#anglesey weather

[lawrencejoefish]

Wanderings with Chris....... to Anglesey Barracks we go

[jonathanwrotethis]

Beaches, Castles, and Journeys Home

The weather turned during our final full day in the holiday cottage on Anglesey. While my other half holed up in the lounge for the better part of the day, I braved the elements for at least a little while and walked down to the nearby beach to watch waves breaking on the shore, and to sort through the shells, driftwood and pebbles that had washed ashore.

Later in the day we pulled coats on and set out for the local pub – our last meal “out out” before returning home. It felt like a clockwork toy winding down – going through the motions of “having fun”, but already turning our thoughts to packing bags, and returning to the real world.

This morning we woke bright and early, bags mostly packed from the night before, had a wash, got dressed, and threw our belongings into the back of the car. Traveling without the children made everything remarkably quick and easy. Before 9am we found ourselves turning the key in the door for the last time, and making our way down the lane and away from our bolt-hole for the final time.

We did have one more adventure up our sleeve though. A visit to Caernarfon Castle on the way home. Just down the coast of the Welsh mainland, after crossing the Menai Strait once more, we stopped at Caenarfon and went for an explore.

The castle has stood for over 700 years – originally built by King Edward I, and cemented into the relationship between England and Wales with the birth of his son, the first true “Prince of Wales”.

It’s a mightily impressive castle – among the biggest in the British Isles, and among the most complete. We spent quite some time climbing the various towers, walking the ramparts, and reading about it’s history.

Finally – after topping up on tea and cake – we got back in the car and started the long journey home. Somewhere in the region of four hours on the road, with a break in the middle for more tea and cake.

We got home just before dinner this evening, and I got told off for immediately resuming normal duties in the kitchen – washing up, putting away, and trying to return the house to something vaguely like “normal”.

Not being in the mood to prepare or cook anything after a long day on the road, we all went to the pub for dinner, paid for by pretend aeroplane money (another story for another day).

Of course we came home to all sorts of drama. Not our drama though – for a change – drama for friends of our children. We heard breathless accounts of what was going on, helped write text messages, helped called parents, and then told our daughters “now you know what it feels like for us when YOU make a bad decision!”.

Anyway.

Time to go collapse into bed, I suppose. My own bed. And sleep.

As much as it was good to get away, it’s also good to be home.

[musette22]

Hello you lovely folks!! A little update from me, after going AWOL for a little while 🙈 I am finally on my way back home from my UK road trip, which was only 12 days but felt like three weeks at the very least... We did SO much, and it was all incredible, and I consider myself a seriously blessed girl 💖

A quick recap, just because: we flew to Liverpool, rented a car there the next day and drove to Wales, saw incredible castles, beaches & mountains and met unbelievably lovely people (and stopped by the village with one of the longest names in the world, in Anglesey, see above pic). Then we spent some time reconnecting with the city in South Wales where we all met each other during an exchange semester 12 years ago (it was strange to be back there, but also really wonderful), before driving to England, where we stayed at THE most picture-perfect cottage in the Cotswolds. This wasn't my first time in the Cotswolds, but this time around we managed to tour so many of the amazingly cute & pretty villages, and on top of that, the weather was absolutely stunning ☀️✨️🥰

After that, we drove on to Oxford (my fave city in the UK, hands down ❤️) where we all also lived for some time about a decade ago, and then finally, we headed to London. I got to see a lot of old friends, art exhibitions, a musical (Moulin Rouge! so much fun), picnicked on Hampstead Heath, and - most importantly - I saw my favourite band of all time, Arctic Monkeys, perform again for the 7th time and they were absolutely INCREDIBLE 😍 So of course, when I walked out of the stadium, I turned to my friends and was like "You know what I want?" And they were like "Yes, we'll come with you to get an AM tattoo" (they know me too well 😂) So I dropped by a tattoo parlour the next day and got myself a cheeky little tribute to my fave song of my fave band and I could not be happier with it 🥰🥰 (pic under the cut, if anyone's interested)

So! That was my amazingly fantastic vacation which I enjoyed the crap out of, and I'm sure I'll be spamming you all with some pics over the next few days because oh man, I took so many photos 😅 Not super thrilled to be back at work tomorrow, but I am excited to be able to spend time on here and on my writing again!! (and reply to some messages, long overdue, sorry about that!)

