Hello! What a busy week - VERY picture-heavy post coming up...
After my wonderful (delayed) Mother's Day, we headed over towards Brighton for lambing, visiting the beautiful tiny church adjacent to the farm first. Dating from 1070-80 the amazing in tact frescoes are a delight in this amazing little Norman church. The image of a man holding up the arch in the fresco above is so haunting.
We all loved seeing the beautiful lambs, although we only saw a few actually being born this time. The farmer told us all about his ewes, lambs, cows and calves, the realities of farming and much more, which the girls were fascinated by. Although these gorgeous little critters were a bigger hit, of course!
How can you resist those too-big-for-them wrinkly skins? Adorable.
Who says animals can't smile? Just look at that little face snuggled up next to his mama. And the dear little face below.
Our mini farmers jumped at the opportunity to feed the hungry mummies.
A quick snack break and some tree climbing were in order next. Spot the sloth...
After a tractor ride up to the top of the South Downs to see the older lambs out in the fields, we had a another look around the bubbas before heading down to the beach for some exercise.
Just look at this happy face!
Scooting, rock climbing, paddling and running along the beach necessitated an ice cream stop - and a quick power nap in a swing!
On Tuesday we met friends at Bodiam Castle and had a lovely time - despite the rain!
This Medieval gem looks perfect fro the outside but is a ruin inside those walls, all the better for exploring and imagining previous residents.
The girls loved all the hidden rooms and spaces to discover and explore. They came away full of questions and ideas about what life was like there and how the castle fitted together.
Lara has been wanting to try archery for a couple of months, so was delighted to have a go.
Tatiana was a bit of a revelation though, hitting the bullseye on her first attempt!
We had a quieter day on Wednesday, playing, doing some crafts and watching a couple of documentaries, on dinosaurs and Stonehenge.
Thursday was fairly quiet too, with just a few hours on the beach and making our Easter cards. Then on Friday we went to the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust in Arundel.
Crafts were followed by spotting babies, just a few clutches so far, and seeing who was around that we knew the names of or could learn about. We watched this tough mum fighting off a rat who was after one of her brood.
There were plenty of mini-beasts to discover and observe, including millipedes, worms, wood ants, woodlice and spiders.
Then on to the play area to let off some steam.
Today we have been to see In the Night Garden Live at Portsmouth (review coming soon), which the girls loved. Then we spent a good few hours at the sea front at Southsea, scooting, in the playground, and exploring the rose garden and Japanese garden for signs of spring growth.
Honestly, after such a long winter we are all so delighted to be able to stay out later in the evening, to see and smell flowers and leaves, and to be out and about more. Thank goodness for spring!
After my wonderful (delayed) Mother's Day, we headed over towards Brighton for lambing, visiting the beautiful tiny church adjacent to the farm first. Dating from 1070-80 the amazing in tact frescoes are a delight in this amazing little Norman church. The image of a man holding up the arch in the fresco above is so haunting.
We all loved seeing the beautiful lambs, although we only saw a few actually being born this time. The farmer told us all about his ewes, lambs, cows and calves, the realities of farming and much more, which the girls were fascinated by. Although these gorgeous little critters were a bigger hit, of course!
How can you resist those too-big-for-them wrinkly skins? Adorable.
Who says animals can't smile? Just look at that little face snuggled up next to his mama. And the dear little face below.
Our mini farmers jumped at the opportunity to feed the hungry mummies.
A quick snack break and some tree climbing were in order next. Spot the sloth...
After a tractor ride up to the top of the South Downs to see the older lambs out in the fields, we had a another look around the bubbas before heading down to the beach for some exercise.
Scooting, rock climbing, paddling and running along the beach necessitated an ice cream stop - and a quick power nap in a swing!
On Tuesday we met friends at Bodiam Castle and had a lovely time - despite the rain!
This Medieval gem looks perfect fro the outside but is a ruin inside those walls, all the better for exploring and imagining previous residents.
 |
| How many children can you fit in a fireplace? |
The girls loved all the hidden rooms and spaces to discover and explore. They came away full of questions and ideas about what life was like there and how the castle fitted together.
 |
| One of the huge fires in the castle kitchen |
 |
| A ghost? |
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| Murder holes for pouring, throwing or firing defensive elements on attackers |
Lara has been wanting to try archery for a couple of months, so was delighted to have a go.
Tatiana was a bit of a revelation though, hitting the bullseye on her first attempt!
We had a quieter day on Wednesday, playing, doing some crafts and watching a couple of documentaries, on dinosaurs and Stonehenge.
Thursday was fairly quiet too, with just a few hours on the beach and making our Easter cards. Then on Friday we went to the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust in Arundel.
Crafts were followed by spotting babies, just a few clutches so far, and seeing who was around that we knew the names of or could learn about. We watched this tough mum fighting off a rat who was after one of her brood.
There were plenty of mini-beasts to discover and observe, including millipedes, worms, wood ants, woodlice and spiders.
Then on to the play area to let off some steam.
Today we have been to see In the Night Garden Live at Portsmouth (review coming soon), which the girls loved. Then we spent a good few hours at the sea front at Southsea, scooting, in the playground, and exploring the rose garden and Japanese garden for signs of spring growth.
Honestly, after such a long winter we are all so delighted to be able to stay out later in the evening, to see and smell flowers and leaves, and to be out and about more. Thank goodness for spring!
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