Blogs

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Following the success of Penmon Point , Peter Walkers first short collection of poems, the St Asaph diocese vicar has been busy composing his second volume, Old Men in Jeans , which will be published this month.

Revd Peter Walker is an Anglican priest working in the Church in Wales and has been writing poetry since his teenage years, but it is only since joining the Diocese of St Asaph that hes started publishing his work.

The poems in Old Men in Jeans have been built on the theme of Christian legacy and spirituality in Wales, and the collection includes some personal reflections and experiences as a priest. I think that Ive found my personal voice in Old Men in Jeans , said Peter Walker.

One of my concerns is the language of church, because as secularism takes more of a hold, people are losing the vocabulary of church, and so its a question of how do we connect with the post-modern world.

What I have therefore tried to do is connect with people in two ways, Peter explained. Firstly, Ive tried expressing the core values of the Christian faith, which tend to get lost in the individualism and assertiveness of today's world. Secondly, Ive taken inspiration from our Celtic heritage of personal Godliness, and the way we are called to discover our inner spirituality.

Peter Walker is originally from the West Midlands, and taught Modern Languages for many years before working for a time in a parish in Telford, Shropshire. He now lives and works on the Welsh coast in the diocese of St Asaph, and is married with a daughter, and an agoraphobic cat!

Old Men in Jeans is Peter Walkers second collection of poems following on from Penmon Point , which was published in 2011. Both publications are available to buy directly from Y Lolfa or The Welsh Books Council .

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"Life-affirming, well worth a listen, it'll put a spring in your step" - The Independent
"A new band we love. Bloody lush!" - Lauren Laverne, BBC 6music (More press: http://howlgriff.com/press.html )

GIGS, FESTIVALS & an MPfree

Quick note to say that Howl Griff are headlining Camden's Dublin Castle on Thu 19 Apr.

The Welsh-Anglo-American psych-pop-punk-alt-rockers will be celebrating finishing the mixing of their third album.

There's also a new free MP3 download at the site, as there is every month.

http://www.howlgriff.com/freemp3s.html

That's it. Thanks!

Gigs & festivals :

http://www.howlgriff.com/gigs.html

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Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HowlGriffBand
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/HowlGriff

Merchandise: http://howlgriffshop.spreadshirt.net

We are: Hywel Griffiths, Nick Moore,
Gary Parkinson, Steve Kennedy and you

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April 16, 2012

Wild Garlic, freshly foraged.

Wed met Stephen Powell, one of the forces behind the Community Forest Farm at Llwyn Ffranc, several weeks before at his stall in the Abergavenny Farmers Market. Knowing he was the wild garlic man, and expecting to see baskets of white and pink bulbs, we were surprised when Stephen pointed to a pile of rich green leaves spread out on the table. Wild Garlic. Lovely to meet you. Now what do I do with you?Stephen explained that, like many herbs, wild garlic is perfect in stews, sauces and especially mashed potatoes. Paul grinned immediately, licked his lips, and before you could say Llwyn Ffranc, a white paper bag containing the shining leaves was in our hand.

Yes, laced with the chopped wild garlic, the potatoes were delicious. But we knew there was something more exciting ahead as Stephen had invited us to go foraging during the Wild Garlic Celebration.

Hence, the drive north of Abergavenny, to the base of the Skirrid Mountain. There, we parked the car in a field and headed to the stone house to await our guide who would take us into the woods! An assorted group gathered, all properly prepared to hike into the hills, and all carrying bags to fill with their harvest. For a city girl like me, THIS WAS EXCITING!

I must mention, Paul and I have tried many times to plant and harvest our own vegetables. My tomato plants came with large green worms attached. Pauls potatoes got rot. Our mint, known to take over a garden if you let it, shriveled up and died. We love the thought of planting and harvesting, but actually being successful at it is beyond our talents. So, foraging someone elses field is a perfect pastime for us.

Up the hill we marched, keeping to the tail end of the group as Pauls gout and other maladies afflicting the elderly (!) were acting up. Slopping through mud, inching up the inclines as if we had skis on our feet, and totally messing up my new wellies and their leopard-trimmed inserts, we finally made it to the wild garlic fields.

Heading for the hills!

The green carpet of leaves was so lush I wanted to lie down and roll in it, but that would have been frowned upon Im sure. So I contented myself by squatting and picking the leaves, placing them gently in my bag, and moving over and across the ravines weaving in and out of the hillside.Soon the group was ready to climb back down the mountain, but this time, we led the brigade and slid our way down, stopping now and again to admire the bluebells and buttercups, the baby lambs and to listen to the silence. A forest is a wondrous place.

Up close and personal!