I really hope everyone is doing super great and I'm sending bunches of love and kisses! 💋💕😘

[emmashouldbewriting]

Emma dear, not to make light of your dilemma but your icy snowy hill is nothing compared to serious winter weather in the northern US. Or Canada. Try shoveling out 3 feet of snow and then a week later getting another 3 feet. Lol. Count your blessings as you slide down your hill. And be careful.

See... I know people mean well when they say stuff like this, but there's a real lack of consideration for the fact that - largely - it's normal weather for the northern US or Canada. Your infrastructure is built to handle it, so are your roads/gritters and all that stuff. I'm sure there are Scottish people who'd laugh at me too but *shrug*

In the 9 years I've lived on Anglesey, there's been snow on maybe 5 of those years. We just don't get much because we're a little island and the sea air interferes with it. Also, I don't think our local council knows a salt gritter from a fishing boat.

Then again, I have friends who freak out over 50mph winds in the US and that's just a normal Sunday here. (100mph last night! Didn't even lose power or a roof tile!)

[usafphantom2]

The story of the RAF Phantom who "asked" for refueling in flight of a KC-130 from Argentina

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 20/08/2023 - 15:13 in History, Military

The F-4 Phantom formed an important part of the Royal Air Force (RAF) combat aircraft force for more than twenty years and provided the British service with one of the most capable attack fighters in the world. Once, a crew of an RAF Phantom, as a joke, asked for fuel from an Argentine Air Force KC-130 flying over the Falklands.

Two versions of the Phantom with a Rolls Royce Spey engine went into service in the Royal Air Force. The FG1 (the version also used by the Royal Navy) in the role of interceptor and the FGR2 in the ground attack and in the tactical reconnaissance role in Germany.

From 1977, all the Phantoms of the British Royal Air Force were used ALMOST exclusively as interceptor fighters in the airspace of the United Kingdom.

The following story titled "Surprise" appeared in Richard Pike's book, "Phantom Boys Volume 2".

"With the potential, as they say, to shoot in the foot, there was irony and surprise in the situation. But there it was, an important day, a day of new beginnings, a day of 1993 that was recorded in many diaries. When the colonel himself entered the crew room - a colonel who turned out to be big, mustachioed, exuberant - a sudden silence fell on the room. When squadron leader Archie Liggat, as commanding officer of Squadron 234, a unit of tactical weapons and advanced training in the RAF Valley in Anglesey, stepped forward, shook the colonel's hand and said: "May I introduce some of my employees and students, sir..." And as Archie went through the subtleties, he was aware that each move of his was under the scrutiny "Good weather, isn't it?" routines, he felt, deep down, the pressure of secondary agendas. Perhaps he fed thoughts that, despite the demonstration of joviality, the colonel could be hard, petty and selfish - not that Archie had anything against the subject personally, only that, given the circumstances, it was difficult not to feel more than a little confused by the process. And few would argue that the procedures were, to say the least, quite unusual.

It was three years earlier, on a day in October 1990, when Archie was a Phantom pilot based in the Falkland Islands, that the scenario was set up for the remarkable reunion that would take place, totally by chance, during the colonel's visit to Valley. On the one hand, it was by chance that Archie, along with his colleagues, was on rapid reaction alert service (QRA) on that specific day in the Falklands. The men were prepared to react, if necessary, while waiting in a special crew room next to a hangar with two fully armed Phantom FGR2s. On the day in question, Archie and his colleagues were informed of a special request from the Argentine government regarding a large section of Antarctic ice, part of the renowned Wilkins ice shelf, which detached and was adrift in the South Atlantic seas. The Wilkins ice shelf, evidently stable for most of the 20th century, began to fragment. Concerned about the effects of global warming, scientific researchers from Argentina were eager to make detailed observations of the air.

As the aircraft to be used for these observations, a Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina or FAA), had limited range, the Argentines requested permission to fly over the Falkland Inner Conservation and Management Zone (FICZ). As this would be the first flight of this type by an FAA aircraft after the 1982 war, the subject was controversial. However, the UK government agreed to the flight on the condition that the C-130, when crossing the FICZ, was accompanied by two RAF Phantoms. To deal with language difficulties, Spanish-speaking air traffic controllers would be available at the Phantom base at RAF Mount Pleasant in East Falkland.

