what a weekend that was!

Did anybody else watch the wedding with tears dripping off the jawline? Snivelling wreck that I was! I had thought I would just watch bits and pieces and do something constructive with the additional day off - hah! Once I started I was not going to miss a moment - I loved it and time simply flew by. In the 'interval' when they were involved in canapes and chapagne behind closed doors we nipped over to see friends, ended up with glasses of bubbly just as the happy couple again graced our screens in the Aston Martin - more tears........oh dear.

The inevitable street party took place - themed of course - Kings and Queens - the littlies loved it!

There were all sorts of interpretations - Prince Charles was there with Camilla, they were rubbing shoulders with Freddie Mercury and Oliver Cromwell, King Canute was deep in conversation with the brides mother and there was a Queen Bee whizzing about. As per normal it carried on until dawn and there were a lot of sleeping bodies on lawns for the rest of the day.

old friends had a lot to discuss......

I sat in the sun thinking abut the wedding and I really hope that it will mark a turning point in this country - that having seen how the whole country came out together to enjoy the royal wedding in an age when other countries are ripping themselves and each other to bits that we really do appreciate what we have. Perhaps it will have nudged us into appreciating family values, simplicity, honesty and humility instead of the crass celebrity culture that has overpowered us in recent years. Looking back it all seems a bit tawdry and second rate -the Jordan sagas, the sleaze, the overpaid footballers and the WAGs then on Friday we saw a class act. It was fabulous.

We ran away today for some peace and quiet - we found ourselves in Welshpool market - LOOKING AT SHEEP! Then it was on to Erdigg for a lovely wander round the house and gardens in the sunshine - but there was no peace and quiet - it was absolutely heaving - the lawns were full of folk with picnics, children playing in the great swathes of white narcissi - hundreds of famlies out for the day enjoying the wonderful weather and our heritage - hmmmm - the magic is starting to work then? I so hope so............

an every day story of country folk

Picture the scene .....home from work, bag scattering mobile phone, purse and lippy on the breakfast bar...thinking wildly what to feed two hungry males - yank open fridge - slam door shut again in despair - sausages from the freezer it is then. A quick tray of roasted vegetables included cooked potatoes from Sunday's lunch on the top shelf - job done.

Hah - another job that needs doing - photo disk to neighbour and beg a passport countersignature at the same time - he offers me a glass of red and I accept - hmm a little too eagerly perhaps ....did he notice the desperation I wonder?

Back home feeling a teeny bit light headed - red wine on an empty tum is not good! The phone rings - a friend - hysterical giggling ensues ..'NOOOOOOOooooo - never!' 'You didnt!' Ooooooooo no sort of conversations ...............lots of it as well!

The smell of burning emanates through the house - a blue haze hangs in the kitchen - oops!

I dish up the meal in a hurry and dont turn the lights on in the dining room. Then I yak away like a caught criminal covering his tracks.....guiltily.

Eventually the shpeherd lays down his implements - 'Well - there are sometimes you can cook a really great meal ............then there are times....when you simply commit ..........ARSON!'

'Would that be arson with intent my dear or reckless arson?' I came back quickly there - a bit of legal knowledge is useful on occasions.

'Oh lord dont ever try cooking in a tent.........!' he replied

At this point total hysteria took over and we all simply fell about ............




cue Archers signature tune...........

spring is sprung..............

...........I think I have seen bits and pieces of it anyway. Life has been ......well.......slightly unhinged of late. A friend kindly informed me that I have been postively evil recently...OK, perhaps I have. Put it down to the grieving process, the Probate company that are supposedly the bees knees wanting the deeds to the local care home, too much work, an ironing pile from the alps, worrying about the little family in the valley, I have taken more than this in my stride in the past but to put it bluntly this time- yours truly is knackered - and its only April.

We should be lambing now but at least this year the only lambing this shepherdess took part in was by courtesy of Kate Humble.....loved it. Didn't even get my hands dirty for once.

The village is in a fighting mood - the school is under threat, the toilets got a reprieve at the 11th hour, the church and chapels have dwindling congregations and spiralling costs, the road is slipping sideways down the hillside and the council haven't got the funds to pull it back up and on top of all that - pylons are thought to be a good idea for the valley - EVIL? Yes I DO feel evil.......

On top of all that being employed in the good old civil service means no pay rise for the nth year in a row, pension under threat and goalposts moving faster than pistons - snarl

So for a soothing afternoon I went to watch the shepherd fishing .........I took a book ,,,,,, The Wilding ......read half of it in the sun, watched the fish and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The end of an era....

This week I shall be reading two poems written by local poet Mary Webb at a very small simple funeral where the only flowers will be from the hedgerows, the music will be J S Bach - Sheep May Safely Graze and Tom Jones Green Green Grass of Home...........

An Old Woman

They bring her flowers - red roses heavily sweet,

White pinks and Mary lilies and a haze

Of fresh green ferns; around her head and feet.

They heap more flowers than she in all her days

Possessed. She sighed once -'Posies aren't for me;

They cost too much'

Yet now she sleeps in them and cannot see

Or smell or touch.

