Some introductions

Now that I can do pictures, I thought I should introduce you to a few things and people.

Luke

Alec

Ethan

Sophie

Hetty - our top hen, and most prolific layer

Little is in the background, our friendliest chicken

Betty was being a little shy!

And this is the view of the allotment from my favourite breastfeeding post, sat on top of some pallets!

A wonderful weekend

We have just had the most fabulous weekend meeting up with many like-minded families in the Forest of Dean.

It was rather surreal meeting people that I had chatted too online, but never seen, or had read blogs and seen pictures of them, but to see them in real life was strange, like meeting a famous person. Anyhow, after introductions were made, and everyone was settled in we had one amazing weekend. From rock walls, zip wires (for young and old alike), walks through wonderful woods, and some redwood trees too (how fantastic were they!), to campfires, barbeques, pasta feasts, to tie-dyeing, henna tattoing, weaving, and lots of talking and playing by everyone.



To see so many people who do things like we do was great, I don't think anybody had the same sling, and believe me, there were many slings on show! Every woman was breastfeeding at least one child, I don't think we managed it all at the same time though! It was like a little haven, that nobody wanted to leave. Whilst driving home, and seeing the "real world" I felt sad, that our weekend was over, and that we had to return to the consumerist, media driven world, if only everyday life was like that weekend, where everyone has respect for their children and the world they live in. Thank you to you all for some wonderful memories.

What have you started?

Claire what have you done? Claire from Border Stories has introduced Free Food Friday, and whilst I'm never organised enough to do it on a Friday, it has got me looking in the hedgerows, and I whilst down the allotment digging up some nettles the other day, I brought some home for nettle soup. Truly delicious, Sophie and I tucked in for lunch two days on the trot, and I now have a recipe for nettle fritters too, so guess what's for lunch next week!

Yesterday, whilst walking around the football field trying to get Sophie to sleep in the sling, whilst Alec was trying out his first attempt at football training, I was noting down some blackthorn bushes, which will hopefully give rise to plenty of sloes come Autumn, and an elder bush, with blossoms very close to opening, so elderflower cordial here we come! All I need to find now is some wild garlic, as there a recipes aplenty for garlic bread, soup, etc. I guess some more scouring of our local wilderness is required!

I am awaiting a parcel of beeswax to finish off my comfrey nappy balm, that has been sat in a cupboard for a couple of weeks. I'll hopefully be able to tell you about that next week!

More progress down at the allotment this week, with the runner beans going in, and some more ground cleared for hopefully the purple sprouting. Also got around to sowing pumpkin, courgette, and cucumber in the mini green house, along with some naturtium and calendula saved from seeds from last year. The school that Alec and Ethan go to have just started their own veg garden, and are willing to take some of the extra seedlings of purple sprouting. Although the amount of extras that we have, I think we could feed the school a few times over!

Luke has been put forward to take his grade one drum exam, so he is now angling for a drumkit! Might have to be an early birthday present, along with ear plugs for us and the neighbours! He has also been identified as gifted and talented for English and Maths, which has boosted his confidence even further to become an author. A good week for him!