This is how the two QRA Phantoms took off that spring day in the Falklands to intercept, identify and escort the Argentine aircraft. The plan worked as planned and did not take long for Archie, as a pilot of the first QRA aircraft, to maintain the training on the left side of the C-130. When in position, he noticed that the Argentine aircraft, in addition to camouflage insignia and paint, was similar to the RAF C-130s of flight 1312 based at Mount Pleasant. The latter was modified to offer an in-flight refueling facility that the Phantoms occasionally used. While Archie and his navigator made a sentry on the left side of the Argentine, the other Phantom pilot maneuvered judiciously while his navigator took pictures. The Phantom crews did not make radio contact with the Argentine opposing numbers, although some polite nods occurred from time to time. With the C-130's cruising speed of less than 300 knots, the progress through the FICZ seemed, after a while, slow - in fact, strangely slow, actually tedious to the point that Archie started to get quite bored.

Possibly, at that point, Archie's thoughts may have wandered in different directions, including, perhaps, mental images of home, of his birthplace in Grantown-on-Spey, in the Scottish Highlands ... Suddenly, Archie had an idea; an idea he discussed with his navigator, which seemed quite amused with the absurd proposition. During the training, they discovered that the escorted aircraft was one of the two FAA KC-130s, a type of Hercules based on the U.S. Marine Corps variant used for in-flight refueling. Archie decided to accelerate his two levers to reposition the Phantom; he wanted to be fully visible to the Argentine cockpit crew. He then lowered his left hand of the two levers to the fuel panel below. With his eyes still watching Hercules, Archie's fingers carefully groped the switch of the in-flight refueling probe. The distinct shape of this switch was promptly identified. Now, when he operated the switch, Archie and his navigator heard the typical thuds and noises that indicated the movement of his flight refueling probe. When the device, normally leveled with the fuselage by the cockpit, left its housing, the movement signaled a standard silent procedural message interpreted by the aviators as: "I would like some fuel, please!"

The response of the Hercules cockpit crew was immediate: the heads of both pilots turned to look at their escort. Meanwhile, several other crew members, with interrogative facial expressions, began to crowd against the side windows. The replica could be imagined:

“They're crazy!”

"How can we deal with these people?"

“They must be stressed!”

"It's a stratagem."

"No, it's just a joke. Let's play together. With this, one of the Hercules men smiled at the Phantom crew and made a positive sign. Thus encouraged, Archie maneuvered backwards to adopt the standard "waiting" position of replenishment. After a moment or two, to his astonishment, Hercules' refueling basket took a slight turn before starting to emerge from the hose drum unit. As the fuel line slowly stretched, Archie followed her back and began to move to a refueling position. At this juncture, however, the captain of Hercules must have decided that the prank had already gone too far: the hose bumped until it stopped, stopped and then was quickly rolled back into his accommodation. Archie has now eased his levers forward to resume his previous position in the Hercules cockpit. When he was there, he briefly lowered the oxygen mask to make an exaggeratedly taciturn expression. The reaction of Hercules' crew was intriguing: even more faces appeared on the side windows, all with wide smiles. Some shook their heads from side to side and shook their fingers as if they were a mischievous student.

Meanwhile, the captain of Hercules raised his cup of coffee in greeting, a sign that Archie interpreted as "no resentment". He therefore retracted his refueling probe and maintained a slightly broader formation as if indicating: 'Okay. It's agreed!' For the next hour, Archie maintained this position as the formation flew on the planned course that took the aircraft directly over the Mount Pleasant airfield and then towards the eastern limit of the FICZ. When there, Archie complied with the internationally agreed signal 'you are free to proceed' before giving a cheerful nod and moving sharply to the left as he headed back to Mount Pleasant.

After landing, Archie and the other crew members were duly informed by intelligence officers who asked adequately intelligent questions. As usual, there were forms to fill out, documents to sign, do this and that to ensure a satisfactory bureaucratic progression, but in a short time, in the hustle and bustle of a hectic life, the incident began to retreat to the back of Archie's mind. In fact, three years passed before memory was awakened, three years during which he moved from Leuchars to the 74º Squadron at the RAF Wattisham in Suffolk, where, among other functions, he was the acrobatic exhibition pilot of the Phantom - the last type in the RAF. In the fall of 1992, coinciding with the transition from RAF Wattisham to the Army Air Corps, he was assigned to the RAF Valley as commanding officer of the 234º Squadron, a training unit whose motto 'ignem mortemque despuimus' may have instilled a sense of admiration in the student body. (especially when they learned the meaning - 'we

***

Perhaps this motto was also appropriate when issues related to Argentina arose, although, as it has been about ten years since the Falklands War, efforts were underway to normalize relations. As part of this process, a new Argentine air attaché was appointed, a colonel who was being introduced to staff at several Royal Air Force stations throughout the country, including RAF Valley. With the choice of Squadron 234 as one of the units to be visited, on the day in question employees and students lined up to receive their important guest. To greet the colonel, the officers' cafeteria had provided tea with adequate tea cups, cutlery, fine cookies, sandwiches, buttoons and everything.

