in a mess, until later in the evening.  My cooking helper comes to my aid and really it takes no time at all to wash-up, wash down and put things away; it looks so good when everything is back to apple-pie order again.  Then we join the others on the sofa for a spot of TV and a shared bar of chocolate.  Naughty but nice, hey!!!

Tomorrow, we're leaving the dear SO behind, for a few days peace and quiet, whilst there's urgent work for me to do at home.

We leave mid-Tuesday-morning , after a last walk with Alice, and coming back we stop at a McDonald's drive-thru'. - my first encounter with one - and Happy Meals, Burgers and ice-cold Cola drinks are the top favourites.  I go for a McDonald's chicken and bacon salad with a good dressing, which is really good.  Plus, of course, an ice-cold Cola drink!!!

Finally we reach our home.  The family help me unpack my bags and baggage from the car, then they're off, and I get down to work.  No Alice to walk, no cooking to do, because of that huge McDonald's salad, so there's no thing to stop me getting on with things!!!

Next morning.....hey, that's for another day, right?

Come back soon for another instalment of my busy week, alone, with a desk sinking under a ton of work.

Hey ho, it's good to be busy, don't you think???

Cheerio,   Daisy!

Gosh - Mcdonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken - aren't they great!!!

Within the last five weeks or so, I've eaten three yummy take-away meal.  All three meals have been great, highly enjoyable, irresistible and much needed.

The first meal, when we'd arrived home hungry, to an empty home kitchen, when a take-away meal was the obvious response to an empty 'fridge.  We had a bucket of KFC lovely hot chicken and chips and, my goodness, it was good.

My second meal was from a drive-in McDonalds, my first ever visit to such an eaterie, and I had a chicken and bacon salad with chips and a huge drink of Pepsi Cola with ice.  I really did need that ice-cold drink!

My third McDonalds meal was at a motorway service stop, when I requested gluten-free potato wedges with dip, and a large ice-cold Pepsi Cola.   I had been coming back from Kent and concentrating massively on my first drive through that county, getting darker by the minute, and my eyes were becoming fixed and static.  So I decided to stop and have a coffee and it was a good idea to break my journey.

I wandered around the food area twice, having a little walk, before plumping for the McDonald's wedges, to relax before the final push home.  It was getting darker by the minute and I needed to be home.

The dear SO said he might come back today, and it would be good to see him and Alice.

Soon I'm driving off again.  It's not so dark once you're outside again, and soon I'll be home.

Actually, it took longer than I thought to reach home so I'm glad not to have dilly-dallied too long over my McDonald's, or eaten more!!!

Toodle oo

Daisy

"Festing" at Brecon's Food Festival - Saturday, 5th October, 2013.

SudaCo.co.uk For award winning free range pork, beef and lamb

Joanna of Radnor Preserves

Caroline's Read Bread Company

Talgarth Mill 

...

Tasty Burgers from the Parsnipship

Clare Morris of Lower House Kitchen

Lovely Cakes!!!!

The dear SO had visited this stall at Abergavenny's Food Festival

I love their Preserves!

For the Craft Fair at St. Mary's Parish Church

Wonderful veggies!

The Felin Fach Griffin for delicious food and accommodation

In Brecon's famous Market Hall, a great many talented Welsh food producers, gathered together and put on a splendid display of food, preserves, bread and cakes, meats and much more.

.

Organised by Brecon Beacons National Park Authority

We bought pork and gluten-free sausages from Sudaco - www.sudaco.co.uk . Locally produced and sold, in their own coffee bar and ice-cream parlour, delicious Llanfaes ice-cream, and the dear SO has a Wildebeest burger, which looks very good.

I buy bread from Caroline's Real Bread Company - www.carolinesrealbreadcompany.co.uk - also her tasty Bread pudding.  And more bread from The Felin Fach Griffin of Cornwall; just loved their display!

