Hello and welcome to my blog page.

My name is John Wall and together with my wife Jill we run Ffynnon Cadno as a small, friendly Guest House.

I hope to enter details of events that are happening in the locality, give details of places to visit and tell you about the many varied birds, animals, flora and fauna in the garden and in the surrounding area.

16 june 2008 even more bad news. The pond overflow had become blocked and when I unblocked it I found the remains of two mallards!! The only thing I can assume is that the babies were sucked down the pipe and the parents followed. Enough of the bad news. Everybody in the village is getting excited and preparing for Ascot. Not the genuine one but the DVD race evening in the George Borrow Hotel this Saturday. There are prizes for best dressed lady and gent and ebay has been overrun with the ladies buying their hats for the big day.

10 June 2008 The last blog gave details of all the ducks. Well I am sorry to report that they have all gone!! I found the remains of one of the baby mallards one morning and the following day they had gone. I am not sure whether mother has taken them to another location or possibly Mr Fox has been around. Puddle duck started wandering flying off for a day and returning but last week she flew off and hasn't been seen again. Work on the patio is progressing well and should be finished within a week or so. 

16 May 2008 Puddle duck has taken to roosting on the garage roof !!  Biggest news over the last few days is the arrival of 4 baby mallard chicks on the pond. I still have no idea where the nest is but mother and babies are doing well. Heard the cookoo a few days ago and there are plenty of swallows around. With the weather improving perhaps Summer is here at last.

3 May 2008 Too busy during the past few weeks to enter anything in the blog. The greenhouse is up and working. It took two of us over 2 days to erect it and glaze it. The lawn outside the new conservatory has been replaced by a slab of concrete and there are steps going upto the garden. The next job is to extend the patio further and put slabs on it. I bought a Canadian concrete mould to produce Venetian stone slabs. The mould works well and with coloured cement the finish is quite pleasing. Puddle duck is still here and most nights we have a few mallards males arrive.

We have just spent a very enjoyable week on the narrow boat cruising the Oxford Canal. George the westie came with us and managed to fall in twice on the first day!!. The weather is quite warm today and the grass has been cut around the ponds for the first time this year.

6 April 2008 Woke up this morning to a covering of snow. The most we have had this winter but I don't think it will last too long. Now that the conservatory is finished I decided to buy a small greenhouse to replace the one we knocked down to build the conservatory. The footings have been laid and the base fixed. I thought that flatpack furniture from Made For Idiots or the place you have Sweedish meatballs for dinner were bad but nothing like this greenhouse!!! Eventually the 4 sides have been built and now I will fix them all together. 2 male mallards on the pond but no sign of a female. Gemima puddle duck is still with us. A muscovy duck  that arrived about a month ago and has decided to stay. We call her Gemima but to be honest I am not sure if it is a male or female. All I know is that she is tame and very inquisitive. When I was building the greenhouse sides by the house yesterday she came up to see what was going on.

27 March 2008 Progress at last. The flat roof and the step in the old conservarory have been completed. I have laid the laminate floor and decorated the room. The plasterer has finished inside the new conservatory and this has been painted and the tiles have been laid. Tomorrow the work will be finished except for rendering outside which can wait.

18 March 2008 A hectic couple of weeks. The conservatory is coming on well, all the structure is up and it is watertight. We are waiting for the plasterers to come in to finish the walls inside and out and then for the floor to be tiled. It will look fantastic when it is all finished. Also the builders have arrived to renew the flat roof over the existing conservatory and take out the old step in the room that was presumably the original porch. Hopefully this work will be finished tomorrow in time for Easter. Then I will have to put down the new laminate floor in the old conservatory. To make things worse we ordered three 2 seater sofas which had a delivery of 4-6 weeks which would have been ideal. After a week we had a phone call to say they would be delivered the following Thursday!!. They look lovely but are still in their protective rapping.

28 February 2008 Still waiting for the workmen to return. Apparently is is the joiners for the roof panels that are missing.  We had our inspection from the Tourist Board the other week and I am pleased to report that we have been given an extra star and are now officially a 4 star B & B.

