22nd April 2023 - Sir Thomas of Acon

Thought for the day :"Sadly we've lost some of our local businesses recently - the brake-pad shop has come to a halt"

Carmarthen today to go into the chair of St Thomas of Accon 

I have photos from January 2000 at Margam Abbey so I have been in the Order at least 23 years to get to the Chair. In searching further I see a document of the History of Sir Rice Mansell mentioning the consecration, and that document is dated 2018!!  Howver it still does not state when the chapel was consecrated. I know I have some photos of the consecration somewhere but cannot find them in my indexes at present. Work in Progress.

Had local electrician Barri Davies come to the house today to look at giving us a quote for the installation and he clearly knows far more about the business - and gives me confidence- we shall see how his prices compare but I am inclined to go with the local business and local knowledge. 

Looks as though we will have a go ahead !

and so we finish the day with some interesting fungus

Cheers

21st April 2023 - Walking Visitors

Thought for the day :"Sadly we've lost some of our local businesses recently - I believe Curry’s has had its chips"

Chris and Vicky with us today for afternoon and dinner 

Took a few photos of the occasion 

Magnolia is coming out

Doris starting to flower

View to house

Magnolia

Lower Quarter 

Bluebells

Visitors 

Giraffes

Doris

Cheers !

20th April 2023 - And New Poster for "Coronation at the Crimson Moon"

Thought for the day :"Sadly we've lost some of our local businesses recently; The local secretarial services shop has gone into administration"

New Poster for the Coronation opening ...

Well today has been a busy day, Susie not feeling 100% - thinks it was the marmite - personally I think it is a form of poison so would not be at all surprised. Seems it contains wheat though not normally enough to bother her. 

But it left me alone to get the strimmer out (the light weight Bosch rather than the biggie) and trim the grass at the front of the house, all the steps and onto the pontoon and the raised fruit beds,.

A walk through the bluebells - pictures do not really do much justice t the amount of blue out there at the moment 

And the tulips in the lower quarter are really large and bright 

So off for a walk - down my the Kissing Gate

 

And more bluebells by the footpath 

And 'Thena found a bone and did not want to come along with us so Toby and I tried a few selfie shots while sitting on the top step of the path 

And back to the strimming - the pontoon is looking good 

Then got the chain saw out and took off the limb that was weighing the Fairy Tree down and put it as a border around the patio roses..

and the finished Fairy Tree

Took some extra time to plant some poppies in the lower quarter - goodness poppy seeds are small - there were apparently 50 in the packet but you could hardly see them 

Not a bad day 

Cheers !

19th April 2023 - Polytunnels and Planting

Thought for the day :"Sadly we've lost some of our local businesses recently; A door bell manufacturer has gone bust. It will have a knock on effect.!"

Another sunny day - though a little colder than previous - couldn't sit out in the sun today but it was bright to work in..

Started the day with two batteries of bosch strimmer clearing the pathways and borders.

We had a visitation from Nicky, Briony and family who wanted to borrow the incubator and kit, and have some of our fertile eggs so they can hatch them out at home  - a good excuse to stop and have a cup of tea / coffee ..

Then back to the polytunnel to get on with the raised beds..

So off to Newcastle Emlyn with a very reluctant Toby - but we have decided to start taking him for short trips in the car so he can get used to it ..  ion this case it was to get some seeds for Susie..

Also got some grass seed for the patchy lawn and lower quarter and Susie gave me some poppies for the lower quarter as well. 

While we were there I bought 50mtr or 1mtr wide membrane for the pathway in the paddock  as it will have to be replaced before we open for the Coronation..

Susie also started to examine her new electric rotovator -but we were a bit too tired to start that project today and so we put it back in the tavern to try again tomorrow.

And so I decided that it was dry enough after three dry days to try the Romany Caravan ground next door - only got stuck once but had the hand winch ready and I know how free her now - looks a lot better 

Tired this evening - Cheers !

18th April 2023 - Polytunnels and Mowed Lawns

Thought for the day :"More bad luck in the business world , the Fish Mongers has had to scale down"

Sunny Day and quite warm..

Walked the dogs and fell into the brambles - but Toby enjoys licking the wounds...

Cut the lawns and the John Deere managed the slopes like a dream ...

Magnolia is flowering!!

And on to the polytunnel. Two tasks

a) Susie wanted her water sprinkling system fitted and had done the hard work already - but needed some extra strength to help with the plastic ends that needed to be forced into the hose - and plastic affects her allergies these days, and also it was useful to have the extra height to fix the hose to the roof.

That is the water sprinkling - not very clear on the photograph.

Better on the video

and

b) to get on with creating the raised flower beds...

And Susie started on the steps and boundary borders

and another shot of the garden

Quite good for one day ...

Cheers !