This is a photographic exhibition. It contains no narrative, so please enjoy these simple images, of us and friends, taken during our winter stay in cold old Radnorshire.
Proudly introducing our new young companion, miss Holly Ci, a beautiful puppy.
Holly chewing on a cow's ear.
Holly came into our lives in late January, brought to us by our friend Eddie who had the pick of the litter, his dog being Holly’s father. We had a few days to decide whether it was a good time to take on such a responsability, but soon enough we realised that this was a really intelligent, quick learning animal that we could train well and would in time become a loyal companion on our travels. She is called Holly because she loves to chew on the holly leaves.
For more about Holly and a couple of other new friends, do read on….
This is a short video of one morning’s immedaite view, on waking.
We’d like to make a 10 second film every morning, on our next walk.
This video starts with a misunderstanding, and ends when the unintentional filming was stopped by the attempted photo-taking.
The tower is called Paxton’s, and we were sent here from Llandeiloes, where we should have stayed longer, but were fairly dragged to the end of our journey, we believe to preserve (in some measure) our health and sanity, which were beginning to shake for various reasons.
The night before had been spent in tipi valley. a long-running and beautiful Welsh community. Very few tipis still stood, and we soon learned why. What is good for the often dry and open American plains, with uninterrupted winds, is not so good in a blustery oft-damp valley. The winds blow from all directions, and if you want a fire, the rain gets in. We ended up having to string up tarps within the tipi.
So the next night, we followed directions to here, Paxton Tower in Carmarthenshire. Good land. We were told there was a stone fire-place we could cook on, but it has been bricked up since our advisor last came hear.
Anyway, this is Summer is full in, we are accompanied by Rose, and have not yet met Holly puppy.
Good morning.
The snow is melting away, the streams rush full and the ground squelches again. The birds no longer pester us for food as the worst of the cold is over……. for now.
Our friend Mr.Robin looking fluffed up
Its been a hard time for everyone, we are sure, and we have received reports of people stranded and roads closed. We’ve had lots of folk write in and ask how we’re coping in all of this cold and snow, so here we’ll show and tell. Read on……
Here are some pictures from the last month of frostiness, in no particular order. Click on the images to make them bigger. To read about how it was for us out in the snow, click HERE.
our house has teeth...
o the holy holy, o the holly tree
25th morn song
cold times
Click below for more frosted photographics…
We are staying in beautiful Welsh woodlands, in Radnorshire. We’ve been here for the last 6 weeks. We’re under canvas, with hazel, oak and ash above, preparing for the full onslaught of winter.
Autumn
Busy we’ve been, with a home to build, as well as a working camp to house us meantime.
We’ve seen through the end of Autumn, and the leaves fell around us as though they’d never stop. Now, all is down, the sap lowered, vitality all drowsed. Everyone has worked finger to bone, and we’ve come close to exhausted.
Tired boys
Thankfully, we’ve found good allies in these Welsh hills, such as Annie and Simon, Eddie of Mellowcroft, and Anne of Rhyader. The warmth and dry air of a conventional building can be incredibly restorative, but only for a short while, as all that enclosed space gets stuffy. People in houses seem to get colds, we have noticed, while we outside just get damp and chilly. It’s a trade off, of sorts.
Rest will soon be known, when we’ve gotten all our systems and selves properly aligned for this winter sure to set in deeply soon.
If you’d like to see and hear more, including our first arrival, the growth of camp, our findings with cob, straw-bale insulation, herbal first aid, songs, coppicing, and west Wales, click on reader…
Camp has been struck. Our enquiries bore fruit, and our Kentish rest has been left behind. We are settled into the woods in Cymru.
Under the a-frame. 2 days into the woods
We are near Llandegly Rocks in Radnorshire. We’ll tell more presently. Thankyou to the many people who suggested a good place to stay. We’ve been offered a full variety of woods, huts, yurts, valleys, gardens, hillsides, in spots all over Cymru. Soon, we’ll write a list of all the communities and projects we’ve discovered in asking for a winter home.
Meantime, here is a recap of what’s been going on over the last few weeks…
This fantastic little animation to the song “Staines Morris”, was made by our friend Rufus Herbert.
We hope this turning Autumn finds you well.
As the seasons rush on, we all keep pace.
Our path over the last 7 months led us to St David’s, to our great delight. From Canterbury, this counts as a half-pilgrimage to Rome, we were told ( it’s actually double, a Welsh lady assured us).
We travelled back from Wales toward the bright lights of London Town to sing a gig in the South Bank Centre, which went down most well. Microphones were turned off, and all the bright lights kept the audience invisible, so we just chattered and jumped about, having fun. It seemed to work…
Back in Kent, irresistibly drawn to respite, we’re now making various winter preparations. Stockpiles of wool, dried fruit, and tools, are piling up slowly. We have been dyeing clothes with walknut husks, making chutneys and syrups from plums, pears and rosehips. We’ve dried many apples, and gathered pig-weed seeds, nettles, fat-hen seeds, acorns, sea-beet, and other bits. We are trying to be winter-ready.
Our winter plan is to stay in one place, in woodlands, beneath temporary straw shelters to evade the worst of the cold wet. Being still will be a real treat, and will let us learn the skills that cannot be practised while constantly walking. Taking a good rest is a crucial part of nomadic tradition.
Please press More for details of our requests (now long since met, our great thanks to you all)
