http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk ... Strong Views from the Valleys Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:23:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana) at Aberdare Park. A fascinating specimen in Aberdare Park. From the Wikipedia encyclopaedia, the tree is described as an "evergreen tree growing to 40 m tall and 2 m trunk diameter. Because of species' great age it is sometimes described as a living fossil. Araucaria araucana is ... http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/29/monkey-business-in-aberdare-park/ A Veterans Parade was held today in Aberdare celebrating the contribution made by all those who have served in the Armed Forces. Plans for a Veterans Day were announced in February 2006 by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, who said the aim was to ensure that the contribution ... http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/29/veterans-day-parade-in-aberdare/ This wooden character caught our eye... always a good start. It is a wooden sculpture of St Dogmael in St Dogmaels about a mile west of Cardigan. The sculpture is by John Clarke and dates from 2002, commissioned to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It is located near the lower ... http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/28/character-from-st-dogmaels/ Some time ago we discussed the importance of co-operation as the basis for a fair society. We used the example of a local village shop because the first Welsh co-operative store was established near Aberdare by working people. Today we experienced something of an epiphanic moment reading the views of ... http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/27/cooperation-and-the-role-of-the-left/ Photos of Prince Charles at Penderyn today are available on the Penderyn Online website here. http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/26/photos-of-prince-charles-at-penderyn/ The warmest of Valleys welcomes was given to Prince Charles who visited Aberdare as part of a Royal Tour. HRH Prince Charles the Prince of Wales came to see the new Visitor Centre at the world-famous Welsh Whisky Company distillery in the village of Penderyn, set in the beautiful ... http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/26/croeso-welcome-for-prince-charles-in-the-valley/ Have you seen the Green Elephant in Aberdare Park ? Click on the photo for a larger version. [singlepic=2241,320,240,,] It is located roughly in the centre of Aberdare Park. Enter the Park via the gates opposite the Comin School, head north and it's on your left. It looks like a weeping taxus, but ... http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/25/green-elephant-in-aberdare-park/ Okay, I admit it, I love hanging about the garden... I am a garden orb-web spider - Araneus Diadematus. Now that's a mouth full... nearly as big as the Fly I ate for lunch today. [gallery=293] I spent a few hours building this web in a greenhouse, and the whole day hanging about on ... http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/24/hanging-about-the-garden/ Adam Price, Plaid Cymru's election campaign co-ordinator, sent a mailshot to Plaid Cymru supporters two months ago asking "Are you on Facebook?". Fortunately, we are not. Here's why ... Facebook is an American corporation. It exists to make a pile of money. That is ... http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/23/we-dont-need-a-corporation-to-raise-a-chicken-or-vote/ FOR MOST OF US, HOLIDAYS ARE AN EXCITING TIME. HOWEVER, BLOOD SUPPLIES ARE CONSTANTLY NEEDED. WITH YOUR HELP HOSPITALS CAN BE SUPPLIED WITH THE 600 DONATIONS THEY NEED EVERY DAY. IN THE EXCITEMENT OF YOUR HOLIDAY PREPARATIONS, PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO GIVE BLOOD BEFORE YOU GO! You never know when you ... http://www.aberdareblog.co.uk/2008/06/23/be-a-horizontal-hero-in-aberdare/