When the colonel finally arrived, he turned out to be a great man, of an exuberant nature, who seemed to go well with a mustache that could have made the legendary 'Biggles' proud. To accompany the colonel, elegantly uniformed members of the aeronautical attaché's team were accompanied by a group of senior officers of the Royal Air Force. In contrast, Archie and his men wore their normal day-to-day flight suits. When Archie made the appropriate presentations, he was relieved to see that the colonel was an affable guy who talked freely with everyone present. Perhaps it was even more surprising, therefore, when the colonel suddenly stopped talking to look, stunned, at a badge he had just seen in Archie's flying costume. The badge, innocuous enough for Archie to think, revealed the achievement of 1,000 hours of flight in a Phantom.

"Have you ever been to the Falklands?" asked the colonel. An embarrassed silence came down over the room.

“Yes, sir. On several occasions," Archie said, "although we called the islands something else." He looked nervously around the room. Some of the top officers of the Royal Air Force made an ugly face in disapproval.

"On several occasions?"

“Yes. I was assigned to fly in Phantoms.

"Interesting," said the colonel. After a break, he continued: "In fact, I flew there myself."

"You?"

“In fact. That's... in a way.

"Sir?"

“It must have been about three years ago. I was aboard a C-130 that was allowed to fly over the Falklands — the first FAA aircraft to do so since the war. We had to be escorted by two Phantoms, one of whom pretended to need in-flight refueling from our C-130." The colonel laughed and continued: "It was all a joke, of course. But he broke the ice, so to speak, and the captain of the C-130 was willing to play together to a certain extent."

Immediately, Archie waved to one of his students, whispered a message that made the student run to come back after a moment or two with Archie's logbook. Sneaking hurriedly, Archie found a specific page with a loosely inserted photograph. He extracted the photograph and showed it to the colonel whose face, while studying the photo, seemed at first shocked, then confused, amused and surprised. "Is this you...?" said the colonel. "Yes, sir. I was on duty that day - I was the Phantom pilot who pretended to need refueling in flight."

“My God...” The colonel stared at Archie and then, in a spontaneous act, patted him on the shoulder, shook his hand vigorously and grabbed him in a bear hug. Now, in a growing spirit of munificence, the colonel rummaged through his pocket to take out a leather bag that contained a medal from the Argentine aviation academy. Without further ado, the colonel solemnly fixed the medal on Archie's flying costume before, with his mustache bristled with pride, took a step back and greeted our gallant protagonist.

With this, the conversation in the room resumed while poor Archie, while struggling to recover from the momentary vertigo induced by such extravagance, was relieved to see that the group of senior officers of the Royal Air Force now seemed a little less sad. Maybe Archie felt a little dizzy, taken by surprise by the bizarre and unplanned experience. Was it, however, totally unplanned? Reflecting, Archie concluded that the colonel seemed, in some way, pre-prepared. If not, why carry such a medal anyway? Certainly not at the chance of finding some random individual who instantly needed one?

Finally, when the colonel and his group made mention of leaving, he approached Archie to shake his hand warmly. “Goodbye, my friend. Please pay a visit to the Argentine air academy one day, huh?"

“Thank you, sir. That would be... Archie suddenly noticed the way the colonel was looking at him. When the colonel nodded and turned to leave, Archie got the clear impression that he knew all the time who Archie was. He could never be sure, of course, and as he watched the Argentine officer and his entourage leave, Archie realized that all that strange episode would have to remain one of life's little surprises.

Merely illustrative images

Source: The Aviation Geek Club

Tags: Military AviationFAA - Fuerza Aerea Argentina/Força Aérea ArgentinaFalklands/Malvinas WarHISTORYRAF - Royal Air Force/Royal Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Daytona Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work around the world of aviation.

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[nightsidewrestling]

D.U.D.E Bios: Odin Rhydderch

The Ogre Duke of C.R.C Odin Rhydderch (2020)

Fionn's son and Rhodri's grandson, Odin. An Irish-Catholic living in Wales and a comedic and creative young man. He's another one of Kirby's first cousins once removed.

"Yeah, beauty isn't everything, for one."

Name

Full Legal Name: Odin Meriwether Hilarius Asmodeus Rhydderch

First Name: Odin

Meaning: Anglicized form of Old Norse 'Óðinn', which was derived from 'Óðr' meaning 'Inspiration, Rage, Frenzy'.

