Saturday, August 19th 2017

Wales is so very green and now we know why.  Rain and yet more rain.  Luckily we have managed to work around the showers which have occurred mostly at night (very convenient).  We stayed in a trailer on this rural campground.  I think the sheep keep the grass nice and short.

We had a lovely double rainbow one evening.

Yippee some blue goodness peeping out!  We made the most of every sunny moment.

Wales has a lot of stone houses. I have never seen so many begonias and fuchsia in baskets.

A day at the local village fair was very interesting.  We stopped by all the stalls getting the local opinion on Brexit and our present American government. Very entertaining. These sheep were penned and waiting for…..

Yup! The sheep shearing contest.  These contestants were very serious.  Judges were checking to make sure every fluffy bit was sheared and no cuts to the baba’s skin. Some of these guys were denuding the wooly mammals in less than 2 minutes.

There were quite a few wood types for sale. Our friend Tom, the master bowl maker, would have enjoyed this area.

A sunny afternoon and out came the fat boys. They are the blow up loungers and not the 2 lovely people by the way.

This is a novel way to recycle your old kayaks.

We legged it over many stiles.  The doggies have a stylish door.  Of course I was thinking along the lines of a cool guillotine for a barking mutt.

Hey Jay and Dax, remember the 99?  ((Icky ice cream with a chocolate flake) Our lads loved those back in the day.  Dean manfully stepped up to the plate to down one for a pic. He said it was not very good but he managed to slurp it down anyway.

We had some very windy hikes. Josh, Gina’s nephew,  was a good sport on our hikes. He scouted us through bogs and Alaskan type tundra.

Josh’s dad, Russell,  became Deans instant best friend.

Rain or shine we were out busting the trails.  At least two of the party looked enthusiastic.

Do NOT slide off the road in your new car on a wet windy road.

The sun popped out and off came the mac, shell, hat and jumper. Wales at it’s prettiest.

All that’s left of this ancient castle are a few walls with cool shaped doorways.

Yet another stile.

We hiked through nettles and thistles which are the British equivalent to spiked cactus and rattlesnakes.

We all know the reason why that moss is so green by now, don’t we?

I do believe I have the most scary hair. Gina is terrified.

What a shame we had just chucked away our apple cores when we crossed a field with this friendly mom and baby.

 

Even though I asked nicely, only Josh would give me a hangathon.

 

Thank goodness Wales inserts an English translation of their language.

We were thrilled to visit with our lovely nephew Kevin and spouse Karen and their cute nippers. Baby George and curly Henry.

Henry is a Kevin replicate.

And here is mom (Ginger Gina).

Scotland you had better get your heather on.  Wales is rockin’ the purple stuff.

 

Bonnie Scotland here we come.