Caersws railway station Wales
The Photo: Caersws rail station
Powys, Wales. It is the closest station to Blackthorn Castle and The Dragon, my
two car private train, is stored in a purpose built shed nearby.
Eva is no lady: Storm Eva was
quite a bit worse than we thought. Not that the Weather Service didn’t warn everyone
about it. Here in Wales the areas most heavily impacted by flooding are in the
North West and South West. Fortunately for us the streams and rivers where we
are while over their banks have not (yet) been nearly as destructive. It was a
good thing I had the castle access road up from the highway regraded and
resurfaced, banks graded and walled and drains enlarged during what passes for
summer here. The improvements have been
able to handle the runoff so far. My chief Woodward has inspected the area
currently being logged and the thick ground cover we do our best not to disturb
and new ground cover we plant immediately after selective logging is holding
the soil in place so we don’t lose the topsoil to heavy rains. Touch wood! The
source of the Severn near Llanidloes is a roaring torrent so I can’t imagine
what it is like when it gets to flatter country.
I was very anxious that the staff’s Boxing Day return trip
from London might be delayed. Fortunately rail service hasn’t been disrupted
between Caersws and London except for scheduled engineering work. So I was
greatly relieved that the staff’s trip to the London sales went as well as it
did although in pouring rain and all returned safely and more or less on time.
Storm Frank: The forecast was
for sunshine this morning (Tuesday 12/29 which there was, briefly) and then
more rain for the next several days and very high winds from another low coming
from the south west off St. George’s Channel. The forecasters say the worst of
Frank will be in the northern counties of England and in Scotland, but heavy
rain and very strong winds are still expected here as the storm comes ashore. The
locals say this set of intense storms is very rare. I’m pleased to say that my
villagers seem to be safe as my predecessors were very careful about where they
built homes for the Barony’s villagers. It’s good that we are all safe indoors
and on high ground.
House party date in danger: With
the arrival of this intense set of Holiday storms I may have to postpone my long
planned getting acquainted house party for local aristocrats with estates and
farms in the area as well as the movers and shakers (politicians as well as
merchants) from the nearby villages. I’m hoping the damage is minimal and roads
are passable by the end of the week so everyone that has accepted will be able
to get here. I’m putting them all up in the completely refurbished wing where
the rooms all have fireplaces and in suite bathrooms with tub and shower. That
is the wing where ballet students and dive students will be staying when I hold
ballet intensives and Carla holds diver training classes.
I’ve volunteered my woodcutters and groundskeepers and their
heavy equipment to help any of the nearby estates and farms that need
assistance clearing the storm damage, but we may have another several days
before it is all past. The party - planned for months – will occur over the New
Year weekend (January 1st - 3rd) and I want it to be a
fun time for the locals before my wards and I leave for Virgin Gorda after Twelfth
Night. The Barony has always counted Christmas as the first day of the 12 days
of Christmas so Twelfth night will be on Tuesday January 5th in
2016. However, the dates may prove more memorable for the drenching and the damage
Eva and Frank are causing than any merrymaking. It is an unfortunate way to
ring in the New Year.
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