Life's a beach

Returned from a week in Wales, staying in R & S's caravan, not far from Llanbedr. Apart from two stormy nights, the weather was kind to us, if a little windy. We certainly packed a lot into the week, including a trip up Snowden on the train, and a short climb, battling against the wind, to the summit, where we could see nothing at all, as we were completely enshrouded in cloud.

The beaches along this part of the coast were vast and empty, and there were some amazing clouds overhead, so I took far too many photographs. We spent a very enjoyable day on Shell Island, where apart from a party of schoolchildren from Manchester, who were having a wonderful time sliding down the impressive, steep dunes, we had the place to ourselves. The shells were pretty good too.

We also had Nantcol waterfalls to ourselves. A very peaceful and beautiful place (but not, apparently, during the last school holidays, when R & S visited them). I was interested in the pretty yellow flowers, growing under the trees, just above one of the ravines. They turned out to be Common Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense), a partially parasitic plant and an indication of ancient woodland. It produces a sugery liquid from under its petals, which wood ants feed from.

I couldn't resist taking the following photo of some rusting ironwork, which I've named 'The Angel of the Beach' as it reminded me of the Angel of the North, which I saw for the first time during my recent visit to Newcastle.

Since returning I've spent most of my 'spare' time tackling the lush growth and rampant weeds in the garden and on the plot. The first job I had to deal with was the grape vine, reaching ever skywards and covering the landing window, but now that's under control, and the flowers are about to open. I've yet to do some work on the front garden, but on the whole I'm pleased with the way things are looking. In the greenhouse, the tomatoes and chillies are flowering well, and the aubergine plants looking healthy. On the plot all is well, that is, apart from the shallots, which have succombed to the onion fly or something of that ilk. I will be removing the shrivelled remains asap. We've enjoyed our first strawberries, and the perfume of our first sweetpeas (particularly the very fragrant Matucana). And finally, my 'girlie' shed now has some new curtains, made from one half of a tablecloth from the Pound shop - the remaining half being just the right size for our little table under the grape vine, at home.