There's lovely

That's what my Grandma would say to a handful of hedgerow primroses, or the empty cellophane and foil wrappers from Christmas Quality Street glinting in a bowl.  Over the last couple of weeks some of my favourite blog sites have featured special loveliness too.

See https://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/commuting-to-work/ for the summer version of my cliff top walks.  Such beauty.

A week later, Desire to Inspire featured this home for sale - a converted church near the coast, between St Davids and Haverfordwest.     https://www.desiretoinspire.net/2024/07/17/an-ancient-church-becomes-a-sympathetic-seaside-home/  Once this would have been my dream home - a former church  made comfortable for living but maintaining its quiet soul.  brochure 

And to see what's happening in  my life in Wales see https://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/shape-shifting-and-wild-folk/ .  I am constantly surprised by the parallels in Jackie Morris' life and mine.  Not that I have new knees or art talent but that we walk the same paths and love the same things.  I also need to lose some weight and get my blood sugars under control so I've ordered the Michael Moseley book...

I have never met Jackie Morris.

I saw this notice the day before I was booked to leave St Davids.  If I'd only booked for one day later I could have met her at the Women's Institute!

But it supports my delusion.

Green leanings

You may  know that the Pembrokeshire coastal path has been a National Park since 1952.  Today it is a  much treasured walking track.  More recently I have noticed more conservation focused initiatives.

I have mentioned previously the amount of housing development in St Davids, and made the point that the new houses are too expensive for locals to buy.  I did see one new affordable housing area.

As  you can see, the houses are not of the typical St Davids style.  Between them and Glasfryn Lane is a large open space that locals told me is being rewilded, and was a condition of development approval by  council.

It is early days but paths have been mown into the grass

and interpretation signs and insect hotels installed.

I saw this sign outside the pub at Porthgain

and was both heartened and intrigued by these litter picker upperers in a Fishguard cafe.  Only the plastic bits are made from recycled fishing nets!

This endearing sign is in the chapel at Non's Well

and I was wildly excited to learn of the existence of https://www.carymor.wales/ and loved this primitive poster on a stile post on the coast path.

In St Davids, many walls are allowed to host plants

and, at the amusingly named Van y Mor

where I ate a delicious lobster and avocado burger while gazing out to sea,

they have planted what I have chosen to believe is the start of a traditional willow fence,

perhaps to one day look like this...

Raising a glass

It seems timely.  Only 1 week of the Tour de France to go.  As the Floosie suggests, let's raise a glass to the Tour of Pembrokeshire.

The Prep:

Team Mark gets ready

The Route:

Tough Opposition:

gathering at The Big School

The Start:

note the yellow gaiters coming up on the right

our man Mark in those unmistakable yellow gaiters

The Spectacular Crowd:

that became a percussion band

https://www.sambadoc.org.uk/ - they're amazing!

And I love their outfits.

The Waiting:

hours spent waiting for the yellow gaiters

Thank goodness for the band.

Arrière de Peleton:

the band's packed up.  Where's our man Mark?

Bloody hell!

Hummmph.

All riders back at home base, aka the cooling beer tent.

  He'd taken his gaiters off - too hot - and slipped past me as I rocked with the band.

The Proud Sponsors:

Celebrations all round.

My cwrw clôs at David's feet.

The Proud Medalist:

Well placed, and well done!!!!

Back to carb loading.

iechyd da!!

🍻

Glad tidings

 I'd intended to do this post later in the blog but feel like doing it now.  Not adventures this time, just isolated things I really enjoyed in St Davids.

I caught the Jackie Morris The Lost Words exhibition at Oriel y Parc, the visitor / gallery space a stone's throw from Frances and David's house.

The exhibition was pleasingly in both English and Welsh.  Jackie Morris has a real presence in St Davids now.  Her works are in restaurants and her books just about everywhere.

David and I took Yodi the Dog for a walk on St Davids Airfield.  It's the place Mum and Dad took me to 'catch' mushrooms when I was a child, and the first time I'd been back.  The airfield has been converted into a space for long rambling walks, ideal for dogs.  We found this box with notebook inside.  Definite proof that Jackie Morris had walked here.  These notebook boxes are often found on Pembrokeshire paths.  Walkers are encouraged to record their visit - observations and feelings.

Jackie's thoughts and feelings about the airfield and skylarks and rewilding are part of the Lost Words exhibition.

Also some fascinating insights into the Welsh Language.

Welsh pride is everywhere - a dragon on a farm gate as you approach St Justinian's Lifeboat Station.

A dragon outside a teashop in Narbeth.

You go to Narbeth to buy crocs from Jellyegg .

dogs can express their gratitude in Welsh

for the many places where you can buy special ice creams for dogs.

Welsh pride at the Tour de Pembrokeshire.

These chaps are queuing for their free hamburger (maybe bacon roll) after the race.

The race was sponsored by the mayor who  happens to co-own a micro brewery  My favourite brew is the cwrw clôs, an ale which nearly compensated for draught Reverend James no longer being available in pubs.  David was kind enough to find it for me in a Tescos.

At the Farmer's Arms, attempting to relive a meal I had shared there with Mum 13 years before, I had to settle for my second choice beer, Double Dragon.

Supermarkets also use both languages

and still stock Battenbergs.

These mini ones are a brilliant idea for diabetics...

my supermarket basket

iced gems are also still around,
pretty on the Narbeth lilac crocs I'd set my heart on.

I managed to bring a packet home for Dymphna.

a bench on the lane leading down to the cathedral

It's a lovely message but seems very out of place.

This is a Board Game cafe in St Davids

I didn't venture in there.  Apparently these cafes are currently The Thing.

This is the cafe and table I frequented.

Favourite food and stunning painting of my Porth Clais cottage.

The cafe is also a delicatessen and green grocery.

The cutest radishes.

a book cupboard in Mathry

I'm pretty sure I showed you this around 10 years ago.

Still  my favourite house in St Davids.  David hates it.

I also like this underground home but think I would need more light.

These are the houses being built now.  I like them.

They are the predominant style in St Davids.  Frances and David's house is similar.

The not so glad tiding, from my point of view, is that housing estates like this are popping up all over St Davids.  Locals can't afford to buy them.