The Eglwysbach Show

Pull up a chair put your reading glasses on and get ready for a photo marathon  :-)

It's Show season here in our little patch of North Wales, and after last week's Trelawnyd Flower Show this weekend it was the turn of the Eglwysbach Show.  A much bigger and outdoor event that, thank goodness, the sun decided to shine on.  It started at 9.30am on Saturday and we were there for 10.15am with our walking boots on ready for a good trek around the show.

There was lots to see, first thing in the morning it was the judging of all the cattle, sheep and horses.

Beasts were all titivated to the nines with their coats all glossy and their tails all bouffanted to maximum puffiness.

There was lots of last minute combing gong on, and lots of beautiful animals.

Here's a friend, Aled from the kennels the dogs go to when we are away, showing his magnificent Bluefaced Leicester Ram, he won best ram and overall Best Reserve in Show with this huge ram ...

... along with lots of other rosettes.

They just know they look good don't they!!

Lovely sheep .....

.... and as a non-meat eater I always think it's a bit unfair to have the lamb burger stall next to the sheep enclosures !!

The Country Market ladies were there selling lots of handmade items, handicrafts and their well loved jams, chutneys and bakery goods.

There were lots of stall selling sundries and lots of charities there raising money for their causes, and after a good browse around them all we went for a spot of lunch.

And I must say it was a pleasant surprise to find a 'choose yourself' salad bar as well as all the usual hotdogs and burgers.  A very civilised lunch with a cup of coffee to keep us going.

We had a good chat to the guy with all the gorgeous birds, this is a Little Owl.

... and this a magnificent Eagle Owl.

First prize in the scarecrow competition went to a 'Workman' ....

... and first prize in the cider buying competition went to .... me!!

We watched the doggy obstacle race and then the dog and owner Egg and Spoon race.

I spied a cabbage almost as good as one of mine.

And lots of magnificent vegetables ....

... including these fantastic specimens.

I doubt I could ever grow to this perfection, but then we grow to eat and show for a it of fun, these guys grow to show, and what a fantastic job they do of it.

Leek perfection!!

Lovely Hubby was drawn to the compost as usual,  and after handling all the exhibits agreed with the judges on the merits of the one that won First place.

He was also drawn to the cakes ...

... and more cakes ....

.. and maybe some tarts ....

... and of course to the homemade pies.

I had a good look at the jams, 

and fell in love with the miniature garden.

The vegetables weren't all serious ....

... and the Lego tractors were very cleverly done.

We ended our day out with a good look at the vintage tractors all parked up on the hill overlooking the showground, and from that viewpoint we could take in the wonderful view of this treasure of a Welsh valley, surrounded as it is on all sides by hills.

Then it was time to wend our way along the country lanes and back to our side of the hill and collapse in a tired heap on the sofa.

I hope you enjoyed your little visit to the show.  It's on again next year if you're passing, but first I have to get my entries ready for Llanrwst Show next week, and give the cup a polish ready for handing back.

Sue xx

A Dry Day

For once yesterday it didn't rain.  

The sun shone in patches, I even risked a few things on the washing line and it didn't, as is my usual way, bring on an immediate downpour.  The workmen used to yell at me for putting washing on the line,  for every time an hour after doing so the heavens would open and they would all be working in big coats and hats for the rest of the day.

No it stayed dry and fresh, well dampishly fresh, but while it was nice I took the dogs for a long walk along the prom at Llandudno coming back through the shopping street for a change of scenery, posted a letter and picked up a rather large bag of dog food on the way back.

I felt like a wimp ... usually I pick up 20kg bags of Layers pellets and Corn without too much difficulty, but this bag of dog feed weighing in at 15kg had me struggling, this cold has obviously knocked the stuffing out of me ... and taken my muscles with it!!

I used to lift and shift 25kg bags of pig feed into and out of the 'Cowavan' ... but I had my ways and means of managing those - see HERE for more on that.

Now that's a blast from the past, I liked my cowavan  :-)

Sue xx

I love it when .....