Now in a new and ample gown she lies -

White as a daisy bud, as soft and warm

As those she often saw with longing eyes,

Passing some bright shop window in a storm.

Then when her flesh could feel, how harsh her wear!

Not warm nor white.

This would have pleased her once. She does not care

At all tonight.

They give her tears - affection's frailest flowers -

And old her close in praise and tenderness:

She does not heed. Yet in those empty hours

If there had come, to cheer her loneliness,

But one red rose in youth's rose loving day,

A smile, a tear,

It had been good. But now she goes her way

And does not hear.

Safe

Under a blossoming tree

Let me lie down ,

With one blackbird to sing to me

In the evening brown.

Safe from the world's long importunity -

The endless talk, the critical, sly stare,

The trifling social days - and unaware

Of all the bitter thoughts they have of me,

Low in the grass, deep in the daisies,

I shall sleep sound, safe from their blames and praises.

What is going on .........

Our radio alarm starts the day off for us at just after 6am - it has done so for many many years and I have listened to Sarah Kennedy and her 'leg in a pant' and not been too irritated. Aled Jones or Lynne Parsons waded into the breach when she was either off sick - often- or on holiday - again often. At 6:30am we would hear the news and morph into Wogan ...and the day began ...gently!

Just before Christmas I thought I was actually going to have to smash the alarm - I heard 'Its the most wonderful time of the year' at full tilt and then the hysterical Chris Evans banging on about something inane until I thought I was going to scream - he's still at it - what IS he on???? Then to add insult to injury, rub salt into a festering wound ...what happens? Vanessa Feltz at dawn - sorry but I CANT STAND ANY MORE! From Monday we will be having a plain bZZZZZZZZZ bZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I read Mountainear's posting with all her seed purchases and labels all new and ready to roll - it must be spring.......

S'pose it must be really - I went completely weak kneed over Zen the Venetian detective - then last night was apparently goggle eyed over the gorgeous James Blunt - yep its Spring. AND the rugby starts on Friday and that means Ronan O'Gara ......COR!

We went to visit our sheep in their new home a couple of weeks ago - overlooking the Dovey estuary. They look blooming and happy. I shall be going again.......and again........

All the puppies have reported in - they are all happy and thriving in their new homes, we have seen them all over the past few weeks at various places - they still remember us!

Happy New Year

The computer has today been retrieved from where it has been safely packed away to avoid brick dust and wet paint as we have been at the mercy of builders and decorators since the begining of December. It had been planned for October - say no more!

We have a much warmer house as a result and everywhere boasts a new coat of paint - 'TOO CLINICAL' squawked the junior shepherd when he eventually got her from Aberystwuth at the end of term! 'TOO POSH' uttered eldest son - 'ITS WARM' from middle son - so they are happy - as they arrive and depart with amazing regularity through the festive season - leaving the normal wet clothes, caving gear, football kit, towels, boots and the PUPPY called Lola to be seen to.

Our last puppy to leave left on Christmas Eve - Holly's owners had been unsucessfully trying to get back into the country for nearly a week - I have to admit that having had her for 16 weeks I was loath to see her go. There was definitely a lump in the throat that had nothing to do with a chest infection but she went happily off with her bag of toys to a very loving home. Peace again..............

Sadly we had to make a decision in October to sell all the remaining sheep. The end of an era as they will not be replaced. I suppose I ought to change the blog title or risk the wrath of Trades Description but I'll have to think on that for a while. The shepherd is sheepless for the first time ever and although very relieved not to have livestock in the recent wintry weather will undoubtedly be going cold turkey when it comes to the lambing season......

We did manage a trip to the winter fair on 29 November at Builth Wells in the snow - two sons and one girlf frollicked in the snow - idiots!

Meanwhile its that time of year and the old blowsy tart is back in the window winking invitingly at the passer's by like a fat bejewelled madam in an Amsterdam back street - we duly admired son and girlf's work of art which is their first Xmas tree n their first home - all symmetrical and colour coded and came home and laughed like loons at ours - its absolutely awful! I've told her - next year she's got a little job that needs doing ................

Happy New Year.......from Little Bo Peep who has lost her sheep.............

Misty Autumn Morning

I have never heard a stag roar before - today I did. In the misty woodland behind Powys Castle the bracken and leaves providing the correct background colours a gutteral sound that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, faintly at first but then as they came into view it became unmistakable.

Can anybody else see two faces in these trees or is it just me?








Meanwhile back at the ranch the puppies are eight weeks old and are all destined for loving homes, all relatively local, some will be working dogs, some will be much loved pets and that is definitely the end of puppies in this household - NEVER AGAIN! Skye is already booked in at the vets for an operation that will stop her cavorting with the boy next door in future despite the fact that she has been a model mother and has even enjoyed her pups - visibly smiling with pride from day one and still insisting on feeding the eleven pound monsters eight weeks later. She has to steel herself to get into the run with them, walking backwards and forwards across the lawn before she jumps down into the run and is immediately overwhelmed by seven hooligans.

















This is Lola - she's a showgirl - everybody start singing now...........








The first three go off to their new homes tomorrow so the dog whisperer thought he had better see if he still had the touch ............