Monday 4 April 2016

Sampling Wales



We had our traditional Easter break in mid-Wales last week.  It was just the two of us for the first time in 25 years (son travelling between Atlanta and New Orleans, daughter at home writing a dissertation), which meant longer, more solitary walks and – for me – a chance to spend rather more time considering the landscape without that nagging feeling of holding everyone else up, which will be familiar to anyone who attempts to combine their creative bent with a family holiday. We got the usual early spring mix of weather: snow, rain, sunshine, and awe-inspiring winds, and a couple of those exhilarating upland days of bright, clear air that give the sensation of walking on the roof of the world.


We have been visiting the Welsh Marches every year for over 35 years; ever since, as impoverished students, we started taking advantage of my partner's parents' holiday cottage near Presteigne. However, talking to the landlord of a local pub, who took over the premises 18 months ago having moved from Surrey, it struck me that in actual elapsed time he has already spent longer in the area than I have. Which, if anything, shows something of the truth underlying statistical sampling: 50 or so weeks spread over 35 years would seem to give a deeper experience of an area than 75 weeks end to end.


2 comments:

milldave said...

The photos are beautiful!
I haven't seen Wales in the last 10 years (I grew up in Cwmbran, in South East Wales)and am always glad when someone makes the trip with camera in hand!
I like the colour palette that you are producing these days; the Fuji?
It seems to make a much clearer representation, or is that the air?
Good stuff, Mike, glad you're back and have enjoyed almost all the seasons in one week!
Alberta has had so little snow this year, we're cautiously anticipating Spring in APRIL!!
Woo hoo!
Regards,
David

Mike C. said...

Thanks, David -- those are the snow-covered Brecons in the distance, we couldn't see quite as far as Cwmbran, but it felt like it.

Yes, partly the Fuji, but mainly a "secret sauce" I've developed for processing landscape work that is delivering good results. Like all such sauces, it's a simple combination of familiar ingredients, with a twist...

The snow lasted all of one morning!

Mike