Happiness is...

...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!