Because there are times that only blogging about the good things will make you feel better.

Will on our walk this morning. We snuck out with the dogs by ourselves to walk around the reservoir. It was lovely being just the two of us. We don't often get the chance.



These are sitting beside me right now on the table. Hazel wood threading blocks and buttons. Cut and drilled by Jonathan, sanded by myself and David and oiled by me with a little help from Will.



A rainy morning spent doing puzzles on my bed under the watchful eye of the cat. He likes to oversee these things!


Wooden pieces with lovely pictures. Will did the whole boxful. About 12 in total, I think.
Ok, so this next one isn't wooden, but it's great isn't it? Hands up, who remembers 'Ivor the Engine'? Didn't he have a little dragon that lived in the funnel?

And these. Compare bears. I bought them last year and they get played with quite regularly. Will loves to line them up!

And some fungi pictures. I love fungi and can't resist taking photos of them. Like noone has ever done that before! The first two are the ears that Will found on a trunk. Remarkably like the BFG I thought. The same type as the mouse ears we found last autumn but a different shape for some reason?

And look at the vein like markings when the sun is shining through it!

Jonathan's brain fungus.....hmm, slightly smaller than last year. Should I be worried? Maybe I should inform the LEA? What do you think?!


David and Will doing cave paintings in front of the fire on another grey day. See? Rainy days are definitely good for some things!!

This picture isn't quite so good but it holds the memory of a lovely walk with David one Saturday morning not so long ago. It is a beautiful big oak that has lost a branch in the wind. And what a branch!!!

And David's ladybirds he found on yet a different walk. I've never seen so many in one place like that before! Any ideas why?

So I can push those negative thoughts that keep crowding my head space out of the way, so that these good ones have room to spread out, because there are many. Its just that the negative ones are so much more powerful and strong.

A couple of funnies.....

Just love this one!!!













I suppose one could have argued that they were not yet passengers, but we had actually bought our tickets at this point.



I don't think our little Louis is a rule breaker like the rest of us!!!













And this? I just couldn't help myself!!!

Den building at WEHEC

A few pictures of the den building that Tom and Jon took part in at Home Ed camp in Wales with Paul. I'm not sure who took them. He also took them on a bat walk and did some small mammal trapping, and so he had the pleasure of the company of all my boys at some time or other during the time he was there!!

A few pictures from our holidays in Wales.

I didn't actually take many photos while we were away, as we seemed to be actively doing things and my camera or phone was always somewhere that I wasn't, but there are a few.
This first one is the labyrinth made with stones and branches in the afternoon, and then tea lights in jars to light the way in the evening. The centre piece was a beautiful wigwam shape made from willow and covered with some kind of tisue paper I think. It was lovely. We all walked the labyrinth while singing an earth song. Beautiful.






















David and Louis walking in the river. This was our regular walk for the dogs while at HE camp. Usually twice a day at least! So gloriously peaceful and beautiful.





















Will on the stepping stones having a little taste of the water. This year he could do the stepping stones by himself after the first few times, whereas last year he needed almost lifting from one to the other!





















This is Will on the bridge in the village (hamlet). We always stopped here for him to drop pebbles in, and to watch the ripples and waterfalls over the big rocks. He loved the way the sun light flickered on the water.























Will's felted hair piece!! lol























Will and his jellyfish made from an old bottle and cut up plastic bags. He also made a fish to his own design the next day. The very lovely ladies from CLAS (Creative Learning And Support from North Wales) lent us the things he needed to make it back at our tent.






















We stopped in Llandovry for lunch on the way back. The boys instinctively all got on the four seater roundabout. It was lovely to see.





















Daddy managed a spot of painting at the bunkhouse. Will of course wanted to join in.









Our miners...
Will..


















Jonathan..

Tom...


and David.
























This is Big Pit where they went down the mine shaft. The full 90 metres!!! Even Will!!! I stayed on the surface as I have a habit of passing out if I go underground!!

And these have to be the biggest puffballs I have ever seen!!!!!


And this is the one indulgent photo that has to be linked to this post here. They saw Hadrians Wall and we saw....

I think it was probably more impressive. It was a garden wall about 20 feet high!!! We walked along it on a footpath in the middle of nowhere. Very imposing.

More photos later, just as soon as I find the camera lead!!

We have returned......

from beautiful sunny(mostly), mountainous Wales with its rocks and rivers and waterfalls, to grey skies and flat landscapes.

to a mountain of washing, so big that I just simply do not know where to begin.

to a very untidy house...did I really leave it like this? oh yes, thats how we live. I forgot. Impossible to live any other way with all these boys around the place!

to a lovely little parcel. 2 sweet boxes inside another box. The contents carefully packaged in that straw like stuff. Not telling you what is in there, it will spoil surprises for certain people, who may or may not be reading.

to chickens, seperated into two runs before we left so that there would be no scuffling, all jumbled up like a pick'n'mix!!!!

to a nerve racking trial for David for the local swimming club, which was a success!! Despite not having any Speedo style trunks and having to buy them last minute and then realising while waiting on poolside that he had indeed, forgotten his goggles!!! None available to buy at reception (did you ever hear such a thing?!!!) but luckily the secretary of the club had a spare pair in her bag! Phew.

to some ripe tomatoes and a number of cucumbers almost ready in the garden.

to the pre course module for my Doula course in October!! Nerves rattling as I type!

to normal, everyday life at which I am not so good.

I will survive.

Off to Wales...

yay!!!!!
The second Home Ed camp this year and a week for the Survival Family to regenerate.
See you all in a fortnight or so xx

Softly, softly.

Last week, we went to visit this lovely Alpaca farm. It isn't too far from us and I have a sneaking suspicion we will be visiting there quite regularly from now on!! The wool is so lovely and soft and the colours are just gorgeous.
The lady in the shop was lovely and spent time talking to David and answering his questions. She helped me to find some wool for a couple of little projects and then directed us to the nusery field where we saw some baby alpacas.

Aren't they cute?

















I wonder which alapaca donated the fleece for these?





















I'm sure it wasn't this little fellow, as he was less than an hour old!!!!