Fruits of our labours...

Spoiler alert: If you don't like gardening then don't read on...

Way back in March the Supreme Being and I started a project to transform the garden. We planted many, many, many plants. There was lupins, delphiniums, phlox and gaillardia. There was rudbeckia, heleniums, eryngium and echinacea. And that was just a few of the flowers that got planted...There was plums, apples, cherries, kale, spinach and beans. And that was just some of the fruit and veg. We hacked, dug, transplanted, raked and watered. And that was just some of the toil we put in.

But do you know what? It nearly all grew :-). And this summer has been an bountiful display of colour and tasty delights. Each week has seen a different slant on what is an ever-changing picture. I'm hooked.

And it's got me thinking...there could be so much more to be done. I think the fruits of this years labours are just the start of our gardening odyssey. Gardener's Question Time here we come :-).

 The cottage garden in the making

 And the wildflower meadow wasn't bad either

Me and ma garden helper

Infestation...

It all started a few weeks ago when we visited a lovely little fairy village in the woods near Killearn. It was really quite magical and educational at the same time. We learnt all about fairies - that they like shiny things and buttons - and that whenever you smell strawberries it means that fairies have been near. We saw where they live and found out all about their names, and how different each fairy can be. We got to write letters to the fairies and we even got to make a wish at the magic tree. It was all really rather lovely...

 Doors for Big and Wee People

 Posting letters to the Fairies

 The Fairy Village

 Wishes floating away

A story-telling fairy

And then it all went a bit awry. It appears one of the sneaky little people must have snuck into our car for the ride back. And then it appears they decided to make themselves at home. I wouldn't mind that much but they've made some pretty big holes in the skirting boards to get in and out and they keep pilfering all the paper clips and other shiny things around the house. Emily loves them so at least she's happy, but we are starting to become infested by them (three so far but we've only been introduced to one - Nixie).

Unasked for visitors they might be but the supreme being is definitely besotted. She writes letters with questions every night and rushes towards the fairy doors in the morning to find out the answers. She even asked Nixie to help find her missing finger light - which magically appeared the next morning. Beautiful! But let's hope they don't completely take over or we really will be away with the fairies...

 Holes in the boards, now fairy doors

The latest message to Nixie

Twisting your words...

Emily's development continues apace. Every time we go somewhere new or do something different she seems to take a developmental leap. Last week she went to see the cousins, and when I spoke to her on the phone on the second day, it was like speaking to a different child. It's amazing to watch her grow and develop like that.

Along with speaking comes questions. The endless 'why' causes great hilarity in the house, and sometimes we throw it back to her to see what she says. Her curiosity it seems is limitless - and demonstrates that she is beginning to understand that there is a reason for everything - except it appears there isn't a reason good enough for eating anything apart from carbohydrates. Anyway her enthusiasm to learn extended to Mummy explaining all about democracy, countries and politics for the best part of 6 hours on our journey back from Birmingham. It was fascinating listening in. Let's hope she grows up in a world where these things still matter.

Still, not everything is always questions in the supreme beings' world. Being three and a half brings with it its' own frustrations, and at times her will of iron can pose for some interesting stand offs. It's hard not to laugh as quite often she can sulk or strop in a very cute way, but then there's also the times when it's hard not to cry as she can test your patience. All in all, she's lovely though, and bright as a button which is just simply wonderful to be around. Although some words just keep on eluding her...

 Santa by Emily

Angry face by Emily

Portrait of Wee Rabbit

Videoclip: Cucumber

A new house...

The daily ice creams continued

And so we came to the final campsite near St Malo, and a real treasure it was too. Our final days of le grand trip were spent soaking up the last rays of sun, enjoying the swimming pool (or land swimming which Emily invented), gorging on cheese, bread and all the other culinary delights that France has to offer. We took it fairly easy, as the campsite was very family friendly, with animals to feed and a playpark, on top of the swimming pool and plentiful games that were around. I even managed a quick trip to the supermarket to stock up for the next few months :-).

 Chillin' out campervan stylee

 Competitive 'Hungry Hippos'

 Crashed out after 20 lengths of land swimming

A bientôt mon beau pays

And so we arrived at a pitstop for a few days in Birmingham at my parents. I still had my hat and we were still singing our holiday song, so all was well with the world. But how could that be made better? By Grandma and Grandad giving Emily a new house, in fact my sister's old one. This was one excited supreme being.

 What could possibly be underneath there?

 Transfixed in anticipation

 That is one happy face

And away she goes

I spy with my little eye...

No-one told me that endless games of "I Spy" were an essential part of life on the road. Nor did they tell me that there are so may things that can be coloured blue (we play colours I Spy not letters with the supreme being). Nor did they tell me how long a supreme being's runny nose can last for and how many times a day that same supreme being can say "my nose Daddy".

Life on the road's not all rock 'n' roll you know.

