A tiring and lovely day! Click on any photo for a bigger view.
The bouncy ball in our garden is much appreciated by the LiveWires and is anticipated for much of the journey here. I love how her curls look like a lion’s mane as she bounces!
Bouncing hair
LiveWire no 4 presented me with a bunch of daisies, collected en route, which revived by tea time, given a good long drink.
Daisies
B brought her garden trophies in to show us – a spiky poppy and a yellow flower which she was pleased to hear was a Begonia called Million Kisses! We have lots of them in the garden this year to make golden splashes all over the place to mark our Golden Wedding later this Summer.
Red and gold petals
We love walking to school with the children. Some of the best conversations are had on these journeys. It is also lovely to see them striding out with such confidence.
Down one of the lanes to school we spotted strange creatures in the trees over a fence.
T had art club after school today so it was J’s turn for a treat at the lovely French cafe we like to frequent when in North Finchley, Joie de Vie.
I love being able to plait hair again! When LiveWire T’s Mum was little she used to insist on an odd number of plaits and each one had to have a different coloured ribbon – sometimes seven plaits and all the colours of the rainbow.
On the way to school this morning we spotted pansies in a front garden.
Today’s feast of art was at The Royal Academy for The Summer Exhibition. Here are some of our favourites.
By Bob and Roberta Smith
Poupee Bleue by Abdoulaye Konate
Untitled Throne, decommissioned arms by Gonçalo Mabunda
Bob and Roberta Smith
Alter Ego – two silver plated objects, one flattened by a 250 ton press, hanging on threads. Cornelia Parker
Detail from Swell by Sara Dodd. So delicate and made of porcelain, looking like sheets of filo pastry.
This was our absolute favourite, bronze and aluminium, called Silent Journey by Ann Christopher.
I could keep posting for ever tonight!
On our walk this afternoon, J, LiveWire2, was on a mission to find beautiful things for me. First was this tiny feather which he held very carefully so that it didn’t blow away.
Next he spotted a clump of daisies in the sunshine.
Later, playing in the garden, T, LiveWire3, crawled under the Ceanothus to retrieve the ball and came out with tiny blue blossoms in her hair.
Here we about to cross the Tamar into England across the Brunel Bridge on our way to visit the London branch of the family.
We collected LiveWire No 3 from school and took her for a treat in our favourite French cafe. Despite the heat, she wanted to keep her coat declaring she was Bat Girl!
Boris is a very beautiful cat who looks like a Colourpoint Longhair but who really is just a moggy as his label declares. His little sister, Bob, is black and sleek and very purry, especially at story time.
Happily, both Grandbabies woke up in time for a last photo before I left early this morning.
Just outside Bristol Station were these broad beans, part of an urban gardens project. Seeing them really pleased me!
It is always so lovely when returning to England from abroad. The greenness of everything is quite startlingly beautiful.
Commentator Award
Thank you, Tina Liu
