Helo Gyfeillion y Gwanwyn!

Rydym wedi cael cychwyn gwych eleni. Mae 'na 177 o ysgolion a 6,339 o ddisgyblion yn cymryd rhan yn arolwg Bylbiau'r Gwanwyn i Ysgolion, 2015-16.

Mae pob disgybl sy'n cymryd rhan yn y project wedi plannu eu cennin Pedr a chrocws a labelu eu pot. Mae ysgolion wedi bod yn defnyddio'r thermomedr a mesurydd glaw a ddarperir gan y project i gymryd darlleniadau tywydd ar bob diwrnod ysgol, ac wedi bod yn rhannu eu canlyniadau ar wefan Amgueddfa Cymru.

Gallwch weld y canfyddiadau hyd yn hyn ar dudalen we y project Bylbiau'r Gwanwyn i Ysgolion.

Mae'r canlyniadau ar gyfer pob ysgol sy'n cymryd rhan yn cael eu darlunio gan graffiau. Mae'r wefan wedi cael ei golygu eleni i gynnwys canlyniadau o flynyddoedd blaenorol. Mae hyn yn golygu y gall ysgolion weld sut mae eu data yn cymharu â blynyddoedd blaenorol!

Eleni cymerodd ysgolion yng Nghymru ran yn 'Cystadleuaeth Ffotograffiaeth Diwrnod Plannu’ Ymddiriedolaeth Edina. Anfonodd ysgolion lawer o luniau hyfryd, ac roedd hi’n anodd iawn i ddewis dim ond 5 enillydd. Gallwch weld y lluniau i gyd ar dudalen Twitter project Bylbiau Gwanwyn: @Professor_Plant

Mae llawer o gwestiynau a sylwadau diddorol wedi cael eu hanfon mewn gyda'r data wythnosol. Mae’r cwestiynau a’r atebion i’w gweld isod.

Daliwch ati Gyfeillion y Gwanwyn!

Athro'r Ardd

Eich cwestiynau, fy atebion:

Stonehouse Primary School: Tuesday was a strange day for weather. It was frosty in the morning but in the afternoon all the children had their coats off because it was so hot. Ysgol Pentrefoelas: Mae hi wedi bod yn gynnes wythnos yma a nin chwarae allan heb ddim cot. Professor Plant: Helo Ysgol Pentrefoelas a Stonehouse Primary. Yn yr wythnos gyntaf o gofnodi’r tywydd, fe wnaethoch chi’ch dau nodi ei bod yn ddigon cynnes i chwarae tu allan heb gotiau. Dyna lwcus! Roedd llawer o ysgolion eraill wedi cael glaw a barrug! Mae’n ddiddorol bod y ddwy ysgol mor bell o’i gilydd a bod un ohonoch ar yr arfordir (Conwy) a’r llall yn bell o’r môr (De Swydd Lanark). Am dywydd od ym mis Tachwedd – mae cennin Pedr wedi blodeuo yng Nghernyw! Mae’r cennin Pedr yn blodeuo yn gynharach yng Nghernyw am ei bod yn gynhesach yno, ond roedden nhw’n dal fis yn gynnar! Tybed fydd ein planhigion ni’n gynharach nag arfer eleni?

School: Hi, I'm unsure as we are recording the amount of rain- do we need to water the plants ourselves? Professor Plant: Hello, thank you for your question. Yes, please do water your plants twice a week if they look like they need it. You won’t need to water them on days where it has rained enough that the soil is moist.

St David's RC Primary School: It was sunny at the start of the week and then the rain came and got heavier and heavier through the week and it was terrible weather for us. We had to stay inside through the rest of the week it was awful weather we had on Wednesday Thursday and Friday. We did not like the weather, did you have good weather where you are or bad weather because we didn't have very good weather it was horrible it was very, very, very boring for us because we had to stay in side for 2 weeks isn't that boring Mr Plant what would you do if you stayed inside for 2 weeks. Professor Plant: Dear St David’s RC Primary, I’m sorry to hear you had such awful weather during the first week of the project. I hope it has improved! I will look at your weather reading now to see! Inside for two weeks! I would probably read lots of books if I had stay indoors that long. There are some things you can read on the Spring Bulbs website. When you are next stuck indoors why not have a look for the ‘Life of a Plant – make your own Origami booklet’ resource on my website!

