my Ceredigion and my Cardigan Bay » natural history

Photos: Barley Saturday, Cardigan, 2010

Paul Williams — Sat, 01 May 2010 23:26:10 +0000

Another Barley Saturday; another overcast day, warm but waiting to rain. Not a lot different to last year, though a week late and under the watchful eye of S4C.

24 photographs in the slideshow and I’ve picked what I think is my best shot; I’d love to hear what you think it might be…

[Show as slideshow]

Sex, Death and the Lily: the Earth Laughs in Flowers

Paul Williams — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:25:00 +0000

It’s before 6.00am on a Wednesday morning and my ‘never so tired as when you first wake up’ brain is urging me to find out why lilies are so often associated with sex and death. I mean you only have to look at this gilded example…

I discovered, through some superficial research (thanks Google!) that because Zeus wanted Hercules (his son by the mortal Alceme) to be wet nursed by Hera (his ‘awful-wedded’) it all kicked off. She wasn’t keen. In the ensuing Hellenic brouhaha (women, eh?, sooo touchy…) the Lily and the Milky Way (not the confectionery, that’s another story) came into being.

As you might expect the ancient and profane associations of this sacred bloom were turned around by Judaeo-Christian iconographers, the watchwords being chastity and virtue.

It still looks filthy to me.

My thanks to Nicole Savage’s SF Heart pages, a labour of Big Hippy Love, for the material on the Legends of Flowers.

Barley Saturday Cardigan 2009; Horses and Vehicle Photography by Paul Williams

Paul Williams — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:34:30 +0000

Barley Saturday has come and gone and I realised that in the nearly 40 years I have lived in Ceredigion, mostly around Aberporth and New Quay, I had never joined the throng for Barley Saturday. Living ‘in town’ there’s no reason not see the fun and UMSINGA has become a stopping off point for those from further afield. And of course a wonderful opportunity to float around snapping the horses and trucks, tractors and cars. Oh and this year, though VeloTivy cyclists were a no show (presumably even the hint of rain makes your lycra clench) there were TWO scooterists, Ian and Danny. A fine sight weaving amongst the other vintage traffic.

No shots of scooters here though; here’s my favourite from the afternoon.

And here’s a slideshow of the rest.

Dog Photographs by Peta Rea of Foxgrove and Albermarle Road Beckenham Kent

Paul Williams — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:37:36 +0000

While toiling over yesterday’s dog-poo-in-the- park post I remembered a a pile of dog photos I had stashed away. These have been bagged and boxed for some time while I’ve pondered what to do with them. Good sized 10×8-ish, well taken, nicely printed and in good condition despite their 50 years loose in a paper bag. They would be looking good mounted and framed.
Some are stamped on the back ‘Peta Rea Photographer Foxgrove Road Beckenham Kent’ with various pencilled cropping and order details. I imagine the dogs just walked in off the street for a sitting. Anyway, nice work and mildly amusing; but more interestingly, jarringly undignified to these eyes.
Still, good doggy, nice doggy…

Some Cool Cats

Paul Williams — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:54:09 +0000

On the subject of the Wales Antiques Guide for 2009 I’ve decided to use these images for the editorial. If there’s an enduring collecting theme, it’s cats.

Enjoy