From the Parsnipship I buy a gluten-free chickpea and lentil burger.  Cakes from Claire of Lower House Kitchen - clarem@btinternet.com and gluten-free cakes from Gorgeous and Gluten-free by Jane Williams - www.gorgeousandgluten-free.co.uk

Smoked sunflower and pumpkin seeds from Wil's Smokehouse - www.wilssmokehouse.co.uk and from Talgarth Mill, Talgarth, their kit boxed Fruit Bread to make at home.  It looked delicious but I missed a tasting as I made  it just before coming home for a few days!  They have Mill tours which I'm looking forward to on a future jaunt.

The vegetable stall caught my attention and I came away with two huge bags of veggies for the week ahead and the dear SO bought scotch eggs from the Scotch Egg Club, plums and chocolate nuts and raisins, whilst I also found hot Samosa to nibble on at home.

Then we had eggs and bacon for lunch in Brecon.  We had already visited the Fair Trade Fair and a Craft Fair was in full-swing at St. Mary's Parish Church, just across the road from our eaterie.

And before coming away, I bought preserves and pure grated horseradish from Easts of Brecon - email: eastsofbrecon@btopenworld.com


What an extremely good day for all concerned!

All address details gathered from the Event but for further info contact  Brecon Beacons National Park Authority at www.breconbeacons.org

Daisy

A week of Wales - Monday, 30th September - Sunday 6th October, 2013.

I began my week buying a new preserving pan, as my own pan, somehow, became lost.  I'd gone into Brecon to visit the Hours Cafe and book shop, to use their free wi-fi service enjoyed with a latte but, they were closed, oh dear, what a disappointment.

Dash home to walk Alice and continue with my diary, and fiddle, as you do, and then get on with supper.  We're having grilled pork chops, dressed with my apple-mustard sauce, before going under the grill, with the underneath side treated similarly before coming into contact with the heat.  When cooked, the chop fat has become nicely charred and the flavour is great.  With this, veggies and pots.
Rather good!

And broad beans with tomato & cheese sauce & creamed swede!

On Tuesday, for lunch, a Polenta Bacon and Egg stack, mmmm very good!

For supper our "poor-man's" supper of re-hashed tough beef and left-over veggies; at least Alice liked our supper!

On Wednesday, the Hours Cafe was open so I had a delicious tuna salad plus a bowl of olives...plus
my favourite Latte..

Tuna Salad and Latte

 Glorious Olives!!!

For supper, we had a a slow-cooked gammon shank, cheap and economical, but tasty dish with veg. and the left-over meat was "souped" into another dish for a quick lunch for Thursday...

On Thursday, I made up my version of a Jamie Oliver recipe for an Italian salad with bread, which was rather good, and the fact that the bread used was not gluten-free presented no dietary problem and used up that stale bread, which might have been wasted!

On Friday, we ate very sparingly, for tomorrow we go to the Brecon Food Festival where we're expecting to sample and enjoy much food on display in the town's Market Hall, buy delicious foods proffered by the many talented food producers and have lunch in a favourite easy eaterie!!!

We're not only eating, but  blogging and writing,  walking Alice and the dear SO is busy with various "own" projects, so a busy week for both of us, which is highly enjoyable.

Can't wait for Brecon's Food Festival!!



Cheerio111


Daisy

A peaceful day on Sunday, 29th September 2013

All peaceful at home, our guests off to view Brecon Cathedral, followed by lunch at Pilgrims Tearooms where we know they will enjoy their favourite vegetarian food.

The dear SO is snoozing and I'm getting to grips with the knitting pattern for my grandson's tank top.  I've gone wrong somehow, despite constant checking, but don't think the mistake will be noticeable when its being worn by my darling grandson.

For our late lunch, we're having a small joint of beef with lots of lovely vegetables and roasted potatoes.  For pudding, we're having apple pie and marmalade tart with custard, just as a weekend treat, for ourselves!

And then our guests are getting ready to depart so its hugs all round and ....they're off, phew.  Isn't it lovely having visitors to stay!

