The Wilderness Festival

Last weekend we went to our first festival with the children.  We went off to the Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire, the main reason being was Rodrigo y Gabriella were headlining on the Saturday night.  But  there was soo much more to it too.

We were blessed with a wonderful dry weekend, and one of the first things we came across as we walked into the festival village was a skittles alley.  Of course, the children had a go.  The following day just behind this point was a cricket match of sorts.  Umpire in pink tutu and umpires jacket drinking pints, commentator of a hilarious kind, pimms being served along with cucumber sandwiches!  I think cricket would have much more of a following if it was like this more frequently!!

The favourite stall (after the ice cream van that served chocolate and guiness ice cream) was the bubbles store.  All kinds of ways of creating bubbles, surrounded by hoards of children!!

Through out the festival there were all kinds of weiird and wonderful sights!  On Friday there was a Bugsy Malone theme, with Fat Sam wandering around during the day, and a big cabaret show in the evening.  The Saturday night was the masked ball, and there were people walking around in amazing ball gowns!  Oh, and throughout the weekend people were wearing tails (not the top hat and tails kind either!)

One of the highlights was a story walk we went on.  Based on the Brothers Grimm, we were taken into the woods, which were decorated in a wonderfully whimsical way.

We then came across various stories explained to us by one of the brothers Grimm.  Here the wicked witch was trying to entice us with an apple.

Here was a  story about seven brothers turned into ravens, and the children had to play instruments to try and make the ravens arrive.  This was their sister calling for them, very eery!

There was a story of a golden key, created with puppets, and these actors were commendable with how they managed the very cheeky children in the audience.

We also came across Little Red Riding Hood, the seven dwarves, rumpelstiltskin, a woman who made cakes from children (we had to run away quickly!), and finally finished with the story of sleeping beauty.  All so well done, and a real feeling of magic in the woods.

And really brought the stories to life for us all.  I loved how books were used as decorations too.

There was a childrens circus skills tent, where Alec was getting rather good!

And stilts, which we all tried and failed at miserably!

The Rodrigo y Gabriella concert was thoroughly enjoyed, especially by Sophie!

And Ethan got in on the act too.

But it was a long day, and not all of them lasted til the end!

Rejuvinated only slightly, we decided on the Sunday that we would pack up as the effects of having to carry Sophie so much (she isn't a big fan of walking!!) were taking its toll.  However, the boys managed to master hula hooping! 

A wonderfully, wonder-full, wacky and whimsical weekend.  Definitely to be repeated next year!!

Welsh Adventures

The last 5 days have been spent camping in Wales. The largest tent only campsite in the UK, apparently. The drawback of this is lots of other campers about, but that didn't stop us from having fun. Luke spent the first day with us before going to his cousins house on the nearby Lleyn peninsula. We were camping amongst sand-dunes, which added a certain element of excitement to it all when we managed to ground the car, soon after our arrival! Once we made camp there was lots of playing to be had...

A walk to the beach included a detour to go down the BIGGEST sand dune they could find, and then climb back up it! No mean feat! Just to give you an idea of how big it was, that little red dot is Alec at the bottom of the sand dune!!

Once we got to the beach we found all sorts of treasures. Lots of cockle shells, oyster shells, razor shells, and then some crab shells. I was particularly excited to find a little starfish inside one, unfortunately it was dead.

And then we found a skull. Probably a herring gull. Alec and I were intrigued by it. It is so nice to have a companion to go beach-combing / rock pooling with. I was in my element!

There was some down time too. Alec is very much into his graphic novels at the moment. Currently working his way through Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books.

We managed to visit the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) which is near Machynlleth. Apart from it being a breathtaking part of the world (oh how I would love to live somewhere like that) it was a wonderful afternoon out. Learning about the water powered cliff train...

Wave power...

Dynamo power, wind power, solar power, looking at the wonderful vegetable gardens, and getting inspiration for a green roofed house. It had been my suggestion that we went there, and had fears that I would be the only one that got something out of it, but I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

We also went to Harlech castle. Ethan was particularly excited about this as he had learned about castles at school last year. Alec and Ethan at one of the guard room look out points in the gate house.

Another lovely spot to do some reading, this time about Harlech castle. I can't believe I was ever worried about him learning to read, it is so wonderful to see him reading at every opportunity now!

An impressive castle even in its ruined state. Built over the course of 6 years in the 13th Century. Which is an astounding achievement. Unfortunately it isn't particularly toddler proof, and we spent alot of time trying to stop our littlest adventurer from climbing through the barricades which are supposed to stop people from falling! I must admit, despite its splendour, I heaved a great sigh of relief when we walked out of there all in one piece.

On our way back from the castle we called in at some waterfalls that were signposted from the road. Oh, what a find it was! Magical woods surrounding the waterfall, we found a little elf house...

