Month: May 2026

It All Kicks Off In The Garden

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

It All Kicks Off In The Garden

This is the month where it all kicks off in the garden. Warmer weather brings out all the pests we will be fighting against for the rest of the growing season. Most of the slug eggs will be baby slugs within 2 weeks and ready to forage straight away. Green fly will be attacking the soft leaves on our roses, with my neighbour telling me not to spray as the ladybirds will eat them. Unfortunately, by the time the cavalry turns up these days the damage is done. Timing seems to be out of sync in the world of nature to deal naturally with pest control. With fewer small birds around to help, green fly are having a good time.

The colder weather during the middle of April caught out those who put in their bedding plants because of some good weather over Easter. Just be patient and wait for Mr Brockway to give you the all clear. Keep hardening them off and they will come on in no time when the weather’s right. One thing you shouldn’t delay is cutting back your Spring flowering shrubs as most produce their flowers for next year on this year’s growth so if you want to keep the shrubs in shape and manageable start trimming. Because of a cooler spell after Easter my hanging baskets have been slow to fill but as any nurseryman worth his salt will tell you, do not put baskets out until the 1st of June. They will definitely flower longer and be healthier

Here we go with lazy bones homeowners advocating No Mow May. When you hear the reasons that naturalists give it makes good sense. But when June arrives and your house looks like no one has occupied it for a while you will have ticks biting your limbs when you’re rummaging around in the long grass trying to find the lawn mower you discarded at the end of April. Then you try and cut it which sends mice and other vermin scurrying for cover while the machine that was so efficient at keeping the lawn cut before chokes up and stalls under the enormity of the task. When you’ve finally cut it and look at your handiwork it bears no resemblance to the lawn you once had. Grass was meant to be cut. Cattle, horses, geese and goats all graze it while sheep munch it down to root level and it bounces back stronger. Have a small wild patch instead with a mixture of meadow grasses that will benefit insects.

This is the time of year to get the kidney bean seeds in. They’re easy to grow and with a little care will give you enough beans to freeze for use over winter. Grow these in tubs with a few sticks for support and water well. Second crops of peas along with carrots will keep the veg coming for months. Later grown carrots are better in raised beds or pots to avoid the dreaded carrot root fly.

Take care and happy gardening.

Twinning with Squeal Piggy

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Twinning with Squeal Piggy

Wenvoe’s twinning with Squeal Piggy in the state of Deliverance USA, has meant that the village cultural attaché along with a chosen few, have flown stateside to forge bonds with our American cousins.

Because of this exodus, it has fallen on those left behind determined not to let this historic event pass us by. So, to impress our American cousins, the Environment Team, with some extra help and rooting tooting cowgirl Judy, put on a line dance routine reminiscent of a Black Friday sales event in Currys. Unlike a flash mob who appear out of nowhere then disappear without trace, this lot took hours to arrive by all manner of transport and an hour after the event they were still to be seen leaning on anything that would hold them up! They might be mad to put themselves forward for this, but Wenvoe is a better place for it.

Those who had the energy left, cut the hedge around the memorial and trimmed some shrubs back.

We meet again, with no surprises, on 11th May at the Community Centre.

Hiking And Biking With Richard Trevithick Part 2

ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST

HIKING AND BIKING WITH RICHARD TREVITHICK Part 2

Merthyr Tydfil, being naturally blessed with iron ore, limestone and trees to make charcoal (later to be replaced with actual coal) was one of the cradles of the Industrial Revolution in the mid 1700s. It was not, however, blessed with suitable transport links, in its early days, to export its products. In last month’s article I discussed the building of the canal and the “plateway” that eased that problem.

Today the track bed constructed for the plateway provides the route for the National Cycle Route 477 – the Trevithick Trail – as it runs independently from the Taff Trail (NCR 8) for some 6 miles from a point near Pont y Gwaith to Merthyr Tydfil. And for the sake of completeness I would briefly reiterate (long story short) that Richard Trevithick was a Cornish mechanical engineer, who in 1804, successfully converted an otherwise static high pressure steam engine into a locomotive capable of hauling a 10 tonne load along the otherwise horse powered tramway from Penydarren to Abercynon, and thereby winning a 500 guinea wager for its promoter (namely Samuel Homfray).

The image above shows two adjacent stone sleepers with the chiselled recesses to accommodate the fixings that constrained the L shaped “plates” for the 4 foot 2 inches gauge “plateway”

In passing I would introduce you to the Grade II Listed Pont y Gwaith (Bridge of the Works). This hump back bridge spans the River Taff near to the works in question. These were the very first iron smelting works in the area and date from the 1580s.

Pont-y-Gwaith

Near that bridge the Trevithick Trail parts company with the Taff Trail and runs along the east bank of the River Taff. It passes through the settlements of Merthyr Vale, Troedyrhiw and Pentrebach before terminating near the Merthyr Tydfil railway station.

At Merthyr Vale an information board reveals that in the now green valley below was situated the Merthyr Vale colliery which began producing coal in 1875, after the six years it took to sink the two mine shafts. In the 1890s over 2000 people were employed with those underground working at a depth of some 550 feet. As with other mines in the vicinity, it was seriously affected by the miners’ strikes of the 1980s after which it never fully recovered and the pit was closed in 1989.

Troedyrhiw can best be described as a typical valleys town that in its heyday housed the families of hundreds of locally employed miners. It was notable in that there were three soccer teams – no fewer than seven of its players achieved fame in their day by going on to play for league teams in England and in two cases for Wales.

