Greenacres Farm Park

Wow, it's been a while! Lots has happened, lots of things I need to tell you about. As usual, I've been busy.

Let's start with the Farm Park. I've not been to the Mancot farm park since before child #3 was born but I did remember that it was a great day out for kids. Our visit was a bit spontaneous. I had a couple of weeks off work (well I was at home...we merged with another college on August 1st so things are a little crazy at work lately so I've been doing lots while I've been 'on leave'). Anyway, I decided we needed a day out.

It was great, weather was still good, and the farm park was just as good as I remember, deceptively bigger than you think too. 

I took a whopping 153 photos! Here are some of them...

You can buy poultry, pig and goat food when you buy tickets. The animals aren't stupid...you only have to take a step towards the ones you can feed and they huddle around instantly for food!

"take a photo of me with the bird!"...

"Take a photo of me with the clown"....

"Take a photo of me with the.." (You get the idea!)...

Never too big for the park....

This guy was great, biggest rodent apparently....still cute though...

 

We were on the tractor ride at this point, this guy's trained to perform 'smiles' and jumps in return for half a loaf of bread from the farmer. Obviously he goes by the name 'smiler' too! 

These were my favourite, we spotted them wandering around down by the shire horses. So I followed them...

I must admit, she has her ducklings under far better control than I have mine! She did shout a lot more than I do though!

"Don't take pictures of me!!"...

"But if you insist then I am quite the poser!"

This bit is ace too, you can sit in this little under cover shelter circle and they bring out loads of the animals for you to look at, stroke and feed...

Finally, before leaving, Child #3 had to have a go on the pony ride...

Fab day out! 

Back soon (honest!)

A Blanket for Child #1

Child #1 had requested a blanket a few times, especially when I did any work on the knitted blanket for child #2. Felling a bit guilty that I hadn't done anything towards it yet I loaded up the blog of a great blanket maker and told Child #1 to have a look for one she liked but remember that we use whatever colours she wanted. After about 3 or 4 minutes (! it takes me hours to decide) she showed me this one: Pink Dasies

Whilst I don't love it, I was still happy to make it for her. I asked her about colours and she said 'make it with baby pinks and blues and things'. I was even less impressed now. Tentatively, last Sunday I decided to find some scraps in the 'right colours' and make a couple of sample squares for her to pick from. I made one that was yellow and white in the centre, and then baby pink, and then pale blue. Then I made another but switched the pink and blue around. They were awful. So I made another. just like the blanket she picked but just with shades of blue instead of the pink. I loved it. I hoped so much that she would too. True to my word I presented the ones with pink and blue in. Then I held up the ones with only blue. She smiled, and said 'yeah, that's way nicer' PHEW!!!

So before she could change her mind, I made another 3 and joined them all together!... 

She loves it too. 

So, I had a quick go at guessing how big I should make it and I was thinking that 9 by 9 would be a good size. So that's 81 squares. Not too bad really. A little later I was sat in the kitchen while she was sorting washing (!) and casually asked 'So how big do you want this blanket then?' 

'Not too big" she said. 

Hmmm....I just love subjective answers don't you?? "Ok, but how big is 'not too big' then?" I fetched the sofa ripple blanket that I finished last year. "This big?"

She looked, head tilted, "About 2 squares bigger."

I measured against the squares I had already done. 12 x 12 then. 144 SQUARES then!!! Wow.

I got going a bit faster!

I'm still going now. For some time.

More food...

Despite what you may think, I have not given up on the whole cooking project. Last weekend I made this...

That's Green Bean and Beetroot Cous Cous for those that can't tell by looking (!). I made LOADS and consequently it was in the fridge for AGES! We had it for lunch on Saturday, and sunday with some boiled eggs, and at work on monday with some more eggs and also at work on Tuesday because it was still in the fridge and it just needed using up!

That wasn't the best cooking I cooked at the weekend though. I also made these....!!!

Yep. Proper American pancakes, with real maple syrup (and Onken Vanilla yoghurt). Those were quite early ones hence the shape. I got better at them...

Ha! Loads of 'em. Obviously we didn't eat them all. 10 of them have been placed carefully in the freezer for another American Breakfast day. They were delicious!

Hungry now? :-)