And some beautiful toadstools, just the right size for the magical creatures of the woods to rest upon...

Alec made friends with a grasshopper we found on the moorland above the waterfall...

And we found a tree man! Can you see the face peeping out of the tree between the two lighter bits of bark?

It was a beautiful place, full of nature, serenity, and we all came back to our tent feeling refreshed, and vowing that it would be our next campsite when we return to the region. (I forgot to say that there were lots of rope swings too, which made it for the boys!)

To end our Welsh adventures we bought a sky lantern. Waited til night fall, and then lit it.

Each making a silent wish to go with the lantern into the sky. It drew our adventures to a close in such a peaceful way.

Our new love...

... is camping! We had the most fabulous weekend in Tewkesbury, which is suprisingly close to us, but neither Stuart or I had ever visited there by road before, always by boat, therefore making it seem so much further away!

Camping with friends, Rachel, Ian and boys, who are experienced campers, made the adventure even more pleasurable, with their friendship and having things to make our stay more comfortable (I will NEVER forget the airbeds again!)

Barbeques in the blistering sun, chatting under the stars, foraging for the sweetest cherries that were yellow and peach. These all helped to make wonderful memories.
The tent was straightforward, and relatively tidy at this point! We even managed to get it back in the bag at the end of it!

We went to the Medieval festival that was held there and saw the storming of the Abbey, followed by a trial and beheadings! The look on Ethan's face when I explained that this is what they did all those years ago was of horror and complete bemusement!

I never realised you could get black morris dancers, complete with electric guitar! But dare I say it ... they were really good!

The required sword fight with newly purchased wooden swords!

Ethan trying his hand at archery.

And the re-enactment of the War of the Roses.

The fayre itself had all kinds of wares, for the enthusiast, and there were plenty of them! I was very impressed with the lengths people go to make it real, and it has encouraged me to find a little more about our history.

I was proud at how restrained I was, there were beautiful medieval hand stitched leather shoes, but they were well over £100. There were also the most beautiful hooded cloaks, I would love to think I could see myself wearing one up to school in the depths of winter, but I think I may be disowned!!

We returned home with some very tired children (and adults!), but we are already planning our next adventure!

What have we been up too?

Where we live we have a wonderful green with an old oak tree in the middle of it. We seem to have spent alot of time out playing under it's boughs recently. Sophie loves playing with the older children of the Close, and I love having an excuse to sit on the grass and watch them play whilst crafting, or stripping red currants. I get some of the children coming and sitting with me, helping, asking questions, and then going off to play again. It really is delightful. The other evening, every child from the Close was out playing until about 9pm, they had a great time, even if getting up for school the next day was a bit of a struggle!

We have also been accumulating camping stuff ready for our first adventure, there has been a certain amount of drooling too over a bell tent, perhaps one day we will get one!

I have been nuturing my plants, I am so proud of these tomato plants, grown from seed, and looking so healthy.

Can you see my first ever bell pepper, it's very small, but steadily growing day by day. Is it wrong that such things should get me so excited?!

Another proud mama to a lettuce, yes, a whole lettuce that has not been eaten by slugs or chickens. I'd better get in there quick!

My first crop of blueberries, well, we won't count the solitary blueberry that got eaten by the chickens last year! They have been moved to the front garden now, well out of the reach of the chooks!!

Spring onions, another first for me. Looking forward to those on a cheese toasty... mmmmm....

So whilst there has been alot of playing going on, I have been busy too. Elderflower cordial, there was much more, but it has either been drunk or gifted away.

Strawberry jam. It had to be done really, how else can we get through a punnet a day?

Stuart went to his sisters to collect this beautiful piece of furniture her husband made for us.

An idea shamelessly stolen from Shell (sorry Shell), a pressie for Alec's upcoming 9th birthday, crafted under the oak tree.

And more strawberries, this time as a cheesecake recipe from Sharon's blog "Making Stuff". It is declared by Stuart that this is "the best cheesecake ever". I can see it being topped with all kinds of different fruits, very easy, and very tasty!

Staying on the strawberry theme, we have also been eating them raw, or cooked with rhubarb in crumble, juiced and frozen into orange and strawberry ice lollies, blitzed with milk into strawberry milkshakes. But Sophie's favourite is still fresh from the plant!

We have also harvested 1.1kg of blackcurrants so far (another of Sophie's favourites fresh from the bush!), not bad for what I thought was a failed harvest! Redcurrants, the garlic that I thought was failed has suprised me with some decent bulbs, more rhubarb, a courgette, peas, and it looks like the potatoes are nearly ready. It's no wonder Im dreaming of fruit and veg at night!!

Hope you are all having a lovely summer. If anyone has any spare rain, could they send it to the Midlands, please... but not until after the weekend!!