Burning the trail...

Today's been one of those days to live for. Glorious sunshine, and a fab bike ride with Lewis out over the forest. We also trekked down the Beaulieu River and out past Sowley Pond over towards Lymington.


The sea breeze as we skirted the coast was very refreshing and we stopped off at Tanners Lane to see the sea. There was a family trying canoeing for the first time, so we were able to give them the benefit of our experience...!

All topped off by a delicious barbeque tonight as the sun went down, so a few sunburned faces, and few sleeping soundly in their beds tonight.

Pictures courtesy of the Olympus of the Hawk

Top Rider

Lewis wanted me to post a picture of him riding his new bike, but I've been too busy to take any. So he'll have to settle for a brochure image instead!

Sunny Solent

This is the shot I took just before we set off on our canoeing trip on the weekend, and doesn't it look inviting. When you see this view, which I'll be honest we take a little for granted now, it makes you understand why the Solent is such a mecca for yachty types.

The water was so smooth when we set off that Lewis wanted to try for an isle of Wight crossing. I urged a little caution, but we still had a great paddle out to sea and down to Lepe...

Bearing fruit

Last day in school for the boys for a few weeks, so they took in little 'thank you' for the teaching staff.

Lewis was very chuffed with his origami display boxes, and the content too! Greg's Gingerbread men the usual work of art, and just as tasty....

If you want to do something useful tonight have a think about Adrian Sudbury's campaign to get more people registered for Bone Marrow Transplant.

Breakfast Serial

Portrait of Mippy Moo having her breakfast, maybe I will publish these images of the kids eating in a book one day - it would make a great theme.

Twit tu woo

As the term comes to an end, the kids start bringing home stuff from school, although I think this was something that Greg did at home a day at a time and then took to school to bind...

watch out for other pages in the series...

Westerly ho!

We been having fun at Calshot again today in the kayaks, it's been a glorious day, and the sea wasn't too choppy. Which was ideal, as it's been the first chance I've had to use an underwater camera to take some pictures from the boat.

It's rather tricky composing when the sun is bright, and the boat is lolling around and you need to keep a hold of the paddle! There are a few other technical issues, such as the salt water drying rapidly in the sunshine, but this all adds to the fun.

Today it was fairly busy in the water, as we had to share the sea not only with windsurfers and dinghy racers, but also a mass sea swim - the sight of a hundred or so bodies thrashing towards you is quite something.

I've been lucky enough to have a loan of a camera from my photo chum Chris Hawkins, who any day now is going to be joining us for a kayaking session...

'Er outdoors

We had a visit from Caroline's Mum and Dad today, so we've had a day of eating and drinking and sitting (and talking) mainly, but we did venture out to Denny Wood for a walk.

So here's an action shot...

Back of the Net

Greg was very excited tonight ..... "We won dad! And I scored a goal!" What a difference a little success makes to a smile on a face.

Not that the lack of it keep our little man down, but it's nice to see him in self confident form.

Fifi - The Story

Seeing Lola's T shirt reminded me that I had a little picture waiting for an opportunity to load!

Greg wrote this a week or so ago inspired by Miranda's imaginary friend.

Top form

Lewis came home with a glowing school report today, which was very satisfying to read. I don't recall ever getting the adjective phenomenenal once, let alone twice in any of my reports!

Greg has had a good year too, although he's unexceptional in pretty much everything other than sport! He does seem to be making better progress of late with maths, but I think we've got some work to do to inspire him in the year ahead...

Catch!

I was going to load the lower picture at first, because we've not had an arty picture for a while; but then I decided to match these two frames as they are almost perfectly registered!

Today we've been out on our bikes in the forest, having had a nice ride from Bolderwood, through Slufters Enclosure across Ocknell Plain where we raced against the Forest Strongman Triathletes. We had a nice lunch at the Royal Oak in Fritham which was marred by a group of 'yuppie scum' ill capable of disciplining their children, and too busy to recognise the irritation of everyone sitting adjacent.

We came back across Fritham Plain, through Slodden and Broomy Inclosures, back to Bolderwood

Highlight of the afternoon was a stop off at the Reptilery where we saw Natterjack and Common Toads, Sand Lizards, Grass Snakes, Slow worms and Adders (and baby adders) and the like... We also watched a Hobby on its nest with three eggs almost ready to hatch, one of about eight pairs in the New Forest.

The other slice of life

A fab contrast to yesterday's pic - I can't think what caused the reaction, but suffice to say we force feed our children!

Yum Yum!

Greg demolishing his pudding at lightening speed...

Babe in a hoody

I'm very fond of the old saying - there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing...

