wild river

Follow the narrow, twisty lane that winds past our garden through the pixie woodlands, up an enchanted valley and along a bubbling brook.

Since we moved here 8 months ago, we've been wondering if there are any good swimming holes on the river.

Today we found one!

After a 20 minute scramble off the path, across the bank and under some fallen trees, we followed the stream to a big waterfall with a perfect plunge pool underneath.

Just one problem: the only way in is a leap off a big rock. And the only way out is over the next waterfall.

This is going to take some planning ...

Big trees

Massive Giant Redwood trees in our garden.

Jon found this website that lists places in the UK where you can find other trees like these.

They are very tall and very old.

Two monkeys

Dylan and Teilo live here at Plas Einion. They came busking round our flat this evening to do a show. They are in character as 'Bob': a man with a hat and a cape, and 'Ivy': a very old lady who gets asthma and dies.
Cheery stuff!
We clapped and gave them 5p each.

Inside a tipi

This is what it looks like inside one of the tipis at Eco Retreats

Friday is tipi-day

On Fridays Jon and I work here at EcoRetreats We clean these tipis and get them ready for guests.

Folks love to come here and unwind for the weekend, escaping the hustle and bustle of modern day life. Thinking about that makes me appreciate that this IS my life.

My last home

Spent the weekend at the Centre for Alternative Technology. I used to live here with Amanda, in an underground house called the Hobbit Hole. We had good times there.

This time Amanda was running a course about community renewable energy schemes, so on Saturday afternoon we took the group for a walk up the hill to look at the two wind turbines that are owned collectively by us and our neighbours in the Dyfi Valley.

People that came on the course were from South Wales, North Yorkshire and Australia. They all had bright ideas of projects they are going to work towards in their communities. Inspiring stuff!

Finally

It stopped raining!

At last.

I am off to play outside.

:)

Fresh veg

Busy, busy Bank Holiday weekend.

Went to see System 7 at Hendre Hall last night, along with everyone we know from North Wales. Steve Hillage still rocks.

Came back home via Betws y Coed (way too busy) and Blaenau (nice and quiet), stopping to explore Llechwedd Slate Caverns, where Jon's been installing a new hydro turbine.

Back in time for supper. We've just started harvesting fruit and veg from the allotments. So far we've had: Tat Soi, Rhubarb and now Radishes!

party season

Went to an outdoor party last night, at Dr Hoska's in Ynyslas.

It's going to be a summer of parties.

We're having our own here at Plas Einion in July, in our top field. We went up there to have a look around.

There are some bees there making honey and lots of baby oak trees. We'll have to make sure these places are protected during the party.

Obsessive

I live with two obsessive people.

Jon likes to build machines. This is his bat detector. If you see a bat flying around at dusk (and there are a lot of those around here), you point this machine at it and you can hear the noises the bat is making, amplified to a frequency that humans can listen to.

Amanda is also obsessed with creating things, in a different way. She spends most of her free time in the conservatory sowing seeds and potting up or outside digging and planting in her two allotments. These are her rockets.

122 days until the man burns!

Dave and Thirzie came over last night.

We spent the evening getting excited about summer festivals.

They are setting up a business to do outdoor catering this summer, so will be going to lots.

We showed them pictures of BM and tried to work out creative things you can do with EL Wire.

Watch this space ....