Walking in the rain

I foolishly delayed not having a walk first thing, when it was only drizzling lightly, and by the time I was ready to go out, it was raining steadily, but I went all the same and was out for about an hour. Once you are wet, you don't really get much wetter and it was only the bottom half of my trousers and the front of my sweatshirt under my jacket which got wet through. The river had dropped a couple of feet from how it was on Monday, after 24 hours' rain, but was rising again. I walked towards Ty Coch, which is a route I haven't been on for ages. I need to do a longer walk this weekend and will probably head the same way and then along the bridleway, though it will be very wet and muddy underfoot. I know this is the middle of winter, but on a sheltered bank under a hedge amongst the tendrils of ivy, were the tiny seedlings of Goosegrass, identifiable by their - tiny - rosette of leaves. The Great Tits were singing to each other too - a rather piercing note of "Zee-de" which makes me think they are looking forward to winter's back being broken as well. Always the optimist, me!

I have been spending some time exploring the 1911 census this week, which I was surprised to hear had come on-line a couple of years early - though I'm not complaining! I have found that my g. grandparents adopted a lad when they were 50 (g. grandad) and 60 (g. grandma) years old. I can only assume he may have been the bastard son of one of their children - but now it occurs to me it could have been g. grandad's, particularly as his wife was 10 years older than him. My aunties know nothing about Harry Gregory, however. I would like to look up who lived here in our house - though I know it is one of two families from burials in the graveyard. Fortunately in Wales they always add the name of the house of the deceased, which is wonderful for family historians. However, most of Wales is not catalogued yet and a good few other counties besides I don't doubt.

This stunning tree is a Horse Chestnut which is covered in "candles" of flower in the spring.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of these hedgerow trees - they looked so majestic against the grey winter sky.

The camera carefully picked up the little bit of colour from the mosses and the dead Beech leaves along the riverbank.

The water level was rising again, and getting very choppy over the boulders.

Further upstream, even the larger boulders were being covered over and the pools have been long liberated from their ice-fastness of last week.

My first two blocks for the Lluest Horse and Pony Trust charity raffle quilt have been completed now and one of the ladies at Creative Living forum has already made three more lovely designs. I bought some fresh fat quarters of material when I was in town yesterday and will start a fresh block tomorrow.

The flash hasn't done the colours in the top block any favours.



Blogger and my connection playing up - I'll post this whilst I still can.