And so we move into another year of trips to our favourite sunday morning haunt, Barlaston Downs. I'll update a summary at the end of the year but for now, enjoy the adventures of 'The Famous Five' as they evolve through the seasons. I'll need to do this year in two parts. This is the first half of the year.
January to June 2007.
Tom the terror!
Our first trip was January 6th. It was cold but dry. The kids wrapped up well and enjoyed it. It was too cold to go in the water so the 'guys' had fun doing rolly polly down 'Dragon Hill' and then had a game of tag with Tom's red woollen hat.
Our next trip was February 17th with just the boys. It was a chilly sunday morning and very frosty in sheltered areas. This was an SAS type assault course training day. As you can see, these guys can make it through any adverse conditions and come out smiling. Tom, the youngest at three and a half years of age, matches his cousins, the twins, Matt and Scott who are five years old and also his brother Sam, who is six and a half years old.
This trip was March 10th. Just the boys on this one again. My friend, Markelt, had bought the guys some 'Swat Gear', machine pistols, walkie-talkies, hand grenades and goggles. This became the 'Swat Trip'.
March 24th was a wickedly cold day. We decided to give the Downs a miss and instead, made a short trip to Rough Close Common. The common is our usual summer time place where the guys eat their MacDonalds on their stayover weekends. We spent just thirty minutes there on this bitter sunday morning and then retreated back to the warmth of my home to defrost.
March 31st was a nice day, cool but dry again. Katie joined the boys on this trip but she stayed with granddad most of the time because she has a poorly chest. The gang found a 'cave' in the dead bracken and spent an hour playing games in it. Afterwards, they made their way to the stream and spent a while revelling on the banks and were joined by a dog which made their day. They all love dogs.
April 14th was a super day.....almost like a mid-summer day with the temperatures in the mid 20's. The 'guys' loved it. At last, a chance to mess about in the stream. The green is fast appearing on the trees and the blossom is beautiful. Spring flowers are springing up everywhere and a sense of summer is in the air. In a couple of weeks it will be bluebell time. I love all the seasons, but Spring is my favourite...it is the start of a fresh new year. At my age, I have learned to fill every moment with the joys of life. Spending time with my grandkids is one of the most beautiful ways of filling each moment with joy.
April 28th. I had been on a trip to Nice in France and this was my first chance after coming back to take the kids. Fortunately, this sunday was dry and not too cold. It wasn't warm enough for a dip in the stream but it was a day when light clothes were the order of the day. And, it was Bluebell Time! At last, we were able to take the Bluebell Valley walk, which is a beautiful place. This part of the Downs is ancient in places. There are beech and oak trees hundreds of years old, massive silver birch and paths strewn with wild flowers. Birds of all types nest here including woodpeckers...their beautiful hammering and the cry of their young has been my joy in the past well before these grandkids arrived on the scene. My joy is introducing them to this heaven. They revel in it.
