Character Building Camping!

This is Wookey High Street.  Wookey is a tiny village in Somerset.  It is a perfect place to keep a teenager out of mischief.

There is not much night life, unless the Cemetery livens up after midnight!

Wookey Farm 'Goat Farm' is safely tucked away about a mile down a tiny country lane.  The lane is so small it even has grass growing in the middle of it in places.  I think it is great to find yourself in the middle of nowhere.

Euan enjoyed the rope swings again.

The Teenager kept his distance!  He didn't want to ruin his street cred!  These 'Holiday' snaps are a bit like 'Spot the Ball' competitions.  Can you spot the teen?  To be honest I am amazed he is still speaking to me, we had the coldest night of my life on the first night!  It genuinely made me reflect on homeless people, I was so miserably cold and it is August.  I have seen homeless people in London sleeping under cardboard boxes in December!  I am aware all UK Cities have homelessness issues and many large towns too.  I was under canvas, full clothed including my coat, Freezing.  I was so desperately cold I even wore Euans shorts on my head as I did not have a hat or hood!  I usually do not feel the cold.  Both boys were much too cold too.  I am not a small lady and Euan climbed into my single sleeping bag with me at 2am, his teeth were chattering and he was trying very hard to be brave!  I find it tricky enough to stay put on a single inflatable mattress, two of us zipped into one sleeping bag was a challenge to say the least!  Henry had his own tent!  I had a very realistic and stressful dream there was a blizzard and we lost  him in the snow!  I was quite relieved to see him in the morning, even though he had a face like thunder.  I went straight out to buy Woolly hats and thick socks in readiness for the next night!  I didn't think to pack them for a short 'Summer' break.

The Sunshine came out so my friend could visit with her three children.  It was even warm enough for little bare toe toes!

Molly-Rose and Toby-Joe are ten months old.  I know they will very soon be teenagers!  Aren't they a beautiful pair?  The children enjoyed playing together and the Mum's enjoyed a cuppa and a natter.

Molly likes 'Teenagers' and they sat together for quite a while in mutual entertainment.  Toby-Joe can crawl and liked the younger boys, he was desperate to join in cricket and football.  Molly preferred a bit of intellectual 'raspberry blowing' with Henry.  It is lovely to catch up with old friends, it stirs up many memories and is thought provoking in a 'There we were and Here we are!' kind of way.  I found it quite weird watching our five children together.  I wonder if we will see each others Grandchildren!

(I am sure it would be kinder to you if I broke my 'holiday' snaps into separate posts.  I am so grateful and happy to have new followers I would hate anyone to drop off with boredom!  Kids, Camping and quiet UK Villages is not everyone's cup of tea.  I am feeling much better about it all now I am home.  I have had a deep bubble bath and I know I have a warm, dry bed for the night.  I never knew two nights could feel like so long!  I feel like I have returned home after a major ordeal.   'Whose character was I trying to build?!)  

Camping in Somerset July 2011

Here is my old tent, in a field on a Goat Farm in Somerset.  I am back home now, happily back in the Land of Blog, safe and sound and clean again.  None the worse for my experience but running water, comfortable chairs and electricity feel like luxury.

We had a couple of camp fires, baking potatoes, cooking sausages and toasting marshmallows.  Sadly the toasting Marshmallows resulted in my friend taking a trip to Accident and Emergency!  A Marshmallow fell of it's stick and gave her a nasty burn!  It has really put me off toasting Marshmallows.  They will no longer be part of my camping experience.

The weather was more than kind to us and the river was very welcome for cooling off.  I don't really deal with precise temperatures there is just freezing, cold, chilly, mild, warm, hot and very hot in my vocabulary.  It was very hot.  The river was great for cooling off and not just for Lacey...

We all took a dip!

Sarah was lucky enough to see a kingfisher at the river but I had too much noise accompanying me.  I did admire the flowers though.

Edit : My bro thinks this may be Great Willow herb, I thought willow herb too but am open to
 offers :)

I do not know what these are but they are beauties, I will get around to identifying them but if any one knows I would appreciate it....

This one I think is Himalayan Balsam described as beautiful but dangerous.  It escaped from Kew Gardens in the 1830s and is currently taking over the British countryside as an invasive weed!

  We were in good company with the Lords and Ladies on the riverbank.

All the fresh air of the open countryside even made sleeping on an airbed possible.

Tomorrow I will post about Euan's experiences with 'Goat care'.  We had a very hands on experience and got involved with the daily chores.  We missed our chickens terribly and Euan liked checking the Hens on the farm for eggs.  When I got home the 'Girls' all clucked happily for a while, they missed their Mama.  I want to be a goat farmer when I grow up!  I fell in love with a billy goat called Ken, I think he liked me too.  I always think the best thing about going away is coming home though.  It is just a shame I had to leave Ken behind.