old mans beard

Sorry I havent posted for a few days, I was ill afterwards, I told you I didnt feel well on tuesday didn't I? Well, me and the baby were sick all night, still dont know what it was, if it was a bug none of the others got it, it could have been something we ate, I just dont know. Anyway, we have been better for days, just nothing much happening except the usual up and down to school.

Hey but we have been having some great weather, it has been so warm. Today we went for a family walk up one of the mountains around our town (I say mountain, I guess its classed as a hill, but its pretty big) The photo is of old mans beard, I dont know the proper name of the plant but we have always called it that, its not very beard-like in the first pic, really, it looks like this:


until all the white fluffy 'beard' is blown off, but we have had such strong winds this week that most of it is gone. Esme thought that it was hilarious when I told her that was what it was called.


We had a great walk through some really tall trees following the wide, gradual track and getting higher and higher. we only passed 2 other lots of people, a man walking his very friendly collie dog, and another family out on a walk like us (3 boys, one dad, one harrassed mum telling them off for throwing stones at each other).

Then we ventured off the main track through the trees, we played a very quick game of hide and seek (the children are behind the trees at the front) as the hiding places were a bit obvious.

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We collected various bits of pine-cones, acorns, dock leaves (in case of nettle stings, Mummy) and a few small logs for our wood-burning stove. (dont tell the forestry, is it ok to just pick up logs and take them home? Im not sure, we did it anyway).



Saw some mushrooms/toadstools but none like weirdbunnys, ate a few blackberries and then decided to return to the bottom via the quick, steep, not-a-proper-pushchair-friendly-track way. I can't show you just how steep it is as the pic doesnt look like it was too bad, but our 3 wheeler all-terrain stroller was scared and lucie griped the sides pretty tightly. I am glad my mum is on holiday and wont be reading this or she would tell me off! at one point a couple of close-together trees provided a welcome pause (as the front wheel lodged between them) and I slip-slided down the track to take this photo, then clambered back up to rescue Lucie and skid our way down to the bottom.


once on level ground again we all realised we were very hungry and hot-footed it to the chip shop for lunch!

lovely legs is still in progress but she does have a body now, and it isn't the spotty fabric. Esme has claimed her already and given me instructions for hair and stuff, so i had better go do some work on her before it gets too late tonight.