Largin' it camper van stylee

So after game of I Spy numbered 1,027 and nose blow 1,454 - I thought it time to update our road trip adventures in France. 

Obviously, French cuisine, beaches, cycling, swimming pools, and a whole host of other things isn't as exciting as I Spy but we pressed on round the Ile de Re regardless, and encamped ourselves in a fantastic site complete with tropical pool. Ile de Re is one of many French hotspots for oysters, clams, mussels and other seafood delights on France's Atlantic coast. Joined to La Rochelle by a large bridge it is a cycling haven with picturesque old towns, as all the houses are painted white with green shutters. It gives it a real Mediterranean feel. 

And so we explored the old towns by bike, finding our way round by means of I Spy instead of a map, and nose blowing pit-stops instead of drinks in cafes. All seemed to work fine as we had a marvellous time, enjoying the food, culture and genuine joie de vivre of this laid back Ile.

La Flotte - typical port on Ile de Re

Soaking up the old town's atmosphere

 And then soaking up the sun on the beach

Oh so French! (Part I)

Oh so French! (Part II)

The first 6 of many oysters that Daddy ate

Quelle surprise!

Local salt production

View over the island from Le Phare des Baleines (lighthouse)

And then from one French isle to another, as the never ending game of I Spy led us from Ile de Re to Ile de Noirmoutier where the lovely French ladies were out in force for the final stages of the European Cup.

Ooh la la...a pair of French lovelies...

And we continued our road adventures with a wonderful campsite on the beach, more seafood and trips out to local produce and bric a brac markets, butterfly land, a voyage on the islands little train, horse rides both real and merry-go-round, and of course joining in the atmosphere as France progressed to the final of Euro 2016.

An evening stroll 50yds from DDU

Even Mummy joined in on the oyster action

Pack horse Daddy with beach essentials

Horse riding (Part I)

Horse riding (Part II)

Daddy joining in the petanque action

A myriad of butterflies in the Ile de Papillon

Looking over Noirmoutier

But all good things must come to an end, and the road beckoned once more as we headed off from the French isles with a few final games of I Spy and a good nasal blast. One more stop till home - but this road trip was already feeling magnificent :-).

 Night night to Re and Noirmoutier

I can see that Daddy...

I want to ride my bicycle

The Ile de Re is a cycling haven - and the supreme being has been making the most of it. Previously our cycling efforts have involved either Emily being transported on a bike seat or us walking alongside Emily on her balance bike. But now all that has changed...we are officially a cycling family!! Ile de Re by bike - there's no stopping us now :-)

Videoclip: I can see that Daddy...

Ooh la Loire...

A good road trip has a few vital ingredients.

1. A hat - Captain of the ship needs a hat. That's me - if in name only. My role is generally more driver, tent putter upper, fixer of broken things, luggage carrier and general help around the place but when I'm sitting up front in the Captain's chair I like to pretend I am the Captain of my ship.

The Rooke family are off with new Captain's hat

2. A song - Being the Captain means it's important to keep the crew's spirits up. So I penned a new ditty for our travels. The family might have pretty much had all the words learned by the time we left Glasgow, but as we departed on our lengthy voyage it kept our flagging spirits up when the journey got tough...or at least I liked to think so. 

Ooh la la. Here we are.

We're going to France in our Camping Car.

Where the sun shines bright,

And the sea is blue.

Lots of fun and laughter too.

The song lasted well till we landed in France when the supreme being pointed out that we were now in France so had to change the words. And so, like Heinz, there became at least 33 varieties of this song - too many to list here you'll be glad to know.

The crew on board the ship to St Malo

3. A sense of the unknown - The final ingredient. That sense of mystery...

Will the van last round France?

Will Emily sleep in her bed or will one of us be forced on to the floor outside?

Will the weather hold out or will we be confined like sardines to a tin inside DDU?

And so, throwing all caution to the wind - we were off!

First stop was a night near Preston to stay with our good friends Edward and Ewa in their beautiful house in the country, with a garden which left me drooling. I can thoroughly recommend it as a great pit stop off the M6 - the sun shone, the food was home grown and delicious, and the company delightful as we nursed our societal wounds post-Brexit.

Cycle tour round the garden

And then it was on to the Southern Rookes for a few days including a tour of Oxford with the Houdini like Chloe, a fantastic trip on the Thames on La Margarais for an early taste of France, and some more wonderful food and company to get us right in the holiday spirit. Merci biens!

Rooke Posse

Mutiny! Supreme being in charge

Cruising delight

And then we were off proper. First stop - the Loire, for a touch of Chateau spotting, the Loire by bike and a glorious introduction to French gastronomie as we started to blend in with the locals.

 When in France - eat croissant.

Watch out for Brits on bikes abroad

Hollyhocks abounded everywhere

 Delight by the lake

 The Loire from DDU