So what do we do next, well, guess what, we sofa collapse to read the weekend newspapers, watch TV and remain there all evening, until it's bedtime.....blissful!!!

Byeeeee

Daisy

I love Saturday's, don't you? Saturday, 28th September, 2013.

We all go down to the town and are to meet up for lunch after our shopping and, late morning in the rain, waiting for the stragglers, I stand with the others nibbling on their sun dried tomatoes and black olives.

The dear SO joins us and we all go into a little local cafe for the much favoured fried egg and bacon late breakfast.  After walking about in the rain, it's so good and so are the Lattes.

Going back to the cars, we find some more freebie apples for collection and I help myself to a bagful, for the next kitchen make or bake!

The afternoon is spent snoozing or sofa-collapsing and even Alice is happy to snooze in front of the fire.

For supper tonight, I'm cooking pork chops and veggies and our guests are toasting veggie things over their huge bonfire, lighting up the night sky and keeping them warm.

I'm still jamming in the kitchen and its taking rather too long, for I've got 6lbs of fruit and sugar all together in the pan and, really, it's a bit too full, so it won't really get up a fast rolling boil; this is what you need for a good set, so mine probably won't set as firmly as it should do.   And the slow boil encouraged the mixture to stick rather badly which made a very hard pan to clean up the following day; in fact it took all week for the dear SO to clean it up. Oh dear!!!

The kitchen became very messy with more cooks bustling about it and it took rather a long time to get things tidied up.  When all was more-or-less restored, I joined the others outside, sitting around the bonfire, looking up at the shooting stars, whizzing across the night sky.

Then we ease ourselves upstairs to bed and leave our guests sitting outside, keeping warm and chatting away into the wee small hours.

Exhausted sleep descends almost immediately but then, in those same wee small hours, I awaken with my tossing and turnings to spend a few hours of total wakefulness but that, as they say, is for another diary update later on.

Happy walkabout...!

Sunday lunch:):):)

Toodle oo

Daisy

What a good day it was....Friday 27th September 2013.

This was the hedge-trimmer at work!

From first flush of rosy-pink brilliance to inky-black depths of shooting-star activity, this

was a good day.

Alice took me out for her morning walk, thru' ankle-deep wetted grass, high above the river's rush and tumble far below.  She bounded off but I decided to stay put and not risk sliding down to join her!

Home to honey sweet porridge, scalding tea, oatcakes and marmalade, for I was going to walk down to the library and a big breakfast would get me there.  However, He was also going down to the town so I cadged a lift and got there much faster; and then I had some way to go to get to the coffee morning event that Rachel and friends were holding for Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning Event at the Presbyterian Church in the Watton, Brecon. Party balloons announced its status and the entrance door led me straight into the midst of the Ukulele Band, playing away like crazy.  My, they were very keen, very good and great fun, and everybody was either clapping or singing along with them.

My curry

On my way to the library, others were collecting for charity, a lady whose shopping  trolley was in great danger of crashing into the road, and a visit to Easts the Butcher to ask if they could produce a gluten-free faggot?

Easts for faggots

A a few useful hours at the library, and then home by taxi, for the dear SO was much too busy to come down for me.  And then I was also very busy, getting on with the chutney making, washing out the jars I'd found, and making the kitchen messy!

And to round off the day, dinner out at The White Swan Inn at Llanfrynach, which was delicious; a chicken curry with rice, poppadums and mango chutney while he had an 8oz. steak with all the trimmings.

My pudding is an orange tart with a Cointreau syrup, ginger biscuit crumb and orange sorbet.

His pudding is a hot chocolate fondant, parsnip ice-cream, chocolate crisp and oreo crumb.

Our guests arrive, and too late for food, so we all go home and they cook themselves tasty cheesy omelettes and stay up late, long after we've gone to bed.

And we did see those shooting stars dash across the night sky - several of them, in fact, and they were, well, brilliant!!!

His steak .....






Toodle oo..........Daisy!
















































My pudding is an orange tart with a Cointreau syrup, ginger biscuit crumb and orange sorbet.