Pronunciation: O-din

Origin: Norse Mythology, English

Middle Name(s): Meriwether, Hilarius, Asmodeus

Meaning(s): Meriwether: From a surname meaning 'Happy weather' in Middle English. Hilarius: Roman name derived from Latin 'Hilaris' meaning 'Cheerful'. Asmodeus: From Greek 'Asmodaios' and Hebrew ''Ashmed'ai', probably from Avestan 'Aēshəma' meaning 'Wrath' and 'Daēuua' meaning 'Demon'.

Pronunciation(s): MEHR-i-wedh-er. hee-LA-ree-oos. az-ma-DEE-as

Origin(s): English. Ancient Roman. Biblical, Judeo-CHristian-Islamic Legend

Surname: Rhydderch

Meaning: From the given name 'Rhydderch', from the Old Welsh name 'Riderch', derived from 'Ri' 'King' and 'Derch' 'Exalted'.

Pronunciation: HRUDH-ehrkh

Origin: Welsh

Alias: Ogre Duke Odin Rhydderch

Reason: This is Odin's ring name

Nicknames: Odi

Titles: Mr

Characteristics

Age: 18

Gender: Male. He/Him Pronouns

Race: Human

Nationality: Welsh. Irish-Welsh Mix. Dual Citizenship ROI-UK

Ethnicity: White

Birth Date: December 13th 2002

Symbols: Ogres, Ogresses, Crowns

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Religion: Irish-Catholic

Native Language: Welsh

Spoken Languages: Welsh, Irish, Scottish (Scots Gaelic), English

Relationship Status: Dating

Astrological Sign: Sagittarius

Theme Song: 'Hurt' - Nine Inch Nails (2020-)

Voice Actor: Josh O'Connor

Geographical Characteristics

Birthplace: Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, Wales

Current Location: Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, Wales

Hometown: Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, Wales

Appearance

Height: 6'2" / 187 cm

Weight: 209 lbs / 94 kg

Eye Colour: Blue

Hair Colour: Ginger

Hair Dye: None

Body Hair: Hairy

Facial Hair: Clean Shaven

Tattoos: (As of Jan 2020) 2

Piercings: Ear Lobe (Both)

Scars: Facial scars

Health and Fitness

Allergies: None

Alcoholic, Smoker, Drug User: Smoker, Social Drinker

Illnesses/Disorders: None Diagnosed

Medications: None

Any Specific Diet: None

Relationships

Allies: (As of Jan 2020) The Rhydderch Clan

Enemies: (As of Jan 2020) None

Friends: Isidore Herbert, Napier Rhydderch, Gabriel O'Hannigan, Zayden O'Hannegan, Pacey Rhydderch, Zechariah Rhydderch, Eadberht Rhydderch

Colleagues: The C.R.C Locker Rooms / Too Many To List

Rivals: None

Closest Confidant: Saga Battaglia

Mentor: Fionn Rhydderch

Significant Other: Saga Battaglia (19, Girlfriend)

Previous Partners: None of Note

Parents: Fionn Rhydderch (47, Father), Unity Rhydderch (48, Mother, Née Sauvageon)

Parents-In-Law: None

Siblings: Rachel MacGregor (27, Sister, Née Rhydderch), Queen MacEntire (24, Sister, Née Rhydderch), Pace Rhydderch (21, Brother), Naomh Rhydderch (15, Sister), Macy Rhydderch (12, Sister), Comhghall Rhydderch (9, Brother), Kaiser Rhydderch (6, Brother), Jacinth Rhydderch (3, Sister)

Siblings-In-Law: Bruce MacGregor (28, Rachel's Husband), Coinneach MacEntire (25, Queen's Husband), Urve Rhydderch (22, Fionn's Wife, Née MacEalair)

Nieces & Nephews: Craig MacGregor (7, Nephew), Ceinwen MacGregor (4, Niece), Ceridwen MacGregor (1, Niece), Donald MacEntire (4, Nephew), Dougal MacEntire (1, Nephew), Vilija Rhydderch (1, Niece)

Children: None

Children-In-Law: None

Grandkids: None

Great Grandkids: None

Wrestling

Billed From: Anglesey, Wales

Trainer: The C.R.C Training School, Rhodri Rhydderch, Fionn Rhydderch

Managers: Saga Battaglia

Wrestlers Managed: Saga Battaglia

Debut: 2020

Debut Match: Odin Rhydderch VS Fionn Rhydderch. Double Count Out

Retired: N/A

Retirement Match: N/A

Wrestling Style: Grappler

Stables: The Rhydderch Clan (2020-)