24 February 2008 Things are progressing with the new Breakfast room. The walls are up and we are waiting for the roof glass which was not ordered in time!! We have moved the boiler and started on the electrics. There is still a lot of work left but hopefully it will be finished by Easter.

13 February 2008 Tomorrow should see the brickwork finished. The room is larger and taller than I imagined but looks great. It is like a Summer's day today 17deg and not a cloud in the sky. The birds are looking at the nesting boxes,  a butterfly has been flying around the garden for a couple of days and there is frogspawn in the top pond. I found a dead red kite in the garden on Saturday at the bottom of a tree. It had been ringed and I have informed The National History museum in London as requested on the ring.

7 February 2008 Work has started on the new breakfast room which is replacing the old grass greenhouse alongside the house. Evans Windows from Newtown are doing the work for us and they are progressing well. The old greenhouse was demolished by Paul and myself and after 1 week the footings are down and the blockwork upto damp course is in place. I have seen brambling birds in the garden for the first time this week. According to my bird books they shouldn't be this far south but with climate change etc who knows.

28 January 2008  Sorry I havn't added anything recently. We have been away to Spain for a few days and have been busy knocking the greenhouse down ready for the builders who are due this Thursday to start work on the conservatory. Bad news on the duck front. Before we went to Spain we awoke one morning to the sight of feathers and such like on the lawn. I am afraid that Mr Fox has had Mrs Welsh Harlequin!! I am surprised as they seemed to roost on the island and after so many weeks I thought they were safe. Also when we were away Mr Duck went AWOL I don't think he met the same fate as there was no sign of feathers or any fight but I think he has flown off. One good bit of news we are still getting wild mallards on the pond and hopefully they will breed this year.

Yesterday I saw something I havn't seen before. 14 Magpies flying together over the house making a terific noise.  

6 January 2008  Where have I been? Well with Christmas and the New Year I am not sure where the time has gone. Anyway Happy New Year to you all. The latest on the ducks is that they are still here and seem content. I looked out of the window this morning and they have been joined by a pair of mallards. The woodpeckers are very active as well with at least 2 visiting the nuts on a regular basis. We are getting geared up for a new conservatory come breakfast room in place of the greenhouse. The builders are due any time now so hopefully the work will be finished before the season gets too busy.

14 December 2007 Ducks are still there and getting tamer. We have also aquired a black cat. George isn't impressed. We have been away for a few days to Belgium to get some presents for Christmas and on our return the cat was there in the garage. We have asked around but so far nobody seems to have lost one.

When we were in Ypres we visited Tyne Cot cemetary which is the largest first War allied cemetary around ypres. 12,000 graves and the names of 35,000 servicemen without a grave. A quite moving experience.

5 December 2007 Rain and more rain, strong winds as well. At least it is mild for the time of year. Jill and I went to Llanybyther horse sale with Paul and Sue the other day. We didn't come home with a pony but we did buy 2 Welsh Harlequin ducks for the pond. They seem to have settled down Ok and look the part on the pond. Lets hope Mr Fox doesn't find them!!

25 November 2007 A few hard frosts this week but some lovely days as well. In between however there has been the inevitable rain. I have a different car. The shogun has gone to be replaced by a Saab 9-5 Aero.  All the creature comforts you could ask for and plenty of power for safe overtaking.  We had a birthday party on Thursday at the house. Charles our younger grandson was 1 years old and we all had jelly and cake to celebrate.

18 November 2007 A busy weekend with Children in Need at the George Borrow Hotel. An auction, raffle, various games and leg waxing on Saturday and a darts competition on Sunday. A lot of hard work mainly by Hannah Jones. Mat the barman said he would have his head shaved if we raised over £150. In the end it will amount to about £1000 so if you go into the pub don't be scared by the bald feller behing the bar!! 

