I don't know what I was expecting, but Wales blew me away with its beauty.

 
Actually, the photos above might still be Scotland, or maybe even England, but the rest in this post are definitely Wales!

We stayed a couple nights at The Lodge Hotel in Tal-y-bont, Conwy. I couldn't come up with it on the GPS — thought it was actually in Conwy, for one thing. I phoned and the innkeeper gave me turn-by-turn directions through the amazing walled town of Conwy, right to the parking lot where he said he'd meet us out front — where we found him waiting! The accommodations were as wonderful as the hospitality.

 
This is Betws-y-Coed, an adorable little village a few miles south of Tal-y-bont, where we stopped for coffee and whatnot on Saturday morning as we made our way to Anglesey. The sign out front of the white unit on the left read, "To Let." Oh, wouldn't that just be the perfect place to spend a summer?

You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one… my girls dream even BIGGER! There was talk of buying and extended visits (and raising sheep)! This makes me happy. If nothing else is certain in the world today, uncertainty definitely is — we're in the midst (on the brink) of enormous change – and I'm happy that my girls have hopes and dreams — and that they are big BIG dreams!

 
One thing I noticed about Wales was the activity. People DO things in Wales! Perhaps it was because of the weekend, but everywhere we looked there were cyclists, kayakers, hikers, campers, surfers. Let me tell you, to be a road cyclist in Wales — anywhere in the UK — takes some pretty serious dedication and absolute fearlessness; there's barely room for two cars on most roadways, not to mention lorries, and being a cyclist in the midst of that? Makes me shiver.

 
And, of course, there were plenty of sheep dotting the landscape.

 

One of the many reasons we ended up at a B&B in West Kilbride is because the village is believed to have been named after Saint Brigid. 

Alison bore witness to some of my last-minute packing, in particular the decision to pack my St. Brigid sweater, despite its bulk and the taking up of MUCH precious luggage space. (Have I mentioned that I've learned valuable, indelible lessons about packing for an overseas trip?) I justified it, in part, because it did provide some nice padding for the laptop in my carry-on bag.

There was no way we were leaving town without a visit to the beautiful hillside cemetery in West Kilbride and a photo shoot. A far cry from what I pictured in my head (for one thing, I don't think I was wearing 7-day-old jeans in my head), it is what it is… me wearing my St. Brigid sweater and standing by a Celtic cross headstone in a Scottish cemetery in West Kilbride, Scotland!

Or West Kilbrreeedee.  ; )

And, yep, sheep — you can see them in the photos both above and below… little white specs!

So beautiful.

I will need to go back someday.

We left there on Friday morning after breakfast. We needed to drive down and pick up Maddy at the train station in Conwy, Wales, by 6:30 that evening.

I'd had to tell Maddy the night before that her precious pup, Mickey, had died. Mickey had escaped the house a couple of days earlier, as sometimes happened in the 7 years she's been in our family, and, no doubt, she followed her nose, as beagles do… and she always did. We'd been much more diligent and this little trick was becoming rare. Usually she'd come back fat and happy; sometimes she'd have a little tummy ache; this time, she must have found something really, really bad. My heart aches for Maddy, and the house is just not the same without Mickey!

When Addy found out about Mickey, he said that she's with Remy, Bompa, and Sharon! Remy was Annie's dog that Addison never even met and Bompa was his grandpa who died when he wasn't even 18 months old! That sweet little boy with a wise old soul… he just feels things and tells it like it is!

RIP, Mickey. We miss you. XO

Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy. A kid'll eat ivy, too. Wouldn't you?

I can hear my mother singing that song!

Have I mentioned the sheep? Sheep are E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E. in the UK. Everywhere!

Lucky us, in late March, many of those sheep have a lamb or two or three at their side. OMG, the cute. They're skittish little things and it is extremely difficult to photograph a green hillside full of sheep or capture the extreme adorableness of little lambs — the picture in your mind is likely better than anything on paper (or screen) — and the real thing is simply indescribable. From the first to the last, we never tired of seeing them.

The additional pay off for trekking to Bryn Celli Ddu in Anglesey, Wales, were the lambs that had snuck under the fence and were running and jumping and playing on and around the mound!

* * * * *

Home. Catching up.

Sharing the love.

We've stayed most of our time in Scotland at Millstonford House B&B in West Kilbride, North Ayrshire, Scotland. I don't remember exactly how I stumbled upon it, but it just seemed right from the get-go — all of it, from the farm-fresh eggs at breakfast and availability of bicycles, the proximity to castle ruins and islands and coastline and Highlands, to the Craft Town Scotland designation that appeals to the artists and artisans amongst us and the connection to St. Brigid that appeals to me (knitter of sweater of same name).

While I often refer to "the curse of the internet" — that it can bring us so close to people whom we may never meet — I usually only feel that way when a far-away friend really needs a hug, or when it would be just great to join them for knit-night, or pop in for a cuppa and some catching up.

When I mentioned to Yvette where we'd be going, she told me some of the shops in the area that we might check out — including Old Maiden Aunt Yarns, which I'd never heard of before, located right in West Kilbride! This is completely the opposite of "curse of the internet." This is "what in the world did we do without the internet?" (and, I might add, "…Garmin, too?")

When I read about Lilith's yarn dyeing workshops, it was pretty much a no-brainer.

As you can see, it was a pretty great call. I wish you could have heard the cooing! There was all sorts of yarn love going on, and they are pretty excited about their yarn!!

Me, too!

Many thanks to Lilith for a wonderful time; sincere condolences about the microwave but kudos for pinch-hitting and making it all work! We had a great time.

We've had such a wonderful time in Scotland. I can't wait to come back!

Tomorrow, we head for Wales and meeting up with Maddy for a couple of days before we (most of us) head back home. Kate will spend a few days in London with Maddy before heading to Barcelona, I believe, and before Maddy departs with her group for the "continental tour" portion of their program.

This was our "worst" weather day so far — a wee bit o' light rain, on and off, mostly a cloudy light mist — and we did see a little sun in the late afternoon.

We visited Inverlochy Castle before heading south from Fort William this morning (Wednesday).

Castle Stalker in Appin.

Standing stones!

Random scenic view. I pulled over… um… actually, one does not ever just "pull over" to the side of the road in Scotland, or anywhere in the UK that I've driven. The roads are narrow and there is NO shoulder. I meant to turn onto a road, then into a cemetery but missed them both because the signs are right >< there when you need to turn and there's often little or no warning. I turned around, instead, in someone's "driveway" — it's all so different here — I don't think she was too happy — and then scooted off the drive leading to an attraction of some sort. There are frequent "Parking" turn-outs, but they aren't usually where there's something amazing to see or there are trees blocking the view.

That said, I am freakin' driving in the Scottish Highlands, man, and I am NOT complaining! Nor will I ever complain about narrow roads at home. I will complain about rude American drivers, though… it's all so different here. I don't think I've seen a single stop sign, and traffic lights are the exception rather than the rule. I still think roundabouts are kind of a pain, but I also see their benefit(s) and maybe I'll try harder.

Anyway, the rain made the colors POP today and, oh, it's just so beautiful!

 

These are at Jubilee Point in Argyll Forest Park.

Hi Mom! I'm here and I'm having fun, too!!  ; )

These also from Jubiliee Point — it reminded me a lot of northern Wisconsin (there were even some swimming ducks), except for them thar hills.

We're back at our B&B — it's an "activity day" tomorrow!