Fourty eight hours of much needed sunshine...

Since the clocks changed we've tried to get out for a walk most days, 

even though some of the days it has been very cold. 

The sunshine at the weekend was not to be wasted.

 We started with a walk, setting off from our house, we walked to the canal.

 Having our first chippy picnic of the year.

 Great excitement- a real life ugly duckling. 

Reuben and Rosanna love the ugly duckling since seeing the story on cbeebies. The Northern ballet company are touring the country with the show, sadly the shows near us are sold out, but we may try and catch the show later in the year. There are also some great resources to go with the ugly duckling story on the bbc website.

 

 On we walked to the country park.

 

 smart walking attire

 

 time to play by the stream

 The orange colouration on the rocks is from the old mines.

 On to the reservoir

Feeding time for the owls at Wigfield farm.

 

 Back home for birthday cake.

 Sunday we were brave and ventured into the garden to tackle the weeds.

 These are flower beds, there is no lawned areas in the garden, 

but this doesn't stop weedy grass sprouting up everywhere.

 

 

 This year we are putting down weed guard to divide the vegetable beds.

 

Rosanna and Geoff plant some plodders (broad beans).

 Finished off with a bonfire and a tub of Ben & Jerry phish food ice cream.

Looking forward to more Sunny days.

Embracing the dandelions

Yesterday I posted about the Dandelions in our garden. I was really getting stressed by them and yesterday I spent almost two hours weeding. Two comments on my post made me stop and think, I have a really great space to use, yet I mostly go in just to weed!
It's not surprising we have so many weeds, when we've added almost 4 tons of manure to the garden.
So today we learnt how to love the dandelions. Again we spent two hours in the garden, but first we made dandelion crowns...

Very bridge to Terabithia!

And then the kids had some fun game involving the dandelion queen.

Rosie flower arranging with dandelions!

We had to feed a few dandelions to the chickens!

Geoff put down some wood, so he could bring up some more manure in the wheelbarrow, and Rosie-anna had a great time balancing and climbing. Would I have let my first child do this, NO WAY!

All kids happy, I got to PLANT some bulbs, no weeding, actual planting. I also planted some Strawberry seeds too.

Jemima has learnt how to do wild spinning on the rope swing.

Not playtime for everyone, Geoff sorted out the compost heaps.

and more compost heaps

Time for bath and bed for Reuben and Rosanna. A last look at the sky and Reuben spots a spud gun! I don't know why I worry that he doesn't see enough boys. Geoff took R&R back to the house and I got to stay in the garden alone. A few months ago I was tandem breast feeding R&R and would have had to get them both to sleep. But two bouts of mastitis, the second really nasty, put an end to it. I'm still breast feeding Rosanna, but I no longer get her to sleep by feeding.

It was so nice to potter around by myself, to hear the chickens and other birds and the horses in the next field.

Yesterday I'd not noticed these blue flowers(Irises?)

Time to watch and enjoy the garden.

Quality time with my girls too!

So thankyou to the two comments on my previous post, today we've learnt to love dandelions!

But maybe when I'm older and the kids have grown up, I'll have a weed free garden. That is, unless I'm home educated the grand children!

(Click here form more on dandelions)

Happy Sundays

Can't believe it's Monday again, already. The weekends go far too quickly and especially this one. We lost an hour! Well we all managed to survive Sunday without being too grumpy and are now looking forward to lovely long Summer evenings.

At the weekend we like to have a cooked breakfast,
using eggs from our hens.
mmm, Yummy Nutella,too. Wonder where she's picked up the habit of eating Nutella straight from the pot?

Our conservatory was finished on Friday, so we have begun cleaning up outside. After that we hit the garden and did a mega weeding session.
I just had to take a photo as I walked into the greenhouse, I love the pile of seeds and the eggs!

The girls have planted lots of things in the greenhouse, and they are starting to grow.
The polytunnel is finally being used to grow plants!
It's past uses include a soft play area, chicken house and rain shelter.
Our felt sad as the Snowdrops faded, but they are been replaced by a colourful display of Spring flowers.
We have a mixture of Daffodils.
Our first Bluebell

It's such a relief to see plants erupting from the ground. We are still not sure what to do with most of the shrubs, but it's looking as though most have survived!
Pretty pink Primulas
The Rhododendrons are just coming into flower,
Which reminds me, I must re-new my season ticket for Wentworth Castle gardens. The Rhododendrons and Camellia's are spectacular this time of year.
The Black Orpington's are back in a separate pen, once again!

Den building at the top of the garden.
And a trip to the garden centre to buy rope,
for the tyre swing!
Are you brave enough to have a go?