...camping and fresh strawberries
We went camping last weekend. It was great... a big gang of kids ranging from 11 to nearly 2. Lots of space to play, no rain and even some sunshine(!). We barbecued, we toasted marshmallows, we talk, ate, drank, played guitar and UNO.
There were skylanterns floating high overhead on our first evening. After the third we thought we would go and investigate. They were handing them out and the kids got to release some too. They were made out of paper, rather like those paper lamp shades you can get. A fuel cell (for lack of a better word) was lit at the bottom and they had to stand there and wait until the hot-air-balloon section had filled with enough hot air. Then on the count of three (it took about three people to hold it it was so big!) they let go and it floated quickly up into the night sky. Then the wind took it and blew it away... it was beautiful to watch.
I have just been out strawberry picking for the first time this year. I went to our usual Castle Eden farm (07802 910255)
last week, and there was a sign saying 'next week'. So I went back today, and voila!They had changed the field though, which surprised me, and when I talked to the girl she said that the late frost had caught most of the flowers on the old field. The field the were picking from this year was the maiden plants which weren't supposed to be 'brought online' until next year, but needs must. And as maidens they were holding their own. You could tell that they were young plants and that it was early in the season, but I still managed to get myself a basket without much trouble. So hopefully there will be some left over to make some strawberry icecream with my new icecream maker!
1. My Dad has gone home now.2. It is also raining in Barbados, before you get all jealous of him.3. The temperature has gone down from 28C to 12C since Saturday.4. My garden is looking decidedly bedraggled after All. That. Rain!5. I killed about 30 snails on Sunday night.
6. I also spotted a hedgehog eating leftover Yorkshire Puddings I had thrown out for the birds!So not all bad. But could be better/warmer/dryer. After all, it is JUNE, people!
We've had such a great Half Term. The weather was wonderful. Warm and sunny and just perfect. My Dad was with us for the whole week, all the way from Barbados! He had been over visiting the continent and exploring the Alps with friends, and a visit to us was the grand finale before heading home in a few days. So it was wonderful that the weather co-operated and the boys were off school. It all came together nicely. We even had my Aunt come and visit too, for the first time since before Christmas, so that was special too. Since the weather was so extraordinarily good we made the most of it and went out walking in the hills and countryside around us.
We introduced them to Geocaching, which we don't do a lot, but we really enjoy it when we do manage to get out and do it. When you have time, and lovely places to explore, as we did, it's perfect. We went on old favourite walks, and looked for 'treasure', and we went on new walks in places we had only driven past on the way to somewhere else and found Treasure. We watched the wind rippling across green fields. We watched tractors mowing hay. Making hay while the sun shone. We smelled the gorse and marvelled at the incongruity of the Malibu-Beach coconut suntan lotion smell in the North York Moors. We listened to larks and tried to spot them against the deep blue sky. We ate ice-cream and picnics and lay on the grass surrounded by wild-flowers.It was a wonderful week spent in beautiful places with dearly loved family in gorgeous weather. I can only hope your week has been as good as ours.
