Clyne Gardens Swansea

This morning such a lovely day, came back after work, loaded Pippa into the car and off to Clyne Gardens we went! Not been there before, lovely place, well worth the trip and we will again, parked in the Lido car park, not cheap, although got an extra hour parking from what the machine said it would have been, and walked the wrong way for a short while, thought the path up from the Lido would go that way, it didn't seem to, so we retraced our steps and back to the Mumbles road and into the gardens the correct way it seemed!

These cut trees above look like something from a horror movies, looks some thing scary hunkering down under the leaves, waiting to pounce!

I think we walked around the gardens a little too quickly, I had an alternate reason to go there, something Barry has got me started on, not a game, but it does make you go to places you wouldn't normally go to, and hunt down interesting statues, places and all sorts of buildings...

This above is the Fairy Tower, there was a tree here with a face... I couldn't find it!!! I know I was within 20 meters of it, but just couldn't see it!!! Will go back to get a picture forsure!

This fallen tree got caught luckily by his neighbor!

I thought I could almost go live in this tree! Or at least camp out in it!

This is the Swansea Eagle!  Is it a Bonelli Eagle do you think!!!

Beautiful day today....

TTFN
Marian

cue music....

Past the point of no return, no backward glances

The games we played 'til now are at an end

Past all thought of 'If' or 'When', no use resisting

Abandon thought and let the dream descend

What raging fire shall flood the soul?

What rich desire unlocks its door?

What sweet seduction lies before us?

Past the point of no return, the final threshold

What warm unspoken secrets will we learn?

Beyond the point of no return

You have brought me to that moment where words run dry

To that moment where speech disappears into silence, silence

I have come here hardly knowing the reason why

In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining

Defenseless and silent and now I am here with you

No second thoughts, I've decided, decided

Past the point of no return, no going back now

Our passion play has now at last begun

Past all thought of right or wrong, one final question

How long should we two wait before we're one?

When will the blood begin to race

The sleeping bud burst into bloom?

When will the flames at last consume us?

Past the point of no return, the final threshold

The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn

We've passed the point of no return

Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime

Lead me, save me from my solitude

Say you'll want me with you here beside you

Anywhere you go let me go too..... that's all I ask of you....

I still would very much like to go and see the second opera... Love Never Dies... Mom and I enjoyed the Phantom of the Opera so much, I have it booming in my car just now... almost enough to make my ears bleed some might say!!  The sequel is based in Coney Island, rather than the Paris Opera House... its in my bucket list!

TTFN

Marian

Ten years a Blogger!

Thank you, I have purloined the above picture, a day late too... working yesterday, then headache to follow, so there we have it amigos!

Aforementioned picture above taken from a Blogger friend, Veronica, whose Blog I enjoy greatly....

A reintroduction briefly if I can, although knowing me, I don't know how to be brief! A lady asked me where I came from the other day, I said did she want the pocket book version?  She didn't understand me, so I just carried on by saying, born in Los Angeles, moved to England when I was small with my mom, grew up, schooled, worked etc there; then moved to Spain where I lived for ten years, before moving here to Wales... final destination as yet unknown of course!  Although my little house in Spain waits patiently for my foot steps there, and my crazy singing and dancing when no one is looking!

I started a Blog with another site back in 2004, then came to Blogger in 2006, ten years a Blogger! WOW!

I am here because of these two beautiful people, my mom and dad... both born in NY NY, dad first generation American Italian....

And my gorgeous boys, wish I could pop back into those days above...

And very proud of them now as men....

What do I do? Too many jobs to list in the past... Now I am a Support Worker, new for me, since June 2013, loving every minute, challenging, difficult at times, lots of enjoyable learning on lots of varied courses, I am starting some volunteer work soon too...

And I have a passion for books/art, I have published well over 50 books now in eBook formats, primarily for one author, and now for three others, also published 20 books in paperback versions for same authors; I love editing and getting a book formatted in whatever form it needs!  I have designed covers, using only basic art/photo shops on my lap top.  Also written myself now, and one in [slow] production! My book site is PublishedByMe... I have my virtual art gallery too, Art I love for Art Sake... And... yes, another And! The T-shirt shop! PublishedByMe shop!

I have started doing lots of craft work now too, thanks to one of the people I look after and one of my colleagues, paintings, crafted pieces of work, in different mediums...

And finally our baby...

Pippa!

Thank you for being with me on my journey friends, family and strangers who I will never know, we only part to meet again ... I hope you enjoy my ramblings, my concerns, my sometimes crazy silly musings... my journey on my ever so colorful tapestry of life....