....  my breakfast almost matches the accessories in the kitchen

I felt yuk on Sunday night, it serves me right I ate some ice cream, there was only a bit left in the tub and I thought I would eat it to avoid temptation ..... weird logic, totally bonkers logic ... I know!!

Well within ten minutes my gurgling tummy told me off, and I felt more than suitably chastised.  SO ... I made a plan to spend lots of time this week getting myself into a healthier and more logical frame of mind.  First thing first .... the food.

Well not much food actually as I decided to give my poor old tummy a rest and have lots and lots of nutriblasts.  Based mostly 50% on vegetables and the rest fruits, nuts and seeds.  The above was this mornings breakfast.  There wasn't quite enough spinach really but I couldn't face traversing the mud mountain to get some more, I'll stock up again when the builders finish at the end of today and I can get to the polytunnel.

My nutriblast matched the now empty gift biscuit tin (eating the contents of this also caused me tummy troubles), and the biscuit tin that contains dog food, it's nice when your meal matches the kitchen isn't it .... I guess I wouldn't say that if the kitchen were grey or black ;-)

And yes, in my kitchen don't expect the biscuit tins to contain biscuits or the bread bins to contain bread .... every peek into a tin is an adventure!!

Meanwhile outdoors ...... the now half entombed water tank.

From a different angle .... still not that interesting eh!!

The oofa doofa thingy ma jig ..... that I have been reliably informed is actually a filter to stop debris ending up in the water tank.  This will obviously work so much better when the great big bl**dy hole around it is covered over with the manhole cover   ;-)

Making my way back over the mountain my footprints were already filling up with water.

Did I ever mention I HATE MUD!!

*** *** ***

I'm escaping today (I typed this out last night) and having a girly day in Manchester with Mum and her big sister Chris.  A bit of Trafford Centre browsing, a girly lunch and no doubt we will put the world to rights.  While back at home in Wales the builders will continue to wallow in mud and build some more of the front wall, and the dogs will be languishing in our local kennels for a day and a night, don't panic they love it there, last time they got totally pampered with baths for everyone AND they will get to run on grass for the day instead of mud. 

A happy day all round ..... and we all need some of those  :-)

Enjoy yours. 

Sue xx

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

 

 

We were lucky enough to win a pair of tickets from Ecover to the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and we decided to go last Saturday. 

 

The weather was wonderful, the hottest day of the year so far.

 

 

The gardens displays were amazing, especially the Ecover one itself.

 

 

It won both a Gold Medal and Best in Show. 

 

 The colours were just as I like a garden, soft beautiful and calming to the eye, and the plastic bottle tops and components simply added to the natural look of everything else.  Sheer genius. 

 

The other displays were good too.

 

 

 

Wilderness tamed.

 

Lovely Hubby's favourite, my man loves a splash of orange.

The £7,000 garden, LH could be heard muttering under his breath, "I could do better for that sort of money" for ages afterwards...Lol.

They shouldn't have told him how much it cost!!

 

 

This guy had the right idea on such a hot day, a lady jumped under the shower fully clothed a few minutes later .... she just couldn't resist.

 

 

What to do with your old fridges ....

 

... thought provoking ....

 

... but I don't think it will catch on.

 

Lots of folk found this one very strange, the guy was connected to his plants with tubing, them breathing his Co2 and him their oxygen, he must have been soooo hot with his mask on.

 

Not my cup of tea, but it stood out nicely amongst all the others.

 

It looks like driftwood, and indeed the original was, but this lovely horse was made of brass.

 

Wire ladies enjoying the sun.

 

I don't know where the breeze came from to blow her hair like that ....

 

.... but her friends was going in the opposite direction!

 

Simple and beautiful, I'd love a little corner like this at our new house.

 

Lots of lovely gardens, some inspiration, a little bit of purchasing and a rather large glass of Pimms, it was a wonderful day.   Thank you to the folks at Ecover for my complimentary tickets. 

 

We had a brilliant time.

 

Sue xx