His pudding is a hot chocolate fondant, parsnip ice-cream, chocolate crisp and oreo crumb.

Our guests arrive, and too late for food, so we all go home and they cook themselves tasty cheesy omelettes and stay up late, long after we've gone to bed.

And we did see those shooting stars dash across the night sky - several of them, in fact, and they were, well, brilliant!!!

A Misty-Moisty-Morning - Tuesday, 24th September, 2013.

We could see only as far as the garden trees and hedge, for the world was covered by a deep and gently swirling layer of mist, and we were surrounded.

I tried to write up yesterday's work, but my computer was having none of this, so I did my accounts for a while, and then got back to my typing working until about 10am.

Then booted and hatted, I was in the garden, collecting the apples from the grass, throwing those beyond saving into the compost bin, and managing to find some that were fit for cooking.  Garotta is good to throw between layers of compost-able material as it helps to speed up the breakdown.

Alice and I go up the track for our morning walk, stumbling over the small stones and rocks, but enjoying the sense of freedom of the walk and Alice is bounding ahead of me, then racing back!  I bring back some kindling and  arrive home wet and slightly out-of-breath!  Alice is soaked thru'!

The dear SO is chatting to a  passing farmer about the weather and local matters, and then is off  to check on the state of his hedges, for it's that time of year when things need to be made safe and tidy, before the winter storms descend.

Hedges need regular pruning for otherwise top-growth  become Triffid-like, waving about over car and tractor alike, some even meeting overhead and forming a green tunnel; fun for visiting tourists but  a nuisance for busy residents.

A hedge trimmer, supported on a tractor, operates as a strimmer does, with sharp whirling knives cutting off the unwanted growth.  The process leaves a very neat and smooth-front and top surface area, daylight floods in to the narrowest of lanes and everything is tidied up.

The trimmed material does tend to gather about the ground, and often is a great nuisance to drivers fearful for the state of their wheels, but the rain eventually washes the greenery away so the nuisance doesn't last for too long.

For lunch He had a BLT and I made a salad of broad beans, potatoes, lettuce and my chard pesto, using up last night's left-over veggies; having porridge for breakfast keeps me going through  the day!

Reading, computer things and blogging for a while and then off to the library to print off my work which was slightly bedevilled, because I'd forgotten how their system worked, and time was running out, so not a lot achieved.  And then I wanted to buy a gardening book from their sale but had no small change with me, and as they were just about to close,  had to leave the book for another day!

Back home to prepare supper, which we ate before watching New Tricks on TV, and then the joy of masses of hot water, heated up via the kitchen range fire; and sawing up logs for this is a holiday chore that we're happy to do - a happy holiday activity!

Cheerio

Daisy

Another look at the Abergavenny Food Festrival - 21st September, 2013.

I thought you just might like to enjoy a few more of the photo-shots I took during our day at Abergavenny's festival day?

Love - Wild England for herb and flower products - their Raspberry Vinegar is so good!!!

The Priory Venue for a cookery masterclass or to buy good cheese, bread, honey and yummy cakes and bakes!

And another view of the goodies for sale at Antiques and Vintage - The shop for lovely buy-able, want-able home things!

Antiques and Vintage shop of Monk Street, Abergavenny - just adored this shop!

Broadleaf Books - Abergavenny's Secondhand Bookshop - wonderful range of books on view

The Castle venue - watching a foodie-inspired demonstration by the Blorenge Bar

Love, lily of Abergavenny - for beautiful bouquets and gifts

"Nice Bites" local Baker from whom I bought cherry cake for the dear SO...!

My Seafood Casserole - without bread - at the King's Arms - from their "Street Food" stall

The King's Arms - our base camp for the day and for coffee and their "street-food" lunch

It was a truly memorable day for brilliant weather, glorious food, exciting retail therapy and our delicious lunch at the King's Arms.

And....a wonderful opportunity for many happy photographic experiences for me!!!

