St. David’s Day

A beautiful sunny morning so Merlin and spent it outside walking from the village to Emsworth and back. It felt as though everyone had come out of hibernation. In the parish hall a St. David’s Day breakfast of Welsh cakes was taking place and at the alpaca farm and cafe next to the mill stream, people were outside enjoying a drink surrounded by bird song.

Once we reached Emsworth we sat for a while looking out across the harbour. A rowing regatta was taking place and the quayside was crowded with people cheering them on (see extra). The boats used are Celtic longboats which have an Irish/Welsh origin. The racing looked both exhilarating and exhausting.

As we wandered home this was the more peaceful scene at the mouth of the River Ems. Earlier when the sea was out we’d watched a man in waders here, deep in the mud, clearing a channel, but now it was the domain of ducks and swans.

Later I made a bara birth (Welsh tea loaf) - a vegan version, and repotted some of my succulent houseplants which had outgrown their pots.

My thanks to Joe Tree on this day for establishing Blip and enabling this special community to grow. My life is so much richer for it.