Thursday, July 30, 2009

Coast to Coast



Weather the last few days has been been pretty changeable. Yesterday was very stormy by night and pretty wet by day, although we had a nice day at the Folk Museum in Helston before walking down to Loe Bar near Porthleven. The sun came out and the afternoon was glorious, including home made pizza and chips on the beach.

Today we've done the Tin Trail Coast to Coast bike ride from Devoran to Porth exploring all the tin and lead mines along the way, all 22 miles of it. The sunshine on the beach was fab too, and we nearky managed to bury Gregory.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Cornish Posty


Thought it would be fun to post from the campsite, but Trevethic's steam engine has only just arrived and satellite is some years away. Anticipation is all!

We are on the Restaurantguet Creek and the Tawny Owl is hooting away, and email is suddenly filtering through. Today we've been surfing near Portscatho and just got back for dinner on the campsite via King Harry's Ferry. Everyone in bed so it's just me to make the posting for the day. I feel like a foot soldier on the Somme, triumphant...

Off to bed I gueess to face another day... (the photo will have to wait for another day!) Weather good and wet, spirits holding...

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Swinger

The kids have finished school today, so they were very excited tonight. Gregory was jabbering away lie a mad monkey at bedtime telling me about all the things he had planned.

I love the carefree feel to this picture, the lazy days of summer (in my dreams eh!)

I'm listening to Robert Cray " I'll be there to hold you, don't be afraid of the dark..."

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Me hearties!

So another school year almost at a close, and I asked Greg what have he thought he'd learned this year. "Well I can read lots of books now Dad, and I'm really good with LEGO!"

He certainly has progressed enormously with his reading confidence, and you never have to tell him to go and look for a book... Pirates and swashbuckling feature quite prominently, though.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Another notch on Lewis' Guitar strap

Lewis was very pleased to tell me that he'd been awarded his Stage 2 certificate for Guitar today. He had previously thought it was going to take another term before he'd be at this stage.


Sunday, July 19, 2009

Time to make your own...

We've been pottering around in the garden this morning, so after lunch we went for a walk from Stubbs Wood towards Rowbarrow. We played on the rope swing with Miranda showing off as usual, and the walk was not complete until the boys had rebuilt their teepee...

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Golden dubloon

Greg wanted to play his pirate treasure game tonight before dinner, and he enjoyed every minute of his swashbuckling gold thieving entertainment.

It's been an interesting day today, heavy and black in places, more like mid winter than high summer. It's just not good enough!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Kitchen Sink Drama

There's not enough gritty realism on this blog, what we need is more fly on the wall stuff! I love it when it's not apparent that they are being watched; although try taking a photo in our bathroom, and still keeping their attention focussed on cleaning their teeth - not easy!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Flat Cap

I've been reflecting on those days way back, when I used to spend my weekends on the farm at Esgerfa playing at being a farmer with David Convery... I'm guessing that this flat cap shot predates the agricultural years, but it made me smile to see it!

My thoughts have been in the context of the similarities between the marginal existence of some of the Welsh farmers and the New Forest Commoners, both holding on to a tradition that has shaped the landscape and it's people for centuries.

I'm listening to Bobo Stenson, Anders Jormin and Paul Motian on Goodbye ECM 2004

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The Jungle Girl...

Poor old dolly is left to entertain herself whilst the three children play contentedly in the sandpit.... It's not that often that you see them all combine in one activity, and it's even rarer that I can get my camera in the vicinity at the same time!

Monday, July 13, 2009

dna

I could see that Lewis was deflated when he came to say 'Goodnight', so it was no surprise to hear him tell me the tale of woe his day had been. Of course by the time I'd reflected on things with him his usually smiley face was starting to return, and hopefully one more lesson about the many frustrations that life will offer will register...

This photo is an update of an earlier image, which in fact I think was of Gregory's neck. Portraits without faces I do find very interesting!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Duck is stuck

Greg's voracious appetite for books comes in handy when I really could do with taking some new photos for the week ahead - a whole week has passed without managing to get new material. I was thinking about this earlier in the day, as we were playing on 'the dragon' in Denny Wood, and I wondered if I'd get away with posting an earlier shot of them clambering over Draggy. But of course that's the beauty of the blog, it has to be fresh!

