We have just had the most lovely (almost relaxing which doesn't happen often!) weekend. On Saturday we set off for a walk at our new favourite spot (see here for info) - the dead animal walk. It was christened the dead shrew walk after out first visit but having spotted a dead bumble bee this time Finn has renamed it!
Don't be put off by the title. It is the most beautiful peaceful little glen - trees, wildflowers, tinkling burn and bridges to cross. If you look back at the photos from our first visit in March the vegetation has changed so much. The trees are now fully out, so much so that the views are actually less spectacular, and the ground vegetation is waist high in places. For me, as a forester, it is just heaven - its an ancient woodland meaning that there has been continuous woodland cover here for thousands of years (probably because it's in a gully so hasn't been cleared for farming or commercial forestry unlike most of the rest of the UK) so the species found here are just wonderful (many plants disappear if the original woodland is removed so just by looking at the mix of plant species here you can tell it is a remnant oak forest).
We walked up to the bridge near the top of the glen and then made our way back down to a little pebbly beach by the burn. After a picnic lunch the kids changed into their water shoes (little neoprene slip-on shoes which we were given as hand-me-downs) - I almost feel as if they shouldn't wear them as it makes life far too easy compared to my watery childhood playing - no stubbed toes and scraped feet on rocks! They had a brilliant time splashing around. Islay made a muddy puddle which she jumped up and down in and the boys waded here and there and explored all around.
Needless to say Angus fell in and was the wettest. Dry clothes and a chittery-bite (biscuit snack to stop the cold chitters) later we headed back down the glen. Angus completed his adventure by tumbling off the path straight into a huge patch of nettles. He ended up being really badly stung on one arm and leg and was very miserable for the rest of the day - once he'd stopped howling hysterically, poor soul.
Yesterday both boys were with friends for the afternoon, normally we keep weekends for family time but this made a nice change, so John and I had some 'speschal' time with Islay including a walk along the river for an ice cream. The house felt so odd without the boys - extremely quiet and much less frenetic....we were twiddling our thumbs and missing them lots by the time they came home.
Mum popped round earlier today with these wonderful flowers courtesy of one of her neighbours whose daughter was married at the weekend. Aren't they wonderful? I'm sadly short of large vases so had to split them up. The scent from the stocks is so sweet. They are such a pretty flower and one of my favourites. And the delphiniums are just so dramatic.
I wonder what your favourite flower is? I think stocks are one of mine, along with sweetpeas and I also love wild flowers such as forget-me-nots, cow parsley and foxglove. I'd love to hear what other people like.
Angus is off school today with a sickness bug. He managed to be sick just as we were setting off for school - I didn't have time to clean it up until we got back, not fun! He seems a bit brighter now and hasn't been sick for a couple of hours so I hope he's on the mend.
Sewing-wise I'm getting on well with the picnic blanket for Al. I need to work on a border for the blocks and then get it basted and quilted - which I'm a bit scared about.
15 comments:
My favourite flowers are daffs, tulips, sweet peas and stocks.. The picnic blanket looks great. I hope that Angus feels better soon :)
Looks like a perfect weekend, sorry to hear it has been topped off by Angus being ill, hope he's feeling better. Seeing the boys together makes me think one looks exactly like you and the other John? We have that with our two, C is a mini-me and photos of M as a child give no doubt who Felix is like.
My flower favourites change by the season, but I am in love with sweet peas at the moment as we have enough to permanently have a bunch in the kitchen and they smell so nice.
Bx
Maria - I love spring bulbs too. So cheery especially at the end of the winter. Juliex
Beth- you are quite right about the boys. Its funny how it can go that way whereas some other families all their children look similar. I'll have a close look at F and C next time you post a photo of them!
With our previous gardens I've always had sweet peas but we have so little space I've decided not to this year. They have been sacrificed for some pots of salad, tomatoes, courgette and potatoes...I thought on the whole the kids would be better to know a bit more about grwing veg than me having sweet peas in the house. Oh well! Juliex
so pretty Julie!
I can't wait until the hubs is working a little less, and we can have weekends again. :)
I love the fabric for the picnic blanket, I am sure it will be great. My fav flowers change by season, dafs and tupips, then sweet peas and roses.
We have the little shoes too, they make life so much easy. Robbie was ill last night too - hmm
Look at that beautiful squishy mud :)
Glorious :)
Tracey - Yes, I guess farming has big downsides in terms of time-off. Hope you get some time with him soon. Juliex
Mrs Mad - Hope Robbie feels better soon. Juliex
Cat - you can't beat a good bit of mud! Juliex
Lovely post. I don't think I could possibly choose a favourite flower - it changes all the time depending on the time of year. The patchwork looks nice, something I'd like to try at some point.
Anne - yes I guess mine probably change through the year too, but I do definitely have favourites that I look forward to especially. Juliex
What a lovely weekend and thanks for all the photos! My all time favourite flowers are sweet peas, and I love roses too and as it happens, I too have stocks in my kitchen at the moment! Isn't it lovely finding great walks like that?
Marguerite - I love finding new walks that we all enjoy and this on ehas so much for all of us. Oh, I forgot about roses. I love old-fashioned scented ones too. Juliex
so much to comment on .... it definately looks like my type of walk and as for the nettles ouch, have you noticed though the lack of dock leaves lately? Favourite flowers , oooh that's a hard one , I love Bougainvillea but there are so many , I've got a big vase of Sweet William at the moment. I hope Angus is better soon and I'm sure you could do something lovely with the organic cotton:-)
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