'Cause she's soooo old

Cami just recognized a sweatshirt that I'd pulled out of storage, "I love this...it reminds me of childhood & I love it."

Happiness is...

Happiness is...watching Gracie sleep on her first birthday.

Eyepatches Everyone

Kid Quotes from the last five minutes.

"Anybody who doesn't get on the boat will have to walk the plank!"

"Join us or die." (Cami does not realize she's quoting the Sheriff of Nottingham.)

(Rosie warning about the fearsome Grace):  "A pirate!  A pirate!  A little pirate!"

Happiness is...

Happiness is...gardening with Gracie and finding the gooseberry bushes & fruit tree are blossoming.

United Colors of Benetton

Thank Clio, the lady on the far right, for the post title.  It's appropriate because, not only are our clothes bright (I was wearing green & blue), but the five of us represent six countries:  Scotland, Venezula/Colombia, Panama, France, &  US.  A temple trip to unite friends.

Where I Shop

 When I'm driving outside Ilkley, I see these windmills in the distance & I feel content.  But they also mark something unexpected. I was driving home with some friends from the Preston Temple yesterday & said, "I'm going to do something that looks insane."  I pulled off the road onto a one-lane bridge that crosses this lake.

 
At the far end of the bridge sits a little shed with this sign. 
 

And these views.

The next time I go egg shopping, I have some friends who want to come along.

Unique Uno

As we were concluding a family game of Uno, Rosie threw a bunch of cards in the air.  When Jason, in exasperation, demanded, "Stop it!" she replied, "I was trying to juggle them!"

Playtime

Nostell Priory has a really terrific playground.  It's set into the woods, and the equipment is made out of natural materials so everything fits the environment. The equipment looks really simple, but is deceptively quirky.  That balance beam Graham is one has four interconnecting beams, two of which are on hydraulics, so when you get to one end it either tilts up or down. The tire swings are also interconnected, so that how much you bounce & how high you can swing is effected by the other two riders.

Pop Art

I was messing around with the "Pop Art" filter on my camera yesterday.  These colors certainly got a bit more neon...

A Day at Nostell Priory

 This is the third time I've been to Nostell Priory -- and the first time I saw the inside of the house.  I don't have a great story to tell.  I only saw about a quarter of the house, because some of the kids struggled with the do-not-run-ahead policy of the tour.  It's to be expected.  And so are little moments of unexpected loveliness. (Yes, the paradox is intentional.  Deal with it.)

 

 

 Lots of pretty things to see.

Duck Daze

Jason's friend & colleague was a featured expert on the British TV program "Hidden Talent." We watched it last night; in the program, Matthew teaches someone how to identify when a painting or photograph has good composition. I already knew one criterion (the Rule of Thirds), but I hadn't really thought about how depth (read: distance) factors into it. Anyway, I'm putting these photos up from our walk to Golden Acre Park on Saturday as a lesson for myself on how various images show depth.

Step by Step

I passed Graham's bedroom & saw Gracie inside take two steps.  Little minx.  I think she's been practicing on the sly...

So, she's officially "walking" at 11 months old.

The kids were off school today, because it's an election day & their schools are polling locations.  So, we went on a local adventure to Nostell Priory.  Rosie made friends with some kids who were playing with this red ball.  When the kids had to leave, their child-minder (aka private, small daycare provider) generously said Rosie could keep the ball. Once Jason, David (Gracie's boyfriend), & the big kids joined in, I got to play a bit with catching action shots.

David blocking Cami.

Jason booted the ball high.  It was totally accidental that I caught this shot of David trying to grab it.

Funny Faces