I’m not sure where the year has gone – the Summer has been wonderfully busy and here we are approaching Autumn and the weather is very clement – we are frequently sitting outside for meals and I’m definitely topping up my tan. We both love being outside and, at the moment the birds are singing as though they think it’s Spring: I hope they aren’t getting confused. I have noticed swallows gathering on the wires and swooping around in swirls, catching their fill of insects in preparation for their long flight south.
It has been perfect weather for walking too, and from Coed y Berclas we have seen the mountains of Snowdonia, starting their day capped with clouds or in a thin mist, which has burned off to leave them sharply defined against a blue sky. The view from the top of Snowdon must be beautiful in these conditions.
Tonight there is a full moon and it’s wonderful to watch from our terrace as it rises over the mountains. The reflections on the water, of its silvery light, are quite magical and it makes beautiful shadows on the drive of the tree behind the Cottage: we have no street lights to spoil it with light pollution.
Daf and I have just bought tickets for ‘Gardeners’ Question Time’ which will be recorded at the Canolfan (Leisure Centre) in Beauaris on the evening of 30th September. We’re really looking forward to seeing the team and putting faces to the voices we’ve heard so often on the radio. Daf’s working on his question but I’d like to relax and enjoy the occassion without worrying about someone pointing a microphone at me!
Before that is the Beaumaris Food Festival, on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th. It promises to be great fun with demonstrations by top chefs in the Canolfan and 100 stalls around town selling street and artisan food and drinks.There will be a puffin trail for children and family entertainment on the pier. Beaumaris Castle will host a medieval event and the Castle, Gaol and Courthouse will charge half price entry fee, which can’t be bad.
Sadly, we missed the Menai Bridge Seafood Festival – we had a computer ‘melt-down’ which had to be sorted out. Luckily we had a report back from guests who said it was very busy and well worth going to – hopefully next year we’ll get there!
We have lots of happy memories and some lovely comments from guests who have stayed with us over the Spring and Summer – they have been out and about doing all sorts of different things, from walking parts of the Anglesey Coastal Path to cycling along country lanes, playing on sandy beaches to spotting red squirrels, flying through the air on zip wires to boat trips on Rib Ride, crabbing on Beaumaris pier to star-gazing from the orchard: there’s lots of information to read in the Visitors’ Book about their adventures and some lovely comments about Coed y Berclas too.
Dorothy Russell
8th September 2014