A midsummer evening's stroll

The day before the summer solstice I took my camera and went for a little evening stroll.  I left the other half in charge of sending the biggest boy to bed at 8.30pm and set off down the road towards the streamside walk.

I may have said it before, but I do so love this time of year when everything is so very green; before it starts to get a bit dry and brown and fall over, and when the lush growth is peaking.  From the path you can hardly see the stream (in the bottom right-hand corner of the picture).  So very different from a couple of months ago.

Along to the end and up the road towards the church, past this lovely building and a profusion of cottage garden flowers.

The castle is just behind the church, and you can glimpse it from the road.

It's a beautiful Tudor building, begun in 1511.  Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn stayed here in 1535, so it has a real sense of history about it.  It's a luxury hotel now, but every so often events are held for the local children here.  I've been to a Beavers ceremony there in winter, in front of a huge roaring fire, with a long oak table and silver candlesticks and tales of ghosts.  And last Hallowe'en there was a fantastic free party with a witch treasure hunt and apple bobbing and all sorts of wonderfulness.  We always feel incredibly privileged to visit such a stunning historic building.

Onwards we go, past the church.

The graveyard is beautiful, especially in the quiet evening air.

On past the entrance to the castle and a lovely climbing summer rose...

past the little meadow opposite the church...

... and past the old grammar school.

Then we've reached the high street.

In between the usual shops are a few treasures - a wonderful little deli and the local wool shop for example.

Then we've pretty much reached the end of town.

These are the last houses in town, and just opposite are the allotments.

Over to the right are the playing fields, the park with its little paddling pool, football pitches and tennis courts.  On a clearer day you can see Wales in the distance, beyond the river.

Time to turn left and head back through town.

Past the town museum - how wonderful is this tiny place?!  And past many lovely gardens.

The town loves its flowers, and always does well in the Britain in Bloom competition.  Last year it was awarded Champion of Champions, which was such a wonderful testament to the amazing people who give up hours and hours of their time to raise funds and do the hard work that it entails.  There are flowers in all sorts of places, not just bedding plants and hanging baskets, but in little borders and small plots there are shrubs and cottage garden planting.

And it really struck me on the walk home how many people have made a huge effort with their front gardens.  I didn't feel I could blatantly take photos, but really there were some amazingly beautiful plots.  Very inspirational; it certainly makes me feel I need to make an effort with mine, which is very bare.  These cottages only have tiny front gardens, but they are wonderful nonetheless - something simple and green is completely transformational.

Anyway, that was my wander on Thursday evening, I hope you enjoyed coming along.  I got home at about 9.30pm.  The biggest boy jumped up guiltily from the table where he was reading in the (almost) dark and professed to have no idea that it was long past 8.30pm.  Other half was bemused by the whole incident until I reminded him that he was supposed to send biggest boy to bed an hour ago...   It's cub camp this weekend, so I am expecting even more tiredness tomorrow evening.  And judging by the shipping forecast, this may be The Year The Tents Blew Away.  I'll let you know.

Happy Feather's Day from our nest to yours

Father's Day round here was a quiet affair.  Mostly due to the fact that the tummy bug had worked it's way around to me by Saturday night, via the two littlest boys, and by Sunday all I was capable off was low level moaning in a darkened room.  Home-made cards were made and given, and daddy had the pleasure of a day with his boys all to himself.  Instead of his planned day of the second day of the local golf club championship.  Oh dear.  Baked beans were heated, oven chips were roasted and all was well.  The littlest boy made regular trips upstairs to "look after" me, which involved more bouncing than I might have chosen, but he was also very sweet and snuggly so I won't complain.

Saturday was a quiet home day, as smaller people regained their strength.  Whilst pottering in the garden, we found this...

The first strawberry of the season.  And only lightly grazed by slugs.  It was still a little green underneath, but it's almost there.  It's a Gariguette, and is slightly earlier than the Cambridge Favourites I have.  The Honeoye are also just starting to redden.  Must be almost time for Wimbledon I think.

The grapes have a bit further to go though.

This is the first flower on a new rose I planted last year.  It looked like it was going to be pink, so I was happy when it turned out to be white as expected - Madame Alfred Carriere - beautiful.  I have grand plans of it covering a fence, but there's a long way to go. 