Severn Primary: We had an INSET day on Monday November 2nd, so we didn't take any readings. It wasn't really 0degrees. Ysgol Mair: On Monday 2nd November we were not in school so have no data but we were not able to record 'no record'. Professor Plant: Dear Severn Primary & Ysgol Mair, I’m sorry you weren’t able to record your inset day. We had a slight blip with the website where the ‘no record’ button wasn’t working. In future please record all days where there are no readings as ‘no record’. Thank you for spotting that readings of 0degrees can affect the results and for letting me know Bulb Buddies!

Betws Primary School: We collected the data for our class. It was warm and sunny at the start of the week. We had a lot of rain on Thursday and Friday. Our bulbs should be happy! Professor Plant: Well done Betws Primary. Keep up the good work.

Castlepark Primary School: P6 were very enthusiastic about keeping track of the temperature and rainfall this week. They felt like real scientists and are ready to show another class how to record the details next week. Professor Plant: Fantastic Castlepark Primary. I’m glad you are learning new skills through the project and that you are having so much fun doing so. You really are Super Scientists!

St. Oswalds V A School: We are worried about having a true reading on a Monday if it has rained over the weekend. Shall we empty the rain gauge Monday morning and take the rainfall measurement as normal? Professor Plant: Hi St Oswalds. That’s a good question, well done for thinking about the effect this has on Monday’s results. The reading on Monday afternoon will include any residual (left over) rain fall from the weekend. Please don’t empty the rain gauge before taking Monday’s reading, as we want the reading to reflect the weather over at least the last 24 hours. Keep up the good work bulb buddies.

Our Lady of Peace Primary School: Hello we had fun planting the bulbs. It wasn't the first time we have planted something. We have planted spider plants in primary 1. Hopefully our plants come up healthy. Good bye. Professor Plant: Hello Our Lady of Peace Primary, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed planting! You sound like experienced gardeners now! Keep up the good work!

Drumpark Primary ASN School: We have had fun taking data. Professor Plant: I’m glad to hear it Drumpark Primary. Keep up the good work!

Biggar Primary School: We are enjoying the experiments. Professor Plant: I’m glad to hear you are enjoying the project Biggar Primary. For more experiment ideas look for ‘Professor Plant’s investigation Ideas’ on the Spring Bulbs website: https://www.museumwales.ac.uk/spring-bulbs/

Maesycoed Primary: A very mild start to the season. Our year group is split into two classes with a different facing outdoor area. We are monitoring the effects the other class experience against our own as we have more sunlight then they do but they are more sheltered. We will let you know if their flowers appear first. Professor Plant: Fantastic experiment Maesycoed Primary! Please do let me know what your findings are and what you learn from them! This also gives you an opportunity to practice averages. As only one reading a day is needed on the Museum website, you could look at the readings taken by each class and work out the average to enter to the website! Keep up the good work Bulb Buddies.

Brisbane Primary School: Our Monday reading is collated over the weekend. We are taking our readings at 2.30pm Mon - Frid. Thank you Professor Plant. Professor Plant: Hello Brisbane Primary, thank you for your up-date. It’s great that you are managing to take your readings at the same time each day, as this helps to ensure a fair experiment. Keep up the good work Bulb Buddies.

This month Amgueddfa Cymru acquired an example of a Prestcold ‘Packaway’ domestic fridge. This fridge was made in Swansea in the 1960s, and was bought new by the donor’s mother and used until only 18 months ago. It still works perfectly! The donation also included the original manual along with a recipe book.

These four lamp checks have been added to the collection this month. They are from Britannia, Deep Navigation, Oakdale and Cwm Collieries. Lamp checks (or 'tokens' or 'tallies') were used to let colliery management know who was in work, and were essential in informing rescue services who was underground during an incident such as a fire or explosion. If you would like to know more about colliery checks and token there is an interesting article here on our website. You can also see many more examples from our collection here on our 'Images of Industry' online catalogue. 

Also this month we received a brick to add to the large collection of Welsh manufactured bricks held at the National Collections Centre. It was found in tipped debris on the former Cyfarthfa Willows cinder tip, Merthyr Tydfil. The brick was manufactured at the Cyfarthfa iron & steel works between about 1890-1910.

Finally this month, we acquired a framed aerial photograph of Cefn Hirgoed opencast coal site was taken in the 1960s, and was at one time on display in the opencast office building. The close up view gives you a better idea of what the site once looked like.

