Walking in Sunshine

A couple of days in Cardiff - arrived mid-afternoon and decided to take advantage of some actual sunshine, and go for a walk round the Bay and over the barrage to Penarth.

On the other side we enjoyed a drink sitting on the terrace of a rather posh eaterie looking out over the Bay before making the return journey.

The next day wasn't quite so nice weather-wise, but I had work things to do in the morning, and we did a bit of shopping - and by the afternoon the weather had picked up a bit.

Nice to see Ianto's Shrine still going strong down on Mermaid Quay, and the Bay looked lovely in the evening light:

Time on our last day for a visit to Ikea to buy some bits and pieces for the Van Project, and of course indulge in a plate of Swedish meatballs!

Then on the way home we got to see a bit more sunshine at Aberaeron - where work on the sea defences is still in full swing, much to the detriment of their tourist season.

Sunshine and Sea Defences

With the sun shining, it seemed like a day to do something, so we loaded ourselves in the car and headed off to take a look at what is happening in Aberaeron.

Unfortunately it was a bit on the cold side walking around, and a lot of the shops - and our other 'go-to' location, Llanerchaeron - were shut.  

We had a bit of a wander though, taking in the views, e.g. scenic bits of 'tree', and checking out the ongoing work on new sea defences, which had closed off a lot of the harbour side:

The harbour itself was also quite empty this early in the year - although we did spot some young seagulls taking it easy on an inflatable dinghy!

In the end it wasn't a long trip out, and we were back home for a late lunch - hopefully they'll get the work round the harbour done before the summer season kicks in.

Consti Cold and Bright

After the wet start to the year, we've finally been enjoying some bright (if rather cold) weather - and today we took our first walk of 2024 up Constitution Hill in the sunshine.

Must admit I found it harder work than I would have liked (too much Christmas indulgence!) but the views are always worth it  . . .

Hello Summer :)

After a somewhat dismal July and August, September has arrived with the sun, and some actual summery weather . . . 

Rali Ceredigion was back in town, there was a tall ship out in the bay, and the beaches have been packed (just as the lifeguard service shuts down!).

Even at sunset people have still been out and about enjoying the water and the almost Mediterranean evening heat . . .

We even fired up our new wood pellet pizza oven one evening - we bought this back at the start of the summer, but have only got to use it a couple of times so far.

It does make a very nice sourdough pizza - and Martin roasted off some of his chilli harvest while we were about it - hopefully there will be more opportunities to experiment over the next couple of months.

Aside from the lovely weather, we've both been suffering with heavy colds (not Covid - we did test!), so haven't felt quite as inclined to enjoy the sunshine as much as we would have otherwise.  Fingers crossed, for a sunny Autumn!

Seagulls and Sunset

 

The lovely weather has continued, and we've been enjoying the sunshine at home and on the prom.  The 'well' feature in the kitchen 'courtyard' is still going strong, and looking lovely in the sunshine, with the water playing and a poppy in bloom.

On the prom one of the seagulls seemed to be posing for me - generally they are a complete nuisance, but this at least made for a good photo!

A couple of days later and more of the gang were hanging out at the end of the Pier in the evening sunshine - probably watching out for opportunities to steal people's food this time.

I'll finish this with another sunset picture, this one taken at Ynyslas on a metal detecting trip (and no we didn't find anything, but the walk and scenery were lovely!).

June Sunshine

Early June has brought us more lovely weather, and some sunny trips out - including a walk round Cwm Rheidol, with the sun glinting on the water.

Took a birthday trip to North Wales to see Bodnant Garden's laburnum arch in full bloom, and enjoy the rest of the gardens of course.

Lots of wildlife to see in the ponds in particular - with baby frogs on the lily pads, and dragonflies hovering . . .

It was a lovely day, and the gardens were packed with people enjoying the sunshine and scenery - unfortunately the rhododendrons and azaleas had gone over, although in some places there were still carpets of petals to be seen:

Ended my birthday (after a night out with friends) with this beautiful sunset . . . happy days!

Solar Stories

The end of May has seen continued dry and sunny weather, with lunches by the castle, a fishing trip for Martin, and the usual gardening and household tasks inbetween.

All in all, it has been a good start to the summer - hoping for more lovely weather to come . . . although even with long May days of sunshine we haven't yet topped our best solar production day ever:

2023 is only 3rd in the top 5 list to date . . .

Which brings me to a long overdue 'Solar Power' update (the last posting takes us back to 2020 stats!)

The graph below provides an overview of performance through to the end of 2022, focusing on solar generation.  (With the arrival of the battery in 2021 other figures are a bit skewed by how that works / is controlled, as until the end of this year we are still on something called the 'Tesla Plan' *).

At the time we invested in the solar panels and battery it did feel like something we'd never really see pay-back from, but recent events have seen energy prices soar, and the solar has really come into its own.  Over the summer it more than covers our bills, and that cushions us for the winter months when the solar generation is not so great.