I am the girl who flies with her own wings...

TTFN

Marian

 Some very random photos from my phone! Just switching off and thought I would check on here... and checking something else I found that the photos on my phone are easily accessible from my lap top!  The more I understand about technology the more the amazed I become... Just amazed!!

The photo above was taken in Waterstones in Swansea, the most beautiful flight of stairs travel up though the building from floor to floor and up towards heaven I am guessing! Next time will take a shot from above! If you see what I mean!

Below is the blackberry bush in garden, still in bloom and maybe fruit will follow, but I don't think it will make it?  What plant continues to bloom in late December?  The Periwinkle is still blue with flowers too, some different type of eco system goes on in this garden forsure!  But luckily its a mild one!

Rhossili below, again, beautiful Rhossili... Even on a dull day, maybe a short video next time? Yes, that's what I shall do! It does make me think of Wuthering Heights.... always blowing a gale there, even when its hot, okay, warm then!

“Be with me always - take any form - drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I can not live without my life! I can not live without my soul!” 
― Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

TTFN
Marian

Margam Country Park

When Pip and I went out the other day, Margam Park was the walk of choice, for one I believed dogs to be kept on leads and plenty of refuse places, if necessary... Turned out wrong on both counts!  No matter, beautiful walk and that's the point...

Some beautiful carvings too, the giant mushroom below,  was about seven foot high!!

Shame the day wasn't a bit brighter... First time I had taken Pip out in my car, had the back seats down and covered up with old duvet, I attached her to a bracket so she couldn't get up front with me!

Below the cottage in the woods... Could build a great story around this place!

Amazingly beautiful trees fill the park, there are notices all around telling people what unusual varrerities to look out for, nature trails, and puzzles...

Above is a sweep of the Orangery... Conservatory, to me, or greenhouse!! And in the very olden days, and maybe not so well attached to a house, it would have been.. the lean to!!

TTFN
Marian

Seriously? No Blog since last year?? Ooops sorry, have been working, and working oh and working some more and inbetween on breaks... oldest son came to visit with his girlfriend, just over new years and we had a great time, stayed in new years evening, but out and about over the two days... down to the sea and along the coast, the norm... Rhossili of course, and Porthcawl.... went back to Porthcawl storm chasing another evening with Franco, and it was stormy, no rain, but plenty of sea spray coming in, highest tides for decades and there we were hundreds of lemmings out and about risking life and limb along the road! Only two walls and some metal rails to keep us from the foamy roaring seas!

Should be writing this with more difficulty on my phone where the photos are... bare with will upload now... and now we will wait for them to come through??

Now I have used my phone to Blog maybe I should do that more often because now, nearly eleven pm and after a day spent on my ancestry site my mind is empty, my hands are tired and my eyes are slowly closing for too much work on here, had the day off unexpectedly, and now find tomorrow also the same!  Wish I had known could have had a short trip up country to visit the family.... I have to bring down some of my moms things, so much to go through which I would very much like to do so, and sooner rather than later too!

Spent some of last couple of days free times sorting though clothes too, if I haven't worn them for a while they are outta here, I have kept things for sentimental reasons too, how absurd, I get worse...  So they are going along with some ornaments that have been malingering about in boxes, things I have had for over 30 years, and are the sort of things people would say, well well, haven't seen something like that for decades!! So they too will be leaving the building shortly!

No moss gathering here folks, or dust, so watch out I say!

Photos here and I must say not my best at all!

A beach scene from Porthcawl above...and below, not great pic again but does show the very unusual rock formation hereabouts!

An old sign on the wall here as you enter the beach area, they have built a large area where there was only sand into cement, to act as a toughened protection against the seas on the sea wall itself, so bathing down there wouldn't be too bright anyway!

Although as you can see below on the night of the storm chasing... it was a lot worse, this photo doesn't even look like a photo to me! I could hardly keep hold of my phone let alone take a picture with it! Both tried to take videos but couldn't get a grip on anything to keep still long enough!!! Still though I am sure will try again during the next never before known highest tides next time they pay a vist!

TTFN
Marian

Today on the M4 there were special signs just for me! They were beautifully lit, 50 they said, mph... quite a lot of them too, I knew they were meant just for me though... how you ask? Could I possibly think that?? Well, simple, it was only I who slowed down and obeyed them of course!!

Porthcawl yesterday, a beautiful sunny day, there was a fun run... not sure who was having fun! The runners were hot and sweaty looking! Although the sun was out it was cold in the shade! Strange photo above, I think there must have been some lovely gardens here at some point, now only the benches remain!

