Adventure Day 3: the Voyage Home

Loch Lomond in the mist.

We stopped for lunch and to visit Loch Lomond Aquarium which, although pricey, was fascinating. The kids loved this tank - they could crawl under then stand in the dome in the middle. Either that or my offspring are actually creepy beasties from another dimension.

Adventure Day 2: the day was just packed..

In the morning we headed off to a small ruined castle which the kids had a great time exploring. I love this picture - I couldn't see a thing, the flash did it all! But for once the Boy is not self-conscious in a photo and it's so definitively him.


Miss Mouse had a tremendous time splashing around at the pebbly beach next to the castle. She's so obviously my daughter when it comes to messing around in the sea! The Boy was content to stay dry and collect treasures on the beach.

And isn't this (below) just the picture of summer? Well, a Scottish summer, note the fleece!

In the afternoon it had brightened up and we went to Benmore Botanic Garden which was just brilliant. We only saw a fraction of it due to the kids getting tired but what we saw was exquisite.

I took loads of photographs but have had to whittle it down to these two for this blog (though I might put a few on my other blog). The one above gives an idea of the contrast between the formal design and a wild setting, and the one below shows how much the kids loved having the space to run wild!

Adventure Day 1

The kids and I went up to Loch Fyne with Grandma to stay at her partner's place. The Boy chilled out with a jigsaw after dinner.

Creepy-crawly

Self-explanatory!

Gorgeous big dollop

And just for a bit of comparison this is how big he was last October.

Brights

These are the summer equivalent of the spring's daffodil meme!

Another garden day

I love days like this..


when the washing's on the line,

the plants are getting on doing gardeny stuff like almost blooming,

the cats are mooching around,

and I can have my coffee outside on a picnic blanket and practice my crochet.

Look at that sky! How un-East-Kilbridean! I dismantled and disposed of the kids' garden swing which was badly rusted and had a torn seat, so I have a better view from the bench now. I really need to repaint the playhouse at some point.

Gardening

Miss Mouse was happily pottering around,

and the carrots are growing well.

Sunshine in my garden

The first of the sunflowers (a short variety) just opening.

Moses

Hester has decided that a doll's Moses basket is a nice place to sleep, regardless of how high a pile of toys it's perched on.. Toby has also been known to attempt to sleep in it but as he's much bigger there's a fair amount of overspill!

Heavy Horses

It was the Heavy Horse Show at Kittochside. As well as heavy horses,


there were some adorable donkeys,

ice-cream,

and the weather was beautiful.

Hiding

It was the kids' cousin's birthday and we'd got him a play-tent which we promptly set up in his living-room. The three of them squeezed in and proceeded to giggle infectiously! 

Continuing the theme

The theme of highly changeable weather that is! The morning was bright and sunny (above) but the sky got heavier and heavier later on (below). I don't mind if the days are partially wet/overcast - the kids and the cats are getting outside regardless!

Contrast

Because it wouldn't do to have the same weather two days running!  Actually it looks worse than it was, it was showery but warm enough.

Garden day

The paddling-pool was unearthed from the garage and blown up. By me. By my lungs. Because we couldn't find the pump. And then filled with a bucket because the garden tap broke last winter and the hose won't attach to the kitchen tap. Such a lot of work for one small paddling-pool! But the kids enjoyed it. 

And the bees were quite contented to mooch around the garden too.

Sunshine of his smile

Cheery output from the little artist at the moment! The Boy and I did quite a lot of stuff today while Miss Mouse was at nursery, but didn't take any photos apart from this.

Love lift us up where we belo-o-ong

Or 'Daddy lift us up where we feel tall for once'! 

Guess

Guess what the weather's been doing? While everybody I know Daan Saaf has been moaning about the 'heatwave'?

green green green

These didn't last long - I love peas from the pod. I wish I'd got more really. Must grow some next year.

Some things are growing happily in my garden though.

Fruit-picking

The kids and I went fruit-picking with Grandma at East Yonderton Farm near Renfrew. 

Aside from the yummy fruit and veg (we picked gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries and peas) and the views of the fields, there's an additional draw - the farm is right next to the runways of Glasgow airport so we watched 'planes taking off and landing.

Evening sky

I took this after the kids had gone to bed - I like the subtlety of evening light.

Teapotty

New acquisition - very pleased with this :-).

Greenfingers

Moderate garden success - there is Actual Colour in the garden as some of the green things deign to flower!  Mostly plants do better if I leave them to it. I'm surprised these survived last winter though.

Puff

Another day, another birthday party - we seem to know a tremendous number of people who were Born on the 4th of July (yesterday's party was for a girl whose birthday is today). None of them American though!

Leafy

The Boy and I walked to his friend's birthday party - it was a nice afternoon so I took the camera and took this as I wandered back.

Tatty

The 'playhouse' is looking a bit tatty and in need of paint.  And the roof is in need of some first aid.

Boing said Zebedee

After a rather wet morning, it turned quite nice this afternoon and the Boy was able to get out to commune with his trampoline. The Big Black Clouds continued to loom menacingly though they didn't achieve anything.