Yn ei dyddiadur yr wythnos hon, mae Kate Rowlands yn nodi fod ‘Bob Lloyd wedi codi côr i fynd i’r Bala’. Mae Bob Lloyd yn fwy adnabyddus i ni fel Llwyd o’r Bryn (1888 - 1961) – eisteddfodwr o fri, aelod o Barti Tai'r Felin a sylfaenydd Cymdeithas y Llawr Dyrnu. Mewn cyfweliad hanes llafar â Minwel Tibbott yn 1970, soniodd Kate am ddiwylliant arbennig ei milltir sgwâr a bywyd cymdeithasol ardal y 'pethe'. Erbyn hyn, roedd Kate wedi ymadael â'r Sarnau ac yn byw yn Rhyduchaf, ger y Bala. Dyma grynodeb o’r sgwrs.

Sut gymdeithas oedd yn y Sarnau yn eich hamser chi?

Di-guro ynde, dyne’r gair fyswn i’n ddeud. Wedyn mi ddoth yn y blynyddoedd cymharol ddiweddar, mi ffurfiwyd y Llawr Dyrnu’n Sarne, a chal tair eglwys i uno efo’i gilydd. A mai’n dal’n llewyrchus ddychrynllyd eto 'fyd. Yndi, dyna’i cymdeithas nhw, Llawr Dyrnu ma nhw’n galw hi.

Pa adeg ffurfiwyd honno?

Tua nineteen… alla i’m deud. Rhoswch chi ddau funud wan i fi sidro. Yn y nineteen thirties siwr gen i. Ond cyn hynny, gneud ein cymdeithas odden ni. O’ ne bopeth yn y Sarne amser honno yn de. O’dd hi’n gymdeithas … cymdeithas y capel… Ddoth na lawer iawn o farddoni… yn y Sarne te a mai’n dal felly eto ma’n siwr. Ddoth yr WEA ’fyd yn Sarne’n flodeuog iawn, iawn yn de… O gynny nhw athrawon yn WEA. Dw i’n cofio I. B. Griffith yn athraw a gynno fo dros ddeugien yn’i ddosbarth yn Sarne…

Beth fydde yn cael ’i gynnal, hanes?

Ie, hanes. Probleme yr oes w’chi, probleme cyfoes a rwbeth debyg… Y tair blynedd ola ro’n i’n Ty Hen, ddaru mi gadw’r cwbwl heb golli dim cofiwch. Thirty six o ddosbarthiade.

Beth fydde pobol yn neud gyda’r nos yn eu cartrefi?

Wn i’m be fydda nhw’n neud, cofiwch. O’dd na ryw ysbryd iach ofnadwy… Fydde ryw swperi yn ffasiwn ofnadwy chi, mynd i gartrefi gilydd. Wn i’m be fydde nhw’n neud yno. Dw i’m yn meddwl bydde nhw’n deud ’im byd drwg am neb.

Oedd na gymdeithas glos yn Sarne?

Oedd ardderchog, bob amser. Dw i’n dal i ddeud eto mai’r Seiat a’r Cwarfod Plant, dene o’dd yn byd ni wch chi’n te. Pawb yn mynd yno chi, pawb mynd yno te. O’dd neb yn meddwl peidio… pawb yn mynd i bob peth. Dydi ’di newid dwch.

Mae tymor y sgarff a’r esgidiau glaw, yr het a’r hances boced, yn agosáu.  Er bod yn ofalus wrth wisgo’n glyd a chynnes mae bron yn anochel y byddwn yn dioddef rywbryd yn ystod y misoedd nesaf o un neu ragor o anhwylderau’r tymor. 

Meddyginiaethau Gwerin

Erbyn hyn, mae’n ddigon hawdd dod o hyd i foddion i esmwytho llawer salwch, ond cyn ymddangosiad y fferyllfa ar y stryd fawr, byddai pobl gyffredin Cymru yn troi at feddyginiaethau gwerin i wella mân afiechydon ac anafiadau. 

Casgliad yr Archif Sain

Yn Archif Sain Amgueddfa Werin Cymru ceir casgliad hynod o ddiddorol o recordiadau yn ymwneud â meddyginiaethau traddodiadol, rhai â sail wyddonol a rhai eraill braidd yn anoddach i’w llyncu! 

Felly, os nad ydych am fentro allan trwy’r gwynt a’r glaw i wario arian ar becyn o dabledi neu botel o rhyw gymysgedd gostus, dyma rai syniadau am sut i ddefnyddio eitemau cyffredin o’r cwpwrdd bwyd (ac un hylif corfforol!) i gadw’n iach tan y gwanwyn.

I Wella Annwyd

Rhowch beint o gwrw casgen ar y tân.  Rhowch bedair llond llwy fwrdd o siwgr brown a dwy llond llwy de o sunsur ynddo.  Gadewch iddo ferwi a’i yfed cyn gynted â phosibl a mynd yn syth i’r gwely.  Os nad oes cwrw yn y tŷ dylid yfed llaeth enwyn ac ychydig o driog ynddo neu gymysgedd o fêl, menyn a finegr.

