30 Days Wild – Day 11

June 11, 2018Leave a comment

Due to Caitlin’s aches and pains today, we have just been at home. We did manage to finish the painting of the playhouse porch (we laid a new floor on it). And managed to sort the toys to go in the playhouse. So the kids now have a play area outside, that is fully operational! WOO… we just have so make it safe for them to take the walk up and down.

However, we did look out at the garden for a while and watch the birds coming and going in the shrubbery lining the fence (the neighbours have suet balls there). It’s a rubbish photo as it’s taken through our extremely dirty window (cleaning them is on the list, but I only have 1 pair of hands).

We also spent some time quite amused by a fly who refused help, guidance and encouraging comments in getting out of the house, and instead proceeded to seemingly get fed up with flying into the same door frame on repeat.

So today, our widlife has been birds and flies.

30 Days Wild – Day 10

June 10, 2018Leave a comment

I bet you can’t guess what we did today… oh yes… that’s right. Another day in the garden.

But today, patience and tolerance of being exposed to the “what’s going to be… once the work is done” was too much for the children. It was awful. I mean, with attachment issues, change is never easy, but when it’s prolonged and exposed over such a long period it’s very difficult. Both of us are working it to try and make it go fast, but today there was a lot the kids couldn’t help with, and they simply cannot do unsupervised/safe even 10 feet away from us at the moment. You have to give them full attention or be prepared for things to turn ugly… it got ugly.

However, we did encounter spiders, flies (many of the biting variety too – our legs look like we all suddenly broke out in chicken pox somewhat). And we did take a break to picnic outside Tesco, on their benches near the river, eating sandwiches from the deli fridge (they now have a vegan range which means I can finally have a sandwich and not be concerned about dairy – many cheers for that). We of course remembered to take some seed with us, to feed the geese. Caitlin was very (loudy) annoyed, once again, that there was someone feeding them bread “and not just a little bit Mumma, they are giving them the whole loaf. They need to stop!”.

I think the children will feel rewarded though ultimately. As they now have a standing playhouse, a couple of places had fresh ply so need a couple more coats of paint… and then they are in…

30 Days Wild – Day 9

June 10, 2018Leave a comment

A bit late in posting this, but yes… you guessed it… another day in the garden for us. Seems to be our life at the moment. But we were spotting bugs as we went – this one was a favourite, as the children absolutely loved the colours. We did try and identify and it appears to be a Chrysis ruddii… but we aren’t great at bug ID so don’t quote me on that.

30 Days Wild – Day 8

June 8, 2018Leave a comment

Well it’s been a long day… I didn’t manage to get a photo of the 30 Days Wild activities in action… yes like most days at the moment we have been working in the garden. Desperately clearing the ground to try and ready it for the children’s play area section.

I’m ignoring the end 10 foot of the garden, cause frankly it’s 10 foot deep, 13 feet wide and about 10 foot tall of thick bush. I’m ignoring it for a while until I feel a bit more “ready” for a challenge! (And yes that has to go too… as there’s all kinds of rubbish in that too). I have plans for it… going to be a bit of a surprise for the children when we finally get to doing it.

Only today Logan has been designated the title “Environmental Dispatch Specialist” basically rubbish locating and disposing. And Caitlin has been “Nature Safety Manager” meaning, removal of bugs to a safer location… than in the path of Mumma – “Mega Destruction Operative” hehehe

But we have the base of their playhouse laid down, slabs to the front of it laid down, the next section down has been weed-control-sheeted; wood chipped has been purchased and laid; sandpit built and filled (I recommend never buying a Blooma sand pit from B&Q – chiseled slots different sizes, wood split slotting together, pilot screw holes in incorrect positions – like not even the correct side of the wood – just don’t do it); the climbing dome pinned down and in position… a whole 18 foot in length of the 90 foot of garden needing landscaping is roughly done. The playhouse still needs to be painted and erected, but its base is in position and it’s ready to go.

