This morning started badly really. Both Davies and Scarlett were in really grotty moods, really annoying and unthinking and squabbly with each other (allowing me to blame it on them rather than feel worried it might have been me in a bad frame of mind ;)). I made a picnic lunch and probably only sat in the lounge with them for about an hour but they both ended up sent to their rooms to get away from me after just being so silly. Scarlett attempted to launch herself onto my lap when I had my laptop balanced and was on the phone and then Davies started talking at me while I was on the phone too so I just sent them away. Grr.
Everything improved when we got out fortunately and we had a really nice day. We arrived at the PYO farm about 15 minutes before Julie did so we sat and chatted in the car. Julie has her mother over visiting at the moment and she is a charmingly eccentric (read mad) German woman who dresses in an array of rainbow clothing and comes out with utterly random conversation. She is currently working her way round all the local churches near Julie, visiting one every evening to compare the refreshments on offer. I think she is bored because she normally has The Brothers with her. A pair of brothers, both with special needs who she lives with and appears to have some sort of sexual relationship with both of. The three of them normally spend all their time in close physical contact with each other, stroking and caressing. It’s an odd thing to behold but they are clearly all very happy together. She is over here alone this visit at Julie’s request.
We went to the strawberry fields first. Julie, her Mum and I just sat on the floor and ate and picked (Lorna was in the sling and barely stirred for the whole time we were there. Davies, Scarlett, Maisie and Jack did some half hearted picking and then disappeared off into the corn. They came back to tell us that Davies had found a pheasant and the ‘best strawberry ever
They then came across a mother pheasant and her chicks who was very cross with them and even went for Davies and finally happened upon a chick which Maisie picked up and they brought over to show us. It was indeed very cute but they do all know better than to pick up baby birds so we went and put it back where they had found it and hoped it’s mother would return. It would be self-sufficient enough to eat as they are not fed by their mother like blackbirds etc. but wouldn’t be safe from predators or able to keep warm enough through the night. I did briefly consider bringing it home to put in with our chickens but it headed off quite happily once we put it down so it seemed to be okay to leave.
I picked some peas, Davies and Scarlett battled with the carrots and managed to pull a few up and then it began to rain so we got on the tractor and headed back. We had lunch in our cars as we’d all brought picnics and the four children moved between the three cars and then played in the field when the rain stopped. They had a lovely time together, playing all sorts of games and eating most of the peas we’d picked while Julie and I chatted and ate more strawberries and her Mum had a nap :).
We left and went to Sainsburys for a few forgotten off the internet shop items and then on to the butchers for this months meat shop.
Once home I made some jam from the strawberries from earlier in the week. Inspired by the farm we’d visited last week in Cornwall with strawberry and chili jam I chopped up 3 chilis to put in too. It made enough for 5 jars of jam which Ady and the children have already been eating still warm off the spoon and loving – the chili just gives it a subtle kick which is lovely.
Ady was home late so Davies had to come to Rainbows with us. He and I sat on the bench outside for the first 40 minutes or so and chatted about various things including stranger danger and he practised what he would say in reponse to invitations like ‘do you want to come and see my puppies?’ he thought it was funny and gave some great retorts. Then we got cold so we went inside to see the end of the bracelet and necklace bead threading which was the activity. We moved into the smaller room for the show and tell circle where Scarlett talked about being on holiday last week and showed her toy monkey.
We got home and Ady wasn’t too far behind us. We read Dinosaurs and all that rubbish which was excellent and finished the last 3 chapters of the Famous Five book we were on.