Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Visiting!



Last week I took the opportunity
to visit my mother.
I was only there for a couple of days
but one afternoon
we decided to visit Broadway.


It was a really cold day
but the sun was shining and so……
We wrapped up warm
and wandered along the pavements of
this lovely Cotswold village.



Cotswold stone is such a beautiful mellow colour
and the older villages
look beautiful  with or without sunshine.



We also went into Stratford-upon-Avon.
Such a busy town
so much busier than when I lived here.
Still there's something about
the old houses.




Are you able to see how they spelt chemist
over the old chemist shop
next door to WH Smith.

If you look for it, there are many unusual things
apart from the obvious
in Stratford.


The town hall on the left
and in the distance the guild chapel
where the schoolboys... 
(from the school Shakespeare attended) 
hold special services.




In the afternoon my mother and I
drove through the older
part of Stratford.
Areas where I used to amble with my school friends
on a warm summer's evening.
I felt very nostalgic!!
Especially when we arrived at Holy Trinity Church.
The church where Shakespeare's remains
are buried.
With my friends we would often
one through its grounds.
Sometimes sitting on a handy gravestone
while we chatted.
Those were long warm evenings
and we were in our teens
happy memories!!




I wouldn't normally add this
but the carpet of snowdrops is so beautiful
I felt I had to!
This is the crematorium
where my fathers ashes are buried.




On the way home we drove past
the remains of Raglan Castle.
It's a place I've often wanted to visit
but I'm either in a hurry
to get to my mother,
or in a hurry
to get home to my husband!




It's been very cold here recently. 
One sunny day
last week
we went to a nearby beach called Gellyswick.
It's not a sandy beach...
but small pebbles.
So one cannot say that it's a tourist attraction
and it's mainly just locals
who sit on the step by the wall.

Do you notice the Napoleonic fort?
There are forts all-round the Milford Haven estuary.
In fact my grandfather
was posted in one of the offshore forts...
in the First World War.
It is how he met my grandmother!
While he and others
had been taken ashore....and
were walking in to Milford for R and R...
he met my grandmother,
a farmer's daughter,
sitting outside their house on a wall.




these three photos
make a panoramic view of the bay.


What else have I been doing?
Well, as you know, I have started going to a crafting group
and making albums.
I've actually made three 
and some other notebooks etc.


This is one I made for my mother.

Inside I placed pictures of her father and family...
as well as her close friends...
and the younger members of her family.
I suppose, thinking about it,
I should have taken pictures of the inside too for you to see?
Too late now, I've given it to mum.
I'm pleased to say she was absolutely delighted!


This is another album that I made
the top opens upwards,
and then inside two leaves open like a book.
I've left this one with my mother
and again,
I suppose I should have taken photos of the inside 
to show you.
Sorry!!





What else have I been up to?

Well, I'm still very much enjoying
working with my planners.
These three photos...
show pictures of an absolutely beautiful kit by
@poppywillowco
I love the way she works with foiling!

Recently I have just finished reading a book called
"the Duchess Deal" by Tessa Dare.
It was light and easy to read
and I loved it!!!
The characters were funny and just so believable
and got so tangled up in situations...
I couldn't put it down!

Well that's it for now.
I have to go back to my studying.
Latin awaits!!
Oh Joy!!



#theduchessdeal  #netgalley  #poppywillowco

Saturday, 17 February 2018

Spring comes creeping!




Hello my friends
thank you so much for taking the time to write me.
I haven't kept up with blogging
the way I've hoped to
each time I've written.
I'm not making promises  but
one blog at a time… eh!!

It's hard to believe I know
but the winter is gradually moving on.
Even though it's been very cold here in Wales
there are already signs
of snowdrops
I always think of them as the harbinger of spring.





The hedges here in Wales
a full of these brave little flowers!
They are just so pretty
nodding their little heads in the breeze.




Daffodils are starting to appear.....
in sheltered areas of the garden.
I love to see the sunshine of their faces 
brightening up the corners.




1st March is St David's Day....
the patron saint of Wales
and daffodils along with leaks are 
the emblem of Wales.

On St David's Day
it's lovely to see the children going to school
dressed in Welsh costume.
The girls wear a skirt, shawl and the bonnet.
The boys wear Welsh rugby shirts.




I think I've written that I do a voluntary job.....
guiding visitors around a local castle.
A new enterprise at the castle
is something called
The Secret Owl Garden. 
The other day I visited this garden to see the owls.




I've heard extremely good reports of this enterprise.
I wasn't disappointed.
They house about 20 owls from all over the world and
hope to house even more.




Now when people ask me.....
is it worth going to see them?
I have no hesitation in recommending them.




I haven't really read anything special recently
as I have been totally focused
on trying to make a good job of my assignment.
I think I told you that....
I have had to defer last year due to illness
and, certainly, picking up where I left off has been
very hard. However I think I am beginning 
to get a handle on the Latin.
It's difficult but I am determined to
finish this year and progress 
to the courses that I really want to do.
Everything has been focused on this assignment
and I finally finished it
and submitted it
this morning.
Can you hear the loud cheers?
I am so relieved!

I haven't even done much crafting this week
which is a pity because it does relax me.



It's half term this week
and I'm intending to travel to the Midlands
to visit my mother.
I wasn't looking forward to the driving
especially  with my respiratory problem but
last night my daughter texted 
and asked if I would like her and her children
to come with me.
I am just so delighted.
The company will be lovely.
I'm sure that my mother will be really thrilled
as she hasn't seen them for over a year.




Once again, I intend to get in touch......
with all of you who wrote to me.
It was so lovely
to hear from you, as each one of you
is special to me.
Just seeing your names
as they came up on my computer
made me  so delighted!
I really hope
to continue what I've started again.






Thursday, 8 February 2018

Trying Again!!





If you go by the pictures
I'm posting
You will lose your bearings
as I picked them, 
at random, from a lot of photos!



They are pictures from all over
Pembrokeshire 
and from different times of the year!

I've been thinking and thinking 
that I want to write another
blog
but then thought
'but I've got no photos.'
And so the time has passed!!



This afternoon I decided
to write anyway.
Again, I'm apologising that it's been
a long while.
As always, life has not been easy!
I was hospitalised
and from that came the diagnosis
of quite a serious and rare condition.
Not cancer
but not good!
It's taken me a while
not just to recover but, also,
to come to terms with it all!!





So.....
enough about health...
How are all of you I wonder!?
I have to confess that it's been a while since
I looked at any blogs!

What have I been doing?
I've been very involved with scrapbooking
and am on Instagram.
Scrapbooking I can sit down
and take it easy whilst being creative.
I'll show some of my spreads another time.
If you want to look for yourself its....
guess what??...
pembrokeshirelass 
I'll post some pics next time ....
when I'm more organised!!



I'm also back at studying Classics
at the Open University.
I had to defer last year when I was so ill.
Again I am having to relearn Latin...
not my favourite!!



I am also enjoying reading books
for a publishing house.
Yesterday I finished a book that really
impacted me!
It's about the Comfort Women of Korea
who were captured, used and abused 
by the invading Japanese soldiers.
Totally enthralling
but also eye opening
I don't think I will ever forget it!!
If you want to read it
it's called
'The White Chrysanthemum'
A thoroughly recommended book!!



I think that I have probably written enough
for now!
I look forwards to catching up 
with you all again xx


#thewhitechrysanthemum   #netgalley