Ruthin - Wales

Just a few photos from the nice RuthinCraft Centre show of Jesse Chorley who had some nice collections amongsther rather twee embroideries. Alo nice little show of Barry Flanagan's prints and ceramics. Had an alfresco lunch of cafe bought sarnies in the town square. A charming village rather spoilt by cars trying to park. Dropped Linda Merrimen off at bus stop so she could get home to Dollgelue. Audrey came too for the ride. Home by 3. Traffic was bit mad but nice weather. Rather too hot really. Phew!

North Wales

Nice couple of days in sunny Wales visiting old chums Linda and Ivor in Dolgellau and various other places from Ruthin to Bala. Linda showed us her crops and new spaces for sunny porch etc. Bad year for bees so no honey this year. They gave us some home made wine and delicious soda bread that Ivor made. Yum! Popped into Mold on the way home for a look in the giant junk warehouse. Hazel found some cheap material for quilt backing. £2 for about 10 metres! Weather was very kind to us after a little drizzle to start. Boiling on our second day. Collected berries and played with new doggy Blodwin. They also have 4 cats and 6 chickens. (Or was it 6 cats and four chickens?)

North Wales

Nice couple of days in North Wales to celebrate my birthday. Went to Ruthin, stopped off to have a coffee and walk round the charity shops. Then on to Dolgellau and Barmouth. Rain showers blew away and the sun came out - hoorah! Fish and chips in the park. Went for a nap in the dunes. Drove back to our B&B in Dolguelleu. Weve stayed there before. Close to the Torrent Walk - a bubbly stream that cascades over rocks. Usually more water but the rain has been few and far between this year despite the recent thunderstorms. Next day we went to our friends Linda and Ivor's who live the "good life" in a cottage nearby with 5 cats , 6 chickens, hives of bees etc. Went for a walk to the lake via the Precipice Walk. Delicious lunch of home grown salad, cheese we took along, fresh boiled eggs, home made sour dough bread etc. Yum! Looked through all there recent "finds" and an amazing pelikan pen engraving machine. Stopped for a curry at tea time amd then off back to the B&B. Next day home via Llandudno and a sandwich on the pier.

Barmouth, Ruthin, Dolgelleu

So many photos - can't possibly add them all there. Some on Facebook if you want to see more. Lovely two days in North wales in Dollgellau near Barmouth. Visted old friends who live the good life in the hills surrouned by chickens and cats and bees. They gave us two jars of their honey. Had anice tour of the gardens and bee hives etc. Lovely meal from homemade produce. Sorting through pottery shards they found in the stone walls. Fascinating history lessons. Lovely weather. the next days we went to Barmouth by the seaside. looked round the shops. No fish and chips so went to aother town 26 miles awayto find some! Had egg and chips instead. No sure why. Lots of junk shops and charity shops to look round. Long drive back to Dolgelleau and B&B. Why did that go red? Lovely walk to the Torrents. waterfalls and rushing rocky streams- sat on a mossy rock to eat our picnic. Took more photos - a small portion here.

North Wales

Wales - Dolgellau, Barmouth and Ruthin

Nice couple of days in West Wales close to Snowdonia - first to Dolgellau to visit Linda and Ivor who live in a hidden valley surrounded by sheep and chickens etc. We took them a pile of jam jars for their honey. They have several hives in the back garden. Got a jar to take home - yum! Then off to stay in a lovely B&B near Barmouth - a delightful old fashioned seaside resort on Cardigan Bay. Very hot and sunny - got burnt after a long walk over the mile long railway bridge to Fairborne. Got the tiny ferry back for fish n' chips. Then off to Ruthin the next day to look round the antique shops and the Craft Centre before returning home.

Ruthin - North Wales

Pleasant ride out to Ruthin in North Wales today with Hazel. Nice day considering the weather forecast of sunshine and showers. A few spots and spits but nothing to trouble us. Had a nice breakfast in out favourite cafe in the centre of the town after parking at the Craft Centre. We met up with the Mary Greg crew later - part of an MMU student trip by the 3D department. Some interesting work from the Jerwood Prize selection and some homely crafts in the side gagglery. Not sure what a gagglery is but it sounds good and full of geese which it wasn't! I walked about a bit on my own while Hazel popped in the clothes shops. I found some charity shops - bought a DVD of The Maltese Falcon with extras disc for a quid. I watched it recently but always nice to have the extras - making of, documentaries etc. For lunch in the crafts centre cafe we had a open sandwich to share - salmon and prawn which was delicious. I could have eaten a whole one but had already had three breakfasts! No wonder I am getting fat! Nice chats with Hazel and her chums - possible exhibition in the pipeline - testing out the gallery and the space. Quiet roads back and home by 3-15pm just in time to catch the kids coming out of school and blocking our parking space!

Ruthin etc.

Another collage hot off the assembly line.  Check out more at  laughingshed.blogspot.com/">Laughing Shed.  Have been neglecting this blog for a while , for which many apollygoggies to all my readers (all 16 of them!)  .  Too many  blogs and never enough time also the weather has been very warm just lately and not  good for tip tapping on the old keyboard.  besides which my memory isn't as good as it used to was.

A nice day out in Ruthin though ( photos on Flickr and ipernity )  to see Sharon Blakey and her ceramic chum ( his name escapes me for the moment ) do a talk about drawing and sketchbooks and the importance of keeping a record of ideas and visual notes of thoughts about work etc.  Not really meant to be seen by others but essential for most makers whether they be ceramicists, painters, sculptors etc.  Also had a nice sandwich and beer in the local pub for lunch with a view of the Welsh hills  ( just behind that pile of crates ).

Earlier we went to the local boot sale at Whitegate which was on the way to Wales.  I didn't get anything but Hazel found a few bits and bobs including tools,  ceramics, gew gaws and whatchamacallits.