Today we have been to Powis Castle.

 Powis Castle is near Welshpool in Mid Wales.It took us one hour to drive there.
The Herbert family spent 400 tears transforming this medieval fortress into a lavish home filled with sumptuous furnishings,loads of portraits and amazing painted ceilings.The castle has views over the Severn Valley and amazing gardens.
During the Second World War George Herbert was a governor of the Welsh Girls school in Ashford,Kent.He invited the staff and pupils to evacuate to Powis in 1939.All round the castle there are recordings of the girls and the family,done by our wonderful Theatr Clwyd.George Herbert did not approve of education for girls!!!

The herbaceous borders and the clipped yews are superb.

 


 Inside a yew.

            The herbaceous border.

                   The wonderful view.


From Powis we drove onto Montgomery which is a medieval market town with some amazing buildings but I didn't take any photos.Shame on me.
I am now well and truly worn out.My legs ate tingling from all the stairs and just generally walking but it was " grand day out".

Three new projects.

 This should have been number 4!

 I fancied doing something it ting other than socks and quite liked the look of this teddy bear.I thought if it worked out ok I could do some for charity.The yarn is Shetland Yarn in a natural Cleese colour.Easy to do watching TV.

.

 Now this is different.Not something to do watching TV.It a reversible cowl done in Brioche stitch.This is something new to me but I do like a challenge.Watch this space.


This is my third project.Can you guess?This is a large ball of twine to do macrame.I did macrame in the seventies.My OH said you must have a book on it(I have lots of craft books).I didn't have one but I found this M&S one from 1976 and yep ,macrame is in there.

I must also press on with my black stitch.

I read on someone's blog (Eileen?) about nonograms.I am looking into that too.I do like to keep busy.

My blackwork

C

 My Blackwork is coming along very well.It needs a lot of concentration but that is good for the brain cells.You just hope it is all going to meet up!Gold thread and beads are added at the end.
I had a dreadful night last night.OH was snoring( it is usually me) so Idecided to move bedrooms.Still I could not get to sleep and ended up moving back.We gardened all morning and so I went for a cheeky little sleep this afternoon and slept for two hours.We have spent the last week cutting back shrubs in the garden.They seem to have gone mad this year.Two more full cubes waiting Togo to the tip tomorrow and at least double that piled up on the lawn.
Did you experience the Painted Ladies butterflies phenomen?It only happens every ten years but I was lucky enough to walk into a swarm of them Truly incredible.
We went to see Vita and Virginia at the film theatre onFriday evening.It seemed very slow to me but perhaps I was just tired.

Have you tried these....

Have you tried these for the birds in your garden?They come as a pack of three.1 fruit,1 berry and one peanut.They are solid blocks and go on the bird table.I have a nail in the middle and fix one on there (to stop the squirrels getting it).The blackbirds and robins love them because they find it difficult getting on the feeders.The only place I have found them is at Charlie's store. £2.97 for a pack of three.Excellent value!