Friday 15 July 2011

Things Beginning with B in my Town

Chester City Centre - black and white buildings

Chester City, black and white buildings

Llanbedrog Beach, and a beautiful row of Beach huts which appear every year

Listening to the Band on the Beach in the winter

Cambria Band - marching through the streets of Wrexham on St Davids Day

Saturday 5 March 2011

Things with the letter S


Sea..... Sand....... Seaside..... Singing!
So the shoot out for this week is things with the letter S in your town! I couldn't think of much but came up with some abstract ideas. The picture above was taken on Prestatyn Sands beach at the end of January. It was a Sunday morning and Mike Peters from the Alarm held a walkathon in aid of the Love Hope Strength Foundation and to round off the weekend of the Gathering. We Stood on the Sand by the Sea and Sang!

Supermarket!

 This is one of the major Supermarkets in Wrexham town centre ASDA


Screening!
Breast Test Wales use this transportable unit, taking it to various locations in order to provide mammograms for women, that is Screening for women. This was situated on Asda Supermarket car park.


School
These are school buildings in Wrexham town centre. It used to be Bromfield girls School. It was closed fairly recently because Wrexham council decided to amalgamate certain Schools and use the Site where this School stands for development. Trouble was the fools didn't do their homework and their was a clause on the land saying that it could only be used for educational purposes so this School stands derelict. 

Swimming Baths

These Swimming baths were built in the 1970's so true to its era the design is quite futuristic and came with lots of design problems. The roof which is shaped like a Mayors hat proved to have lots of problems with water settling in parts and leaks. It is still in use.... I learnt to Swim here as a child and my children still enjoy Swimming here. 
St Davids Day Celebrations on High Street, Wrexham
I know that technically the above and following pictures can't really be classifed as letter S but they are on the Streets of Wrexham and took place on 1st March 2011 - St Davids Day or in welsh Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant. The High Street used to be one of the main Streets in Wrexham town, home to stores and banks but sadly is now home to pubs, wine bars and such like.
St Davids Day Parade
This part of the parade was taken on Charles Street, named after King Charles I as Wrexham was a Royalist town. One of the oldest Streets in the town. 
St Davids Day Celebrations
 Little toddler dressed in Welsh Costume, she was part of the St Davids Day Parade
St Davids Day Parade on Charles Street
 The Cambrian Drummers on Charles Street
St Davids Day Parade

School children part of the St Davids Day Parade
School children were involved in the St Davids Day parade, wearing costumes, waving flags and sporting leeks and daffodils.
St Davids Day Parade


Seven Stars Pub

Ah.... one of my old haunts before I was married - Seven Stars Pub!
Sara!!!!!
Of Course .......... I just couldn't leave myself out of this, after all I am from my town and I begin with the letter S!

Thursday 9 September 2010

Flora, Fauna and Pets



A wild rose taken during the summer at Chirk Castle

I loved the colour of this flower
In memory of my sons Syrian hamster, Blossom who died on Monday
Penny, he was a lovely Russian Dwarf Hamster
Elsa, one of my many guineapigs. I had her from a rescue centre and she should be long haired but her little friend "barbers" it for her
My darling Cola boy

Friday 20 August 2010

Guess what it is!


Poor show for me this week! However, who can guess what the really tall building is?

Thursday 12 August 2010

Roads and Pathways

Joe and Harry running around the crop circle which is being built in Attington Park walled garden. They loved following the pathway to the centre and back again
Attington Park, this must have been the Stable Managers house because it is attached to the stable block. The flowers were beautiful there, a real cottage garden! The National Trust Volunteers were working really hard.
The Monkey Forest in Staffordshire. It was great seeing all of these monekys living wild in their own packs. This one was busy on our footpath foraging for something
Erddig Hall Gardens, coming through from the Rose Walled Garden into the main garden area.


Jason with Joe riding Cola across the footbridge by our livery yard in Rossett.


On our adventure to Chirk Castle, we followed a grass pathway which led to this little peaceful hide hole



The paths in Chirk Castle gardens led to alsorts of wonderful places with the most amazing plants.