A warm cup of tea was waiting for us as we approached the farmhouse, followed by a cauldron of nettle and wild garlic soup, wild garlic pesto, squirrel pate (yes, I DID try it!), and apple and sloe jam. These were new experiences for this Yank, and as the sun slowly slid behind the Skirrid, I know Id had an afternoon to treasure.A footnote to our day: we couldnt get out of the field when we tried to leave. The mud had gotten soggier and our tires dug deeply into the muck. It took a team of fellow foragers to push our little car out, but not before soaking us, and them, in the rich, brown soggy earth that provides the nutrients for the wild garlic. We hit the car wash, wallowed in a bubble bath when we got home, and made mashed potatoes and wild garlic to go with our dinner! That, and a glass of wine, rounded out our experience of foraging on a mountainside. What a heavenly day!

Umm, what do we do now?

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC column is in the Carmarthen Journal today.
Smashing back page story in the Carmarthen Journal about the forthcoming Mond Cup football final being staged at Richmond Park, Carmarthen.
Splendid story in the Carmarthen Journal's business page about Llandeilo brewery Evan-Evans chalking up record sales.
The new weekly gardening column by Aberglasney head gardener Joseph Atkin is in the Carmarthen Journal today.
Smashing picture story in the Carmarthen Journal about Carmarthen Town AFC football club members and their marathon charity bike ride.
Nice story in the Carmarthen Journal about next month's South and West Wales Caravan and Motorhome Show at Carmarthen's Nantyci Showground.
Carmarthen Journal puts the spotlight on the countdown to the annual Carmarthen Mayor's Fun Run races (Monday, May 7). Online entries start.
Nice story in the Carmarthen Journal about up-and-coming model Grayce Davis, from Carmarthen's Stagecoach theatre arts school.
Smashing picture in Llanelli Star showing the ladies of Ashburnham Golf Club dressing up in golfing gear from 'yesteryear' for a tournament.
Llanelli Star's Going Out section has a nice story about Rhydian's concert with Cor Curiad and Cor Meibion Llanelli being a sell-out.
Nice story in the Llanelli Star sports pages about the Junior Open staged at The Ashburnham Golf Club in Pembrey.

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Follow the whole nine yards here (a 95 part series) :- Half Marathon Blog

Why I am running:- West Coast Eisteddfod Bryn Seion Church

For details of how to sponsor see this post

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Not much to say today. I ran around the turnips for 15 minutes and my feet hurt. I will try to be a little more expansive tomorrow

Today has been my day off for the week and I've spent much of it reading. Many thanks to Peter Lewis for his review of 'The Coward's Tale'. I am reading it now and it is excellent. Hoping to have an interview with author Vanessa Gebbie on the site soon. Meanwhile here is a link to Part 2 of our interview with Bernard Knight:- http://www.storyforgestudios.com/americymru/directory/usersblogs22/98-interview-with-welsh-writer-bernard-knight-part-2

In this interview Bernard speaks about the Madoc legend , Jack the Ripper and his experiences with television forensic series. He also discusses plans for a forthcoming series of short stories or novellas centered around the adventures of a 1930's Cardiff based tramp steamer.

On a side note, if you live in the LA area please consider helping out with the fund raising drive for the St Davids Day event there next year. I've posted a link over in the right hand column---->

That's all for now....back to my book. More tomorrow

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" A world class airport, for a world class city" is the message behind the social media campaign group FLY Cardiff's call.

The lack of flights from Cardiff Airport has received much press locally in the last few weeks and the campaign group continuesto receive support through its website, Facebook, Twitter & online petition - www.fly-cardiff.co.uk/join-in.php

Welsh passengers fully support this call with some remarkable comments on the petition site.

Thankfully politicians at the Welsh Government HQ in Cardiff Bay have become involved in the problems of Cardiff Airport withthe First Minister forming a task group to discuss the way forward.

One of the routes that many passengers would like to see returned to the departure boards at Cardiff Airport is a transatlantic servicewhich has been missing for a number of years, making it necessary for passengers to travel outside of Wales to access flights and like wise ex-patswanting to visit family have to return to Wales via England, bizarre in the extreme. We'd all love to see JFK on our arrivals & departure board.

Please can you spread the news of this campaign to as many people as possible and ask them to sign and comment on the above petition.If you have access to any airline executives, please also make them aware of the campaign.

Every little helps!

Diolch yn fawr iawn"

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The re is still time to enter this years sixth international Welsh Poetry Competition and be in with a chance of bagging the 300 1 st Prize.

The aim of the competition is to encourage and reward the abundance of creative writing talent that we know exists out there but finds difficulty getting recognition.

