We've been busy. Very busy.

Want to see some of the things we've been up to?


This was a BIG success. Great fun to do and they have a big impact on the kitchen wall. I keep waiting for one of them to fall off in the middle of tea and scare SmallBean half to death...

SmallBean got these Shrinkles for his birthday and they caused great hilarity as the Beans watched them magically do their thing in the oven. I think we used to have these but they were called Shrinkidinks. I also remember putting crisp packets (no crisps of course, they were long scoffed) into the oven to shrink. Must try that again sometime.

A trip to Byron's Pool for a walk and a barbie (q). Seven children aged ten down to two and a labradoodle building a den and playing together for hours was just amazing. We caught tiddlers (and threw them back), spotted huge dragonflies, ate hotdogs and explored the woods. They were not impressed when we called it a day and we had to head home.

Mmmm. That'll keep the baddies out...

A wonderful day at the north Norfolk coast at a friends beach hut. (Just been looking for photos and realised there are none as my camera battery died soon after we got there. But take it from me, the pink and blue beach hut is SCRUMPTIOUS and the sun shone and shone all day. Even the North Sea was warm and inviting.)

The Beansprouts have both spent lots of time dressed up as alter egos. At the moment Ancient Rome is Smalls favourite, so it's togas-a-go-go.

A farewell party for FrenchBean with three families from the street. Another very mixed children age gap group who chatted and danced and ate and played tremendously until very late. And we had a delicious barbie and lots of delicious drinks.

A visit to Milton Country Park where we spied this happy happy sunflower. We had to find a shelter to eat our picnic out of the torrential rain. But I always think that soggy cheese and pickle tastes better, don't you?

And in those very few and far between minutes where we have not been doing things together I have been looking and choosing, threading and twisting and snipping to make new pieces of jewellery. Not sure that this is the most effective way of photoing the magic beans though. I really have a makey urge at the moment and not having enough time is frustrating. Maybe the beanbox will have to come on holiday with me?

A good week

This week has been a very pleasing one in the Bean house. There has been LOTS of this going on. Every morning I tell myself that there must be No More, but the delicious brown stuff just stares at me until I have to stop it by popping it into my mouth. Thankfully there is not too much left...

We have been outside much of the week. On Tuesday we went to Milton Country Park, just north of Cambridge, with some friends. The Beans ran and ran with their friends (Famous Five or what?) and of course we had an Easter Egg Hunt half way round. When we got home the Beans and friends spent the WHOLE afternoon in the garden in their swimmers, in and out of the sprinkler. Now, the weather has been gorg, but I think they were being a bit optimistic.

There has been a teensy bit of this going on this week, mostly in the evenings with a cold glass of white by my side. I have lots of ideas going round in my head but not enough time to get them done- a bit frustrating but nothing is too bad when the sun shines.

Yesterday all the Beans went off to Eversden Wood. This is a really magical place just up the hill from Wimpole. As we drove past Wimpole Farm and Hall, it was heaving with people, all having a great time, but just too crammed in togther for our liking. A minute up the hill and we parked and walked. For two whole hours we did not see another soul. There was a lot of mud, a muntjac deer and a hare. In a couple of weeks the whole wood is going to be covered in bluebells- I can't wait to go back and have a look.

Big Bean had packed the hammocks so after he had strung them up, they had a quiet(?) half hour swinging and talking...

...while I lay in the sun in a not so muddy bit looking up at the bright little hawthorn leaves and listening to a woodpecker. That is when the small Beans were not in hysterical laughter.
There has been increasing amounts of this too. Until I finished it. I feel a bit bereft without a good book on the go and this has been FANTASTIC. I found it a trifle slow to get going, quite disturbing in parts but gripping for the most part. I think I need a change of scene before I start the next installment, The Girl Who Played With Fire, but I am really keen to read it. Any recommendations would be gratefully received.
At home we have spent hours in the garden; eating, gardening, playing, reading and sitting. A little while ago we planted some wheat. This is how it's doing so far. Eventually we are hoping to be a bit Little Red Hennish and make a bread roll from the grain. Am I being totally unrealistic??? I have no idea how much wheat we'll need to make a bun. Mrs Mouse had quite a bit of seed from the last row and Smaller Bean is not very helpful in the garden so we may not even get this amount growing to its potential. I will keep you posted on how it's doing.

And suddenly everything is looking frothy and green and gorgeous. The pear blossom is about to burst and I have pots and pots of tulips all so near to opening. Grape hyacinths are my favourite and my best- I can't get enough of them in my garden. Or tulips. Or euphorbia. Or foxgloves. Or wheat...