Frosted Fairyland

The snow started to fall when I was dropping off Graham at school. Then Jason and I put Rosie in the car & drove to the Bolton Abbey Estate. But instead of going to the abbey itself, we went to the woods. And with the snow just adding a bit of frosting to the world, we got to see the beautiful greens of moss, ferns, and holly (although less so in photos) making the world look magical.

Winter Wonderland

We finally made it to Bolton Abbey in winter. It was a very brief visit, because of the temperature was a touch too frigid for the munchkins. But we've done it. And it's pretty.

Valley of Desolation

Tuesday, 15 Sept. 2009.

Jason and I dropped Cami & Graham off at school & then headed for Bolton Abbey. I was determined to see the Valley of Desolation. With grouse hunting scheduled for every weekend in September, it had to be on a week day. Jason had offered to stay home with Rose, but I wasn't sure how ready I was to go exploring the valley alone -- just in case.

So, Rose went along from her usual perch in the hiking backpack. It was best that the big kids didn't come on this hike. We wouldn't have made it. The Valley earns it's name, but not in the way I would initially have thought. It's lush. It's dramatic. It's gorgeous in it's sadness.

A Day (and a Compliment) to Remember

Thursday, 27 August 2009

We went to our (Jason's & mine) favorite spot: Bolton Abbey. We took a different road to get there, seeing other bits of Yorkshire that continue to create that "Wow--look at that! We are so blessed to live here!" feeling for me. When we arrived at the Abbey, we learned that we couldn't hike to the yet-unexplored Valley of Desolation because there was grouse hunting going on in the area. So, we opted to hike further along the River Wharfe than we had before.





We picnicked on these neat built-in seats until the on-and-off again rain motivated us to move 20 feet to a thicket of enormous oak trees. There we made friends with some ducks.







After lunch, we also made friends with a pair of humans.

Paul & Ruth were walking the trail at a faster clip than we were, so we stepped aside. But when they heard our accents that gave them reason to slow down. Jason won points for being from Montana -- a favorite hiking spot for them. Paul wanted to talk to Jason about all the neat things they'd seen while traveling in Montana. They wanted to show us the kingfisher (which we saw!) that lives along the river. And Ruth played tickle-tag with Graham.

It turns out that Ruth is nurse at hospice center for children. I was surprised (although I shouldn't be) when she told me what a happy place it is. The children who are there as patients get to play all summer long with their siblings who come to visit. She told me that one of the visiting siblings wrote a song the day before about not wanting to return to school next week -- nothing groundbreaking, but so true to the heart of every kid who wants summer to go on forever.

The nurses don't interrupt those magical moments to administer medication -- they just make sure that the meds get given "sometime." Childhood happens now, not on schedule.



And so Ruth & Paul didn't disapprove of our three getting all messy as they spontaneously waded in the River Wharfe & built a mud pie out of sand.





Paul expressed amazement at "how confident" Rose was about walking out into the water with Cami & Graham. She was just trying out something new.

And he told me that he didn't believe me for a second when I described my parenting style as "benign neglect."

Rain & Shine

Graham had the day off school yesterday, so after I dropped Cami off at class, we headed to my much loved outdoor space, Bolton Abbey. We climbed up the hill opposite the Abbey & through the fields. The clouds threatened rain & just before lunch we got pretty wet, but I have now confirmed that I love the Yorkshire Dales even when the day isn't gloriously sunny.


The hiking trails we took went through this farm. I saw the roses climbing above the door & told Jason, "I want the life that goes with this house." (The Kodak image life of spending the days hiking & then having gloriously simple dinner parties on the patio with friends & laughter.)
Just before lunch and just after the rained stopped.


Graham sat on this "stair" in the wall while he ate lunch.
The beginning of our hike. Two hours later, on the way down the hill, Graham aided erosion at this very spot.

Walk This Way

Jason and I finally bought a year's pass for parking at Bolton Abbey. We've been there five times in two months, so it makes financial sense. Plus, an unexpected bonus, there are specials available to us at the restaurants & the spa. I get all dreamy just thinking about that.

Thursday we went up after Cami got out of school & we found a woodworking shop set up in the middle of the woods. When we went back yesterday, the craftsman was just opening up for the day. He kindly listened to Cami chat about this & that, as well as showing her the wood he was turning into a "dibber," a gardening hole-maker. He also had a stool that I would love to have, but there simply isn't space in our house for any more furniture. After we left his work area, Jason stopped to tell the kids about how the man was "turning" the wood -- and how our last name derives from that profession. It was such a neat teaching moment.

We saw such wonderful things yesterday. Woods, the river, a pheasant family, complete with two little chicks that Cami wanted to bring home.

Our hike ought to have taken about 2 hours 20 minutes. But with three kids under seven years, it took almost six. It wasn't perfect. Cami spent a lot of time complaining that she wasn't at home watching computer. Graham caused my heart to freeze when he fearlessly strode straight toward a 20-foot drop, & carrying Rose for that long makes my back ache.

But, guess what? I love being out there. I love it that Jason and I see something magical & he says, "It reminds me of MiddleEarth." And I love it that Cami & Graham happily, imaginatively played together today, because they didn't need screen-time detox from yesterday.

Photos

Sweet Sleepers
It's Raining Buttercups (in a cemetery in Bolton Abbey while wearing a Christmas sweater -- Cami has corrected me: it was raining grass)
Sticks are yummy.
Look at all those teeth. (A happy day.)

People Ask Us Why We Moved to England

Because we get to go hiking here.