10 November 2007 We have been away for a week on the narrow boat. Jill's mother looked after Ffynnon Cadno and we headed with our friends Paul and Sue to Hockley Heath near Birmingham to pick up NB Sylph. After a short introduction to where everything was we departed towards Birmingham in glorious Autumn weather. During the week we got as far as Worcester on the Birmingham and Worcester canal and decended and climbed the infamous Tardebigge flight of 30 locks and passed through the 1 1/2 mile tunnel near Kings Norton Junction. The weather was fine all week except for 1 hour on Friday when the heaven's opened and we sampled most of the pub's en route which had very good bar meals at reasonable prices. All in all a great week and we can't wait to return next year. 

Autumnal colours on the cut

26 October 2007 It wasn't raining but the sun never came out.  Brian and I ventured to Elan Valley to get some Autumnal photos and were amazed by how little water was in the river linking the dams. As you can see from the photo we were standing in the middle of the river and there was only a very small trickle of water coming down.The colours on the trees were fantastic and should be the same for a week or so yet. Well worth the visit. 

24 October 2007 My workshop is now tidy and the garage is next. The trouble is that some of the stuff from the workshop is now in the garage!!. We had a fantastic talk and demo in the Art Club tonight from Owen Williams from Trefenter. I have known Owen since I was in school and used to hang around with his brother Tim a lot. We hadn,t seen each other for many years. Owen is a professional artist and he came along with some of his work and gave us a demo. His work is fantastic and well worth a look. www.owenwilliams.org.uk is his website.

My friend Brian is coming up from Portsmouth tomorrow and we are going to the Elan Valley to get some photos of the autumnal colours which are so good over there.

16 October 2007 Why is it that workshops and garages get so full of rubbish. I must admit I am a squirrel at heart and don't throw things away in case they will be useful some time in the future. Every now and again things change and I have a good sort out. This week is one such occassion and well worth it. Having said that the piece of pipe I have been hording for the last 20 years and has been thrown out will be needed next week for something or another!!

The leaves are coming off the trees now and one ash tree is completely bald. A good time to visit Elan Valley to see the colours of the trees there. Brian my friend and fellow photographer from Portsmouth is coming up next week and we have a trip out with the cameras. 

10 October 2007 The garden is coming together quite well now and lets hope we can keep it that way! We have ordered a new conservatory today to replace the existing greenhouse on the side of the house. This will become the breakfast room with lovely views over the garden to the ponds and the existing breakfast room will become an airy lounge for our guests. The biggest job I will have to do is to move the central heating boiler into the wood shed before we knock the old greenhouse down.

3 October 2007 October already, where did September go. Moved the back double room around yesterday and the room looks more spacious. Paul and I are busy in the garden. Digging the borders cutting hedges and generally tidying up. There are still swallows around and plenty of other birds in the garden. I saw a goldcrest yesterday and the robins are getting quite familiar while Paul is digging.

29 September 2007 Wales are out of the Rugby World Cup but what a game. They should have won but they didn't so that is that. Lets hope Lewis Hamilton can win tomorrow in Japan. I have been bust decorating for the past two days. Our lounge needed painting and in a lighter colour it looks much bigger. And even though I say it myself it looks great.

22 September 2007  A manic weekend what with freshers starting in University and some old friends returning for second and third years and booking rooms. We must have had 50 phone calls with people looking for accommodation, sometimes I wish we were back in the Hotel. On top of this some good friends who organise a golf weekend we persuaded to come to Ceredigion to play for this years tournament. We played at Borth yesterday in rain and wind and today at Aberystwyth. I only play golf about twice a year now and 36 holes over two days almost killed me. The company was great , the walk was lovely pitty about the golf!!.  I must say Aberystwyth course was looking great and I am tempted to rejoin next year.

18 September 2007  We have had two rooms booked with guests from Australia over the past two nights. That is a coincidence in itself but both rooms were over for the Rugby World Cup and had been to the match in Cardiff on Saturday!! Small world as they say. Just been to Hafren Furnishers in Llanidloes to buy some new beds for the twin room and if the weather stays fine and dry I will have to cut the lawns around the ponds this afternoon.  