So this is the face of Miranda as she listens to Greg reading 'Duck in a Gun' on 12th July...

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Merry Weather

When we were out riding this morning in the rain, we came alongside a donkey at Merryweather's Nursery who looked ever so forlorn. Lewis reminded me that it was this one that we often see when we're out - he's got a really good eye for detail. And of course he was right too. It has rained pretty much all day and tonight I can still hear the rain beating down, quite heavily too.

We had a walk at Lepe this afternoon, and it felt like mid winter, the waves were beating on the shore, and hardly a soul out, apart from some sailors battling with the wind and spray.

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Tarzan goes back to school


Greg was telling me at bedtime how excited he was about his school trip to Jones Lane Park tomorrow. They are going to be exploring man made and natural materials, in a very hands on manner by all accounts!

You can't stop him talking about things that happen in school at the moment, he's like a sponge....

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Rocky ridge

I found this still on the mantle piece tonight and thought it should go on the blog for posterity. It was Lewis' Fathers Day card which transported me nicely out onto the trail head....

Some nice details for the trained eye: Continental Vapour tyres (with the orange flash), long valve inner tubes, SPD pedals and my beloved PACE forks!

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Me and Mrs Mippy

Tonight I had Mippy all to myself, as CJ was out at a School Governor's meeting, whilst the boys were at a Disco. We had fun playing with her salt dough pastries, which I had to eat with my cup of tea. Then we did shopping lists which she 'spoke out loud' whilst she wrote imaginary squiggles.

"Dad you're really mad, you are!"

"Yes, Miranda..."

Monday, July 06, 2009

A good Pasting

This one's from yesterday in the spirit of high jinks... She manhandles the boys tirelessly and they both love being taken advantage of!

Sunday, July 05, 2009

What's on the box!

Just got in after a tiring day walking the coastal path near Swanage. We managed about nine miles or so, and there was an awful lot of ups and downs along the way.

We had lunch up on the hill overlooking Dancing Ledge, with a huge view of the twinkling water all around us. As Lewis said "This is the best picnic I've ever had!"

By the end of the day we were back in Swanage for beer and chippies at our regular haunt, although we still had another mile or so to walk back to the car...

The amount of wildlife we've seen has been amazing; wild flowers, birds all manner of insects.

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Smokin'...

It's been another scorcher today. We've made the most of it by kayaking this morning in the saltgrass at Calshot. It was like a mill pond with birds everywhere, lots of Curlew, Whimbrel, Shellduck, Oystercatchers and Black Headed Gulls. Lewis spotted a Kestrel too which made him happy.

This afternoon Lewis Greg and I went for a bike ride on the trail around Beaulieu and over towards Denny Wood.

Supper in the garden was a barbeque of Kofte, Peppers, Mushroom, Potatoes, Sausages and Haloumi Cheese washed down with Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc - all very nice.

Overdosed on Bobby Womack today :: Communication, Pieces, Home is where the Heart is, and The Poet all in one day....

Friday, July 03, 2009

Summertime and the living is eeeeeezzzzzzzy!

I'm loading this one for a bit of fun as hopefully we'll be going camping soon..... and my Mum who is the eternal optimist, was concerned that we'd 'over do' the loading of the old jalopy!

If only she knew that I had plans to get two kayaks on there and Mippy's bike with stabilisers as well....

R O C K and R O L L!

Tonight I'm listening to Robert Johnson recorded in 1927

Thursday, July 02, 2009

The kindness of strangers...

This letter came in the post yesterday for Lewis, needless to say he was very flattered...

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Butter wouldn't melt...


Also taken on Sunday morning as she pretended to look out of the bedroom window whilst I took a few portraits. It's a very self confident look she gives off, but nowhere near as natural as Greg's smile.

Greg and Lewis have been competing in Sports Week at school, and both were pleased with their performance in the running. Greg especially so with his first place...