Tenby Fireman’s Carnival

This is on Wednesday August 3, and there will be things happening all day at Tenby Fire Station. In the evening, about 5pm, there will be a parade through town which everyone can join in, preferably wearing fancy dress. Just make sure you don’t mind getting wet!

Tenby Food Hub

This is designed for everyone to be able to get some reasonably priced fresh food. If you have ordered any vegetables, fruit or salad from the food hub, it will be there to pick up today.

Now, anyone can put an order in which will be delivered on August 12. Go to the Old Chapel in Lower Frog St. Near the back where the Community Fridge is, there is a white ballot box and some forms. You can choose a £5 mix of vegetables, and/or £5 of mixed fruit, and/or £5 of salad. Tick the box, and put it with your money in an envelope and post it in the ballot box. You can rip of a reminder slip so you know to collect it on the 12th! Please let people know about this opportunity.

Jellyfish

There are six types of jellyfish found in the UK. Look out for them on the beach and in the sea but don’t go too close as they sting! You may see a compass, moon, blue or barrel jellyfish, a mauve stinger or a lion’s mane jellyfish. There are more of them around as the sea is warmer so they can travel around a wider area than they used to, and there are fewer fish about to eat them. If you do get stung, seek help from a lifeguard. Soak in sea water, and then in the warmest water you can. Mostly you get intense pain and an itchy rash. If the pain won’t do away, go to the minor injury unit. If you get chest pain, go to A and E!

Beach Channel Tunnel

While you are on the beach looking for jellyfish, why not try this. Everyone needs a tennis ball. Try to build a channel in the sand (buckets and spades are allowed) that the tennis ball will roll down from a fixed starting point to the sea. When everyone is ready, have a race and see whose tennis ball hits the sea first.

Celebrations this week

Muharram is the first month in the Islamic lunar calendar, so July 30 is the first day of the Islamic year. Muharram is the month of remembrance and is the second holiest month after Ramadan. This means rather than a celebration, it is a time for solemn and commemorative events. Perhaps this is a time for considering the resolutions you may have made in January.

Lammas is on August 1 and is a celebration of the first grain harvest of the year. People traditionally took a loaf of bread to church to be blessed, hence loaf mass – lammas. This makes it a good day to have a go at baking your own bread. You don’t necessarily need to use yeast, you can make soda bread.

Lughnasadh is the same day, and is the festival of Lugh, the Celtic sun god. This involved a feast, possibly a bonfire, and often dancing, enjoying the light days as the year slowly edges towards winter and darker days. This could be a good excuse for a barbecue, or for lighting a fire on the beach and toasting marshmallows (remember to make sure it is fully out, everything cleared up and the ash covered in sand before you leave it!). You could celebrate the sun by spending more time outdoors, enjoying the light evenings while you can!

Insect repellent jars

While you are enjoying the sun, keep the little bitey beasties at bay... make your own insect repellent using an old jam jar. Cut a lemon into thick slices and put into the jar. Add some lavender, rosemary or mint leaves if you have some. Add essential oils, about 10 drops of any two out of lavender, eucalyptus, lime, peppermint or lemon, and fill the jar with water. Put a floating candle inside the jar if you like, and put the jar near you in the garden – on a table or flat surface.

Calming Food

If you are feeling a bit harassed, you could try eating a banana or a tomato. These both have plenty of potassium, which is good to balance out the salt in our diet. It encourages respiration and oxygenation of the bloodstream. This all helps you to feel relaxed, and has also been found to increase your energy and cheerfulness! It works best with raw tomatoes, and having some basil or tarragon with them is even more relaxing.

Flower petals

As the flowers start to lose their petals, quickly collect them so that you can dry them. Look in the garden or on the verges. Only pick fallen petals. Lay them carefully on a piece of smooth paper like printer paper or a coffee filter. Cover them with another piece of paper and carefully lay a book on top that covers them completely. Add more books to the pile, or even a brick so they are well weighed down. Leave them for about four weeks. Carefully list up the paper and see if they are completely dry. Now you can use them to make pictures or greetings cards.