Archives for January 2014

Bridges

2nd January 2014 By Ty Olaf Cottage

It appears that the Elan Valley Trust are struggling to decide what to do about the bridges that provide and have provided access into Elan Village. There are two by the entrance to the Elan Valley Visitor Centre. The one in use is a Bailey bridge built when the original suspension bridge became frail. The […]

Creeping Buttercups stifled our strawberries!
A principle idea of permaculture and no-dig gardening is to develop ground cover. Uncovered soil attracts unwanted weeds , allows the soil to dry out, and is not contributing to the Eco-system. In accepting this principle I was prepared to accept some degree of what some would think of as weeds. For example I tolerate […]
Hint for a drizzly Bank Holiday
There seems to be a tradition forming in the UK. The week before a Bank Holiday has glorious weather, as they say the sun is cracking the flags, right up until the start of the weekend when it goes completely down the drain! Well here’s a hint for a drizzly Bank Holiday, just put the […]
Hoping for dolphins, porpoises or seals
Frequent visitors Neil and Barbara were here in early May. A characteristic of their stays is that they travel widely, always attracted to bird reserves, and wildlife resources. They went on one of their favourite trips, to Llangrannog. They came back very excited, and no wonder! As they walked along the cliffs they spotted gannets […]
An art day at Ty Olaf, a race in election time
It was busy in our corner of the Elan Valley today! First thing this morning some of the shepherds started gathering the sheep. By nine o’clock people had started to park cars on the grass opposite the house and unload gear, a large gazebo, chairs, water containers, back packs. All very puzzling, but it turned […]
New visitor
We had just returned from shopping when Maggie spotted this tiny visitor sitting motionless on our patio. My first thought was that it was dead, but its little eyes were taking everything in. It was the size of one of the larch pine cones that fall into our garden from the stand of larches alongside […]

Archives for January 2014

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