![Country House](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/169/424563938_ba6b207fe6.jpg)
the house itself with a few of the outlying buildings - almost like a castle! And the grass is still green - in February!
![Country House 2](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/165/424563910_9f2ebc10c4.jpg)
a view of the front of the house itself
![front lawn](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/155/424566812_0e2f84c918.jpg)
a view from the front door - I love the look of the tree. There's a little river just over the rise in the background
![River Wye](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/188/424568170_0c71cbe490.jpg)
speaking of the little river
![river pebbles](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/164/424569250_3fb3b20722.jpg)
with a nice, pebbly bottom.
![Stephen and Lief](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/178/424570551_3801cc5627.jpg)
Stephen and Leif debating the flora
![little yellow flower](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/181/424572017_384f98edc3.jpg)
that was covered in little yellow flowers
![old man river](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/163/424574495_d4d3a47fd7.jpg)
looking over the edge of a little bridge at a stream feeding into the river
![moss and wire](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/162/424575929_d21e5bfd4e.jpg)
an artsy inclination
![little bridge on the Wye](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/157/424573520_8f2df9639e.jpg)
the little bridge and stream itself!
![River Wye 2](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/175/424577463_032f490103.jpg)
flowing into the river
![boys walking](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/180/424579050_d25eb290fa.jpg)
boys walking over the bridge and into the woods
![mossy tree](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/159/424580559_7d56fbe6ed.jpg)
a fabulous mossy tree
![rivulet](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/182/424583519_efef3ca064.jpg)
and another little rivulet. No wonder it's so green here!
![path](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/164/424586165_cd5e57b0c7.jpg)
and heading back to the house
Later on that afternoon, another group of us headed off to watch Welsh Red Kites at a nearby feeding station. We all hid in blinds so that the birds would feel less threatened and settled down to watch the show. We were prepared for there to be fewer birds and perhaps less activity since it was winter, but we weren't disappointed. The birds were incredible.
![kites 1](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/243/444145245_edeef8c45d.jpg)
a kite (left) coming in behind a flock of crows
![kites 2](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/153/444143577_24d5a1849f.jpg)
circling. . .
![kites 3](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/215/444135201_6020ab6ca7.jpg)
getting closer. . .
![kites 8](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/179/444142141_690e8a28e7.jpg)
and so it begins
![kites 7](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/246/444134436_f43a4a048c.jpg)
![kites 9](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/223/444136513_0e9050f73c.jpg)
![kites 10](http://farm1.staticflickr.com/190/444140013_61a6db8721.jpg)
we weren't the only ones watching the show
All in all it lasted just over two hours, and it was quite fantastic. I highly reccomend it for anyone who finds themselves in Wales.
From there it was back to the Big House for Sally's birthday party followed by a lazy Sunday and the train back to London. Not a whole lot to report, but a really wonderful taste of Wales - we'll definitely be going back!!