Hwre!

Well it came at last, the sun that is and phew what a scorcher or so the headlines would say. It really does feel like Lughnasadh now. Beautiful clear blue skies and the sun belting down makes all the difference and makes everything seem possible.

Today I head for the ancient capital of Wales, Machynlleth.There's a wonderful little market there on Wednesdays and a great vibe in the little town. It's a place where old and young meet and share.There's the Centre for Alternative Technology nearby so theres lots of green and ecofriendly stuff about. I hope to do a bit of shopping, get my hair cut and catchup with friends and family.

Summertime fun with veg

Just as a distraction and I certainly need one, here's a favourite recipe to lift the spirits and the greyness...

Needed-

3tbsp olive oil
9oz halloumi sliced
2 medium onions, wedged
3 courgettes sliced
8 tomatoes halved
420g can butter beans drained

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a roasting tin, bung in some halloumi slices and fry until golden brown on both sides. remove and quarter them.add onions to the tin for 5 minutes and fry until golden

Toss in the courgettes and fry until golden.remove onions and courgettes from the tin and set aside.heat remaining oil in the tin and fry tomatoes until soft and juicy.

Return everything to the tin with the beans, just chuck it all in. warm it through, stirring it all together as you go and trying not to look out of the window at the weather.

Bask in the warm glow and self satisfaction at making a wonderful meal for the family and admire your sun kissed veg without whingeing

Summertime Blues

OK enough is enough.I've said it once and I'll say it again. Just where is the sun? Not a good scene here, three weeks into the holidays and no sign of anything remotely scorchio only thick grey cloud, drizzle and the occasional sighting of something bright. I'm fed up of cloudbathing and expensive trips to the cinema to amuse and entertain. It's a total bummer! but then again its nothing new.

Time to rethink the strategy for coping with the next three weeks before we all go stir crazy.

Normal service will be resumed after this brief, self indulgent rant!

Walking at Lughnasadh

With the weather being as it is, dull, grey and cloudy etc, it was difficult to know how to mark Lughnasadh. No, it didn't seem right to go for a high magic, big ceremonial approach . It just didn't seem right. This year a simpler, quieter and more gentle approach was required. Three of us returned to Cantre'r Gwaelod.

Instead of driving to the beach where the submerged forest can be seen at a very low spring tide, we decided instead to take the inland public footpath. Now when I say public, this footpath has been fought over as a public right of way. In the past landowners have tried to keep the path out of reach from the walkers, ramblers and tourists that walk along the coast and to this special place with a hidden beach. The path has been overgrown to jungle proportions and the occasional ferocious sheepdog let out to challenge and thwart the hardiest walker. These days things are different. 1-0 to the ramblers! The way is now clear after much campaigning and hard work.

After a pleasant if not muddy trudge to Wallog beach we were pleasantly rewarded with an almost deserted beach. Windswept and beautiful, the glacial morainne visible and forming the legendary road to Cantre'r Gwaelod-Sarn Cynfelin. No need for a ritual, it seemed right to walk along the length of the beach in quiet contemplation with only our thoughts and the swooping gulls for company. Well, not quite, we were rewarded with a gift. Just above the gulls nest a pair of peregrine falcons hovered on the wind. It was quite remarkable. I felt part of the landscape, it was like coming home.

This beach holds many cherished childhood memories for me. Its isolation and sacred landscape unspoilt by man and civilisation. A place to simply just be, and this seemed fitting at Lughnasadh.