Inside there's been fabric. 

I'm loving the colours in these and the nature-inspired designs.  Just right for a quilt featuring birds and trees.

The pile of squares is slowly growing.  Some of this fabric is so lovely I think I shall have to come up with another project for it as well.

Right now I'm happy to be quietly working away on simple squares though, watching a little television and getting back to full strength.  Enjoy your week.

A pond of one's own

It's been a quiet few days here.  Friday evening was the school fete, complete with a falconry display which was wonderful, and which the oldest boy, an avid birder, adored.  This magnificent eagle owl was the star of the show, and the oldest boy was lucky enough to have him flown to his arm.  He was absolutely thrilled.

A little birthday celebrating took place on Saturday afternoon with the littlest boy and some little chums.  But then on Saturday night the middle boy came down with a tummy bug, so we've been quietly at home ever since.  It's been lovely not to be rushing around everywhere, except for the school run for the others.  There's been loads of reading and Lego-ing and this afternoon the two of us spent some time working out how to play a particularly complex board game that we've had for a while.  I do love having him at home with me.  I wonder how long I can keep him...

Today I had a leisurely wander round the garden.  Everything is really growing fast now.  There are pears this year (last year there were none), and different types of strawberries at different stages - Honeoye have green fruit while Cambridge Favourite have flowers.  The tayberry is looking good and there are bees all over both that and the raspberries.  Broad beans are appearing and the peas are taking off.  I put strings up for them at the weekend, and I find it magical that the next time I looked their little tendrils had found the strings and were clinging on.  Amazing.  I am panicking a bit that I haven't planted much at the allotment yet, and it is already mid-June.  But that will all have to wait until another day.  Right now I am tired (there was a severe lack of sleep on Saturday night and I haven't caught up yet) and I need to sit and sew for a while.  It's my form of meditation I think.  I'll share a picture or two of that soon.  Meanwhile I shall leave you with a another frog. 

They are quite shy little things, but I swear this one was sunbathing at the edge of the pond.  As you can see, it is not the most attractive pond in the world, but the froggies don't seem to mind - it does the job.  There are far fewer ponds around than there used to be, I guess they are just happy to have found one of their very own.

Hedgerow flowers, a blue quilt and nature in all its gory

A few flowers from the hedgerow, as suggested by Lou at Little Green Shed.  I found these at the allotment - ivy, buttercups, self-seeded aquilegia and my favourite hawthorn.  The best things in life are indeed free.

I took advantage of the warmer weather to wash the littlest boy's quilt yesterday.  It is a pattern he chose himself, and it came in kit form.  To be honest the kit wasn't great, and I had to buy extra fabric as some of the pieces supplied weren't the right colour or were too floral.  But the end result was okay, and he was happy as a clam, so all was well.

So nice to get this on the line drying in the sun.   I've also been scurrying around the garden and the allotment, weeding and planting and being busy.  Radishes are almost ready.  I love them, especially the first crisp, juicy ones at the start of the season.  They are the first thing I ever remember growing as a child.  So quick, so easy, and a necessity in a summer salad.

If I ever had time to sit down in the garden, this is where I would sit.  These are the pots that have (so far) avoided being smashed by flying footballs.  Next to the bench is a little bright pink rose which is nearly out.  Then there's a big pot of herbs, with some golden oregano which always has a vibrant acid green colour and some figs, which are my all-time favourites.  I love everything about figs and I always get excited when I find a fig tree somewhere.  There used to be one in the centre of Bristol, and I always looked at it on my way to work.  I wondered who planted it and when.  And I was so upset when it was ripped out in the name of "improvements".   Along the front there is a little white camellia (next to the bench), a hosta, some marjoram and an olive.   On either side there are also blueberries, and I love watching the bees on them at this time of year. 

The boys prefer their nature slightly more in the raw.  A short conversation I overheard this morning went something like this.

Biggest boy:  "There's a dead snail in the pond and there are tadpoles eating it!"

Middle boy:  "Cool."

Boys.  It reminds me of the bit at the zoo where the river otters are.  They are fed with dead chicks and rats and fish with their heads on.  The rocks in their enclosure are often strewn with ripped off limbs and entrails.  And all along the fence is a row of small boys with their noses pressed in excitement to the plexi glass window.  It's wonderful indeed.

