A weekend in Llanidloes

A week ago now, Ian and I headed off for a long weekend in Llanidloes for the 'Meet the Artist' event associated with Cwilt Cmyru exhibition 'Connection' at Minerva Arts  Centre. We're getting better now at  acclimatising to peace and quiet relatively quickly. We struck gold in our B&B, the Coach and Horses - we were in the Owl Suite on the top floor  with views out over the fields (below)  with excellent hosts, facilities and breakfasts. The  main sound was that of the swifts swooping around after insects ( makes a change from planes descending into Heathrow and the elevated section of the M4!)
I particularly liked the old  Welsh woollen quilts in the summer show at Minerva, the examples above made from tailors samples and from Welsh flannel  and I found some peeling doors to photo!  Saturday was very leisurely - a couple of pints (from the Waen Brewery ) and lunch in the Old Mill reading the  Saturday Grauniad  and a wander round the town including the museum and the old market hall  with its exhibition on half-timbered buildings.

Perhaps because  the preview had been the previous weekend, we didn't have too many visitors to 'Meet the Artists'  but those who did come were very interested in our work. This meant we had more time to look at the quilts: the antique ones: the interesting arctic pieces  by Sandra Meech  and seeing each others work in the flesh having only seen it in photos on Dropbox. Everyone's work is different  and distinctive but shows the same degree of  professionalism and thought, I'm very proud to have been asked to be a member.  Being quiet it was great to catch up and plan our next exhibition.  

Ian meanwhile was very happy to re-visit the Old Mill and the Angel and read his book  which tied in nicely with seeing the display on the Chartists  in the Museum ( I was more interested in the display on flannel weaving and the old Welsh quilt in the Victorian parlour).
On our return ,the train from Caersws ( just about learnt how to pronounce this!) was delayed by half an hour because of 'police assistance' required at Machynlleth so we were in need of refreshment from the trolley - The Rev James for Ian , coffee and bara brith for me.  I'd bought Welsh cakes from the bakers to take back for work - they disappeared very quickly before I'd had a chance to taste them myself!

It was refreshing to be in a place where everything wasn't  open 24/7 and the shops weren't chain stores.  Staying over on Sunday night it was just as well we like curry as that was all that was available. We look forward to our next visit.