For the Love of Fungus Friday!

Joining in with this lovely blog we are taking part in Fugus Friday, (although as she is in Australia, I think its technically Saturday there!).

I am really joining in on behalf of Tristan as he is Fungi freak!  He loves to find and photograph fungus, and then show it off to anyone who will look!  So this is right up his street!

So here is our first one:

Armillaria mellea - Honey fungus.

I can't say much about it, other than I love this photo, they look so huge!  

Look forward to next week

Sunshine and buskers

We live in quite a poor area.  It is an old mining town and is now quite deprived. Going into town isn't very exciting or inspiring! There are lots of closed down shops and empty buildings.

But today there were two men busking in the centre of the town.  The kids were amazed, Rowan sat outside the bank, whilst I went in and sat entranced watching these men play guitar and double bass.

Inspired by an article in recent edition of the Mother magazine after finishing all the bits I needed to do in town we all sat down and watched these men sing and play old rock and roll songs.  The boys loved it and clapped every time they finished a song.

We only sat there for 10 minutes, but during that time at least 6 other people had joined us in watching, singing along with and tapping their feet to the music.  Everyone was smiling, the sun was shining and music was playing through the streets of old Redruth!

What Joy!

Oh, and now Rowan wants to play double bass!

First camping of the year!

Well, having a new tent and new car we thought its high time we went camping and with the weather suddenly beautiful and summery we packed everything up and headed off to the Lizard.

We decided to go to the beach first.  It was quite windy down on the beach so I am glad the boys had their wetsuits, as they headed straight for the sea!  They loved playing 'run away from the waves', but didn't quite get it, and stood there until the wave had washed over their feet and had gone away, then they would scream and run away!  Very sweet to watch!

Reuben loved the sea and wouldn't keep out of it, making us a bit edgy as it was rather rough and there is a very strong current/rip around this beach.  Rowan was much happier climbing the rocks, running and digging.

 

Reuben looked so old in his wetsuit, like a right little surfer boy!

 After a while on the beach we headed back up the cliff to the car and went off in search of a campsite.  For the last few years we have always noticed a sign saying 'Wild Camping', So we decided to check it out.

I am not sure what is wild about it, but it was a lovely basic campsite.  2 fields, 2 toilets and a shower.  Perfect!  And you could have fires!

Camping is hungry work!  Rowan and Reuben eating up all the dinosaur egg (Rowans name for Mango!)

Our camp

We all slept really well, there is something about sleeping outdoors that makes you sleep so peacefully.  I woke briefly at dawn and listened to the dawn chorus, which was amazing, like an orchestra outside the tent!

The following day was just as sunny, so we hung out at the campsite for the morning.

Snack time for Reuben

Rowan and the big blue sky

Our camp again

A spot of kite flying

After packing up we headed off to a freinds house,  They are fortunate enough to live in the gate keepers house of our local country park.  We enjoyed a lovely lunch in the shade then all headed off for a lovely stroll through the woods, ending with a lovely local ice cream.  ( I left the camera in the car!)

By the time we got home, we were all very grubby and tired, but happy nonetheless!

Bluebells and Bikes

The real bluebells are out in full force in our local woods.  They never fail to stun me in how amazingly magical they look, a beautiful mist of purple sweeping through the woods.

We went to the woods for Reuben to have his first proper bike ride on his new bike, he was very excited, I think he was more excited to wear his helmet though!

Rowan went zooming off on his bike, Reu was very cautious, saying "Rowan go fast, I not go fast, I don't fall off!"  And he plodded along not even sitting on the seat, but after a while of watching Rowan he started to sit on the seat and even had a little zoom down a 'ramp'.  It really won't be long until he is flying along.

As for Rowan I didn't realise how good he was on his bike, I think he is pretty much ready for pedals (although will have to wait for his birthday). 

During the winter in this part of the woods, someone had built a shelter, which we have named the Bears House (although no bears live in it, Rowan assures me!).  We wanted to find the bears house but it looks like another world in there, as the last time we came there was no leaf on the trees.  So we didn't find it, but that didn't matter, Rowan and Reuben played a good game of mountain rescue in the muddy puddles!

Reuben's birthday, Part two

Because Reubens birthday is the day after Tristan's everyone is a bit caked out, so we planned to have Reu's real birthday cake on the weekend and have family around for a barbeque.  The weather was yuck, everyone was huddled around the bbq at one point!  But we had a lovely meal and Reuben loved his penguin cake! (I think it looks awful, but he really did love it!)

When my mum asked me what it was, Reuben replied, "Its a tiny, tiny, baby penguin!"  At least he could tell!

Our Garden - A place of calm

Recently I have been feeling overwhelmed with life, children, housework, college etc, etc.  Felling like there is not enough time in the day to keep everyone happy, let alone get everything done.  When feeling like this I end up getting less done than normal because I am running around being grumpy mama not seeing what is actually going on!

This happens every so often, and its almost like I need it to happen for me to stop and take stock of my life.  I would love to have all the time in world to do lovely, creative projects with the boys everyday and go out for wonderful walks, make beautiful nutritious meals everyday, have a clean and tidy house, have a garden weed free and full of everything that is supposed to be in the ground by now and be on top of my college work!  BUT thats not real life, thats definatley not my life.  My life is crazy, hectic but then also sometimes chilled out!  Full of stories, walks, random projects with the kids, a bit of housework, gardening, cooking and studying, and lots of lists!

The other day in the garden I sat on the step and watched my two beautiful free spirits play together lovingly, happy as skylarks, the sun was not shining, I was not planting stuff or working in some way and the kids were not being entertained (well by an adult anyway), but it was lovely.  Everyone was happy, the flowers are looking beautiful and I realised that I love my life the way it is. 

These are a few shots from that day;
Reuben digging the mulch pile

Rowan being a robot flowerpot man

Our fairy garden has turned into a fairy jungle!

And our beautiful clematis blooming so that every time you walk into the garden you get a lovely sweet scent drift around you

Birthdays Galore!

Yesterday was Tristans birthday and today is Reubens, so its been a bit crazy in our house, birthday baskets, cakes, muffins, cards and presents!  

I baked Tristan a chocolate berry torte and it was rather scrumptious, mmmmmmm....

This is the breakfast table set up for Reubens birthday with his crown, birthday basket and hobby horse.

Reuben loved his hobby horse (I am very pleased as I have been making it every night for the last week)

We went to a local ice cream farm for Reu's birthday.  There is a little playground, sandpit, piggies, chickens, sneezing horses and of course, ice cream.

Reuben was grunting at this pig!

 For his birthday Reuben got a balance bike, we did plan on handing down Rowans but Rowan isn't quite ready for pedals yet, so Reu has a new shiny purple one!

Then it was birthday teatime, as we still have cake from Tris' birthday yesterday, Reu just had some little muffins and will get his penguin cake on the weekend.

Rowan contemplating life over a chocolate muffin!

One very happy 2 year old.