Adult learners festival

It was a long week for CADW last week but such a rewarding one. On Monday I spent the day at the top of a spiral staircase with my spinning wheel. I taught several people to spin. I had a long and complicated chat with a polish woman who didn't speak English, about how her Mother still earned a living from her wheel. This involved lots of pidgin English and a notebook of drawings between us. Such a lovely lady and so refreshing to find a person who was not willing to let a trivial thing like a language barrier get in the way. I also found out that it was a good friends birthday that day. I was a tad cross to have not been informed but spent a worthwhile few minutes choosing a card and thus finding a book that I have since poured over. " the lolly pop shoes"
The next stop on my Cadw tour of Wales was Caerwent.
Upon arrival I found that I was to spend the day with a dear friend S. A gem of a woman with such inspiring knowledge. I got to play at being Roman Woman and had a the most blissful makeover. This is a relevant place for a link to S's fabulous book...http://www.amazon.co.uk/Artifice-Beauty-Sally-Pointer/dp/0750938870/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275343834&sr=1-1.##
Thursday brought St David's palace and medieval herbalist. Here I found my new found herbal knowledge came into it's fore. Of course all put into a first person capacity...A wonderful place and dear to my heart. I will always treasure St David's palace..A place of joy and discovery.
and last but by no mean least Laugharne. Famed for it's Dylan Thomas connections, you may find the Castle becomes secondary. This castle, however, has such beauty. A true home and a good feel. I loved being here and got to play Tudor Gentry to boot. Lady Perrot entertained en mass. I also found the most wonderful and talented silversmith around the corner from the castle. Such beautiful pieces. When I returned at the end of the day he had shut up shop. I was somewhat disappointed but at least I know have a reason to return :)
Bless welsh castles, I love them all