The sunniest and warmest day of the year so far happily coincided with the tenth birthday of the middlest apprentice. My children spend a large part of their freetime living ’the famous five’ life so the opportunity to pack a picnic and go exploring was too good to miss. Salisbury is one of our regular haunts. There is usually [...]
Archive for the ‘out and about’ Category
Five go exploring in Salisbury
Posted in drinks, family time, out and about, special places, tagged ginger beer, Mompesson House, Old Sarum, picnics, Salisbry, Treasure Trails on March 19, 2012 | 4 Comments »
Midnight gardening
Posted in activities with children, books, out and about, tagged gardenings after dark, Lia Leendertz, The Bradfordians, Tom's Midnight Garden on February 1, 2012 | 2 Comments »
There won’t be much gardening going on around here for a couple of weeks – at midnght or at any other time. I am once more taking up the directorial reins, this time for The Bradfordians. We open in a fortnight , in Bradford on Avon with Tom’s Midnight Garden, a classic tale of two [...]
Cotswold Inspiration
Posted in food for the soul, out and about, school gardens, special places, tagged Daylesford Organics, Garden Organic, horticultural training for teachers, places to visit in the Cotswolds, school gardening clubs on October 18, 2011 | 3 Comments »
Sometimes it does you good to get away for a day or two – even when the logistics are not dissimilar to planning a military operation. So, having arranged a veritable army of ‘aunts’ to manage my three children and their increasingly complex commitments in the absence of BOTH their parents for the first time in their lives [...]
Mandala magic
Posted in activities with children, family time, food for the soul, out and about, Special events, tagged Brigit Strawbridge, Harvest, mandalas, nature art, permaculture on October 8, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
In view of the fact that growing things is now very popular at my children’s school, the recent Harvest assembly was designed with local food in mind. In previous years they have focussed much more on global awareness with fundraising for Water Aid and sending cows or goats to African farmers. At other times they have taken [...]
Things to do in the Summer hols….5. Go on a scavenger hunt
Posted in family time, gardens to visit, out and about, special places, tagged scavenger hunts, Stourhead, summer holidays, summer hols activities, The Scraptors on August 31, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Scavenger hunts are right up my children’s street – on their own at home, as a party game with friends or to keep them going on a long walk when spirits flag. All children have a natural urge to explore and hunts have the added advantage of giving parents a perfect opportunity to teach their children [...]
Things to do in the Summer hols…..4. Read a book in a hammock
Posted in books, food for the soul, special places, tagged how to make a hammock, Jane Brocket, Rpping Things to Do, school holiday activities, school hols, summer books for kids on August 25, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Our local library (whilst we still have one) organises a reading challenge every summer. This year the apprentices have embraced the experience with great enthusiasm – not least because they have created special reading places to which they retreat with a book, a cold drink and something yummy to eat. Needless to say, all these places are out [...]
Things to do in the Summer hols….3. Take a picnic somewhere special
Posted in family time, out and about, special places, tagged picnics, school holiday activities, summer holidays, Weald and Downland Museum on August 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
We are old hands at picnics – ever since I discovered that my children could be persuaded to try any food with equanimity and good humour if we put it in a paper bag and ate it out of doors. However there are times when a special picnic is called for and a visit to [...]
Things to do in the Summer hols….2. Take afternoon tea
Posted in family time, out and about, pudding club, tagged Jane Austen, lavender scones, Pride and Prejudice, proper afternoon tea, school hols, summer holidays, teatime cakes and sandwiches on August 8, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The school hols is a great time for a change of routine. Some lucky families decamp in caravans or campervans, or go to beach huts or cabins in the woods for weeks at a time. The pace of life slows down and is lived almost entirely out of doors. That’s not us! But even if you’re stuck at [...]
Bee friendly
Posted in out and about, wildlife gardens, tagged bee friendly plants, Spring Fayre, Troughs at Avoncliff on April 15, 2011 | 2 Comments »
I’ve been so busy on the (recently enlarged) plot of late that I have rather neglected the blog. Where have you heard that before? Anyway with the allotment just beginning to come to the end of the hungry gap, 500 squash seeds and a load of salad coming on nicely in the school polytunnel, and [...]
Sunset
Posted in food for the soul, out and about, tagged sunset on October 18, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Some evenings are just perfect and some pictures need no words. Wish the children had been with us to see this.
