The Courts & Forest School Play {Country Kids}

So my favourite break from work, the October half term, is sadly over.
Now we are back on the treadmill and juggling the balls of school, work and family life.
Time to look back on those heady days of being a SAHM and sigh at how I didn't appreciate it at the time!
Anyway, we had a fantastic week with no alarms to dictate our days.
The children were keen to go The Courts gardens, a nearby National Trust location.
It has the perfect balance of gardens, lawns, orchards and Forest School area to keep the adults and children entertained.

Since I have been lucky enough to have my own DSLR camera the girl has been desperate to get her hands on my old compact. She is definitely my daughter as she spent half her time taken boot shots - blogger in the making maybe?!

 The leaves were asked to be explored; kicked, thrown and hidden behind.

The Forest School area here is a big hit with my two and they happily played for an hour. I noted some ideas for work whilst they explored the dens, played in the sand kitchen and clambered over the logs. It made me realise that this kind of area, and opportunity for outdoor learning, should be embedded in schools, no matter how old the children are. I don't think they ever grow out of this sort of play!

 

Linking up with the super Country Kids...

x x x

 



The Courts Garden {National Trust} #HDYGG

Last week I took the camera out to look for the Autumnal seasonal changes at The Courts garden. This is a 'go to' local location for us and I visited it here on the blog back in May half term too.
Autumn colour was still the strongpoint although there were signs that Summer was desperately clinging on - and this was the tail end of October!

Strawberries still waiting to ripen in the kitchen gardens alongside an array of potted plants - that I admired with no clue as to what they are.

 Happy to find some Autumnal scenes with carpets of leaves showing reds, browns and oranges.

 Trees and plants just call out to be explored - hug a tree, get up close to its trunk, touch its leaves - it's amazing how different how they all look, sound, smell and feel.

Finally, a look ahead to all things Christmassy and a sign that Winter is next in line. Bold red berries hanging like bells adding to the Autumn colours just perfectly.

Linking up with the amazing Annie and her How Does Your Garden Grow? #HDYGG

x x x

Autumn's Best Bits

Autumn has long been my favourite season.
A colourful window of burnt reds, browns, oranges and yellows nestling between the long, warm Summer days, of Saltwater sandals and tan lines, and the long, cold nights of Winter.
Crisp, yet sunny, days followed by a warming mulled cider to see me through the lengthening dark evenings.
Leaf peeping and spotting the Autumnal hues as the canopies of the trees change day by day.
The crunch of leaves beneath my boot clad feet.
The smell of bonfire lingering in the air.
The never-ending carpets of fallen leaves changing the green lawns to deep rich shades of browns and reds.

Then it all gets destroyed...
I hear the heart warming sound of infectious chortling.
Then I see how such a simple thing has made them so happy.
Because who can resist the temptation to destroy the perfect carpet in the name of fun?!

 

Those are Autumn's best bits for me.

What are yours?

 

x x x

 

Disclaimer: I am entering 'Autumn's Best Bits' with @Sykescottages. You can find more at tinyurl.com/autumnsbestbit 

Project 365 #44 {Autumn Half Term}

The Autumn half term has always been my favourite break from work.
A gap between two long terms to unwind and enjoy all that Autumn has to offer.

Project 365 #44

 

Day 299
A hard day in the garden was spent digging over the vegetable patches, clearing an overgrown bed and planting some tulip and allium bulbs. I am such a rubbish gardener so fingers are crossed for some flowers next Spring.
Day 300
Having to wait in today for another internet engineer we went a bit chocolate mad today with some baking. Sugar has been needed a lot this week to calm down the stresses of a very iffy internet connection that just can't seem to be fixed.
Day 301
Time to get out and about for one of our favourite Autumn places, Stourhead. You can see more Autumn colours at Stourhead here.
Day 302
A bit of a mild damp day at home today but we needed some fresh air so went for a walk across the local fields. This involves crossing the railway line where I got told off by the children for pausing to take a picture. Bad parenting skills I know.
Day 303
I took the children to The Courts for a couple of hours today. The carpets of leaves were a delight and obviously we had to play in them.
Day 304
Halloween today! I'm not a big fan of trick or treating but love to carve pumpkins - and roast the seeds and use the flesh in cakes and curries. Tonight we had a garden fire and ate outside, baking our own bread over the flames.
Day 305
Just me and the kiddos this afternoon so we went for a wander around the surrounding villages. I donned my favourite Nike trainers and had a silent weep at the fact I haven't ran in these for eight months. I should have another go, but I must take it easy.

Linking up with The Boy and Me...

x x x

Autumn colours at Stourhead {National Trust} #HDYGG

Yesterday we took our seasonal Autumn trip to Stourhead - although we definitely visit more than four times a year.

The Autumn colours were in abundance and when going through the day's snaps I smiled warmly at the hues of reds, oranges and browns that I had captured.

The colours of my favourite time of year.

Acers, chestnut shells and carpets of leaves just waiting patiently to be kicked into the clear sun streamed air.
Shades of red all around; up close and distant.
Fungi camouflaged against the brown leaf covered floor.

Everywhere we looked, and snapped, Autumn colours were all around.

I'll be linking up with the super Annie at #HDYGG

x x x

Up Close at Stourhead

I think it's been well documented on this very blog how much we love visiting the National Trust and Stourhead. If you missed those posts then take a look here.

Since discovering How Does Your Garden Grow? I have started to observe gardens around me more, whether it be my own or those on a much grander scale. Now I stop and look, get close up and really appreciate it. I noticed so much more on our recent trip to Stourhead earlier this week by doing just that.

Flowers dying back, poppies still in bloom, plants climbing the walls, changing colours on the hydrangeas, trees almost as tall as the sky, the red of the Acer, the oak tree without its acorns, fallen leaves and enormous tree trunks.

So much to see.
So much to take in.
But still time to just sit by the lake.
And look for Wally.

All in all the ideal place to spend a sunny, crisp Autumn day.

I'll be linking up with Annie and other wonderful gardens...

x x x