Nature's Winter Art

The sun shone, and there was frost on the ground, another magical day in the heart of nature's trail. Winter Art is all around, leaves sparkling as the sun descends into the horizon, cold spots where no sun lays its head, letting the frost cover grass and leaf.

      

One of my Favourite things ... Baking

Chocolate Cake with Raspberries and Cream

Leonard Cohen - Hallelujah

Leonard Cohen died on November 14th 2016.
Thank you for the music.
Good Night.... a star will shine above <3

Amroth, Remembrance Sunday

Minwear Woods, Pembrokeshire

All of This...

Black Pool Mill .... Last of Autumn Days

The place, the light, the colours, the air.... everything today was divine, heavenly and oh so so beautiful. How was I so blessed to be born in a land of outstanding natural beauty, how was I so blessed to be given such a life as this. It is all so random.... Life is random...

An October day surrounded by the blessings that Mother Earth gives so generously, I am in awe of Her... always.

All I can say is Thank You for giving me all of this. It doesn't seem enough to say Thank You but it is all I have ..

Time to Bake

After a lovely few hours at Andrew Price Hair this morning and then a wonder around Narberth, browsing around the shops, picking up five books at the Sartori Charity Shop for a £1 (I do love a bargain!), I made my way home to start baking. One of the books I bought was a cookery book by Jane Asher. I chose two recipes... Soaked Lemon Cake and Coconut Nut Crunch. Scrummy!

I started baking again about a year or so ago, mainly chocolate cakes. But then I got a bit tired of chocolate cake and stopped baking for a while. But now I'm experimenting more, baking different things every week. I'm loving it. Its a way of being creative, relaxing, enjoying the process. Its lovely. I usually share my cakes with my family and my friends at work, who all seem to be enjoying the tastes. 

Here are today's bakes....

A Dream....

Back in August I was given the opportunity to shoot photos of Dylan Thomas' Writing Shed. It was an exciting opportunity for me; I had dreamed of doing this for an absolute age. I shot five films, one 35mm black and white, one 35mm colour and three 120mm colour films.

I had hoped that I would be able to exhibit some of the images, but due to financial restrictions and in all honesty at the time, I hadn't been overly happy with the results, I decided not to show them. I was disappointed, but the excitement for me was being there in the shed where Dylan had spent much of his time writing such masterpieces as Under Milk Wood. So in the end it didn't matter that I couldn't exhibit the pictures, it mattered more to me that I had been there.

Having put away the images for a while, and now looking at them again, I'm not so unhappy with them.

These are some of the 35mm black and white film I shot...

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Span Arts Singing Workshop

I was able to attend the Singing Workshop at Span Arts tonight. I don't normally get home from work until about 7.30pm on a Monday, and then I'm hungry and tired so I'm not inclined to go to any classes. But this week I am working full time in the office so I had the opportunity to join the workshop.

I'm so glad I did. And I think that I will attend the next one even if I am hungry and tired and arrive a little late.

I love singing and I've been looking for a choir to join. Catrina said that she does regular workshops in St Dogmaels on a Thursday Evening, but that's an hour's drive from my home. I considered it, but I don't think it will be feasible for me to attend that one.

The next workshop with Catrina will be on the 14th November. I'm already looking forward to it. And now that I have been and enjoyed it so much, I'm thinking that I will also look for a dance class. Dancing is another pastime that I have always loved, but haven't done any in a long time. It would be good exercise for me as I hate going to the gym, I don't run, I do walk but its usually with my camera so I don't do the power walking thing which is the best kind for fitness, and I know that I would enjoy dancing. Just to find a class to fit in with my life...hmmmm...

Lemon Meringue Pie

I had intended to bake a Lemon Meringue Pie yesterday, but feeling a little low in spirit, I didn't feel like doing anything much at all. But when I got home from work today and I'd had a good day, I decided I really wanted that Lemon Pie. I was going to the singing workshop at Span Arts later this evening, so I got on with my bake.

It turned out really well! I hadn't thought that there would be so much of it, but boy it's good. I am so chuffed with myself and very glad I got on and did it. Mary Berry eat your heart out! I did follow Mary Berry's recipe so some of the glory goes to her. Thanks Mary! :D

It turned out fluffy, light and delicious :D

Up Days and Down Days

Sunday, waking up with a sadness in my heart for no particular reason. Maybe tiredness, maybe World events, maybe just Sunday blues.

A short walk around the castle noticing the chaos of the trees, the blue of the sky. Thinking of the ancients who lived here many centuries ago, what was life really like for them. Narberth at its beginning, a Castle and a Church, followed by the building of a few houses and the settling of families, becoming a village, until centuries later growing into the lovely popular Market town it is today.