The glorious rank of chestnut trees alongside the new Wynnstay Farmers' shop on Lôn Parcwr is again showing signs of disease, with the leaves now starting to become mottled,
as last year. Unlike the bare metal fencing of farther along, these chestnuts soften the hard edges of our industrial estate. Ultimately, though, are they going to be safe?
It must be summer... as demonstrated by this hot air balloon drifting across Rhuthun/Ruthin towards the Clwydian Range of June 29th. May was warm, June hotter and the grass has grown crisp.
In 2013, since it all began again, the (poorly attended) parade and carnival now moves through town to the field in front of Schola Ruthinensis. It does little for the town itself. The Studio was closed, as its proprietrix moved for the day to the school field. On the subject of The Studio, she has closed the access via Clwyd Street and vacated the front portion of her building. It seems she is now only renting the back bit, with an entrance from Upper Clwyd Street.
With thanks to the town council, the usual strong summer feature are the well-kept hanging baskets adorning the town. For the first time, one is at ground level, at Well Street, and it gives an opportunity for people to inspect it more closely.
Talking of flowers and so forth, for a second year, a private citizen has come to the rescue of the otherwise redundant flower border at the old stores at the junction of Park Road and Borthyn. Not only does Andrew Phillips plant out and weed the raised bed, he also tidies up the adjacent shrubbery.
The trunk road agency has added red markings to reinforce the new, extended
30 mph limit through Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd.
Is this the scariest of the scarecrows in Rhuthun's summer scarecrow competition? Note the well-turned ankle! This was the exhibit awarded first prize 2018 by the judges. It may not have been the most intricate or most difficult to construct but it resonated because you-know-who is always in the news.
The history of North East Wales in 100 objects held at Amgueddfa'r Wrecsam/the Wrexham museum displayed a number of interesting artefacts from the Rhuthun area including an urn from Llyn Brenig, a stone head from Llanfair DC, a shoe found during the restoration of Porth y Dŵr and, above, bottles from Rhuthun's former water mineral works.
The new jewellers Ceffi at the former Celf a Chrefft (latterly Deluxe Bathrooms) still maintains its unseal opening hours but is now closing on Mondays. It looks as if Saturday times are now the same as in the week. They are actually less jewellers and more greetings cards, albeit selling hand made ones.
It's sad to report that the fate of Norma Elizabeth looks highly uncertain. Following the death of her husband, the elderly proprietrix is now rarely open. Norma Elizabeth was once in Upper Clwyd Street before moving to Well Street.
As the online and supermarket competition bites into the world of printed news, the Castle Bell newsagent continues to stock trinkets, paper products and anything bar newspapers. It still stocks and indeed delivers newspapers around town. Within, there are 65 magazine titles on sale plus a small range of four or five papurau lleol Cymraeg.