16 September 2007 Well we are home again. The weather in Alicante was lovely although we had some rain on the first night we were there. The first since May apparently and full of Sahara dust. We flew from Bristol which is a lovely airport if a little difficult to get to for us. Back to work now though and a busy time with the students coming back to University. At times like this we wish we still had the George Borrow Hotel as we could have filled the rooms several times over next weekend.  

9 September 2007 We are off to Spain today for a couple of days and my mother in law is coming to house sit. I will need to find a cyber cafe to check my emails for bookings etc.

8 September 2007 The weather is still fine and we are full tonight. I got my radio controlled boat out and our grandson Owen thought it was great going around the pond. He is only just two years old but all he could say was wow!!

6 September 2007 We went shopping today to Telford to buy some stuff for the Guest House. On the return journey we were in a line of traffic and I saw something shoot across the road. I thought a stone had been kicked up by an oncoming lorry which  hit the underneath of the car. There was a big bang and we carried on as if nothing had happened. Back at Ffynnon Cadno Jill noticed liquid coming from under the car and on investigation it turned out to by deisel from the tank. A screwdriver was imbedded in the tank and causing the tank to leak !! What are the chances of that happening. Anyway it is a plastic tank and a pop rivet and some liquid steel seem to have solved the problem.

5 September 2007  We fitted the new oil tank today and Howells Oils took the 2 old metal tanks away. 6 of us had to lift the tanks over a 4 foot dry stone wall which wasn't as bad as we all thought. Next job is to rotorvate the area and put some grass seed down.

3 September 2007 Sunny skies and the promise of good weather for the rest of the week. Perhaps we are in for an Indian Summer. Derek on the TV weather reckons we could have good weather into November lets hope he is right. The students return to University next weekend and we have been inundated with calls for rooms. Paul and I are starting work cleaning the greenhouse and the area at the back of the house today.

31 August 2007 According to the Met Office 2007 has been the wettest summer since records began. Well lets hope that the Autumn weather is more favourable.  We were supposed to have a new oil tank yesterday but the lorry bringing it had a puncture so it will be next week now. The existing tanks were installed by Captain Churchill back in the 1970s I think. There are two large steel tanks which are linked together. I think he must have thought he was powering his Royal Navy destroyer when he installed them!! There will be a fair area opened up when the old tanks go which I think we will eventually put down to grass.

28 August 2007. The Ponterwyd Art Club Annual exhibition finished today and I sold 7 watercolour paintings. It was held at the Nantyrarian Visitor Centre for the first time and attracted a lot of visitors. I will have to get my brushes out now and paint some more. There was a mallard duck on the large pond this morning when I got up which was nice to see.  

27 August 2007 We had a day out together today for the first time for several months. The Shrewsbury Steam Fair was on in Onslow Park so we set out after breakfast and we wern't disappointed. I didn't know what to expect but there was everything there from a parade of old prams to horses ploughing. Old bicycles, motor cycles, vintage and classic cars, tractors, working horses, stationary engines as well as all the traction engines, showman's engines etc. Well worth the £9  entry fee.

Some of the vehicles going through the main ring

25 August 2007 My birthday. 55 today and feeling it sometimes. Nevertheless I had a lovely suprise. I entered some photographs in Talybont Show and Jill has just phoned me to say I have won best photo in Show. I will have to go to the show now to collect my Cup which I also won last year.

Last night we had 2 double rooms sent to us from the Dyffryn Castell. They arrived and Jill showed them to their rooms. A few minutes one of the gentlemen came down looking for me. It was an old friend of ours who we hadn't seen for about 30 years. We both must have changed a lot not to recognise each other straight away. Anyway we had a good chat about old times and Malcolm left this morning to attend a wedding in Llanbadarn. Small World isn't it.  