I Wella Gwddf Tost

Rhowch hosan wlân a wisgwyd am y troed trwy’r dydd am y gwddf a’i gadw yno trwy’r nos.  Cofiwch roi troed yr hosan (y darn mwyaf budr) yn agos i’r llwnc er mwyn “dal y chwys”.  Gellir hefyd roi saim gŵydd neu sleisen neu ddwy o gig moch yn yr hosan os oes peth ar gael.

I Wella Clust Dost

Rhowch winwnsyn yn y ffwrn i gynhesu ac yna rhoi canol y winwnsyn yn y glust gan ofalu bod y darn yn ddigon mawr i’w dynnu allan eto.  Os nad oes winwnsyn gennych gellir rhoi peth olew yr olewydd wedi ei gynhesu ar wadin yn y glust, neu os nad oes olew yn y tŷ, gellir defnyddio eich dŵr eich hun.

I Wella Llosg Eira

Dylid chwipio’r llosg gyda chelyn nes bod y croen yn gwaedu.  Os nad yw hyn yn apelio, dylid mynd allan i gerdded yn yr eira yn droednoeth neu dorri winwnsyn yn ei hanner, rhoi peth halen ar y toriad ac yna ei rwbio ar y croen sydd wedi ei effeithio.

Wel, dyna ni.  Digon o feddyginiaethau i’ch cadw yn hapus ac yn iach dros y misoedd i ddod!

Ac i gloi, gair o gyngor i’r merched.  Dyma bennill a gofnodwyd oddi ar lafar yn Llanfachreth, Dolgellau, yn 1977:

            Pan dry’r hen gath ddu ei thîn ar y tân,

            Tynn allan dy bais dew, mae’n rhy oer i bethau mân.

In the last blog I outlined (very briefly!) what museum conservators do. Recently we (that is, the conservation team at Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales) had an opportunity to present ourselves and our work directly to the community during an Open Day. And the day gave us as many interesting insights as it did the public.

This was the first ever Conservators Open Day held at National Museum Cardiff. First up, the day was not a flop: almost 4,000 people came to the museum that day; for comparison, the daily average over the year is approximately 1,200 visitors, so the turnout was good. In fact, it exceeded all expectations. You could say we were happy with that.

The offer on the day had included an insight into every branch of the museum’s conservation. The furniture conservator brought a real harpsichord and explained how it had been repaired recently. The paintings conservator demonstrated how she restores paintings. The natural history conservators asked our visitors how a damaged stuffed peacock should be conserved – and they are now working on applying these suggestions so that the peacock will soon be presentable again. Here is a little summary with many photos giving an impression of the day.

So we know that people are interested in our work and how we go about preserving heritage. But what exactly does that mean? Are conservators really being confused with conservationists, and did people go home having learned what the difference really is? Museums are about learning – so we would like to know if this works. Some big questions – we wanted to know the answers and undertook some research in the form of event evaluation.

The results of the evaluation indicated that many people had come specifically to see this event (the marketing is working), and almost all enjoyed it (our offer was good). This is good to know and gives us some direction for the organisation of future events. What surprised us was to find that most people knew who museum conservators are and what they do – apparently we do not get confused with the people who look after pandas (who also do incredibly valuable work). Not only that, but 100% of our respondents said that the care of collections is one of the most important roles of museums.

An important answer in many ways. It makes conservators – who spend most of their time hidden behind the scenes, working on their own in a laboratory or windowless store, where it is easy to get a sense of isolation – feel valued for the many hours of painstaking work. More importantly, it suggests that the community cares deeply about its heritage, and appreciates that there is somebody who looks after it on their behalf.

We all need our heritage. It defines who we are. It is a reference point for our values. It anchors us in our roots. But it’s not as easy as handing your grandfather’s watch to the museum and putting it on a shelf. Things fall apart without proper care, and once an object is lost we cannot simply buy a new one from a supermarket/antiques shop/ebay. Together with the object the story is lost, and a piece of history gone.

Conservators are key in the museum sector’s work of maintaining the link between objects and history, values and identity. Our visiting public are aware of this and know to value it. Does that mean we can stop holding Open Days? Absolutely not: according to the evaluation, no visitor went away not having learned anything, and now that curiosity has been awakened the majority want to find out more. In fact, two thirds of visitors want conservators to be more visible in public spaces. This is what we are now working on – so watch out in our galleries and you might just see more of us soon.

Find out more about care of collections at Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales here.