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2009 Beaumaris Victorian Christmas

Victorian Chistmas ay Beaumaris

Daf and I popped down to Beaumaris this afternoon to take a look at the Victorian Christmas event. The organisers must have been anxious as the day approached – the weather had been wet and windy (with a terrific thunder storm a week ago) but the day dawned with the mountain peaks covered in the first snows of Winter and, although it wasn’t exactly dry underfoot, it wasn’t raining and the day remained calm.

It was very much a local community event with ‘things’ happening in various locations around the town, such as Punch and Judy, a craft fair, charity stalls, judging of the best shop window display, best costume etc and it culminated in a procession led by the Beaumaris Silver Band along Castle Street to White Lion Square where the Christmas lights were switched on and prizes were handed out by the Snow Queen who had arrived in style in a horse drawn carriage accompanied by ‘Queen Victoria’ herself – the real Princess Victoria visited Beaumaris and stayed at the Bulkeley Arms Hotel before she became Queen – just part of the town’s rich history!

Dorothy

28th November 2009

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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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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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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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Red squirrels on Anglesey

An Anglesey squirrel

10th Feb 2009

We had a visit today from Craig Shuttleworth of Menter Mon. He is responsible for overseeing the development of the Red Squirrel population on Anglesey and we’re pleased to note that these lovely creatures are well settled in Pentraeth Forest and Newborough Warren. Not only that, they’ve been seen very near to Coed y Berclas and we’re assured that it’s only a matter of time before they are seen in our woodland.I can’t wait! The last time I saw a red squirrel was on a visit to the Lake District in the early 1980s.

Menter Mon’s work is supported by the Red Squirrel Survival Trust which has Prince Charles as its Patron. It is vital the grey squirrel is kept away from red squirrel settlements. Not only do they out-compete they also bring with them a pox to which they are immune but which brings a lingering and painful death to the reds. Just imagine how lovely it will be to wander through woodland and know that at any moment we might catch a glimpse of one of Britain’s most endearing native creatures.

Dorothy

Posted: 2009-02-11

Dorothy