By rights this photo should not have worked, as the wind was howling, the light was falling, and Mippy was moving around furiously trying to jump on top of me. Miraculously the picture is sharp, and full of vitality, with just the right amount of wind~blown~ness!

Always be prepared for action.

Cool breeze in de palm trees

It's been a little while since we've had a `Tonka Toy' picture on the blog, mainly because it's a bit tricky keeping sand away from my camera, whilst getting stuck in with the fun bits. This was taken through the car window just before Mipp and I joined them on the beach on Sunday afternoon.

The wind as you can see was pretty strong, ....great weather for windsurfing thought Greg!

Meg and Mog

Mippy intently reading her story at bedtime last night.... She was in particularly saucy mood at bathtime, but by the time I'd got her into her jimjams she had mellowed somewhat. She's still not particularly interested in having a cuddle, unlike both the boys who love the close encounter...!

Shark attack!

Knowing Lewis had done a picture for last nights blog posting, Greg was keen to make a contribution tonight. He's got natural drawing ability and does lovely pictures, which he colours in with relish.

He even found some research material from National Geographic to finish off his detailing, and I was so pleased with him that I'm going to put his finished picture up too....

Yesterday after we had finished cutting the hedge me and dad went down to the bike shop to get me a new bike.It's a big mountain bike that has suspension that you can adjust on the move It also has disk brakes and pedals that have brilliant grip.

Today it was soaking and I was a little dissapionted to find it was soaking, but a bit of rain didn't stop us.we went out in the rain and drove to Denny wood and went from there to brokenhust. At brokenhust there was a lot of puddles, but my Giant Bolder was very fast and managed to get through all of them and all the way back to the car.

When we got back we had a Italian meal including risotto balls, potato cake,tomato sauce and a lovely type of bread. Gran and Grandan were very kind and sent us a £5 pound note each and a bracelet for miranda.

today's post is by Lewis

Cagey tigers

Lewis and I had our bike ride down to Calshot this morning in fantastic sunshine with bick black stormy clouds overhead. The colours were extraordinary, as the green algae along the shore glows with radioactive luminosity. The waves were hammering onto the beach at Calshot, and even the Calshot 'cats' race was cancelled, so when I asked Lewis if he fancied a paddle after lunch, he turned to me looking a bit sheepish, and said he didn't think so...!

So we decided to cut the hedge along Frost Lane, and afterwards took a trip into the village to pick up his new bike, which we've been promising a while - the old one being far too small for a lad of his size.

You should have seen Greg's face when he saw it. Daddy will that be my bike one day...? Yes Greg, it will ..... What even the disk brakes?.... Yes Greg, even the disk brakes .......Wow!

Get set for the weekend

After another grueling day getting a boutique ready for business at Harrods, my mind is drifting towards he things that really matter! Bikes and boats and he smell of the saltwind in my hair. I'm ready to go...

My old man's a dustman

He definitely wears 'gor blimey' trousers, and can also from time to time, be seen leading our kids astray...

Today it's his birthday, so Old Brown takes centre stage on the blog. Happy Birthday Dad!

An alien ate Gregory's underpants

I love these glimpses into the world of a developing child. To see what they are capable of producing at a fixed point in time is what the blog is all about.

So enjoy what's going through Greg's head on the second of July, 2008!

It's official, .... they steal your underpants.

This little piggy

I've been reading a book tonight about a long walk across the Sonoran Desert, and this looks like the foot of Red Indian shaped by the heat of the hot sandy floor. The book has images shot on Polaroid film by Mark Klett, about the apparent emptiness of the space and the stories that remain to be told by the landscape.

Check out also his fascinating project on the American West seen through the perspective of a lens and film.

Pie Eater

Today we went on a bike ride at Deny Wood, we went all the way to Brockenhurst to get some pasties for our lunch. We got 4 types of pasties - vegetable, Spinish and ricotta x2 and potato, on the way back we stopped at the dragon and had some apple struddle and then we went home for a cup of tea.

This morning I made some macaroons and this afternoon I tried one with nutarella and it tasted scrumptious. Tomorrow were going to be having them in our lunch boxes.

Today's post is by Lewis

Hurdy Gurdy

Lewis' most recent tune is Hurdy Gurdy, and a very uplifting piece it is too! He needs to have lots of new tunes to keep his attention focussed!

Today we've been kayaking at Calshot and the surf has been up! It's been very windy, and the neap tides meant we could only get out on the exposed side of the spit. Lewis was petrified at first by the prospect of the waves, but after much persuasion I packed him off into the swell and he survived. I knew that the water wasn't too deep and that he'd learn a lot, and once he'd persecered for a while he loved the experience.

