4th February 2021 - A year ago today we bid on a Glamping Site

Thought for the day :"I asked my wife for "something Cuban" for my birthday, and she got me a Che Guevara t-shirt. Clothes, but no cigar."

Today's pinned post in "Glamping with the Moon"

4th February 2021

It is a year to the day that I put in the "Best & Final Offer" upon a 30 acre Glamping site just south of Carmarthen.

I never like the system of closed bids and indeed I calculated every penny that we had and launched the "Glamping with the Moon" concept to raise additional working capital to purchase the business side of the property.

This crowd funding option brought many friends who now follow us on this, the open page for Ffynnon Wen. Susie and I will be eternally grateful for the support that so many extended and offered in those early days.

When the bids closed and the vendors decided that they would take that property off the market we were desperately disappointed - but many told us that there would be a reason and that the right place could be just around the corner.

Well, they were right! 2020 was not a time to be trying to open up a Glamping business that required bookings to break even.

It would be only 12 more days before my birthday, and the day that we first set eyes upon "Bluebell Cottage" (our predecessors had renamed the house during their tenure)

Much was to happen, house sales would fall through, pandemic would restrict movement, but instead of starting yet another business in our mid 60's - we chose to come to this little corner of the world where we still hope to be able to host friends and guests, have Tavern weekends, Folk evenings, and have a barn raising - or rather a cabin raising so we have more space for people to stay... Vaccination will hopefully mean that this becomes a practicality..

But again - our thoughts are with everyone who has been supporting us with their thoughts and good wishes over the last year.

A big Thank You!  

And last year's post... Blogspot 2020

A couple of photos around the garden....
Things are beginning to grow everywhere 

Crocus with the piggies

more bulbs - unknown - probably daffodils

A few flowering - others bulbs 

Another section of the shed painted today 
finished the current pot of paint - start another tomorrow  

Started the next section

Daffodils under the tress 
Witch hazel in flower

Temple of Doris Flowering

Dafs under the trees

Back to the house

'Thena on guard

Thena not well today - sick in the kitchen and been asking to go out all day .

Not sure what she has eaten. Did not feed her today and she has missed her normal walk.

In other news, Leaf Mulcher taken to repair shop, and they decided to take the Honda tipper and the chain saw. They think the mulcher may be passed it so I asked then to do what they normally do to see if they can get it started - they think the Honda should go fine... Not so sure about the chain saw either.

Just keeping fingers crossed... and hoping that they work and are not too expensive.

 

Cheers 

3rd February 2021 - Raining again

Thought for the day :"Just joined a dating group for pyromaniacs....I got a match straightaway!"



A little warmer today so managed to put a second coat of black paint onto the rose garden walls...  Then it started raining - of course...

Walked 'Thena up to the field when it stopped... It started raining again ... of course. 

Took 'Thena to the Vets at Newcastle Emlyn - her old problem of smelly anal glands had come back - she was excellent - following the vet into the office (we are not allowed in at the moment - only the vet).
Not too expensive either - very pleased. 

Looked at a possibility for the gate to the drive.. will try to find how to get it form Whatsapp - which will not load on the desktop any more - I think because there is no phone signal in the main living room where the desktop is ... 

found it and loaded to My Photos Gallery 

I think that would look nice painted black.

Luxury Dinner tonight - Baked beans on toast with an egg on top. I am spoiling myself...

Started looking at some trail camera photos 

Can only think that this is a squirrel climbing on the camera

And on to the Bird Feeder...  

Bluetits

Long Tail Tits

More Blue Tits

Great Tit

Think these are long tail 

in flight

Woody

Woody

Long Tail Tits

Long Tail Tits

Woody

Woody

Woody

Woody

Woody

and of course the guy who has to go and get the wood ..

and in video :

Blue Tits

Long tail

Great Tit 

Woody

Cheers 

2nd February 2021 - Raining again - Not a Garden Day

Thought for the day :"My mum always used to say "40 is the new 30" Lovely woman... Banned from driving."

Wet day today - a "not in the garden" day really.

Took Vic to the Doctor in Lampeter and his bloods all come back clear. A few tablets for depression and increasing appetite and took him back home. 

Found a Gate builder and gave details to get a new wooden gate fabricated for the front drive.

Chopped some wood - walked the dog .. Lit the fire in the living room.

Still raining - though snow expected across the country....

Phoned the garage to get a service for the car. They will call me back when they have a space in the diary.
Working a reduced service and no courtesy cars ...

So - not much to report today ...

Cheers !

1st February 2021 - A day in the Garden

Thought for the day:"You don’t see many books of philosophy puns for sale. I suppose it’s a bit of a Nietzsche market..."

Not so cold this morning so did a bit of digging in the duck pond - may take me a month to dig it out properly - it is very heavy clay. Also cleared a bit more bramble from the spring area. Susie finished up later. Pulled a lot of branches from the paddock and took them up to use them as a fence on the roadway. We have found some hawthorn sprigs that I can use to plant as a hawthorn hedge. 

Susie planted a Mountain Ash tree in the paddock.

Our two boys, Cecil and Cyril are still fighting. They were completely covered in mud, which stops them  fluffing their feathers up to get warm - so Susie decided to bath them today and they were remarkably placid... There is video but I took it on Susie's Phone so have to see how to get it to the blog...

Walked the dog up the lane to the field and back. Found this strange red fungus .. 

In other news - we are looking to try and get a wooden or metal set of gates across the driveway. We need something to keep the dog in and it would be nice to have something that looked good yet still keeps the dog safe...

Took some photos for the design stage.| We have a 12ft gap so that looks like an easy size to sort out ..

Also today - Fabio, Zsa Zsa and Marlene are doing well and growing new feathers...

keeps turning his back when displaying 

nearly got a full view here

Cyril and Cecil fighting 

Looking Good 

And down the bottom quarter - the bluebells and daffodils are well on their way ...

 

A busy day ... We are both poop'ndeckered!

A glass of Ffynnon Rose and sitting in front of a roaring fire..

Cheers !