Teams: No Team Names

Regular Moves: Rotating Punch To The Stomach, Backbreaker, Running Knee Lift, Belly To Belly Suplex, Diving Shoulder Block, Dropkick, Gorilla Press, Lariat, Scoop Powerslam, Spinning Spinebuster, Three Point Stance Tackle, Tiger Suplex

Finishers: Boston Crab, Senton, Sitout Gutwrench Powerbomb, High Angle Belly To Back Suplex

Refers To Fans As: The Fans, The Family

Extras

Backstory: Odin Rhydderch of the C.R.C (Welsh Wrestling League / Cynghrair Reslo Cymru) owning Rhydderch family. When Fionn dies Odin will have a 1/432th ownership of the promotion. Odin is an 'Ogre Style' (Grappler) trainer. He's mostly Welsh.

Trivia: Nothing of Note

[thesnapshotcafe]

Gwen a Gareth Roberts Priodas Highlight Video

A New Year’s Eve Wedding in Henblas Country Park, Bodorgan, Wales

After a year of meticulous planning, our Welsh couple finally tied the knot on New Year’s Eve 2023. This event marked our last wedding of 2023 and the first of 2024, filling us with immense excitement and joy.

http://www.thesnapshotcafe.com/

Despite the windy and rainy weather, fortune favoured us as the rain paused just in time for the outdoor activities. Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted by the bride’s parents, their smiles setting a positive tone for the day. We began with capturing the bride and groom’s preparation shots, preserving those intimate pre-ceremony moments.

From there, we headed to Henblas Country Park, a hidden gem and perfect wedding venue in Wales. This purpose-built venue boasts guest rooms for the wedding party to stay overnight, adding convenience to its charm. The dedicated team of wedding planners had meticulously arranged the decorations, catering, and the event’s rundown. We were thoroughly impressed by the structure, layout, and facilities, all of which contributed to creating a memorable experience.

The climax of the evening was the fireworks display, perfectly timed with the countdown to 2024. As the clock struck midnight, the sky lit up with dazzling colors, marking both the start of the new year and the couple’s new journey together. It was a spectacular sight, and the perfect way to end the night on a high note.

Are you planning a new year’s eve wedding? Contact us, we are happy to capture the fun and unforgettable day!

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[maypoleman1]

25th January

St Dynwen’s Day/ Burns Night

A Piper Piping in the Haggis at a Burns Night Supper. Source: Visit Scotland website

Today is St Dynwen’s Day. Dynwen, despite being celibate, became Wales’ patron saint of lovers. Apparently visiting her shrine at Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey is a must for all couples who want their love to proper.

Tonight is also Burns Night, on which the life and works of poet Robert Burns are celebrated all over Scotland today, his birthday. The first Burns Night was held in 1801, but at that stage it was a private gathering of the poet’s friends, wishing to celebrate Burns’ contribution to Scottish literature. By the 1860s, the day had become a Scottish cultural event with Burns’ Nights involving traditional the enjoyment of Scottish fare, pipers, traditional dancing and much whisky. Burns himself was a romantic influenced by the Classics, but also by Scottish rural life and Celtic myth and ghost stories. His songs and poems were often written and recited in the Scots dialect. Long before the advent of the SNP, Burns Nights provided the opportunity for expressions of Scottish cultural pride and nationalist sentiment.

Lake Semerwater. Source: Herriot Country website

On this day in rural North Yorkshire, St Paul manifested (today is also the feast day of his conversion) and went door to door in a nearby magnificent city, begging for alms, to see how Christian the Yorkshire folk were. Suffice it to say, they weren’t very, and poor Paul was sent packing from every house he visited, save one, a Quaker dwelling on the outskirts of the city. The good Quakers gave the saint room and board and overnight heard him calling on Simmerwater to rise, Simmerwater to sink. The next day the family found their guest was gone and so was the city, replaced by a huge lake - Lake Semerwater. When the weather is calm, the walls and roofs of the submerged town can be seen from the lakeside. Or so they say…

[lymphomalass]

During this cold and stormy winter’s season, are you enjoying the crisp frosty days or looking forward to warmer weather…?

“Hay Harvest at Rhyd Y Bont, Ynys Môn/ Anglesey” was inspired by a wonderful walk Steve and I took on a baking hot day last summer.

My A4 (29.7cm x 21cm) unframed original oil pastel piece is available for £75 including UK postage. Please just message me to arrange your purchase.

