In May and June, before high season kicks off, before the schools close and the families come to colonise the holiday cottages, we get Pembrokeshire to ourselves. We get the wide beaches, bouncy grass headlands and secret coves between steep slices of cliff, all to ourselves.

We take picnics to the coast path and gaze out at the colour changing sea and the panorama of cloudscapes, we wander the woods where the bluebells are fading and the ferns are taking over and we discover strange shells, twisted driftwood and jewel hued pebbles at the high tide mark. Nick tries to take them all home, but the pebbles are only jewels when the sea kisses them, they dry to a uniform dullness away from the waves.

Early summer saw us revisiting St Davids, taking a jet boat trip out to the islands of Skomer and Ramsay with the Thousand Island Expedition, playing in the wild water of The Bitches at Ramsay Sound, watching puffins, with their wings of fury, take off from the bays, visiting Stackpole walled gardens and quay, Carew Castle and tidal mill and generally getting back in touch with the coast and all it offers.

Apart from the out and abouts we also kept working on home, still in the garden, which is starting to come together and generally letting the dogs enjoy the space and freedom that they have here. They love the meadow behind the house, playing in the long grass, digging for voles and we relax more and more as we watch them enjoy themselves.