This blog is not really about my life inWales ... but I thought I'd make a little exception every now and then when there was news to share or questions to answer. So I have added a new 'label' on the posts ... 'Tales from Wales' and I will use it for little news bulletins 'from home'.
A lot of folks have been in touch to ask if we are okay after seeing Llanrwst on the national news last night and on the weather reports.
Yes we are okay ... thank you for asking and for caring 💗
The flood waters built up over the course of yesterday and we were both on 'sheep watch' for the farmer who has his sheep in the field opposite our house. Alan had phoned him only the day before as a one-day-old lamb had gotten stuck in the hedge and when Alan went over in response to its pathetic little bleats to free it from the brambles, the mother sheep would not accept it back along with its twin. So Thomas came took both mother and her twin lambs back to his farm for more bonding time.
Yesterday he phoned us for regular updates on the flood situation and by late afternoon it was decided that the water was suddenly rising much faster and it made sense to move the sheep before dark. It was a wise decision, as suddenly with the high tide the water rushed through from both the river and from the next flooded field breaching all defences.
A quick discussion over the wall and then Thomas drove his Landrover back to the gate of his field and let the sheep out. They walked along the road remarkably calmly, even the other mother sheep with her twin lambs, all sensing no doubt that they must be headed to safety. It's nice to see sheep that trust their shepherd.
They got out in the nick of time as an hour later the water was right up to the roadside hedge and they would have been stranded in the dark.
There was no traffic on the road, except a broken down car being helped by another good Samaritan, as it had just been closed due to the flooding around the next bend to us. Thomas had gotten through just in time.
This morning it is as though nature is taunting us with her power, saying ' look what I did to you but look how nice I can be if I want to'. The water in the fields is almost as high but starting to recede slowly, the sun is shining and the sheep are safe and happy in our paddock.
I don't know if you can make it out in this photo but Alan was walking the dogs around the paddock as usual, to both check the sheep and start them all getting used to each other.
The sun is shining and the drains are slowly beginning to take the water off the road.
Once again we are extremely grateful that we live on the high side of the road and although our house let water in all day yesterday at least our feet and our possessions stayed dry.
Sunshine and a flooded field.
The campsite in the distance to the right of this shot, our neighbours Steve and Naomi are now in the process of their third clear up in ten years. I don't know how they do it but they bounce back time after time. They were busy rescuing their chickens at the same time as Alan and Thomas were rescuing sheep.
The River Conwy at full flow, filling up one of our favourite tearooms Tu Hwnt i'r Bont in Llanrwst yesterday afternoon.
It was not a good day here in Wales yesterday.
Sue xx
Glad you're all ok, Sue. Yes it is lucky you live on that side of the road! Our fields and lanes are full of puddles and standing water, but it's not too bad, we're lucky as well, we've seen much worse quite often. Thankfully, the weather seems to be getting better at last. I spy a touring caravan! :-) I do miss ours :-(
ReplyDeletePleased that you are all OK, including the sheep. OH said to me earlier about the flooding in the valley, and thought it must be bad in front of your home. We have caravanned/motor homed at Betws y Coed a couple of times and I love the area, had an enjoyable visit to the tea rooms last time. I recently expressed a wish to re-visit Bodnant Gardens, but it fell on deaf ears, too far for a day visit really.
ReplyDeleteNow that's what you call a flood! Thank goodness the sheep were rescued in time and everyone is safe.
ReplyDeleteJust looked at the BBC forecast long range and over this side of the country we seem to have much dryer and calmer weather coming so hope its the same your way.
Hope your smaller home is above river flooding levels too
The Van should be okay, we are set back a few hundred yards from the river and there is a high riverbank, (the one I walk along each day) to act as a flood barrier it seems to work .... fingers crossed. I'll be back there on Thursday, but any problems in the meantime and the girls in the office would let us know.
DeleteTHank goodness you were OK (and the sheep) although my heart goes out to everyone affected by the flooding. Like SUe, I was wondering about your small home as well.
ReplyDeletexx
Goodness that is a lot of water. So glad all of you and the sheep are okay. Hopefully there is a dry spell coming.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for the communication between you and Thomas. The poor lambs may not have survived out there over night. Good that you are on the high side of the road. Sometimes floods like this make you glad you only have the leaky windows etc. Such a shame about the tea room. Take care.
ReplyDeleteIt all worked out really well in the end, perfect timing for once :-)
DeleteDon't worry about the tearooms, they were on their social media pages raring to go and the water had gone down enough by the next day for them to get inside and begin. They are hoping to be back to normal by Tuesday ... they have been flooded out soooo many times they have a set routine to getting things back to normal.
You had it a lot worse than we did down here in Carmarthenshire (although we DO have our moments here of course!) Still, it rained and rained yesterday and like you, I had to put a towel at the attic bathroom window which faces West and water seeps through when it's really chucking it down.
ReplyDeleteWell done with the sheep-watch. I was watching a video earlier on of sheep being moved from flooded barns where they had come in for lambing, but I think that was a bit further north from what I remember.
Glad that you are safe and sound.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Having experienced the last three Lake District floods (we're near Cockermouth ) then my heart goes out to everyone in your area. Stay safe, and I hope your friends are OK. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the lovely comments. The sheep are still safe in our paddock and the water in their old field has gone down to about half of what it was.
ReplyDeleteI was back in Wales for my brother's funeral in January, so I took my kids to Betws-y-Coed to show them where my mom had lived and then on to Llanrwst where my grandad had the cobbler's shop just up from that bridge on the other side of the road. Gosh it's a small world isn't it!
ReplyDelete