Asian Dishes, Kestrel Style

 Sweet and sour pork,

and nasi lemak.  

A Legal Alien

Big Day today.  Gek finally recieved word that her Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK application has been accepted. Sorted.

Cwm Carn Forrest Drive

After a lovely bacon bap at the park cafe, rated number 2 after the Mountain View, we set off on the 7 mile drive on the newly opened road, stopping at all the Ps. Here P1.

P2

P3

P4 (Pen y Fan, some 30 miles to the north.

P5

P6

P7

Ok, this was the big one, setting off up Twmbarlwm,

with two young women ahead of me, both carrying weeks old babies.

Gek stayed behind to look after the car.  Pen y Fan on the horizon.

After like what seemed an age, reached the iron forts defensive ditch.

The top at last. Now for the views.

To the south west, Flat and Steep Holms off Cardiff Bay, the Devon coast line behind.

To the south east, the channel bridges.

From the long lens, Charles's Bridge.

Mackintosh Chairs and Cafe Table

 The assembly ready for painting.  Chairs took weeks to make, the table a couple of hours.

Llandegfedd Reservoir

The greeting on arrival.

A party of school kids enjoying a paddle.

A lovely lunch at the lake side cafe, with the sanitiser bottle to hand, of course.

A fond farewell.

Roses

Wild confusion.

A distant relative. 

Dyffryn Gardens Revisited

Side view of the house,

and the long view.

The Gardens

The lilly pond, 

had an admirer,

as did the rose garden.

Symetry everywhere.

Taking it all in.

We chickened out of visiting the summer house on such a warm day. 

Two Events to Catch

 

The Welsh Opera company was rehearsing for an adaption of Alice Through the Looking Glass to be 'staged' here over the next couple of weeks.

Also the winners of the Competition 13, photographs taken in nature,

Spotted the intruders?  All added to the fun.

Birthday Presents

Brother Mark arrived with flowers and two jars of jam he had made. Delicious on Gek's home baked bread. 

New to the Wild Patch

 

First time flowers on the foxgloves. 

Someone's Birthday?

Yes, Gek's Lunar Birthday.  Her pick of flowers from the garden.

Mackintosh Chair Prototype.

The first try for a further 6.  Other furniture pieces to follow.   

Gek Contemporary - Sculptures.

 

On this day 15 years ago, Gek graduated from her three year sculpture course at Emerson college in Sussex. To mark this aniversary, a set of newly crafted miniature sculptures.  

http://www.gekart.net/Contemporary/GekSculpture.html

for a visit to the gallery.

First RoomBox?

On the left 2021, on the right circa 1953.

Parc Bryn Bach

Another first visit, this time at the head of the Sirhowy Valley to be welcomed by a ram.

Great lake walk followed.

Very peacefully, 

Swans looking out for their young one.

Direct Walk to the Penalta Observatory.

A new way to get to the viewing point, which involves two 50 metre hill climbs taking near 2 hours for the round trip. Hengoed on the ridge opposite.

Yes, I needed a sit down. But excellent route which will be practiced again.

The Chinese Brush Paintings Have Moved In

Was in the Gek Contemporary, now on permanent display in the Gek's Chinese Shophouse Gallery.  So much real estate she owns!!

A New Project

New book, new project - Mackintosh room in a box.   With 30 pieces of furniture to choose from, what to do? 

1st June, 1st day of Summer

Last night just  a bud like this, 

This morning a mega flower

with a friend.

Bit of structure maintenance done, and now looking lovely. Lots of spuds anticipated later this year.

Not forgetting the first rose of the year. Last year the first rose was on 23 April!!!