It's nearly 2 months since I added to this blog spot.I have been trying so hard not to neglect my canvas work project which has as many as 25 motives on it with every one being different. They are really a sampler of the many pin cushions I have made over the years. I have 6 more to do but will have to think up other designs to finish the main part of the picture which will be about 30 X 30 inches square.After that I have to do a border & add a braid between each motive to complete the whole thing that should measure 40 X 40 inches.
I've been wanting to write a little about my love of mainly wild flowers that I used to gather when living in Wales during World War 2. I think I mentioned previously that I was evacuated to a farm with my friend but attended boarding school during school time & spent the holidays on the farm.
It was a mini farm of only 23 acres but it had everything. A valley with a shallow stream, ploughed fields, a large hill on one border,a real farm yard & all the usual animals one would find to be self- supporting.
In the valley along side the stream were the remains of a farm house built of granite blocks. In the spring under the silver birch trees were thousands of snowdrops just like the picture shown. What a sight,even today looking at this photo I become quite emotional & realise how lucky I have been to witness such a sight. I often wonder if they are still there. Snowdrops mostly flower in the very cold sometimes snowy weather.
Later on in the spring as the weather warms up primroses appear in the hedgerows sometimes peeping through the long grass that has protected them during the winter. Foxgloves, Hearts ease,(wild pansies) and even small orchids bloom in the fields not to mention the national flower of Wales the daffodil
Moving away from flowers I am about to show you an amazing set of bridges built one upon the other called Devil's Bridge. Wales is a most beautiful country.Less rugged than Scotland and fortunately mostly untouched by the second world war. Sirens were sounded occasionally to warn us of approaching German aircraft on their way to bomb Liverpool but as far as I remember Wales was saved from being bombed.
Devil's Bridge is a village in Wales. Its main feature is the bridge of the same name which spans the river Mynach. It consists of three bridges built above each other.
The most recently built bridge was an iron bridge in 1901 which was built over a stone bridge constructed in 1753 when the original bridge was thought to be unstable,using the original bridge built in in (1075 - 1200) to support the scaffolding. I have seen it.
The Legend of Devil's Bridge.
A poor woman,Megan, who only owned a cow was devastated when she found that her cow had somehow crossed the river & was grazing on the other side. She could not imagine how to get the cow back when a stranger dressed as a monk asked her what the problem was.
The 'monk' offered to help her& said he would build a bridge for the cow to return to its home but it will take some time but in return requested that in payment he would claim the first animal to cross the bridge. Megan accepted his offer but while waiting had a plan in mind!
When the bridge was built the 'monk' told her that the bridge was ready to be used.Megan asked him if it was strong enough to hold a loaf of bread! "yes" said the 'monk' & with that Megan threw the loaf of bread over the bridge & sent her dog over to fetch it!
The 'monk' was furious. He did not want a dog & suddenly disappeared into space. From the smell of brimstone he left behind Megan knew she had outwitted the the devil.
If you google Devil's Bridge Wales and click onto the Site of Canopus Archives (Rob) you'll see a wonderful picture of the depth of the gorge over which the bridges were built.
That's all for now