The Trail then passes to the north east side of Pentrebach and looks down on the village and much industrial, business and leisure development. It then crosses the A4060 dual carriageway on a spectacular cable stayed footbridge cum cycle way. This bridge carries two large panels which depict a stylisation of Trevithick’s locomotive.

Footbridge-cum-cycleway at Pentrebach which carries the Trevithick Trail over the A4060 on its final leg into Merthyr Tydfil.

From this point, most of the actual line of the original “plateway” to the Pen y Darren ironworks is lost to subsequent developments. But what is now described as the Trevithick Trail continues for a further mile and a half to finish at Merthyr Tydfil train station.

 

Tony Hodge

“An Equal Music ” By Vikram Seth

 

“An Equal Music ” By Vikram Seth

He was a student in Vienna ten years ago, his name is Michael. He is a violinist who was in love with Julia, a pianist. Their paths separated; she got married to someone else and after ten years she enters into the life of Michael once again. It’s a story of Michael and his music quartet, and it’s a story of Michael and Julia and their love.

If you are a music lover, then this book will be for you; Seth talks about so much music throughout – there’s Bach and Schubert and Beethoven and Mozart and their musical pieces in great detail.

If you aren’t a music lover, you can just enjoy Seth’s poetic prose and his descriptions of London, Vienna and Venice. This is a moving story of two musicians who love to make music and love. There is always a constant threat of loss which maintains the book’s melancholy. They feel it. They make music from it. They move forward together and alone, but joined forever by their music.

One of the most extraordinary aspects of this novel is the way in which it manages to convey music through language. One Page Turner loved the way Seth writes about music and the way he integrates music into the lives of the characters (all professional musicians).

The book is very informative about music and quartets and about Bach and many other composers. Some felt the music descriptions were tedious and difficult to understand. Others thought Michael was not a likeable character, especially regarding his obsession with Julia. Ultimately this is a love story, a tragedy, a loving tribute to chamber music and insights into the world of performance and maybe a book for classical music lovers.

Scores ranged from 5 to 8, with an overall average of 6.

A Simple Low Calorie Spring Meal

May is the month of promise and the sweet beginnings of summer.”

A simple and low calorie spring meal that uses the season’s finest ingredients and is ready in just 20 minutes followed by a quick and easy dessert with pastry case and jam base, delicious served with custard!

Asparagus And New Potato Frittata

Ingredients

200g new potatoes
100g asparagus tips
1tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
6 eggs beaten
40g cheddar cheese grated

Method

Heat the grill to high. Put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, cook for 4-5 mins until nearly tender, then add the asparagus for a final 1 min. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan and add the onion. Cook for about 8 mins until softened.
Mix the eggs with half the cheese in a jug and season well. Pour over the onion in the pan, then scatter over the asparagus and potatoes. Top with the remaining cheese and put under the grill for 5 mins or until golden and cooked through.
Cut into wedges and serve from the pan with salad

Easy Cornflake Tart

Ingredients

320g ready rolled shortcrust pastry
Plain flour to dust
50g butter
125g golden syrup
25g light brown soft sugar
100g cornflakes
125g strawberry or raspberry jam

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Unroll the pastry and briefly roll out on a lightly floured work surface until it’s large enough to fit a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
Use the rolling pin to lift the pastry over the tin, then press into the corners and sides so the excess pastry hangs over the rim. Trim this away, leaving just a small amount of excess hanging over the rim.
Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 15 mins. Remove the parchment and beans, then bake for another 5-10 mins until just golden.
Remove from the oven and trim any excess pastry from the edges using a knife.
Heat the butter, syrup and sugar in a small pan with
a pinch of salt, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Fold in the cornflakes to coat in the butter mixture.
Spoon the jam into the cooked pastry base, then level the surface. Tip the cornflake mixture over the jam and gently press down until all of the jam is covered with a layer of the mixture.
Return the tart to the oven and bake for another 5 mins until the cornflakes are golden and toasted.
Leave to cool until just warm before slicing and serving with custard.

 

 

He Was In Deep Poo

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

He Was In Deep Poo

The team were joined by new member Steve this month, who insisted on being in the front as he was a good sight younger than the rest of them.

It didn’t take long before he realised that a big part of our efforts was to keep Shady out of harm’s way. As the lads started clearing the border in front of the Community Centre, we were made aware of a fracas near to the shop where Shady had been litter picking. He had picked on a van load of pothole repair men who had parked too close to a corner and to compound matters one of the gang threw a cigarette butt out of the vehicle which sent Shady into a rage. One on one with a road worker he didn’t stand a chance, one against a van load meant he was in deep poo. By the time we reached him the gang had run their roller over Shady. Tony, our first responder, analysed that Shady wasn’t looking great and suggested that we get the defibrillator from the Community Centre. Ieuan thought a foot pump would be a better course of action. To diffuse the situation Martin scraped him up off the floor and we took him to his home.

Sue wouldn’t answer so we folded him up and slipped him under the door. When she realised what had happened and opened the door, only to say that he was a resilient fellow and this had happened be-fore and once she had straightened him out, he would be as good as new.

We have eventful times when out and about. Our next sortie will be outside Shady’s house, where people have filled what they thought was a skip, when it was in fact Mike’s car and he’d only stopped there to cut the grass (take the hint Mike T).

ORCHID FIELD GROUP

When you offer your services free of charge to a group or charity, you’re not looking for thanks. You just want to help. There are no contracts to sign or set hours, you just want to do your best. Well think again!! There are a bunch of nature lovers who won’t take any excuse you may have, as a reason for not helping, if you said you would.

This poor chap tried in vain to retract from his task. He had a sick note, but that did no good. They sent around their special team, to persuade him to cooperate. He nearly got away…but no-one escapes!

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