I think we need another flower after that. 

Up on the hill the field has changed colour from green to gold.  Summer is here, and it is all wonderful.  Even the gory bits.

The school run, the park and the magic of five

Life at the moment is in transition.  I know that change is coming.  Change is not something I particularly like; I am a creature of habit, a homebody, and I can feel the prickle of anxiety right now.   I am trying not to let it take over, and I am just enjoying the simple everyday things that make up most of our lives here.

The school run this morning was blissful.  Warm sunshine, cheerful boys, plenty of time, nothing forgotten.  The sky was blue, blue, blue.

The littlest boy had an extra spring in his step, because at long last, after months of not-so-patient waiting, the day had finally arrived.  He was five!

Hard to express how happy he was.  He had a little bicycle, a kite, some books and some Lego and oh, he was excited.  We fairly flew to school.

If it's not too wet we walk through this playing field and down towards the church and the castle.  It was just glorious today in the sun.

I tried to soak it all up and store the memories.  I know that one day it's likely I won't be walking these little people to school every day, and it suddenly seems so important to remember it all.  Even the days when it's raining and windy and we're late and everyone is shouty and cross.  Because those days are precious too and I know I will miss them.

After school there was another birthday parcel to open, one that came in the post while the littlest boy was at school.  Then there was tea and a cake with homemade strawberry jam and a trip to the park to try out the kite.  It is a Brookite, which is supposed to be tough and fly well, and I have to say it was fantastic.

All in all a wonderful day.  Is there anything better than being five I wonder?

Yew are so nice

Half term has come and gone in a flurry of picnics, little adventures and general small boy mayhem.  An afternoon was spent at Nailsworth, where I spotted this wonderful yew tree.  I have a bit of a thing for yews; they are so tough, often incredibly old and they grow in all sorts of places and in all sorts of shapes.  I've got a couple of little ones in pots - I forgot to mention that they are also rather pricey, so they are only small - but one day maybe they'll be like this beautiful specimen.

Nailsworth is a lovely little town, full of wonderful old buildings, like this one with its fantastic wonky roof.  Well worth a visit.

Another place well worth a visit is Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.  Last week was Downy Duckling week, with tours of the duckling hatchery and the behind-the-scenes part of the property.  Firstly we got to see eggs illuminated so that we could see how far along the duckies inside were.  The children even got to listen to one that was about to hatch.

Then we went inside to see the brand new ducklings - some that had hatched that day and plenty that were just a few days old.  Honestly, is there anything cuter - oh so downy, with great big feet and dear little wings and funny little beaks.  The tour guide told us before we went in, "I won't bother giving you any information in here because you won't hear a word I say, you'll be too busy ooh-ing and aah-ing."  He was right.

Then there was the outside bit, where the ducklings are put after a couple of weeks.  The ones that like to dive have nice deep tanks.  It was sunny the day we were there, and it looked blissful.  The whole thing is covered with net to keep out predators and they have comfortable pens to go in when they've had enough swimming.  It was beautifully run and maintained, and I'm glad we managed to visit this year during the duckling week.

We finished the holiday week with a Sunday afternoon picnic at Portishead.  It's one of our favourite parks - loads of open space, a nice play area and a boating lake.  I took the boys out in a rowing boat and we just about managed not to fall in.  There was lots of changing seats and rather uneven attempts at rowing.  We did get in a bit of a pickle a couple of times, and the middle boy managed to whack someone in another boat in the back with a dripping wet oar.  Oops.  There was of course football, also cricket, sandwiches, crisps and cookies.  It was lovely, in the way that only a tranquil Sunday spent in the sun on the grass with those you love can be.

The route home follows the river upstream.  This is the view from the main road.  You can just about see the original Severn Bridge to the right of the picture.  I never tire of this view; in any season it's wonderful.

And then it was all over and off they all went to school, leaving me with mud, dust, crumbs and a pile of laundry.  Oh, and a frog.  When I was tying in a rogue raspberry cane, he lept out and scared the life out of me.  I am so not ready for a whole pondful of froglets.  What was I thinking???