24 August 2007 I am a member of the Ponterwyd & District Art Club and yesterday we had a workshop by the well known artist Terry Harrison. Terry has written many books on painting and has produced several DVDs as well. The workshop with 18 of us budding artists produced a watercolour scene of a bluebell wood. We all tried to reproduce a painting following his example and as you can see from the photo we all acheived it even if they all looked completely different close up.

22 August 2007 Fine weather and set fair for the week. It has taken 3 days to dry the various marquees and tents after the Fete and last night they were put away in our storage facility for next year. Tonight the Ponterwyd Art Club is having a special demonstration by Terry Harrison a very well known artist who will be staying with us over night. I am looking forward to the demo and the workshop he is giving tomorrow. It is also my brother in law's 50th birthday today so we are off to see him this morning. 

19 August 2007 Sorry I havn't written anything for a few days. On 14th we found out that somebody hadn't applied for the licence in time to run the barn dance and the police had refused the licence. Panic set in but at short notice Rob and Karen in the George Borrow Hotel allowed us to use the lawn at the hotel and their licence. The event eventually went very well as did the Country Fete despite torrential rain for the third year in succession. This was the third Fete and each year we have got bigger and bigger. Entries in the various classes were up by over 100% on last year. With the vintage organ, competition 4x4 display, rodeo sheep, face painting, plate smashing, classic vehicles and garden implements as well as the usual stalls and games the field looked quite impressive.

13 August 2007 I have spent most of the day helping Rob in The George Borrow Hotel strip wallpaper off the main bar area. I would never have thought that 5 years after selling the hotel I would be back there decorating. We also prepared the barbq area at Bont Farm ready for the Barn Dance on Saturday. With any luck it will be dry for the first time in several years.

 11 August 2007 There was a one man band in the George Borrow Hotel last night. Tony Hughes was his name and he was very good. I walked around the garden yesterday morning and there was a female mallard duck on the large pond. This is the first time I have seen one in the garden since one deserted a nest full of eggs. Two greater spotted woodpeckers were on the nuts last night. The most I have seen together is three. George has disgraced himself this morning. Two guests went for a walk around the garden and George followed them as he usually does. He eventually returned smelling rather potent after rolling in some sheep muck!! We were going to bath him soon anyway.

7 August 2007 A booking didn't turn up last night. They only booked the day before but didn't have the decency to phone and cancel. I have however had a phone call this morning from a guest who stayed with his parents over the weekend. Mathew Adams was playing junior golf in Borth, Aberystwyth and Cardigan on the way home to Pembrokeshire. He phoned to say he had won the Dyfed Schoolboys championship in Cardigan. A 36 hole championship which he also won last year. Congratulations Mathew and look out Tiger Woods.

5 August 2007 My new strimmer arrived yesterday and it was put to use today. It is one of these with handles and a harness to put around your neck. It makes light work of the rushes around the pools as there is a metal blade as well as string attachments. Lets all hope that the foot and mouth is contained in the South East and is a one off. It would have a devistating affect on the Welsh rural countryside if it ever came around here. 

1 August 2007 We have had guests from Australia and New Zealand over the past few days.  We are fast approaching 18 August which is the Ponterwyd Country Fete date. I am Secretary of the event so the next couple of weeks will be busy. We were given a new 40' x 20' marquee by the Cefn Croes  Wind Farm Community Trust fund this year and we are all dreading putting it up for the first time. It says in the paperwork to allow 4 1/2 hours and 6 people to erect it!! 

29 July 2007 Summer has arrived. The forecast for the week is fairly good with high pressure dominating our weather at last.

26 July 2007 Today I fullfilled a lifelong ambition. I have always fancied a narrowboat and today we became the proud owners of about 5 foot of one. We have bought a 1 /12 share in narrowboat Sylph which is moored near Lapworth just South of Birmingham on the Stratford Canal.  We get a minimum of three weeks per year on her and can have any other unused weeks or part weeks if they aren't taken by other owners. The scheme is managed by Ownerships and they have been very good at sorting it all out for us. I asked how many boats from the scheme were moored at the boatyard and I was told four but one was currently grounded in a field  after the floods!!!