It's also available in a mix of different types and sizes of prints, and printed on all sorts of lovely things (like accessories, apparel, homewares, gift items, etc) at:

Thanks!

Sam aka LymphomaLass xx

[jonathanwrotethis]

Anglesey

After a somewhat epic journey across the country during the day, we arrived on the island of Anglesey late this afternoon. Along the way we battled through just about everything the heavens could throw at us - rain, sunshine, wind, thunder, and everything in-between.

We stopped a little over half-way to explore a National Trust property - Attingham Park. We had only planned on stopping for a cup of tea and something to eat in the cafe, but arrived during an unexpected break in the weather, so explored the walled gardens and house. Think Highclere (Downton), but a little less grand.

A couple of hours further on we crossed the Menai Strait, and started reading from printed instructions - winding through country lanes, past this pub, turning at that corner, until we finally turned through stone gate-posts, along a gravel track, and discovered our home for the next week - a cosy cottage hidden away from the road, surrounded by an orchard, with views out over the Irish sea.

After unpacking and settling in we wandered down to the sea and walked a beach on our own - tip-toeing through an assortment of washed up seaweed, jellyfish and mermaid’s purses. At the far end of the beach a metal detectorist carefully made his way this way and that. A young couple with a dog arrived a few minutes later.

On the walk back we stopped at the local pub, grabbed something to eat and drink, and sat outside watching waves break out at sea. We’ll be returning over the coming days.

Tonight we’re holed up in the cottage, with a log on the fire, a good book, and a bottle of wine to share.

It all seems very odd - this not running to the next thing, and the next. It will take some getting used to.

[bgallen]

Pink grasshoppers, reading children's books, Six Triple Eight, and more...a Friday List

Happy Friday!

I hope that you have had an enjoyable week with hopefully decent weather. I know that in many places this week the weather has been devastating. I have compiled a list for you to enjoy and as always I hope that you find one or two things to enjoy. I have also added some podcasts that I have been enjoying as well as a new to me book that I’ve begun.

 May your weekend be one of rest, activity, joy, and calm – whatever it is that you need in this moment.

 ·       Why adults should read children's books - BBC Culture, “So it's to children's fiction that you turn if you want to feel awe and hunger and longing for justice: to make the old warhorse heart stamp again in its stall.”

 ·       Texas Author Reunites with TikToker Who Made Him Bestseller (people.com), what a neat story!

 ·       The Pink grasshopper - Erythrism (roeselienraimond.com), oh my I have never seen one of these and didn’t know it was possible for them to be pink. It would seem more likely to find one of these in Alice in Wonderland than out and about in real life. Here’s another beautiful one, Anglesey: Rare pink grasshopper spotted in garden - BBC News

 ·       Six Triple Eight: The battalion of black women erased from history - BBC News, how incredible! Such an impressive accomplishment and I am so glad they are finally being recognized as they should have been. Tyler Perry is currently filming a Netflix film about them with Kerry Washington starring as well as producing in it.

 ·       Sounds of Motown (A cappella Medley) - Kings Return - YouTube, I really enjoy Kings Return…harmonizing is impeccable and covering Motown?! Even better.

 ·       DREAMIN' WILD Trailer (2023) Casey Affleck - YouTube, this looks to be a really great film.

 ·       Tiny Octopus Gets So Excited When His Diver Friend Comes To Visit Him | The Dodo - YouTube, oh my goodness – this is the sweetest little mollusc (yes I did have to google that.) I am always fascinated when animals interact with humans that aren’t animals that we keep as pets.

 ·       Elizabeth Cotten - In the Sweet By and By - YouTube, Learned something new today…”cotten picking” was created by Elizabeth. She was left-handed so she played her right-handed guitar upside down, which apparently is not the easiest thing to do.

 ·       Woodland (2020) – Sarah Anne Johnson, I saw Sarah Anne’s art on a house tour on youtube and fell in love with this Woodland series that she has. This is what she has to say about the series, “ I then transformed the photographs with paint, metal leaf, holographic tape, photo-spotting ink, and photoshop to create a more honest image that reflects my personal experience with the landscape.” I once had a friend tell me how she edited her photos so beautifully and she said the same thing as Sarah Anne, she edits the photo to appear in the photo as her own eyes and mind experienced it in person.  

 Podcasts I’ve been binging:

·       Lionsgate Sound | Scamanda, this is an incredible story….that I can’t quite wrap my mind around. I have found that I prefer podcasts that are hosted/created by journalists. Charlie Webster did a great job researching this story along with her team and the original investigative journalist that began the work and then she does an excellent job telling the story.