Every day is a photo-shoot opportunity, hey!

Cheerio

Daisy

The Abergavenny Food Festival, Saturday, 21st September, 2013.

Woken up at 5.30 am on Sunday morning, to watch our bats, my head was already buzzing with images of the sites and sounds of yesterday's Food Festival at Abergavenny, and further sleep was simply not possible.

We enjoyed a bright, sunny day, and great warmth, which encouraged the lightest of summer clothing, sandals and ice-cold drinks; we had stunningly good weather which must have enormously delighted the festival's organisers.

Their Show spread itself over the town centre with five ticketed venues at The Castle, The Priory, the Brewery Yard, Lion's Place and Abergavenny's Victorian Market Hall.  The central streets - Neville, High and Cross Street, were alive with activity, and the many indie shops were a delight to enter and explore.

Veggies on Show!

The Guide's Map provided directions, details and very useful assistance for our walk-about, and much illuminating information on the wide range of stall products, producers, chefs and artisan makers and bakers.

We bought meringues from Merangz and Co. of The Little Round Cake Company, in Neville Street, Gluten-free Brownies and Flapjack from Sharon's Pocket Bakery and a delicious gluten-free roasted vegetable and cheese pie from La Mediterranea Food UK, whose gluten-free almond biscuits I love so much, both in The Priory and adjacent to St. Mary's Church.  The dear SO bought a box of hot and spicy Chinese Noodles from their stall, next to The Cherry Tree Preserve stall and another stall selling lovely Turkish Delight, from a small area off Lion Street.

Delicious meringues!

The Pocket Bakery

La Mediterranea Food UK for their Gluten-Free Pies

Cherry Tree Preserves for their scrummy Lemon Curd

I particularly enjoyed visiting Antiques and Vintage and Broadleaf Books in Monk Street, Love, lily and The Wool Croft in Cross Street, and the Abergavenny Book Shop on the High Street, which is sadly going to close down; and H. Shackleton for the Festival's Photographic Competition entry forms, Glad Rags Second Time Around, for a new jacket, and The Cook's Galley in Neville Street, which was far too tempting to enter!  Instead, I dived into the intoxicating aroma of the Deli, just down from the kitchen shop, for a bottle of chilled water, for my voice was beginning to falter!!!

We made the King's Arms our base camp for the day, just in case we lost sight of each other, and enjoyed their coffee and Street Food for a lunch in their Courtyard of their Seafood Casserole, for me, and a Lamb Cawl for Him.

Still so much to see, sample and explore, I can hardly bare the wait for next year's Festival extravaganza.

Do fest yourself - it is a "must-do" Food Festival, the Abergavenny Food Festival!

Daisy

Bat Watching in the Brecon Beacons - Sunday, 22nd September, 2013.

Up and out under a still-darkened morning sky, to watch the bats freewheeling about the garden, on their foraging trips from the rafters of an adjacent barn, where they roost the daylight hours away.

And where their droppings, besmirches the rafters and the loft floor.

Bats are a serious matter for concern, to the local bat conservancy programme, whose programmers  monitor their presence and keep watch on all movements and housing arrangements,

Householders are required to notify this body of the presence of any collection of bats about and in their buildings, and be ready to maintain this colony, for bats are a locally protected species. They must maintain this homing position and, should they wish to make any improvements or alterations to their home or buildings,  give notification of their intentions, to enable the bats to be removed to a place of safety for the duration of the building works, after which time the bats will be returned.

Their position and movements about the building, their nesting facilities and their daily comings and goings are all carefully monitored and recorded, and in this way a history of their life at any one particular building may be known and understood.

So, there we were, wrapped up against the freshness of the day, at 5.30am I think, peering up into the space above our heads, watching for those tiny, brown furry things, dive-bombing  and swirling above us.

It was a sight for sore eyes but, glad sore eyes, for what a privilege it is, to watch nature bestir itself for our entertainment and understanding.

Daisy

PS we'll chat again soon!!!