25 July 2007 It is our elder Grandson's second Birthday today and we have been invited to his party at lunchtime. Managed to cut all the lawns yesterday which wasn't a bad day and quite warm in the sunshine.

23 July 2007 The Royal Welsh Show started today and there was chaos as the carparks were so wet after the rain. Numbers were well down on last year and people were taking upto 5 hours to get in. I was offered tickets to go tomorrow but as the forecast is quite good I think it will be gardening instead.

20 July 2007 Will the rain ever stop? According to the weatherman the answer is yes. The jetstream that has caused such a wet and miserable July is moving back to where it should be and the long range forcast is for a good August. Lets hope they are right. The woodpeckers are still active despite the rain as this photo of a young greater spotted woodpecker shows.

17 July 2007 We had a suprise party for my mother in law today. It was her 75th Birthday and Arwyn and Iris were invited up for a BarBQ. What she didn't know was that the rest of the family were also at Ffynnon Cadno including her sister and family from Stoke. The Barbq was set up outside the conservatory on the patio and I bought a Gazebo to go over it. Good job as the heavens opened several times during the evening but it did the job and the food was cooked to perfection even if I say so myself.

15 July 2007 I am writing this at 10.30 and the sun is still shining. Fingers crossed that it continues as all the local farmers are keen to get their silage in but need some good weather first.  The Royal Welsh Show is on next week and unless the silage is in I am sure numbers will be down as the farming will need to be done first. Most have at least managed to shear their sheep at last.

14 July 2007 Had a day off today to go with a friend to Fairford International Air Tattoo. We were lucky with the weather but I think most of Britain also decided to go as well. 4 hour queues to get in but it was well worth it. Today was also our younger daughter's birthday and Jill's Welsh Mountain pony had a foal . Unfortunately it is a colt not a mare but he is very beautiful all the same.

9 July 2007 We all enjoyed the helicopter trip and I managed to get some good photos of Aberystwyth from the air. Lewis Hamilton didn't win but still finished on the podium in third place.

8 July 2007 A big day today. My daughters bought my 2 son in laws and myself a helicopter ride for fathers day and we are off this afternoon. I have been in several larger helicopters but not in a smaller one. I think it will be a jetranger and the three of us will go up together. The other big event today of course is the British Grand Prix. Best of luck to Lewis Hamilton.

6 July 2007 Daphne's funeral today. A very big funeral with loudspeakers outside the Church. A lovely lady who will be greatly missed. 

4 July 2007 We had two Dutch walkers stay last night. They were walking the whole length of the Cambrian Way from South Wales to Conwy in North Wales. From Ponterwyd they hoped to complete the journey in about 12 days. Rather them than me.

2 July 2007 Sunday was a happy and very sad day. Charles Dennis Michell was Christened in our Son in Laws house as his grandmother Daphne was too ill to attend the Church. The Christening went well but Daphne took a turn for the worse and passed away that evening. She was a lovely woman and will be sadly missed by us all. At least she saw Charlie Christened which was her wish.

28 June 2007 Busy getting ready for our Grandson's Christening this Sunday. All the family are coming down so we will have a busy time. I bought some new fish for the pond yesterday. 10 small golden orfe and 10 goldfish. Most were put in the large pond and haven't been seen since but a few were put in the smaller top pond. This morning I went for a walk and the best fisherman in Wales was there. Mr heron helping himself to breakfast. I am not sure whether he went away hungry or full but I haven't seen a heron since last year and within a day of stocking the pond he was back.

24 June 2007 All back to normal now. New computer working and getting used to the Vista operating system. We have to go to a dedication service this afternoon. Cllr Fred Williams has been appointed as chairman of Ceredigion County Council and it is his big day with a civil service in the Chapel in the village. Apparently 310 people have been invited and the chapel seats 280. Should be fun!! Free bun fight in the Dyffryn Castell hotel afterwards.

