California Dreaming?

Is it me, or are these California Poppies? They really look quite like them. There are a couple plants growing from a wall down on Pantygwdyr Street. I've now seen a few similar flowers at the botanical gardens in Singleton Park, but not in the pure golden California shade.




I've realized that in the past we've been very bad about taking atmospheric shots of places that we've lived. We take shots on special sorts of trips, like hikes, or of special kinds of things, like castles ... but I've realized that so much of what makes Swansea interesting is just the streets and the garden walls, and the alleys (I love the alleys) and the way you know you're in a sea town, even when you can't see it.

C & I both had a working Sunday this weekend, wrote, etc. -- but we stopped at 5 pm and walked down to the beach together. The tide was in, which I always like because then I get to touch the water. There were a number of fishermen down on the beach, and a whole group of sail boats doing S's around the buoy's out in the bay. Very lovely. Anyway, why did I bring that up ... oh ... cause I realized that even sitting in the flat with the breeze coming in through the window, you know there is sea out there--its just in the smell of the air, and the salty, seaish feel of it .... How's that for brilliant description? Hmmm, yes.

Back to the poppies--they could be transplants, there are so many plants here from all over the world. And the weather here is very California coastal ... a bit cooler perhaps. We've been averaging in the 60's -- low to high -- but that is beach weather I suppose.

I include, besides the poppies, a couple of my attempts at recording more of the everyday atmosphere of Swansea....







If you take a zig-zag route through Brynmill (neighborhood) down toward the bay you have to climb. You come out at a spot where there is a school with a gorgeous and very nautical bell on it with an amazing view of the bay and the lighthouse at Mumbles, and a great white fence. Just up from here is a pub and a chip shop (of course)


I just love rust ...