Holiday musings......4 - there is a big sky

Inside the car we are being gently deliciously warmed by the early spring sunshine. We drive along, high over the moors above Appleby. The sky is an intense blue that goes on forever and forever.

Can we fly kites Dad, please, please..Youngest seems to have the most angelic and persistent charm that makes you do almost anything. Himself pulls over. I look up over my hook and see a huge landscape of rolling heather covered hills, distant mountains and sharply twinkling tarns. There is a big sky.

Behind me the boys are unclipping their seatbelts and the dog is fidgeting with anticipation.

Right boys, says Himself, one door at a time please....


He opens his door and gripping it firmly steps out, I can hear the wind thudding against his back, he turns and shuts his door. His dark curls flying wildly around his head. The boys, ignoring the sound advice both open their doors and are almost ripped out of the car. With difficulty they shut the doors and proceed to pretend to be blown like tumble-weed across the moors. Youngest somersaulting backwards for some yards and Eldest pretending to scream in mock horror as he hangs on to the bumper of the car. Miming out some image from a movie - safe in the knowledge that as soon as he has had enough of the pretence he can step back into the real world. Both blondies, their hair flaps and tears around their faces.

I am still in the car.

I zip my fleece firmly around me and tentatively get out. The door, although I am prepared for the blast, almost wrenches my arm out of it's socket. I brace and lean into the breeze and almost blinded by my hair, shut the door and go to help the boys assemble the kites.

The bright ripstop fabric, moments ago inert in the car, is now flapping urgently, desperately trying to fly. Himself holds, with some difficulty, the kites up and they rip from his fingers and soar immediately.  The delight on the boys faces is wonderful. Only I can't really see as my hair is whipping and whirling in and out of my eyes. I return to the car and find my hat, which I firmly tug down and tuck as many strands of hair away as I can. Relief.

The kites scream above our heads, their fabric vibrating violently in the air. The boys aggressively fly them in huge circles, fighting them all the time.Their faces alternating with concentration and delight.

We, Himself and I, take turns in re-launching the ditched kites then we take over as the boys arms tire. I am thrilled by the power of the drag. I force the kite into sharp figure of eights, zig-zagging it across the sky. Up and down, round and round. Feeling flush with the success and speed I am obtaining I try an ever decreasing circle motion, the kite spinning furiously to the right when one of the strings is pulled from my hand and the kite  does a frenzied whirl and crashed heavily. Himself, lying on his back in a heathery hollow whilst flying his kite looks over to see what caused the thud.

We used this as a cue to stop our aerial antics and move off the tops and down to a quieter valley.  We drop onto all fours and untangle the strings.

Later, once we had found our perfect picnic spot, out of the blustery breeze, we drank tea and ate the most heavenly biscuits. Over my hook, I watched the boys as they diverted a stream. Another wonderful day.

Well my dears, just writing this small part of our holiday makes me yearn to be back there....... never mind. Thank you for popping by and sharing my musings :) have yourselves a lovely Friday and a wonderful weekend xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx