Category: Blog

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Time to think of Christmas!

Haf Bach, Beaumaris Fireworks display, Christmas and New Year Festivities.

Why does it always happen that the schools start back and the weather almost immediately improves. Here in Wales there’s a name for this September/October phenomenon – it’s called Haf Bach (Little Summer) and sure enough we are having beautiful sunny days and clear starry nights here on Anglesey. My Mother, who was a Primary School teacher frequently asked why British school holidays include August which is one of the most temperamental months, just as likely to be rainy as sunny. She suggested May, June and July as much more reliable and our experience would absolutely back this up.

However, here at Coed y Berclas we are beginning to contemplate November with the Beaumaris Fireworks display, and December which are not too far away; although I refuse to count the number of ‘shopping days to Christmas’.

November brings the Beaumaris Bonfire and brilliant Firework Display

This year, the Beaumaris Fireworks display will be from about 6:30 – 7:50 on Saturday November 7th – have a look at our Tariff Page for availability of the Cottage and come along to join in the fun – Daf and I will certainly be there.

Snowy Cottage at Christmas!

Christmas Day and New Years Day are on Friday this year

We are not sticking to our usual Saturday ‘turn-round’. You can choose any days (minimum stay 3 nights) you wish to stay at Coed y Berclas over the Festive Season and anyone booking seven consecutive nights over this period will find a hamper filled with seasonal treats waiting for them.

Bring in the New Year at the midnight Firework Display at Beaumaris Castle just two miles from Coed y Berclas.

Dorothy.

13th September 2009.

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August day for a Pilot Cutter.

A Tall Ship passes Bangor Pier

As we looked out from our terrace at yet another flotilla of Beaumaris racing yachts disappearing like a gaggle of goslings, bidding for the best position, back towards their starting point near the Royal Anglesey Yacht Club; this magnificent reminder of a bygone era floated gracefully and silently into view and gently drifted past Bangor Pier shining with the light of late morning, ushering the unruly flock before her as she made her elegant way across the wavelets winking in the August sunlight. Her progress looked effortless and we watched contented until she glided serenely out of sight leaving a sense of tranquility in her wake.

…now Daf wants one.

Dorothy. 25th August 2009.

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Beautiful August night.

Moonlight over Snowdonia

After a beautiful August day, came one of those magical moments when the moon rose through whispy clouds over Carnedd Llewelyn, Snowdonia.

The sun’s last pink glow, promising good weather for the morrow, had just left the mountains, handing them over to night’s caressing darkness, when the creamy moon slipped silently up from misty, cloud shrouded mountain tops and rose high in the sky to glow with a mysterious and ethereal light. The Menai Strait lay becalmed and silent below, the lights of Bangor foreshore reflecting languidly in her still waters.

Dorothy.

5th August 2009… a few minutes ago

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Quilt Show in Menai Bridge. August.

From 4th to 8th August look out for Llandegai Patchers Exhibition of Quilts at the English Presbyterian Church (next to the Victoria Hotel), Menai Bridge, Anglesey.

Poster for the Quilt Exhibition at Menai Bridge

There will be all sorts of lovely quilts to enjoy – including one or two of mine – and with homemade cakes and a cup of tea or coffee on offer, stalls selling fabrics and accessories for patchwork and quilting, and a warm welcome to everyone – what could be a better way to spend a couple of hours? Entry is £1, children free and money goes to charity.

Dorothy.

3rd July 2009

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Summer

On the lovely Isle of Anglesey, as elsewhere in the UK, we have been treated to a month of blue skies and long days of sunshine. This morning we have had a much needed shower to refresh the plants and encourage growth in my vegetable patch – some of the potatoes should be ready to dig up and enjoy while they are small and tasty.

Mourne Mountains summer 2009

Daf and I found time to sail over to Carlingford Lough, the border between Northern and Southern Ireland. It was beautiful with the Mountains of Mourne as a backdrop and we had a lovely relaxing time but the prices in Eire astounded us! I had heard from a number of friends that holidays in the Euro Zone were really expensive because of the comparative weakness of sterling but it still came as a shock – we certainly didn’t eat out – luckily the boat was well stocked!

What I don’t understand is why the whole of Europe and America isn’t holidaying in Britain (Wales!) this year while the exchange rate is so much in their favour!

Meanwhile my current quilt workshop series has just come to an end and I’m preparing for the next – ‘Beginners’ and ‘Intermediate’ – which commence in September. It feels a long way off but it’ll whizz by and we still have our Pot Luck Supper for the current workshop students to look forward to in a couple of weeks.

Dorothy. 3rd July 2009

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Cauldron wins first prize ‘Group Quilt’ at Malvern.

