‘This is a pleasure. A composer in our midst, and you’re seeing Plas Brondanw at its June best.’ Amabel strides across the lawn from house to the table Sally has laid for tea. Tea for three in the almost shade of the vast plain tree, and nearly the height of the house. Look up into its branches. It is convalescing after major surgery, ropes and bindings still in place.
 
Yes, I am certainly seeing this Welsh manor house, the home of the William-Ellis family for four hundred years, on a day of days. The mountains that ring this estate seem to take the sky blue into themselves. They look almost fragile in the heat.
 
‘Nigel, you’re here?’ Clough appears next. He sounds surprised, as though the journey across Snowdonia was trepidatious adventure. ‘Of course you are, and on this glorious day. Glorious, glorious. You’ve walked up from below perhaps? Of course, of course. Did you detour to the ruin? You must. We’ll walk down after tea.’
 
And he flicks the tails of his russet brown frock coat behind him and sits on the marble bench beside Amabel. She is a little frail at 85, but the twinkling eyes hardly leave my face. Clough is checking the garden for birds. A yellowhammer swoops up from the lower garden and is gone. He gestures as though miming its flight. There are curious bird-like calls from the house. Amabel turns house-ward.
 
‘Our parrots,’ she says with a girlish smile.
 
‘Your letter was so sweet you know.’ She continues. ‘Fancy composing a piece about our village. We’ve had a film, that TV series, so many books, and now music. So exciting. And when do we hear this?’
 
I explain that the BBC will be filming and recording next month, but tomorrow David will appear with his double bass, a cameraman and a sound recordist to ‘do’ the cadenzas in some of the more intriguing locations. And he will come here to see how it sounds in the ‘vale’.
 
‘Are we doing luncheon for the BBC men? They are all men I suppose? When we were on Gardeners’ World it was all gals with clipboards and dark glasses, and it was raining for heaven’s sake. They had no idea about the right shoes, except that Alys person who interviewed me and was so lovely about the topiary and the fireman’s room. Now she wore a sensible skirt and the kind of sandals I wear in the garden. Of course we had to go to Mary’s house to see the thing as you know Clough won’t have a television in the house.’
 
‘I loath the sound of it from a distance. There’s nothing worse that hearing disembodied voices and music. Why do they have to put music with everything? I won’t go near a shop if there’s that canned music about.’
 
‘But surely it was TV’s The Prisoner that put the place on the map,’ I venture to suggest.
 
‘Oh yes, yes, but the mess, and all those Japanese descending on us with questions we simply couldn’t answer. I have to this day no i------de-------a-------‘, he stretches this word like a piece of elastic as far as it might go before breaking in two, ‘ simply no I------de------a------ what the whole thing was about.’ He pauses to take a tea cup freshly poured by Amabel. ‘Patrick was a dear though, and stayed with us of course. He loved the light of the place and would get up before dawn to watch the sun rise over the mountains at the back of us.’
 
‘But I digress. Music, music, yes music . . . ‘ Amabel takes his lead
 
‘We’ve had concerts before at P. outside in the formal gardens by AJ’s studio.’ She has placed her hands on her green velvet skirt and leans forward purposefully. ‘He had musicians about all the time and used to play the piano himself vigorously in the early hours of the morning. Showing off to those models that used to appear. I remember walking past his studio early one morning and there he was asleep on the floor with two of them . . .’
 
Clough smiles and laughs, laughs and smiles at a memory from the late 1920s.
 
‘Everyone thought we were completely mad to do the village.’ He leans back against the gentle curve of the balustrade, and closes his eyes for a moment. ‘Completely mad.’
 
It’s cool under the tree, but where the sunlight strays through my hand seems to gather freckles by the minute. I am enjoying the second slice of Mary’s Bara Brith. ‘It’s the marmalade,’ says Amabel, realising my delight in the texture and taste, ‘Clough brought the recipe back from Ceylon and I’ve taught all my cooks to make it. Of course, Mary isn’t a cook, she’s everything. A wonder, but you’ll discover this later at dinner. You are staying? And you’re going to play too?’
 
I’m certainly going to play in the drawing room studio on the third floor. It’s distractingly full of paintings by ‘friends’ – Duncan Grant, Mondrian, Augustus John, Patrick Heron, Winifred Nicholson (she so loved the garden but would bring that awful Raine woman with her). There’s  Clough’s architectural watercolours (now collectors want these things I used to wiz off for clients – stupid prices – just wish I’d kept more behind before giving them to the AA – (The Architectural Association ed.) And so many books, first editions everywhere. Photographs of Amabel’s flying saucer investigations occupy a shelf along with her many books on fairy tales and four novels, a batch of biographies and pictures of the two girls Susan and Charlotte as teenagers. Susan’s pottery features prominently. There’s a Panda skin from Luchan under the piano.
 