We both came back exhilarated and exhausted, to a nice barbeque... and bed not long after!

Footy Friday

The weekend's only just begun but Greg is looking fit for some action.

Tasty

Close up of some of the tasty morsels that from time to time we get in the Brown Clan household. Miranda is becoming a dab hand in the kitchen, courtesy of the inspiration of seeing Lewis getting his hands mucky!

We now have to contend with comments like "......but Lewis, do you realise how much the ingredients for that will cost..... we're not made of money you know..!!!"

You can't knock it....

Liquid lunch

Gone are the days when a few beers lunchtime would be the dream. My idea of a lunch break would be paddling down the river, with my sandwiches tucked under the deck. Only problem would be getting me back into work.

Let's go!

The great pretender

Greg used to ask me to come a give him a good night kiss when I got home, so I started telling him that I always did, but that he was asleep....

So now when I check in on him, he pretends to be asleep so that he can catch me out. But he's an easy target to hit, as the bedclothes shake as he's so excited!! So Naturally I pretend that I know he's asleep...

Fun loving Criminals

Mippy looking quite content with herself as she sits on her throne, with two bodyguards to protect her!

Ideal limo...

We found this horsebox the other day, and it was an irresistable photo opportunity! There are days when a pantechnicon would come in handy but lets be honest, were unlikely to buy one.

Today's the sort of day when we would have used it, as we've been at the seaside, kayaking in Keyhaven. The sun shone all afternoon, but the wind has been howling. It was a bit much for Lewis at times, as he gets thrown around by the tides and currents, but he stuck with it in his own boat. Greg and Miranda both come out with me and it enjoyed the ride.

Mippy had a whale of a time as the waves broke down over the deck, whooping and hollering, as we headed out to see the swans and cygnets. There was a moment when we watched Lewis approaching a sage old Heron on the bank some distance away. You could see him edging forward and the Heron twitching slightly. Eventually Lewis pushed it too far and the Heron took off!

Badly drawn man

It's been a grey and uneventful day, by and large. Although I did have a nice quiet bike ride this morning, the weather has been rather bland and wet in places.

Lewis got a Haynes manual for the Passatt from the library this morning and told me he was planning doing stuff with the car - not sure I want to encourage him on this one, however keen I may be on seeing him build the engine of the future.

I found an interesting prototype of future energy generation whilst I was down at Calshot this morning - some kids are building a mobile turbine which floats in the sea. Must see if I can put Lewis in touch....

Biscuit barrel

Another close up shot of the cutting edge within the Brown Clan household. Greg having been caught with his fingers in the cookie jar.... Does he look guilty?

And if you see a shark...

.....hide!

Miranda reading her books, and this one is always a favourite.

Summer's here

Self portrait whilst eating dinner in the garden, if only I'd managed to get Lewis serenading me with the guitar, it would have been the picture of perfection!

I'm listening to Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny playing 'Beneath a Misouri Sky' instead - a fantastic piece of music. Dismayed tonight to hear about the death of Esbjorn Svensson, who has died aged 44 - one of the most inventive pianists of our time.

Big Shot!

Here's a picture of one of the extended clan; Francis Burke - my nephew, and cousin to our kids. Here brandishing his new cricket bat, which we trust he's going to put to good use over the summer!

Late starter...

After a late night Greg can snooze well into morning. After a few years of being plagued by the dawn rises we now able to outsleep them on occasion!

Yesterday's canoeing session at dusk followed by late dinner meant Greg was exhausted, and even I had a nap this afternoon...

Tonight we watched the QE2 going ut for one of it's last voyages, before she heads for Dubai. What an elegant boat she was by contrast to the modern day 'container ship' cruise liners.

Another busy day, Greg stayed up with Lewis to have dinner with us as we'd been kayaking, and didn't get back until late. He even ate salad with his tortilla espanole, so not sure if he was feeling alright...

There was no one left on the beach but us tonight, as we watched three cruise liners going out to sea - The Queen Mary 2, Independence of the Seas and Sea Princess. The wind was very strong, and the wave were breaking over the deck. Greg as always was hooting away in excitement, but he started to get a bit cold before too long!

Action Man

I only just managed to get down to the playing field in time to see Greg in the dying minutes of the game, but he was there, giving it his all!

Unfortunately they lost 3-0 but he came back beaming from ear to ear, and told me all about the exciting thing that had happened during the course of the day.