The strange statue above as I see here has a strange snow effect! Shame but probably won't come out on the Blog, I'm writing on my phone... got headache, third in two weeks!!  Wanted to write, and haven't used my lap top over Christmas at all!

Had a good Christmas, worked Christmas Eve, Christmas day, night and some boxing day too...

Worked today, was out and about, luckily the winds have calmed down now, and after one downpour was wall to wall sunshine...

Beautiful isn't it at Porthcawl... a town I could live in, a real sea side town, but not overly commercialised... lots of character...

This wonderful hotel below is very Poirot don't you think!

Well amigos hope this comes out okay after writing it here... on my wonderful phone!

TTFN
Marian

On a break for lunch just now, I am on a course for work, it's very interesting and physical, did the theory last month...

When I left home it was dark, the car windows wet with dew, and as I drove down and onto the M4 the sun was coming up, the mountains beautifully lit on the horizon, then the sky turned an amazing shade of blue, and then in the skies five planes high in the sky, leaving short vapour trails, they looked like five comets from a scene in a science fiction movie! Beautiful...

TTFN
Marian

I can't believe the hyacinth plant from last winter has come into bloom!  After the plant had fulfilled its beauty and perfume, it appeared to die off, so I put it outside the back door and forgot it, mostly, occasionally I thought to plant it!  Then last week I noticed it once more, green shoots and healthy, new life... I brought her in, let her fix out a bit! And now color, perfume... lovely

The garden is also in confusion, Peri Winkle in bloom, small blue flowers still growing... and as you can see above, the black berry bush is preparing to make fruit?? Will keep you posted on that though!

Hope any errors are not to much to bear, using my phone and not able to actually read what I have written in one go!

 TTFN
Marian

I have been pretty pour with my musings this year folks haven't I... I am sorry, since I started work in early June my mind has been pretty well taken up with... well with work!  And then book work too, still publishing and editing etc for authors...

So some photos from a trip to the Brecons back in October, surrounded by such beautiful scenery everywhere here....

This small little church here was where we went for lunch!  Very strange... restaurant down one side of the church and the other two thirds were the pews and everything else church like!  The ordering area, like a bar with the menu etc and wine for sale.... in a church??? Seemed very bizarre!! But was scrummy, although scant on panini content!

This beautiful old building surrounded by the most beautiful red autumnal flowers.... glorious indeed!

We have flights booked! A trip to Spain in the new year, and at last, a trip to scatter my moms ashes... hopefully lots of the family will make it to NY, I couldn't wait any longer, I can feel moms impatience, and a promise is a promise... I can't wait to get there now, can't wait to see my family stateside and can't wait to fulfill my moms wishes....

Christmas is upon us mis amigos!  Our tree is up, what decorations we use are also out and about the house! Not much but enough, for us is enough!  The pop up tree, popped down last January with lights and baubles in place, popped back up in minutes, plugged it in and away it went! Maybe in a few years time I will feel more 'big tree' like, but for now, thats just plenty!!

All the shopping is done, the presents present, just awaiting wrapping and naming!  Random items winging their way here... before I fly them back off to all around the country... well Bedfordshire and Nottinghamshire!!! You know who you are!!!

I am my usual strange self at this time of the year, although not really got much Christmas spirit yet, thought it was on its way the other day a fluttering in my tummy and a kind of hopeful feeling in my heart, but it must have been indigestion...because it went just as suddenly as it arrived!

TTFN amigos
Marian

I don't think this is too clear it reads....

David Smith
279 Pentregethin Road
Manselton
March 13th 1924

...beneath the name and address it say...

David Smith is my name Wales is my nation.  Glamorgan is my swelling place.  Christ is my salvation.  When I am dead and in my grave.  when all my bones are rotten look in this book you shall see my name when I am quite forgotten.

How very strange, and eerie, and sad too... the book was published between 1909 and 1914, its a first edition, but not sure which date this was published in!  I did check online, and the only David Smiths from that area in Swansea all died in the 1930's or 40's, so would be interesting to know the journey of this book... how many people have read these words he wrote I wonder!