These two eighty somethings have been working since 8.0am. ‘We don’t bother with lunch.’ Amabel is reviewing the latest Ursula le Guin. ‘I stayed with her in Oregon last May. A lovely little house by the sea. Such a darling, and what a gardener! She creates all the ideas for her books in her garden. I so wish I could, but there’s just too much to distract me. Gardening is a serious business because although Jane comes over from Corrieg and says no to this and no to that and I have to stand my corner,  I have to concentrate and go to my books. Did you know the RHS voted this one of the ten most significant gardens in the UK? But look, there’s no one here today except you!’
 
No one but me. And tea is over. ‘A little rest before your endeavours perhaps,’ says Clough, probably anxious to get back to letter to Kenzo Piano.
 
‘Now let’s go and say hello to the fireman,’ says Amabel who takes my arm. And so we walk through the topiary to her favourite ‘room’,  a water feature with the fireman on his column (mid pond). ‘In memory of the great fire, ‘ she says. ‘He keeps a keen eye on the building now.’ He is a two-foot cherub with a hose and wearing a fireman’s helmet.
 
The pond reflects the column and the fireman looks down on us as we gaze into the pool. ‘Health, ‘ she says, ‘We keep a keen eye on it.’
 
The parrots are singing wildly. I didn’t realise they sang. I thought they squawked.
 
‘Will they sing when I play?’ I ask.
 
‘Undoubtedly,’ Amabel says with her girlish smile and squeezes my arm.

A shield, seemingly impenetrable
of mind games, of
false safety.
Struck once, and fallen.
For this, all these years?
Make a wall to break it?

Except LHS is not equal to RHS here;
Cos the wall has broken what was growing on it.

'Push yourself up' - they say.
On what?
What was built upon a fallacy is now in crumbles.
'That was real' - you cry:
Who hears?

Left with a mess.
'Left with a test;
For your strengths'
Or for your courage?

Will that collapse too?
If it is false.

Who's the judge? - you demand.
Who knows?
The doubt lies. The judge stays veiled. Your courage is burning.

But wait! is that a phoenix coming through?

Daily love is a ****** feeling. The eyes still conceal the feelings of the exuberant in the dark dog, and the eternal soul is born this evening in sleep, which means that the waves of the waves are the same as the cold air, that is, the sound waves that come out of the ocean. Soft soft dancing cover on the smallest ski ladders in the East. A wooden stick is a game of the East, the last hour is pending Blue sky is going down to the sparkle Gradient shades Change the thick, Seagull Scratch Little Big Tiny Frogs Note Remains Unexpectedly Standing Stopped, Stopped, Caught, Caught In Caught Off Cactus Infinite Field Inside Central Fulfillment Inside Revelations Inside Jelly Ships Left, Angels, Hot Spokes Spin Faster Watches Facing the Ocean, Wants to Look In The Flat Court, The Bird's Name:
Some of the city was found in hip popping windows The White House
Saudi Arabia Secondary Emergency Noise Slowly Increase With Dark
                                  Long Knives Roads No Streets Stop Roads Noise,
                                                                ­                               No Support,

Solar Sunlight It opens the door to the heart of the beautiful cave created
by pouring out the tears of the sun, waving the eyes of the sun, the sound
of a bell, the world, the world, the blend of the back, the bird, the endless impotent uncle, a window, the English message, the English language
and the cover of the original.

Cutting the best out of the hotspot at the top cords:
Bringing Joy to My Cycle My favorite animal
is in fictional poetry. Tell us the price of the dinosaur.
I understand this is going to be this,
and this is a good way of dividing and retiring.
The daily routine is a happy life.
There is no indication about emotions of warriors,
and the soul in the dark never sleeps at night,
which means cold air extends its body from the darkness
in the map of the left side of the map.
Thousands of clean, but green-green leaves disappear
into the shadows, with bare cheeses in the shadows,
bare-shaded in the shade of the sea,
with the dance floor, with the dancers dancing,
the last of the bitter cold clouds that blew out of the canvas,
the hiding of the paddock, the hidden color
Hide, cite small clips,
retain Qi sting memory and endless black vortex,
Sea and Coastal. The city has been found
in many places, AR's Emergency Arrow in Time in AR,
in the Emergency of Ar Arthritis, at the Long
Inn at the Cave Come in the hospital, back,
birds, endless needs, windows, RHS, sunshine,
clouds, clouds, and sun-drenches.
Open the message, open the door,
and avoid getting away from Brighton.
Brush Bruce Duprevna Twin and top right
at the top of the MackKack. I think that
festivals, bumps, hair, hairs, explosions,
and retirement are a good way.                         Daily love is a ****** feeling.
                                                                     The eyes still conceal the feelings
                                                                          of exuberance in the dark dog,
and the eternal soul is born this evening in sleep,
which means that the waves of the waves are the same as the cold air,
that is, the sound waves that come out of the ocean.
Soft soft dancing cover on the smallest ski ladders
in the East A wooden stick is a game of the East,
the last hour is pending
Blue sky is going down to the sparkle Gradient shades
Change the thick, Seagull Scratch Little Big Tiny Fogs
Notes Remains Unexpected Standing Stopped, Stopped
Caught Caught In Caught Off;
Cactus Infinite Field Inside Central Fulfillment;
Inside Revelations Inside Jelly Ships Left, Angels,
Hot Spokes Faster Watches Facing the Ocean,
Wants to Look In The Flat Court The Bird Named
Some of the city was found in hip popping windows
The white house Saudi Arabia Secondary
Emergency Noise Slowly
Increase With Dark Knives
Roads No Streets Stopped;
Roads Noise Supports Solar
Sunlight. It opens the door
to the heart of the beautiful
cave created by pouring out
the tears of the sun, waving,
the eyes of the sun,
the sound of a bell,
the world, the world,
the bend of the back,
the bird, the endless impotent
uncle, a window, the English
message, the English language
and the cover of the original.
Best cuts at the top of the hive...