Anyway, here's a nice sunny view of the end of the pier to finish - fingers crossed for more sunshine to come:

* This allows our electricity provider to control the battery, charging it up and drawing down from it as required.  In other words our usage includes power taken from the grid to charge the battery (mostly in the winter months), which they then take back when they need it (and for which we are credited). We still get an export payout or 'Feed In Tariff (FIT)' too, which is a payment direct to us, but now it is for actual figures (taken from a smart meter) rather than 'deemed' export. This has all worked really well, and has meant we haven't had to think about 'when' we use 'what' as it doesn't really matter - we pay the same for what we use, as they pay us for what they take from the battery.  It will be all change at the end of this year however as the 'Tesla Plan' is being withdrawn - so 2024 will be different again.

Another Sunny Sunday

 This time with a walk down to Tan-y-Bwlch . . .

Posts that Didn't Happen - November 2022

November was generally a rather quiet month - starting with a bout of traditional wet and windy weather, an overnight visit from an old friend, and dinner out with the Archive folks.

Finally bought the new mobile phone I'd been pondering for a while - complete with 'panoramic' abilities:

Enjoyed some unseasonably warm weather around the middle of the month, which allowed us to get some final gardening tasks sorted, including cutting the grass, and digging up the last of the potatoes.  

Also took the opportunity for a sunny late afternoon walk along the prom, watching the starlings (which if you look very carefully you might be able to see in the photo below!):

The latter half of the month included a visit with family, helping out with this and that, and planning for Christmas.  Good to catch-up, and see everyone, including the Moo dog who remains obsessed with her people's shoes . . .

Posts that Didn't Happen - August 2022

August brought me back to reality, in the form of a new job - something a bit different for me, haven't really 'done' sales before!  Mostly it's the customer service side though, rather than direct selling - working Monday to Wednesday, answering online enquiries etc.  

Anyway, they're a good bunch of people, the stock is often fascinating and the days swoosh by - plus it's putting a few more pounds in the bank (for now at least) 😊

Also got back from the Folk Festival to find that my crop of courgettes had (as ever) transformed into the annual crop of marrows . . . cue the usual round of recipe hunting . . .

Mid-month brought a family visit, coinciding with some more gloriously hot weather - although far too hot by the afternoons to do anything much.  

Visit over, travelled home via Powis Castle, and the backroads round by Nant-y-Moch reservoir, looking beautiful in the summer sunshine . . .

The rest of the month passed with work, some intermittent sunshine, cooking, jam making, a rather annoying car breakdown, and a little light pantry reorganisation.

Ended August with an evening walk up Consti  (first time this year for me, after months with a dodgy foot), watching the sunset over Cardigan Bay.

Posts that Didn't Happen - July 2022

Most of July was just getting on with life . . . a bit of gardening, keeping the veg plot, greenhouse and polytunnel in trim . . .  putting up pictures and a cabinet in the Folly . . . cleaning the kitchen floor . . . etc. etc.

It was marked by some glorious weather though . . .

. . . some a little too hot for comfort.  

Sat in the sunshine when it was bearable, and made the most of my leisure time (having had a job offer, which means that August will actually see me back in work - of which more in the next post!).

Ended the month with a few days away visiting family, ahead of a return to Cambridge Folk Festival - although did enter purdah the week before (being slightly paranoid that I'd catch covid and wouldn't be able to go).  

Had a lovely few days, relaxing with old friends, listening to music, and eating far too many of the best onion bhajis ever!

Sun, Sea, Sand, Swallows and Cycling

So, it's September and holiday time, with the sun still shining and beautifully hot - although the swallows are starting to gather for the long flight south.

In between hedge cutting, there's been time to hit the beach, with a trip to Ynyslas - an actual 'swim', and some beachcombing for shells, which aren't already occupied  . . . not sure who is trying to oust who here!

Nice walk also through the woods to Bow Street to watch the Tour of Britain fly past in the sunshine.

So that's the first few days of the holidays - next, an actual 'trip' away!

Into the Woods

A sunny Saturday saw us out and about taking in the views from Strata Florida (although the iconic arch now comes with a temporary monument to the Wales football team ahead of the slightly misnamed Euro 2020 championship!).

On our way home we stopped to take a wander round a small community woodland at Coed y Bont - although it isn't that old, it's already attracting a lot of wildlife, and the trees and grasses looked really lovely in the afternoon sunlight.  

It apparently also has dark sky status - so might be a place to return to on a clear night in the winter for a spot of stargazing.

Finally called at Black Covert near Trawsgoed - didn't have time then for a full walk, but found our way to the river and back through the woods.  Another spot to return to.

All of which made for a really peaceful afternoon in the woods, and a taster for future days out.