History and hillsides

We visited Hadrian's Wall yesterday. Our children are so young but they are getting a little grasp on history. Their version is softened not the often brutal reality of history. A child's view but a view no less. They now talk about 'In the olden days' and 'a long time ago.' They know their forebears fell in wars and that there are places to remember them. I heard Autumn tell one of our travelling companions 'Pompa's brother fighted and there is a big white cross on the field.' This is a bit jumbled but he's got the story.

There's also been a whole lot of outdoor wee wee's... (he, he, he)

And with the history comes beauty and landscape. How large a role landscape and environment has played in many big and small decision made by so many people. Some of them great, some of them small.

We stopped at this Inn for lunch. At 1500ft above sea level we had a nice meal under a most perfect sky. We played in the mountain stream, dropping flowers in to watch their path; resting in the pools and racing through the rapids.

A day with Beatrix

We spent the day with Beatrix Potter, well, sort of. When that door opened we wandered into the World of Beatrix Potter, something that was able to be enjoyed by even the youngest of us. And certainly by the eldest. (That's me!) 

You're not supposed to touch the exhibits but if you can't read I imagine sitting in Mrs Tiggy-Winkle's kitchen just makes sense. Both little ladies in this family sat for tea with her. 

And our sweet Autumn boy continued to be enchanted by Mr Jeremy Fisher and his fishing adventure.

And then we went around the lake to where Ms Potter lived and wrote many of her tales. There were sheep and the entire rabbit family hopping around.


We saw where Mr John Joiner had helped Tom Kitten from the floor and watched robin red-breast flitting about the garden. 

 

And on the way back we stopped for a pot of tea and a few moments to enjoy the picturesque village. 

Thank-you Beatrix.

Scotland

We stayed in a lovely big old house with 12 friends. It had an Aga, a rocking horse (called Rosie or Faster, depending who was riding), a secret garden with old bee hives, a faraway tree and horses around the back. There was a peaceful bay window where I stole a few moments to knit.

We also drove a couple of hours further north to visit a childhood friend of mine who's been up here for ten years now. We spent the afternoon on a lovely walk through the forrest near her house.

Can you see the bird's nest in those roots of the fallen tree? There was nobody home but finding a bird's nest is always exciting.

The landscapes here are incredible. The mountains compete with the clouds for size.