Whats going on with the new surge I hear on Kombucha everywhere.... or at least into my inbox...!  I was making this stuff back in the early 90's, I guess what goes around comes around again eh... I remember when my little 'ol Kombucha arrived through the mail box, he looked real yukky and weird, more like an alien than a a... yeasty bacteria mound of goo!! lol... But I followed the rules and brewed my Kombucha tea, and did so, for quite a few months, for the life of me though I do not remember why I did it, and also cannot remember one single thing that improved... and so I am guessing that is why I stopped doing it... wonder what I did with my final Kombucha... ??? Did I bin 'him' or flush 'him' unceremoniously down the pipes!

Went to a great bagel cafe in Nottingham yesterday with my son and his family, had a breakfast bagel for... breakfast!  and they have a wall, above, you bring in a mug and they give you a free coffee!! cool eh!!

I have taken shots of these building bridges in three cities now, the first Venice, the second New York and now Nottingham!

Had a wonderful visit with my grand daughter.... I love the way she watches me constantly, even craning her neck around to keep her eyes pinned on me!  Beautiful....

TTFN
Marian

Picton Castle, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales

Yesterday, for my Birthday!!  We came here to Picton Castle, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, about an hour from us here in Wales...

The decision made on Monday whilst watching a TV program about a certain Renoir within its walls...!

Picton Castle is a beautiful building, its a small enough castle to feel welcome and homely, a place one feels one could actually live in, if you see what I mean!  The rooms are beautiful filled with wonderful pieces of art and antiques... the extensive gardens are filled to bursting with shrubs and trees, most of them yesterday in full bloom, some of which we had no idea what they were and couldn't find the name plaques for!  There is a wonderful walled garden, a beautiful pond with fountain... and more more more...

This beautiful room, the Renoir is on the right up above the lamp there.  The family has a history of being Royalists and Queen Elizabeth has visited a couple of times, last Christmas being the last time.

Lord Nelson also a past visitor, a family connection do you think!?! And Picton, one of our family names, been checking out on line today after work to see if I can find the missing link!!

Beautiful hand crafted fireplaces throughout...

And of course the Renoir....

I took this photo of flower and bee while we stopped for a pot of tea before touring the castle interior... and I came across this thought as we were driving there, when each and every road seemed more and more familiar to me...

TTFN
Marian

Sorting through the many photo albums of my mom and step dads... His paintings and newspaper clippings...

I came across one mom took of a mirror with a piece of his art work above, and looks like she roped dad in for a reflection shot... Although of course it could have been me or Brian, his friend who took many of his photographs for him...

And on seeing I thought

'Hello Dad...

How very much more I could have learned from you; if I had just stopped and listened...

TTFN
Marian

This picture shows a spiders web in the garden earlier on in the week, it is filled with thousands and probably thousands of baby spiders!  There was a big spider nearby with a nasty red mark on its back, I got Franco to move the whole thing out of our garden... we seem to have so many spiders there already!!  When you walk on the grass they jump away from your feet, weird strange things... creepy eh!!!

So, as you are seeing, a bunch of strange pics today!

Its been a very busy few weeks work-wise, covering for holiday, sickness and a bereavement...  One day I went in, did my usual 24 hour shift came home, paid a deposit for something and went back for another 24 hours!!  I was more than happy to help a friend in need, and the time at work passes very quickly...

I am off on Friday this week, and hopefully bound for somewhere new, we planned it some time ago, and can't wait now for the end of the week!

The pictures above I took while visiting oldest son and his family in Nottingham, a great walk through, looks like a way into the bat cave eh!!  Very quirky!!

And above the toys that hit the refuse the other week, they look a sad forlorn lot don't they... Bubbles and Bobby the twins, my old Tiny Tears, Tressy with... the hair extensions, [even then eh!]....

Not sure how many of you are aware we are moving back home.... there has been a countdown at the bottom of this page for some time, hiding away there silently counting down, as the other one is counting up and has been since our arrival here in Wales...

TTFN
Marian

Me and the babe.... Yes the chair is a little bit big... for now, but the rate Cassie is growing it won't be long, when I was there last week our little angel was moving herself about on her play mat, her little legs moving, only problem was she was going backwards, pic today on fb shows she has got the hang of it now though!!  So cute, so beautiful.... Arh... my heart is singing and my soul full of love for her....

See the little bug here on the left, hidden on the leaf, I was shooting something else and turned when I heard a buzzing in my ear!  

Some random photos here I have taken recently with my camera, I was using my friends camera with all the extras and I suddenly wanted a better camera! LOL, but actually then found I do already have Macro on mine!  I just, unfortunately hadn't been using it to its best ability!

So, now I am picking it up and running about all over the place, making up for lost time!  Some better than others and am getting an extension to it, Macro yes, but not the greatest and I want to do more, better, and the extra lens will enable me to do so!


I found these wild strawberries when Pippa and I were out the other day, Tuesday, it was hot, overcast, more humidity than sun... I took the correct route, then thought I gone wrong and turned about, adding about twenty miles to the journey!!  Came about from the other direction completely, and had to fuel up into the bargain!!  Still we parked, drank water, both of us... and took to the paths of the forest at Banwen, great walking spot there.  We were only there about an hour, so hot! LOL... 88% humidity I learned later!

Walking back to the car park area a fire engine pulled in! Randomly....

Last weeks road trip took me from here... after work at 3pm across to Tony's in Bedfordshire, he and Kate have recently moved, beautiful home... stayed the night with them and mid day on Friday drove up to Barry Heidi and Cassie in Nottingham... driving back down here again the following day, Saturday, back to work on Sunday! Just about 450 miles!  It was a good journey, despite the fact of turning off the M5 at the wrong junction!  Had a lovely drive through Cheltenham, taking in the beautiful scenery, the world famous Cheltenham Ladies Collage, stunning! LOL... just looked on the map... really!!! How was I there?  And Costa coffee picked up my presence going by the email I got two days later advising me of what summer drinks I can get at Cheltenham Costa Coffee!  Big brother is always knowing where I am... great if I get lost I suppose, although later on when my phones GPS couldn't connect I was sort of free driving about Milton Keynes, thankfully that one road number carried me though!!

I also ended up on the road onto Oxfords ring road which we usually use when going to Tony's old place... not sure at what point I joined the road, but spent 45 minutes going slow-mo first gear only and not moving at all!  The road rage of us in line must have been felt though by the guy in an old white car with 'L' plates on, who had the gall to just drive past us all! On the other side of the road, like a motorbike would, can... but a car??? Really!!! He just drove past us, ten twenty cars at a time, nipping in and out again when the way was clear!! The audacity!!!

Still, working backwards again, I was on the M4 not more than 40 minutes from leaving, at a standstill at Newport, the 60MPH had come down to 50MPH and then we all stopped, except, when I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a man coming down my lane, the middle lane, still too fast, he was never doing the 60 in the first place! The car came hurtling towards me, the squeal of brakes, the back end of his car went left then right as he tried unsuccessfully to stop, so he drove over into the now empty right hand lane... but then he came back into our lane further down and then into the left?!??? What the heck!!!

I will forevermore see that mans face in my rear view mirror....

TTFN
Marian