Free fun

I simply had to tell you about my son's latest adventure.  He wanted to play on his computer, which given the chance he would do all day every day.  Of course I don't want him to do this and although I'm sad that he would choose to spend time locked in his room instead of being outside with us, I don't blame myself for this.  Kids are kids and they're exposed to these things if we like it or not.
So on Saturday, I decided to bribe him to come outside (rather than threaten to take his technology off him permanently ;) ).
I made him a treasure map which basically was a walk around our smallholding.  We packed up a bag which included a flask and some fruit and a biscuit as adventurer's need sustenance.  He took his telescope and a spare pair of socks.  Loaded up he went on his travels and I've never seen his face beam so much.  He had 3 tasks to do on his travels.
Find an intact leaf, look for goose/duck eggs and find a daffodil but don't pick it yet.  He also did a tally chart of all the animals he found.  Slightly worrying, he found 4 sheep when we have 3, but let's move on.
He completed his adventure and found his treasure was a mini egg in the greenhouse, that his Granny had bought him when they babysat the other night.  He chose to sit in the greenhouse and ate it.  Happy days.

He didn't know I had taken this..awww

Checking off his list

Counting mole hills (he'd be there some time)

 If anyone has any other ideas for a 6 or 10 year old, free fun - I'd love to hear them :)

 

We're going on an adventure

We moved into the smallholding on January 15th of this year and it seems there are still lots of places I haven't yet seen properly and lots to discover that changes with the seasons.  Let me show you what I mean.
I discovered this tree/bush right outside my back door that I had no idea was there.  I believe it is a quince tree?

 

It's only about knee high, this is me looking down on it.

 

Steven tried it, it was very sour.

To the left of the patch where the quince tree is a gate which a wall now stands behind.  This wall now separates us from the neighbours.  The gate used to lead out to the working part of the farm, the old barns and stables. 

Between the gate and the wall

I'm wondering if this area is too shaded to have as a herb garden?  I'd like to do something with the space but I am not sure what.

 

So many huge pots outside of the very small brick barn.

This was left by the previous owners, we're going to use the trough for the sheep

That's the barn infront of Steven, our neighbours house to the right.

The other side of the barn, the wall to the right is newly built and is the neighbours.  I'm not sure why they left this passageway.

 

Part of the woods

Getting ready for Christmas

 

 These photos make up most of my thinking for the weekend.  What could we do with the space, what did people do with it before us?  How to make the most of it all....my mind is overflowing with ideas which is fabulous.

We're also looking at the area where the polytunnel and new raised beds will go, more on that tomorrow.  I'm off to cook the chicken for our Sunday Dinner - sets us up for the working week ahead.

 

New arrivals...

Say hello to Jemima, Neville and 'to be named'.  Our new Geese!  Well done Denise on guessing!  These 3 beauties are our latest addition to the smallholding.  They are all supposed to be around 2 years old.  They are busy settling in to their new home without too much honking.  They will stay in there tomorrow and Sunday we will let them out for a few hours.  We have guests arriving on Sunday afternoon so will lock them up before people arrive as I don't want to stress them out.

Exactly as Dawn said, it's lovely when things start coming together.  Happy Friday everyone.

We're in!!! We did it!!!

I can't quite believe it!!!  We did it!!! 

I have no internet at home….home!!! We have a new home!  It is AMAZING, I am so happy there.  We all are.  We feel like we have lived there all of our lives already.  The kids love it, the dogs love it and we have the horses and chickens home too.  I am making all food from scratch and thoroughly loving the home made lifestyle.

So for today, I just wanted to let everyone know that we’re in, it went extremely smoothly, we’ve worked nonstop for the past week and that we couldn’t be happier.  Our little piece of English countryside is now outside our back door.  I have so many photos, questions, comments and stories to share.

Internet will be installed on 28^th January and I will have the longest blog post to date!!!  I apologise in advance for it now J.  Thank you to everyone who has posted so far, I intend to read them all and reply to each one as soon as I get internet at home.  I feel honoured that people are interested and curious.

Take care everyone. 

Welcome to our new adventure....

We are about to embark on an adventure that we've dreamt about for a long time.  There's never a perfect time to do anything, something can always hold you back if you let it, so we're taking the bit between the teeth and letting nothing stop us.

'We' is myself, Tracy, husband Steven and children Grace and Jack.  It doesn't stop there as we have Buddy, our black Labrador and Rodney and Buster.  They are 2 Jack Russell's who joined our family on Friday just gone.  There are 4 horses and an extended family & friends in that mix too.

Our 'adventure' is moving to a new home, a smallholding.  We have had an offer accepted on our current house and our offer on the smallholding, or farm as the kids call it, has also been accepted.  Formalities have started and the wheels are in motion.  We hope to be in this side of Christmas and can't wait. 

So why don't you join us as we sell our lovely family home on a main road in North East England and move to a small hamlet, still in North East England, where broadband is the latest thing.  All 2mb max link of it.....