No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.

I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed the Easter break this year. I think it's a combination of things really. Being generally ready for a break, a long gruelling winter bursting into spring, the age of the kids and their growing independence and great weather.


It's been fabulous weather again today. We decided to head to Spring Wood for a walk and an ice-cream. Too early for the bluebells and initially it all looked a bit barren. Lots of late DAFFODILS though!

On closer inspection though, there was plenty to see and lots going on. The first bluebell and only one we saw. Not to mention lots of yellow Celandines and White Wood Anemomes and Wild Garlic flowers.

And then every so often there would be a small sapling displaying a riot of fresh green leaves in amongst all of the lifeless bigger trees. Another one of those little things that fills me with an enormous sense of wellbeing and joy.

Everyone got a bit giddy and full of the joys of. This is what happened when I tried to organise a nice group shop. Come on guys! Get it together!!

Fortunately, the woolly and ovine types were much more obliging.

Ahh. Then, of course, it was time for ice-cream. Harmsworths have been at this site for as long as I can remember. It's delicious home-made ice-cream. And that's all he sells at the moment. None of that namby-pamby ice lolly malarky! Poor chap can't take a day off once the weather picks up or he gets complaints from all the pensioners who go there to sit on the car park, watch the birds and have an ice-cream. It is rather delicious though.

Look it's Mr Harmsworth making up our 99s. And here we are enjoying them.

Yummy. All in all a rather nice trip out. Also helped older girl to forget about slightly traumatic dentist appointment earlier on. Poor thing has a hole in one of her back teeth which developed and abcess a few weeks ago.  It's now been capped. This involved an injection (which I didn't tell her about) and a metal crown being glued over the cleaned out tooth. Happily, she thinks it look quite cool and has shown it off to anyone willing to look so far.


Also finished the granny blanket which is now on the bed of older girl.

I'm pretty pleased with it and it's been a real learning curve too. Am already starting some more squares for another little blankie for daughter the younger.