Today began with ice on the windscreen, then blue skies to the post office and inside it too I am guessing, but when I came out it was Sleet, with a capital 'S'!!  I still continued onto Swansea a little bit of frozen water never stopped me in my tracks!  And once I was on the road it stopped and the sun was back out, the sky the most amazing blue, ice blue!  Parked in the city centre and walked through the shops, was such a beautiful day, I had my Costa Coffee, of course! And back out into the town centre, it was either bright blue skies or sleet!  I was almost back to the car when I caught a message on my Facebook and following instructions, returned into the town and to the Free Book Shop, Healthy Planet... It was closed, it was sleeting and I asked for shelter under an umbrella, me and another lady both!  The store opened and I waited for the exhibition to open upstairs, I wandered around the book shop and picked up three, for free, books, old ones, the one aforementioned and two others, and upstairs after quarter hour, it was a great exhibition, the rooms were being used to demonstrate thoughts on books.... the blood and taped area around a body, the pizza box left unattended to demonstrate a who-dunnit;... a wonderful piece of shadow expressionism showed the way small pieces can become brought to life by light; then my friends husbands piece was a mannequin seated holding a book, a pile of books at his feet, behind him a movie showing short film clips displayed upon the pages of a book, to show how when reading our minds eye sees the images the author is telling us in their writing... a ticking clock with random chimes accompanied the scene to further expand the sense of time moving quickly when we are lost in a good book....

When I left I felt very uplifted, what a great, and unexpected morning!  I carried my three books back to my car and drove back, through.... sleet and sunshine!

I had lots to do this afternoon on a book I am reformatting for Smashwords, but got lost in cooking dinner and cooking dinner for another day, and trying to find out who the heck was David Smith of 279 Pentregethin Road Manselton...

TTFN
Marian

Aberavon beach today after work... What a picture [lol, even saying so mayself!!!] That beautiful sun rays coming down through the cloud, the beach, the ship pulling out of the harbour, with a little tug boat pulling hard...

Above inside the beautiful little church St Marys, in Rhossili... beautiful place, so peaceful, the smell of the polish on the pews reminds me of when I was little and used to go to St Marys in Northchurch with my gran while she polished the pews and helped with the flowers...

Strange picture taken inside the Plantasia in Swansea last week, looking down from above into the little jungle hut!

Today I have been downloading everything from my computer into a safe place, because yesterday nothing was here, or so it seemed, the thought of losing all the books and nearly 9000 photos pushed me into action, and it was certainly about time I saved everything on here, so stupid not to have done so before, DropBox https://db.tt/B2ea9BAs Best place to keep everything! And you can open it anywhere!  Anyway... not working for them lol, so time to relax now...

TTFM
Marian

Showcaves Dan Yr Ogof

Made six pots of chilly jam today, my hands hurts like its been stung by nettles??? And my face was sore earlier... note to self - must use gloves to cut chillies!

Went on a trip this week, half hour trip! To some caves, they were great, have become a little critical since visiting Nerja Gib and some amazing caves near my friends home Alicante province...Cuevas del Canelobre, Busot especially were amazing! Dan Yr Ogof caves were very well worth the visit, and a return visit will definitely happen, probably many a time!  There are three caves, varying in length and depths, and a huge outside area full of dinosaurs!  A good restaurant selling a full range of foods and drinks!  Anyway... some photos should be next do you think?

I spent most of the trip turning the flash on or off, at sometimes the wrong moment! Took lots of photos so will split them up between today and tomorrow!

Its a shame but they have had to separate some of the areas off from the public, where the stalactites come down especially, people where braking off pieces, these amazing structures take thousands and thousands, and thousands... of years to get this big, some idiot broke a big piece off and took it somewhere to sell, luckily the person he took it to had ethics and called the police... job done!

The  light was difficult to judge and I had my flash on and off at what seemed the wrong time, all the time!

Cave art below...

Can you see the small stalactites coming down from the ceiling here below? Wonderful waterfalls to walk under! The Morgan brothers who first found these caves entered through the smallest of holes, they saw water coming out of the mountain here and wondered from where it came...

Makes you wonder if they had looked just ten feet in another direction they would have found nothing, bit like in life, the turns we take, left or right, the choices we make to do something or not, they are like...

Oh what happened here!!! Started writing this two days ago and stopped mid sentence, life stopped obviously ....

Yesterday I was at the office for a five hour induction with lots of other 'new' staff, was a good meeting, lots of information, break for coffee and a half hour break for lunch, friend and I popped over the road for coffee... and chips!!! lol

And now I will post this strange delayed post, just to show that sometimes when life stops, it can continue however!

TTFN
Marian
 

Roberta Flack - You Make Me Feel Brand New

Life

Whilst trying on clothes in a well known clothes store, I found myself remembering going in changing rooms in years gone by wanting more mirrors, so I could get a better all around view... Then here I was wishing that the view of me via the 360 degrees  mirrors was rather less! And couldn't wait to get out of there! Too many shops, too many clothes, was too warm for trying on clothes, made worse by the need of something to wear this Saturday evening, and with no other buying chances between then and now... now and then!