Writer and competition organizer Dave Lewis said: Poets have just over a month left to send us their entries and be in with a chance of a cash prize and publication on our website.

We are 100% independent, we do not use filter judges, we do not get grants, bursaries or other public money from the Arts Council but are purely self-financing.

This year weve already had entries from France, India, USA , New Zealand and Cameroon to name just a few places. We are looking for new and innovative writers, so if you think youre the one why not send us your work!

Weve had f ive great years now which confirms the Welsh Poetry Competition as a truly international event firmly embedded in the literary calendar. As always many people enter because they know it is a unique opportunity and feel our competition is judged fairly.

W e aim to discover previously unpublished voices and are less concerned with an academic approach to poetry but would rather see pure raw passion burst onto the creative writing scene in Wales.

The prize money for 201 2 is as follows. Prizes are: 1st Prize - 300, 2nd Prize - 150 and 3rd Prize - 75 plus 17 runners-up being published on our website .

We are absolutely delighted that John Evans , has agreed to judge this years competition. He has become an internationally respected figure both for his writing and his work campaigning to conserve our wildlife and environment.

To enter you just need to compose a poem, in English, of less than 50 lines and send to the competition organizers. Entry forms are available by post, can be downloaded from the web site or picked up from all of Wales libraries. It is only 4 to enter and the closing date is Sunday 2 7 th May 201 2 .

Competition Website - www.welshpoetry.co.uk

Competition Judge www.johnevans.org.uk

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Cor Meibion Llanelli have accepted an invitation to sing at the Wales v Barbarians rugby match at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday, June 2.
The choir has also accepted an invitation to sing on the steps of The Senedd building in Cardiff Bay as part of a demonstration against health cuts in Llanelli organised by SOSSPAN, the Save Our Services Action Network for Prince Philip Hospital. The demonstration will take place on Wednesday, May 23.
Happy birthday to chorister Peter Griffiths.
Also, best wishes for a speedy recovery to retired chorister former Welsh rugby international Ray Williams.

Just 24 days to the start of the South & West Wales Caravan & Motorhome Show (May 11-13). Check out the website - http://daffodilevents.co.uk/caravan-motorhome-show/
Very enjoyable 'coffee break' with the team at the Ty Golau (Lighthouse) project, which is a health and well-being project for the elderly.
Online entry has now opened for the 2012 Carmarthen Mayor's Fun Run and junior races (May 7) - http://www.rasusymaer.org.uk
Meet the team behind the new Carmarthen Bay Film Festival (starts in three weeks) - http://www.carmarthenbayfilmfestival.co.uk/about.php
Kick-off time changed. Port Talbot Town v Carmarthen Town (Welsh Premier League) Saturday April 21 now 3:30pm - http://www.carmarthentownafc.com/
Good start to day - have found suitable victim (sorry willing volunteer!) for next interview for Llanelli Talking Newspaper for the Blind.
Burry Port tailored sheet metal solutions firm Amcanu on the ThisIsSouthWales website - http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Company-benefit-cash/story-15838082-detail/story.html
Best of luck to Mrs Lloyd today, who starts a new job with @melinconsult Melin Consultants in Llanelli.
Nice story about Burry Port firm Amcanu and their 200,000 contract with Tata Steel in the South Wales Evening Post today.
Owain Davies, of Burry Port firm Amcanu, featured on BBC's Newyddion Welsh language TV news on S4C last night. Talking about Tata boost.
Cor Meibion Llanelli choristers on song in rehearsal last night. Sounding good for gig with Cor Curiad and Rhydian Roberts on Saturday.
Mond Cup football final page has been added to the Carmarthen Town AFC website - http://www.carmarthentownafc.com/mondcupfinal.html
Owain Davies, of Burry Port firm Amcanu, was on 'Post Prynhawn' on Radio Cymru yesterday evening. Catch it again on the BBC's iPlayer (45 mins in).
The Stagecoach Carmarthen theatre arts school website has been updated with the latest news - http://ning.it/HZMe4e
The Healing The Wounds website (Welsh PTSD charity) has been updated with the latest fund-raising news - http://healingthewounds.co.uk/index.php/charity-news/fundraisingnews
Just 21 days to the start of the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival. Check out the website - http://www.carmarthenbayfilmfestival.co.uk/index.php
The new rebranded QualitySolicitors Redkite website is up and running - http://www.qualitysolicitors.com/redkite
Check out the Real Ale Club on the Evan-Evans Brewery website - http://www.evanevansbrewery.com/our-ales/real-ale-club/
The website for Cor Meibion Llanelli has just been updated with latest news - http://llanellimalechoir.co.uk/Latestnews.html