28.06.10 - Weekend

Saturday -

We sit scoffing fruit salad and yoghurt in the garden as we plan what needs doing today. The boys have their garden competition entries to start and Himself is going to lay some concrete for paving slabs. And me? Well, I keep looking at my garden and the weeds keep looking back at me, they cheerfully pop up overnight from areas previously cleared - how do they do that?

Eldest scrubs out his chosen 'creative container' - an ancient old zinc bucket, gifted to me by a man in his eighties. The bucket  had previously belonged to his 102 year old mother.......

Youngest disappears into the back of the garage to retrieve the red tray he is using for his mini-garden, it also needs a bath.

There is much planting and pulling back out and re-planting and shoving back in and yanking back out of all their chosen plants - I wince at the 'hands-on' approach the boys (particularly Youngest) but stand well back as these are their entries and I am not to get involved. Finally, after much juvenile cussing and muttering under breaths, they stand back pleased with their results.

Eldest's creative container is delightfully done -  a mix of annuals and vegetables

He is relieved and proud of his work - so am I....

Youngest's mini-garden - not quite finished (art in the making) is still being constructed. He is last seen wielding the hair cutting scissors (aargh - not them!) as he creates a little hen hock for his flock of plastic chickens.

I get fed up with weeding and edging and make a start on the adult creative container 

- but this one is a secret!  

Oh - ok, just one picture as a hint............. 

might show a few more teaser pictures as the week goes on!

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We missed celebrating the solstice on the 21st, so I plan to have one tonight - in the garden. After all the collective hard work, I think that the boys (all three) and I need a treat. Himself puts the benches out as I cook all sorts of easy to eat finger food. We bring out candles to symbolise the fires as we sit and eat and watch swallows and bats and a tawny owl and watch the sun go down. 

And when, finally the candles have burned low, the sky is almost dark and the boys are tired, we wander back into the house - it has been a good day.

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Sunday - 

A wonderful walk on ancient tracks, along quietly bubbling streams. A walk under huge beech and oak trees and along old stone causeways. A walk that cleansed the soul and made us feel so very alive.

Steeply wooded valleys 

Stone steps worn by years of trudging clog-weary feet

Last remaining relics of now long gone mills just 'appear' out of nowhere.

Sunken tracks beneath beech tree woodlands.

Coming out of the darkness of the woods and into the bright warm sunshine bathing the meadows.

A quiet moment of reflection.

It is days like these, with my boys, I feel free.