Country Style!

I was going to get all serious today and write about how I can't believe anyone could be unconcerned about climate change these days (especially people with children/grandchildren) and the speed at which we are using up the earth's resources.  So, I started to think about what to say and realised that once I started, it would be difficult to know where to stop!  I'm also not very good at expressing myself, even though I'm clear in my own mind what my views and purpose are, and don't want to nag or preach to anyone.  I've decided, therefore, that the thing to do is to continue as I am, following my conscience, doing what I can, and hope it rubs off a little on those I come into contact with.  Most people would rather not be reminded of the global environmental situation because they then feel guilty about what they could be doing and would rather continue as they are and push it to the back of their minds!!

(It's surprising how much you can write, just to say what you're not going to write about :-)

Now back to what you'd normally expect from me - A weekend round-up!

I didn't realise the carrots in the garden were ready to eat until OH brought in this huge bowl of produce on Sunday!  Shame I bought some from the supermarket on Friday!!  Carrots with dinner for the rest of the week then?  That's the last of the lettuce though for a little while (OH is going to plant some more).  Every year I plan to pickle lots of beetroot but I like them so much they don't make it into a jar! I used  to microwave them but try not to use the microwave too much and now boil them on the hob (they take the same amount of time and I also find it less messy).

 On Saturday I went with DD and her 2 dogs to a village fete where her OH was manning a stand from the Community Farm where he works.  We were too late to enter the dogs in the dog show but they had plenty of attention from other fete goers, particularly one little girl who pestered played with them for what seemed like a couple of hours.  Dogs had to be kept on leads so the first time she threw a twig for them I nearly had my arm yanked out of its socket! DD and her OH were laughing as they envisaged me being dragged through the wet grass by the lead.  Despite the frequent showers, there were many visitors and we managed to enjoy tea and cake in the refreshment tent and take a stroll around the stalls. 

No, I didn't make a scrumptious batch of Welsh Cakes and leave them near the open window to cool!  I bought the cakes and this book at the fete.  When I picked the book up, I thought it looked familiar but, on flicking through it, I didn't recognise any of the pictures.  However, I should have because I found a copy of the exact same book on the shelf at home!!  If anyone would like a copy of this book (UK only, sorry) let me know in the comments and I'll mail it to you.   Book taken, thanks Ali.

Bye for now
Teresa x

I'm Back.........and you didn't even know I'd gone!

The residents' lounge
Access to CAT via gravity/water powered carriage

OH and I have been away for a long weekend to Mid-Wales. We left Friday afternoon and arrived back Monday afternoon. It was a lovely break and nice to not think about housework or cooking for 3 whole days!

One always takes a chance booking accommodation online but, fingers crossed, we've been lucky so far. We stayed at the Buckley Arms Hotel near Machynlleth where we were made to feel thorougly relaxed and at home. All the rooms were large and comfortable with everything we needed at hand. On 2 out of the 3 evenings we ate dinner here too and the food was delicious. The Residents' Lounge was a dramatic room with an old-fashioned feel, but everything looked quite new (see top photo, sorry all the photos didn't load the first time and then I couldn't move them around).-
Saturday was a bit of a wash-out weatherwise but we managed to find an indoor boot sale (didn't buy anything) and a craft centre to visit.
-

Sunday was much better and we took the opportunity to visit the Centre for Alternative Technology which was one of my reasons for staying in that area (and can now be crossed off my Things I Want To Do list).

The veg garden at CAT (above and below)

An insect home wall

The new conference and education centre (called WISE but I can't remember what it stands for)

Ducks by the pond at CAT having a thorough grooming session and taking no notice of us at all.

In the afternoon we drove to the coast. It was very windy and not terribly warm. The people there were almost willing it to get warmer by dressing in shorts and t-shirts (there was even one brave girl in a bikini!). We kept our jumpers firmly on and I don't think I'd have been too warm if I'd worn a coat too! I saw one chap wearing a woolly hat and sandals - this weather is very confusing!!

Despite that we had a lovely relaxing afternoon:

admiring the views........

watching people trying to catch crabs (OH said he thought it was a competition as they all had the same buckets. We didn't see any crabs getting caught - they usually fell off the bait before the fisherman was able to pull the line back up)...................

and eating icecream (well, you've got to at the seaside) while relaxing on a bench and people watching.

On the way back to the hotel we passed this beautiful lake (or is it a reservoir, I'm not sure) where 2 lads were fishing from a little dinghy.

It really was a lovely, relaxing time but all too short.

We had a couple of cream teas while away (not this one, I didn't take photos unfortunately) and I did quite a lot of thinking (thinking in general for a change instead of about what I have to do next). At one point, I mentally planned my perfect day which involved:

1 A sunny summers day

2 Me selling craftwork and sewing from my Shed

3 DD selling her products and promoting her business

4 DS making and serving cream teas on the lawn.

I aim to do at least part of this at some time in the future but it seems a long way off at the moment.

-

There were shelves of books in the hotel lounge so one evening after dinner we sat there and had a browse. I didn't want to start reading something and then have to leave it so I picked the smallest book in a set of classics and read it in an evening. It was The Wizard of Oz!! (they were children's classics :-) I was surprised at how different they made the film to the book but enjoyed the quick read. I already knew the shoes were silver and not 'ruby red' (due to the fact that silver wouldn't show up well for the film on a yellow brick road) but a lot of the other changes surprised me which was good because then it wasn't too predicable. And I can add another book to my reading list for 2010, meaning I'm almost on track for one a month (pathetic really!)

-

Bye for now

Teresa x

Global Earth Hour!

I'm going to be turning off my electricity for 1 hour for Global Earth Hour on Saturday 27th March 2010 at 8.30pm (GMT) to demonstrate my concern regarding climate change. Is your country taking part? Are YOU taking part?

-

(Hopefully, I'll be out and won't have to sit in the dark for an hour) Very sorry about that!! That is certainly not the attitude to take! I just hope I remember.

-

Will be out earlier in the evening to sing with the Saturday Singers at the launch of a book about our village. We also have a rehearsal at 12 noon the same day followed by singing at, and partaking of, a Lenten Lunch at the Baptist Chapel.
-

This Saturday Singers group could get out of hand!! I'm thinking of having a break from Choir Practice after Easter; we break for the summer anyway and after Easter the next important festival (from the choir's point of veiw) will be Harvest in September. I feel I need a break from something. I've had a couple of niggly health issues over the last few months (a swimmy head, and dry skin patches) and think I would benefit from slowing down a little especially as it's time I started training for this years Race for Life and Big Black Mountains Challenge (both of which I've entered)!!! I think I just contradicted myself !!

-

Bye for now

Teresa x