20 June 2007 The news gets worse. A replacement hub arrived yesterday and I installed it. Another phone call to India and we have got my laptop connected to broadband but not my main desktop computer. It would seem that the lightning had also taken out my main computer's internet connections. The computer works but I am unable to use it on line. I was thinking of buying another computer so the decission has been made for me. The wireless connection isn't working on my laptop either now and I think there could still be a problem with the new hub!! I  can see another call to India in the offing. 

19 June 2007  Sorry I havn't been around for a few days. I was working on the computer on 15th when out of the blue there was  an almighty bang of thunder very close and blue flames coming out of the back of my wireless hub !! The phone line still worked but I couldn't access the internet. After several frustrating calls to a lady from BT in India I eventually persuaded her to send me a replacement hub. I know the broadband side of the phone line isn't working as I tried connecting my laptop and another hub I have but this cannot be checked according to them until my replacement hub arrives. I am still waiting but have managed to connect my laptop to the phone line and connect to the internet using a wired connection. I had forgotten how slow the internet is without broadband. At least I can get out to the world now and more importantly receive my emails.

14 June 2007 My friend Brian came up from Portsmouth to visit us today. We are both keen photographers and we headed off to Anglesey to take some photos of the Menai Suspension Bridge amongst other things. The weather was grim but we managed to get some shots in between the showers.

I had to be home by early evening as it was the AGM of the Community Council and as Chairman I had to give a speach and run the well attended meeting.

13 June 2007 As well as Jill the other member of our family is George. He is a west highland terrier and like all terriers he loves chasing rabbits. While Paul and I have been working in the garden George has been hunting. He never catches anything but he has plenty of exercise trying!

12 June 2007 Spent this morning after breakfasts working on the bottom of the garden. We can now see the wood for the trees. Some more tidying, a few slabs and some earthworks and we should have paths to walk around the bottom pools. It started to rain this evening and the forecast for tomorrow is showers in the morning and getting worse. Two rooms off the road tonight so early breakfast again tomorrow.

11 June 2007 Paul my friend and I started work on the area of the garden close to the bottom ponds this morning. The area is quite overgrown and we hope to create some paths around the ponds but still retain the natural feel of this part of the garden. There are a lot or rhododendron's which have gone very stragly so we have cut them back and hopefully they will become bushy in time. 2 or 3 days work should see an improvement!! Weather is still sultry but we had some rain for a while this evening which has cleared the air.

10 June 2007 Weather started very warm and saultry. At last we had some rain not a lot but enough to water the garden. Blue tits are nesting in the wall right by the front gate. Of all the places to choose they have opted for one of the busyest places in the garden! 

9 June 2007 It looks as if the mallard has deserted the nest on the island. There are still 9 eggs in the nest but she hasn't been seen since yesterday. The drake was on the pond early this morning and flew off when he saw me. Aberystwyth show today so I may pop down for a look later and get some ideas for the Ponterwyd Country Fete which is being held in August. I am the Secretary and will have a busy time from now on. The visit to the show was successful with several contacts made. Hopefully we will have some vintage machinery and vehicles there now that I have seen a few people. The bad luck story regarding nests continues. There was an almighty crash just now which I thought at first was an accident outside. It was however a house martin's nest landing on the greenhouse. They were busy building it but their building skills obviously weren't upto scratch.

8 June 2007 Just finished serving breakfast when I heard a lot of noise outside. A greater spotted woodpecker was being mobbed by a buzzard which I think is nesting in the woods opposite. Eventually the buzzard gave up and peace was restored.  Too hot to do much in the garden until later so I am sitting watching the test match instead.

7 June 2007 I saw three different species of damsel-flies flying around the ponds and caught my first sight this year of a larger gold banded dragon-fly.

6 June 2007 I heard today that a green woodpecker has been spotted in Ystumtuen about a mile away from Ffynnon Cadno. This is the first time I have heard of one been seen in the area and hopefully it will find its way into the garden at some time.