Sunday, November 9, 2014

From cromlechs to batts



I start this morning with some BBC news, this rather tumbledown house in Pembrokeshire is to be restored by the National Trust and will eventually serve its purpose as a holiday home, it sits above St.David's Headland and belonged to a man called Glyn Griffiths who died last year, you can read Jackie Morris's blog on her next door neighbour.  Jackie Morris is a children's author and lives on the slope of this hillside which is called Carn Llidi  with her cats and dogs. In the following photo if you look at the background you will see the farmed land that abuts this rather wild and windy headland.

The photo is taken from 'Warriors Dyke' hill fort and this is the largest defending bank.


A lonely cromlech, hidden amongst the rocks looking toward Carn Llidi
St David's headland is a desolate place, but will give you a taste of Wales, the underlying rock, the boggy saturated ground.  On Carn Llidi itself are another two 'hidden' cromlechs . Why hidden? well I guess it is raids from the Irish just over the water, but the two cromlechs are against a rock base on Carn Llidi, in front funnily enough there is a concrete square, part of World War 11 defences, and it should not be forgotten that such archaeologist as Grimes, was employed by the MOD in those days to find suitable places for temporary airfields and gunnery placement. The following cromlechs are adjacent to each other.


The two cromlechs on Carn Llidi


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday the postman knocked, he was delivering two parcels, one was a book ordered just under a month ago, and I had almost given up on it, but it came from France, and I was so happy to see it, an old favourite with the picture of the Gundestrup Cauldron on the cover.


The other parcel was some batts from Limegreenjelly.  I have never spun from a batt, but basically it is similar to tops, only you have to draft it from the beginning to get the 'loft' from the wool.  The wool is handpainted, and then is carded on a drum card, you can basically change the colours around as you draft.





Starting work on the St.David's cottage




























6 comments:

  1. Lovely post, and I remember Glyn's cottage on Jackie Morris's blog. I hope the NT keep the painted roof (a century of limewash).

    That's an area we haven't explored but would like to.

    I love the batts you bought, and they should be so pretty once spun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am never quite sure what those roofs are made of Jennie, there is one at Aberridi, it is a sweet little cottage though bet it never had 'mod cons'.

      Delete
  2. Looks as though this weekend will see you either with your feet up reading that interesting looking book - or working on those delightfully colourful batts - enjoy both.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Pat, the batts won, the book is full of scary photos.

      Delete
  3. I'm not familiar enough with spinning terminology to know just what you're doing with the wool, but I find the medley of colors fascinating.
    I'm pleased that Glyn's cottage will be restored--I remember taking part in a birthday card shower which Jackie organized. I wonder what happened to the huge black and white cat who shared the house with Glyn.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The cat was called Nadolig, and with an instinctive response to Glyn's forthcoming death, Nadolig moved in with the neighbours, until he died. Clever creature. Jackie keeps expensive stripey cats which look like little tigers....

      Delete

Love having comments!