Captain Pugwash

Even though I often miss Greg going to bed these days, you can be sure that he'll appear at the top of the stairs to see me when I get in. That cheeky little face smirking from behind the covers as soon as I get up the stairs to give him a cuddle.

"Have guess what I've been doing today.....?"

Sad news...

We had some very sad news earlier about Barry and Janis's dog Bentley. He's a lovely creature that we've had lots of fun with over the years, ...the number of times we've just stood there throwing the ball for him. But now he's gone.

So tonight we're thinking of all the magic that you miss when someone you love crosses to the other side.

Bye Bye Bentley....

When we're out on the water I usually have a close eye on Lewis to see where he has disappeared off to, but you can be sure that now he has his freedom he likes to assert his independence. Particularly when I have Mippy or Greg in the boat with me it's even easier to forget to tack his moves, but in a busy sea it's perfectly possible to turn around and be unable to spot him

I can't believe that he's gone from being in the front of my boat to out on his own in a frew few weeks really. So here he is, looking like he's been doing it for most of his life already.

Even Sunnier Sunday

Today has been so hot that when we sat down for our picnic at lunchtime and slapped on the suntan cream, you could actually feel your skin roast...!

We've had another 'full on' day with a bike ride down to the Marina this morning, followed by lunch and a whole afternoon on the water at Calshot in the kayaks.

We had fun exploring all the leads in the saltgrass, bird watching and getting stuck in the mud. We also found a superb isand with an extraordinary covering of perfectly formed shells. This was fantastic to see, contrasting with the shell beach by our house which is trampled by people who walk over it.

Highlight of our lunch was the chargrilled aubergine with houmous, which Greg refused to eat last night. It was delicious matey, and I'm delighted you turned your nose up!

Sunny Saturday

We've had a cracking day again today, the wether as good as last weekend. I had a jolly good bike ride out over the forest towards Beaulieau and Brockenhurst, before heading over to Rhinefield and Bolderwood. I came back through Millyford Bridge and Swan Green, with a little detour into Denny Wood.

This afternoon Greg, Miranda and I took Domino the Donkey out for a walk which he seemed to enjoy, so we must do that a bit more often. He's been a bit grumpy and stubborn of late so we've not been making the effort so much recently.

Tonight we had a barbeque, so were all cream crackered now. TFB....

Big girl's bed

Miranda's enormously pleased to be in the big bed. She's been climbing out of the cot and settling herself in it a few times, so it seemed right to try her all night...

She was so excited telling me all sorts of stories at bedtime, about her day and where she'd been - it was hard at first not to mistake her for Greg, who normally likes to tell me what he's been up to.

When Lewis was going upstairs to bed we checked on Miranda, and she was fast asleep on the floor!

Stage 1

Lewis has his Stage 1 music exam tomorrow so he's been practicing his tunes, although he'd rather just make up his own music.

I must try to get some photos of Greg playing Lewis' other guitar as he's been getting some music lessons from Lewis of late....

Drawing Car-azy!

When I got in this evening there was a lovely picture waiting for me from Lewis. A picture of a classic Lancia Fulvia in rally mode, to go with the convoy of Ford Escorts that we saw on our way down to Weymouth on the weekend. Like the Mexicos and RS2000s with fabulous wide wheels, the Fulvia ticks all the right boxes.

I was thinking that I might colour in his drawing and load it on the blog, but it won't be tonight...

This picture from a few nights ago when I caught him drawing a 'Bernard-Manning-Mobile' - the epitome of bad taste and political incorrectness ... a rude Rolls Royce!

Sad to hear tonight that Bo Didley has died, about a year after suffering from a stroke. Lewis cheered me up with a few renditions of Roadrunner tonight, as a tribute...

Submerged

And today it's a great pity that we didn't have an underwater camera as we've been paddling around Fleet Lagoon, and it would have been great to record some of the sealife. We've seen oyster as big as the palm of your hand, and little shell bound creatures with crab like bodies visible outside from the shell scurrying along! Wormy things, fishy things and loads of beautiful seaweeds. We've seen all manner of bird life too including terns diving into the water for fish and cormorants sunning themselves on the pontoon...

Lewis and Greg have both been out in their new boat, and even Miranda's been on the water too. The Sparc has a very lively character and I was a bit worried that Lewis would be defeated by it's twitchiness compared to my boat which is more of a sea kayak than a white water boat. By the end of the day he's pretty much got the boat under control, and it's going where he wants.

Greg needs a fair bit more paddling me around first before he's fit to go on his own, but there's no faulting his determination. Today I've had him on his own with a long bit of string tied on for safety. And I've also had Mippy having a go at paddling me around today too! So look out Greg...