Making sand castles...

The thing about sand castles once they're made

is that they're so tempting to touch...

... and destroy...

Beautiful Play-dough

Lucy - my new theory on play-dough is if you are the supreme creator, make sure you love the colours, it is so much more fun. By the way, the brown was made by adding cocoa. The kids are bound to taste it even if you warn them.... but it is hilarious watching them try.

The simple things...

I missed you on the phone today, Kate, so haven't had a chance to fill you in on the past couple of days.  We spent last night and today in the north-east and Tom and Sophie loved catching up with their special family up there.  This morning reminded me of school holidays in years gone by where our adventures were defined by the parameters of this farm and what we found on it.

The kids played for ages in the truck, going off for a 'drive', the four of them together taking turns at the wheel.  The dust, leather seats, squeaks of a door needing rust - they all took me back to the simple times of years gone by - our years gone by, not even our parents' time.  What a lot has changed since the 1970s and 1980s of our childhood?!  Sometimes I think our beckonings can just be answered by a walk in the fresh air with the kids - or a drive in a stationary vehicle - to remember the joy in simplicity. 

One of the biggest excitements for the kids - and the adults, for that matter - was seeing this European Wasps' nest that had been discovered in the creek wall.  Its outer layers form what looks to be an intricate ceramic sculpture and its interior features complex, beehive-like structures.  It was fascinating to think that this had been built underground - the only sign it existed due to the wasps hovering above its surface.

April challenge - the school holidays

Dear Kate

I've only just got used to school lunches and now they're being taken away from me for two weeks.  I've been thinking, then, about what we can be doing on The Kate and Lucy project this month and I've decided that the school holidays, for me, could be termed a challenge!  How about we concentrate on projects for kids, outdoors and in, to keep newly busy minds occupied??  What do you think?  I'm thinking long walks, hopefully a trip to the beach, catching up with cousins far and near, learning new games...

Lots of love always

Lucy xoxoxo

The Obedient Plant

This is my favourite purple in the garden, my Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) so named because the flower stalks are very wiry and will stay wherever you push them to.

Playing with the grasses...

Apologies for the late start to our week in which we prove that purple is under-rated.  It's the perfect foil for the blue of the grasses - more picniking for me this afternoon!  Where would we be without purple?!

He coloured with pink!

The day after I blogged about how Tom didn't like pink, I found him creating cars with pink highlights.  When I queried him about this, he said he only liked it sometimes.  But at least he's helping Kate's and my dictum that pink isn't just for girls!