I have been spending time catching up with stuff indoors that I've been meaning to do for ages, like copying some things off my Sky+ recordings onto DVD to clear up the hard disk space on there, cos it's nearly full. Also printing off some of the nicer photos that I've taken lately onto A4 size to put on the bedroom wall.
It's been misty drizzle all day so far, and occasionally a bit harder rain. I really ought to have done some housework, but I just can't be bothered. I decided to take Emma to my favourite, spooky, beautiful place as it would be sheltered under the trees a bit.
I had a long chat with a guy I see down there from time to time who has three Springer spaniels. I learned some very interesting stuff about the place.
Firstly, anyone remember my spooky experience last year when I thought I saw my ex friend on the other side of the river, who kept hiding, and then when I waited for her on the bridge, it turned out to be a guy and not her at all? Well I found out who this person is, someone local who is not all there apparently, and always hides if he sees anyone, he is down there all the time. So that clears that up. I also learned that although the church and graveyard doesn't appear to be that old, it dates back to Tudor times on that site, and some of the graves have been re-used. It's funny because the exact words the guy used to me when I said how much I loved it down there were "there's something magical about this place" exactly the feeling I have. He lives locally and walks there with his dogs everyday. He isn't Welsh however, although you'd never guess it from his accent, he's lived here for 25 years.
I said how it gives me good vibes, and spooky feelings, and he told me that on the bridge, there is a stone shaped like a coffin. The story goes that when the bridge was constructed, it was in the days when the Irish navvies used to come here and do the construction work. Apparently a child of one of the workers fell into the water and drowned at the spot, and because they were from Ireland, they weren't allowed to be buried in the graveyard, so he was buried in the footings of the bridge, and they made a little coffin shaped stone. How bizarre is that, and what a wonderful story.
The last thing I learned was that one of his dogs fetched a baby otter to him last week. His dogs always swim in the water, and had crossed to a rocky platform on the other bank. The poor otter was bleeding from the nose, but the guy took it to a rescue centre where it is doing well. It is going to be rehabilitated somewhere else, and then hopefully returned back here. I so wish I could see some otters, apparently there are a few around. I once thought I'd seen some, but they turned out to be mink, I think I posted about it on my old blog last year.
Have just been cheering myself up a bit more by watching Shaun the Sheep. It's on CBBC Channel every night now so I'm going to record them all. It is so funny, really appeals to my sense of humour. Way too clever for kiddies! Oh and a new series of Iolo's Welsh Safari starts tonight too, hence my need to clear my Sky+.
Grave stone
Deja vue? 
Bluebells out everywhere
1 comment:
I too would be furious if there was going to be a wind farm that close to me. Seems to me that people just don't use their brains. The pictures are beautiful Jan. Enjoyed reading the stories that man told you as well.
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