This is the footway into Chirk Castle. The buildings you can see are add ons from when the Castle was built by Edward I in 13th Century.



Wednesday 4 August 2010

Smells!

I love the smell of the sea!
Walking through the woodland part of Chirk Castle we stumbled across a stone hut which probably belongs to the gardener. We peaked through the window and the smell of burnt wood was so powerful. They had been making charcoal there and those sacks are full of it!

Chirk Castle gardens! I love this part of the garden because its like a cottage garden and the smell of flowers is lovely.


The smell of our pony Cola, there is nothing in the world like it. Whenever I smell him I am transported back to childhood and happy care free days.



I was passing my friends mums house and I could smell the perfume of the flowers and trees, it was so lovely.





As I walked up the hill the perfume was lovely and it must have been coming from the Thistles. Do Thistles have a perfume?




Walking past my friends mums cottage, I could smell burning. There are no other homes in the surrounding area so I looked about and then I located the smell. If you look at the chimney, you will see smoke billowing out! I love the smell of burning coal or wood.







Monday 26 July 2010

Things That Made Me Think of Barry

Barry was one of my first blogging friends and one of the first blogs I ever followed. I loved his superb quality of writing, I loved his view on life, he was perceptive, imaginative and funny. He introduced me to Friday Shoot Out and through him, gave me the confidence to take part. We were fighting cancer at the same time. I am still undergoing treatment but my prognosis is good. I decided to change my blog from www.canceraintgonnabeatme.blogspot.com because I didn't want to be defined by the disease and now my blog can be found www.sarasfightback.blogspot.com

So, what makes me think of Barry.....

Firstly, you see the picture above in black and white...... He is my heroe, the best ambassedor for Wales, a true heroe among my culture. So why does Owain Glyndwr remind me of Barry? Well..... yes, Barry lived in Canada but we share our celtic heritage, his coming from Scotland and mine from Wales. Different countries yes..... but the same tribe, the same culture and we suffered the same victimisation.

Follow the link at the bottom of my page to find out more about Owain Glyndwr and why he is so revered by my poeple. Barry was the same... a fighter.... passionate.... kind..... a heroe. By coincidence as I sit here writing this my son is wearing his Owain Glyndwr t-shirt and by chance when he starts High School in September he will be in Glyndwr house. No chance of ever forgetting Barry...... (as if anyone could!)

This is a book (picture courtesy of Amazon UK) and one of my favourites. It tells the tale of a dog called Copper and it is written through his eyes. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it is a true story which is cleverly written. I bought a copy of this book and sent it to Barry in the hope that he would be inspired to write a similar story through they eyes of Lindsey. I will read this book again and my thoughts will always be of Barry and Lindsey.

One of Barry's posts was about finding some strange encampments in the woods. I remember it as though it was yesterday and I loved it. Whenever I see a "den" no matter what it looks like I will remember that post and Barry. This particular den is at Chirk Castle in Wales.

Barry loved Lindsey so much and I loved the photos and videos he shared. Do you remember Barry's attempt at creating a vegetable patch in a box..... do you remember the fact that the boxes were raided and for a time Lindsey was under suspician? Even thinking back to that particular adventure brings a smile to my face. So, when I see a dog who looks like Lindsey I will think of Barry. When I go on my own adventures with my dogs (Wilbur pictured above), I will think of Barry.



Most of my blogging has been done in the evening in front of our chiminea. The burning embers creating a perfect backdrop for dramatic and interesting reading. So, on those warm summer evenings, when my fire is burning charismatically away, I will think of Barry.



This is a weird one. For some reason whenever I think of Barry, I think of trees, I am drawn into visions of woodlands. Perhaps it is because Barry was a bit like a tree to me.... Tall, Strong, Brave, Beautiful, FREE, Inspirational, Comforting, Safe, Escaping, Adventurous.
Barry, my fellow fighter in this devastating silent war... I continue the fight in your honour and one day we will find an ultimate cure.
Barry, words are insufficient.... How can I explain what an amazing impact you have had on my life.
You will live on in the hearts and minds of many people and so my Celtic Heroe.... I salute you.


http://www.castlewales.com/glyndwr.html