·       Betrayal on Apple Podcasts, another well done podcast. Heavier material than Scamanda, well it’s a different sort of heavy. Depending on how you handle things, you may want to read up on it before you listen. Both seasons so far have been so well done. The first season is now a documentary on Hulu.

·       Huberman Lab, I just began this one today. In the episode I began listening to today, Dr. Malenka is on it discussing how the brain changes in response to learning and reward and reinforcement. Fascinating and exciting stuff!  

New book:

·       Operation Barbarossa - Jonathan Dimbleby - Oxford University Press (oup.com), the largest military operation of all time – the invasion of Russia by Germany in 1941.  

[emmashouldbewriting]

Hello Emma. Speaking of weather, I live in Alexandria, Egypt; today the temperature is 26 degrees, and we've had a thunder storm all morning. So the weather is hot/cold/breezy/humid/rainy.

Another follower from Egypt, but unluckily not coastal Alexandria, we had 31 today and there was rain in the early morning.

this is a very nice weather, I've had to go out on days when it's 41/42 outside and a couple weeks ago we had a 44°c day.

I can't imagine living with that. We had one time when it was like 38 in Greece and I literally could not go outside most of the day... I'm ginger and got burnt in the shade 😂

Your infrastructure is probably capable of dealing with your regular heat, right? Ours really is not and my house hoards heat 😣 my office was almost unbearable today! It's almost 11pm and still 20c, it's so sticky. The thunderstorms we just had missed Anglesey for the most part, we just had the rain so its even more humid today 😭

[dansnaturepictures]

17/06/2023-Cemlyn and home 

Pictures taken in this set are of: 1 and 9. Sandwich Tern and chicks on as we often do for a standout place of a week away a second look at Cemlyn of the holiday before leaving for home to bring to an end the glorious week in Anglesey. It was amazing to get one last fix of that wailing lagoon of tern and gull calls, and be stunned to see notably more I think and bigger chicks than when we came on Sunday seeing a bit more of them too. Such a unique and enticing wild experience with these lovely birds. 2, 8 and 10. Arctic Tern and some Arctic Tern chicks, this species adding to that one last slice of spectacle I was so amazed to witness before heading home. 3 and 4. Nice scenes as the sun headed down when home tonight. 5, 6 and 7. Views on the last look of the distinctive winding beach and immediate and surrounding buildings of the beautiful Cemlyn. 

In the time at Cemlyn it was also good to see Common Terns, as expected and seen by us here before with the weather a bit less settled bringing them in a bit our closest views this week of mesmerising Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Little Egret, Oystercatcher and Mediterranean Gull. Red and sea campion, sea cabbage, thrift, one last look at yellow-horned poppy, mustard, honeysuckle and some agrimony emerged since Sunday were good plants to see. We got a good view of a Red Kite on the way back, as well as common toadflax as on the way, lovely poppy and as has become tradition on return journeys for June holidays for me in verges beside the A34 each time I recall - happening three years running now - delightful pyramidal orchids.

[pritam1995]

"Welcome to the Land of Land Rover..!!

On a beach in Anglesey, UK, 70 years ago, Maurice Wilks drew a sketch in the sand. This sketch would become the inspiration for the first Land Rover. The Series I became an icon, as did Wilks. Possessing a truly restless spirit, Wilks' goal was to build something that could tackle any terrain, weather condition or challenge. That is exactly what he did.

Launched on 30th April at the 1948 Motor Show in Amsterdam, it soon became obvious that he had created an exceptional http://vehicle.It was designed for farm and light industrial use, with a steel box-section chassis and an aluminium body.

A unique chapter to the heritage of Land Rover in India is in North Bengal. It's a story 70 years in the making; a story of a relationship between a place, its people and Land Rovers. Celebrating a rare 'INNER STRENGTH' that keeps original Series Land Rovers and their owners going at a unique place known as The Land of Land Rover, Maneybhanjang-Sandakphu. The reason is a total of 45 Land Rover Series I cars is present here is running condition.

[newswireml]

Northern lights visible across Wales in spectacular display#Northern #lights #visible #Wales #spectacular #display

Some parts of Wales were treated to a rare display of the spectacular northern lights on Thursday night. The natural phenomenon is created by a solar flare erupting on the Sun, sending charged particles towards the Earth which interact with out atmosphere. The display was captured by weather watchers in Conwy county, Anglesey and Denbighshire. In February the lights were visible across the UK for…