'Birthdays' A Quilt by Cauldron

Great excitement at Coed y Berclas – ‘Birthdays’ wall hanging by Cauldron.

Members Jenny Roberts, Gill Marshall and Doris Alcock won First Prize in the Group Quilts category at the Malvern Quilt Show – Quilts UK. Now all we have to do is produce more prize winners – so no pressure there then!

The next place to see my quilts – group and individual – is at the NEC, Birmingham, at Festival of Quilts in August; so if you’re in the area drop in to see if you can find them in probably the biggest quilt show in Europe. Later in the year I will have a quilt in The Great Northern Quilt Show which takes place in September at Harrogate Showground.

In the meantime the larger group to which we all belong, Llandygai Patchers, will be holding our own Patchwork and Quilting Show in the English Presbyterian Church in Menai Bridge, Anglesey in the first week of August – this will include some quilts made by members of my workshop series.

The next issue of the Anglesey Informer will have a two page spread about my own Patchwork and Quilting and my Workshops. It will be out in June; it’s free, and as the title suggests, it gives a lot of information about Anglesey. There is a little pile of past copies building up in our holiday Cottage.

Dorothy

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Berclas Blog 1st June 2009… a Tit

A Blue Tit chick

The weather is just gorgeous: the sun is shining from a clear blue sky onto a blue sea rippled by gentle breezes and the mountains are clear as though they had been cut out. All the trees are in full leaf and the sound of bird song fills the air. We watched recently as a family of blue tit fledglings left their nest in the cottage nest box one at a time – some of them were distinctly nervous of leaving their sanctuary, their little fluffy heads bobbing in and out as they summoned up the courage. The rabbits too have a number of young (well that’s what rabbits are supposed to do!) including some really tiny babies. They form the welcome party at the entrance to our drive and frolic, as though to entertain us, on the lower lawns.

The buzzard parents have been teaching their young how to fly, calling to them to watch the most amazing aerial displays – we, of course, were watching too. How wonderful it must be to soar, swoop, hover and dive with such consummate skill – I can both admire and be envious of this wonderful bird and its astonishing abilities up there in the wide open skies.

Dorothy

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Classic British Sports Cars at Coed y Berclas.

A Morgan and a TR6 came to Coed y Berclas

We had a treat over the May Day bank holiday… Two beautiful classic cars swept down the drive at Coed y Berclas – a Morgan and a Triumph TR6 – all the more poignant for us as Daf once had a TR4A and I had a TR6 and subsequently a Triumph Stag; all wonderful British sports cars. They were then to be seen touring round Anglesey for the next few days and I’m sure a lot of heads were turned. Usually classic cars, like butterflies, hibernate, (snug in their garages – getting a lot of ‘hands on’ attention) then come out, as the days get longer and the weather kinder, to display their beauty in the sunshine. We look forward to more visits in the future. I’ve just realised I haven’t even mentioned their owners – well, they were all lovely too!

Dorothy

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Quilt Workshops Anglesey

Dorothy Russell Quilting workshop on Anglesey

I’m now half way through the twelve session quilting course I’m teaching to a group of new quilters and I’m enjoying it hugely. They are all lovely; they’re getting on really well both with their work and with each other – and they want to carry on after this course – which is brilliant.

I hope lots of the quilts will be ready for the Llandygai Patchers’ Exhibition in Menai Bridge in August this year.

I also offer patchwork/quilting lessons to guests staying at Coed y Berclas Holiday Cottage but recently I had a request to teach a lady staying elsewhere on Anglesey – I hadn’t previously thought of offering quilt days to visitors other than those staying with us, but why not – so if you live on Anglesey or in North Wales or are visiting the area – wherever you’re staying – and you would like to enjoy a few hours of Patchwork and Quilting tuition, beginner or improver, give me a call or send an email.

In September I will be starting another twelve session Beginners Quilting Course too – Contact me for information and to put your name down.

Dorothy

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Ice Cream in Beaumaris

Red Boat Ice Cream Parlour, Beaumaris

Sunday 22nd March 2009

Daf and I went to Beaumaris this morning to buy some teak garden furniture for the Apartment – there are quite often interesting sales in the Bulkeley Hotel Ballroom.

While we were there, we spotted a new arrival on Castle Street which is going to be a must for our guests – an Ice Cream Parlour called Red Boat – offering ice creams, sorbets, coffees, paninis and sandwiches. I enjoyed a Bounty flavoured ice cream in a cone and Daf had an amazing blend of pineapple and basil, which was really good. The only thing which worries me is that we may feel driven to try every flavour!