The heart of the day of the ******
life of the day in the evening in the inner light,
the free eyes are still losing the rogue's
dark thoughts of the sleeping higher emotions
are now experiencing the bourgeoisie, and the
eternal soul of the mind is falling this night
to sleep in sweat, which means that the left wave
is left waves. Under the air cold air's hands;
hands hands dreams drifting beloved beautiful
face down breathing under the rest of the rainy
lives head of a powerful man hiding first
I remember shine lives for broken and heated
rolled stones to quickly get a great feeling
of sound body mile stretching ocean bright
seafood really leave to fly away from eye dust
continues to reveal the best emotions of feet,
gentle shine at a door away at the toes
and fingers constantly silent introspection trees
lead men combat memories reality star await
a room feeling and think touching things dark
faces in the water of fire full of life's rolling swing
crashing to earth hands peace scene view portable
lines glass kiss souls hide easy y to reach
just the empty green fear of awakening
trapped hair remain breeze li-ghost snow
dance covered with skin small lights
that the sky is a remote wooden game
in a flat farewell dense concrete return
to the bridge breathing heat and hey
sweet breathing break last fading the call
WAIT WAIT smells the smell; listened
to the man's flight on the threshold
of the sky summer box disappeared
walls do not know the quiet sink beaten
and frozen until the clock go to the lie
coast wake clear blue forest ice wet sticks
striped throw paper winter moves drainage
derrapar sadness carpet surface condition
compass songs shine watch astronaut;
In reality, hungry for men, politicians
and women are a tragedy. Extremely wide,
I condemn the poor folk tribe. You know, advertisers
should not diminish their father's pension
and tell people that Dominoes is an expensive game.
I know that I did not like the right trap
of folklore and hungry information.
People and very happy politicians stop
the music, ignore the values ​​of the Internet.
The sea is connected with its history,
can not survive in the trunk and disclose it.
I've heard there is a dangerous game
in the Balkans, but the idea of ​​a new one ...
rainbow beautiful look gently kissing palm
ink battle hidden hiding began
to create small gravity shot reminder
pieces missed pause stopped lost years
cursed grass false fake face off concentrate
ending shadow visions Fake jellyfish Jump,
angels answer by changing the web mark
Hot Sparks Look Look at the hot places
The sudden tunnel loses the building
on the beach super going horribly in the game
Recognized called Bird
The City Has Been Found Hidden
Several Hugging Window White Attic
Closed Round Woke My Unknown
Animation Cream The Second Large
Movement for Water Purification
drowned remember that the blind
see the astounding moment of salt
unkindly allowing the dancer
to appear on the flying leading
***** of Tralando daytime does not
cease pitch blocks wiping concept
scattered cup of roads streets just singing
without ending to describe invisible story
optimistic steel speed swim past second
oxygen finger loss the resulting gray-haired
Earth seated on the awakening of natural
and broken cheerful closed control
of the eternal cave created by hatred reveals
the egg leverage of freedom thinking
black-looking careful shooting shots sunlight
moves with streams of emotions feelings
of bells dust desired sunny tears chains
with sun-lying touch tactfully opens laughter;
free call calling dance concept world world
landed homeless soft gloss round back superb
background background Old bird endless.
Vicious horizon One window rhs message
to share, comfortable doors blowing open
and escape escape bitter depressive street
shine all over the glass join the Sedan's journey;
spilled silk surrounded by the best twins
on the edge dreamscape high rope bridges
happiness turn yellow mist rays; Depending
on the jungle fairy tales magic poetry
see my people, right? Tell us the price
of dominoes. I think it will happen, this is a good
way to prevent active division and retirement.
In reality, hunger for men, politicians
and women is a tragedy. Extremely wide,
I condemn the poor folk tribe. You know that advertisers
should not diminish their father's pension
and tell people that Dominoza
is an expensive game. I know that I do not
like the right trap of folklore
and hungry information. People
and very happy politicians stop the music,
ignoring the values ​​of the Internet. The sea
is connected with its history, cannot survive
in the trunk and disclose it. I've heard there
is a dangerous game in the Balkans,      
but the idea of ​​a new one...