I think we have spent the best part of 10 hours outside today. With the threat of rain, but moments of sunshine. We have enjoyed meeting the worm family, the slug family, the snail family, the spiders and beetles and the random fly that looked rather peculiar, but I couldn’t describe or identify. Of course, all of the bugs we came across are most definitely from the same family, I know, cause I was scolded by Caitlin that “of course they are, they are all in our garden. They live in the same house. DUH!”

Anyhow… excuse the wonderful editing skills… my neighbours have not signed up to have their houses on show, wouldn’t want to annoy them… This is what we have left to do…

30 Days Wild – Day 7

June 7, 2018June 8, 2018Leave a comment

So… Ummmmmm…. Yeah….

Day 7. We enjoyed some time outdoors… We laughed and we tried to kill eachother…

We had a go at the Da Vinci bridge.

Turns out it’s quite difficult, especially with a child that is incapable of understanding instructions I mean quite literally can’t take them in), and one that is but has no strength… And with bent knobbly branches. But we tried. And got covered in dirt.

One to retry when Bruce is about… And with the wood I couldn’t get to in the cellar… Hehehe

30 Days Wild – Day 6

June 6, 2018Leave a comment

Today we built a bee home, we didn’t put it up yet, but we definitely built it.

We were given it by one of the grandparents who’d been given it free with something ages ago, and just hadn’t got a clue where we could put it (being in rentals, and not being able to make holes in things…). But now we are home owners.

It didn’t take long to build, but it’s been a busy day; it started with opticians for me and both children… but staff had call in sick, the place erupted into chaos and complications with out appointments meant we were only leaving 2.5 hours later. We did take in the sunshine on our way back and enjoy a nice walk along the river too.

30 Days Wild: Day 5

June 5, 2018Leave a comment

So today, I don’t really have a photo of what we got up to… because no one wants a photo of my muddy feet…

We spent some time with our feet in mud, feeling connected.

However, I can say that we also bought and built a climbing dome, which is going to not only be a focus to climb but a space to create a den too… So I’ll add a picture of that.

30 Days Wild – Day 4

June 4, 2018Leave a comment

So, today… me and the two children woke up feeling sorry for ourselves (sneezy and sluggish). So it’s been a bit of a slow starter.

But we made some effort to clean and dress… and then after lunch took a stroll into town via the ducks and geese armed with birdseed. Very proud that the children know not to take bread – but also they can get VERY embarrassing when out seeing other people use bread (thankfully not an issue today).

To illustrate, I’ll give you an example scenario – we go with seed to feed the ducks. A small child is there with bread and his mum (I assume) child says :
“mummy what are they feeding the ducks?”
“Seeds”
“why haven’t we got seeds?”
“yeah right, I am not made of money, they’ll like the bread anyway. Bread is just as good”
Logan has heard the whole exchange pipes up “mumma, are we made of money? Cause that idiot lady over there thinks we are, and she said bread is good for ducks…” What can I say? He’s on the ball…

Anyhow, they really enjoyed feeding the ducks, and found the geese very funny – between the one running to us for food, and the two families fighting over whose food territory it was… lots of chuckles.

30 Days Wild – Day 3

June 4, 2018Leave a comment

Day 3 was spent sorting the garden again. Soon their playhouse will be able to go up, the play area will be sorted and then we can get down to business on the outdoor kitchen and fire pit area before building our veg patch area for next year.

Cannot see much past the huge comfier that’s in the way… But still it’s evident it’s becoming bare.

And I know it seems kind of opposite to the idea of appreciating nature, but seriously it was hazardous out there. Soon we’ll have a place to appreciate nature and plants all year long. (We have waterproofs… And are out in all weathers).

But appreciation was also given, in the way of loud shrieks, at the sight of more growth…

We may not be able to veg patch like we want this year, but… We are going to grow something!

30 Days Wild – Day 2

June 3, 2018June 3, 2018Leave a comment

Today our activity spent getting closer to nature was being in our garden.

When purchased our house, there was a section of garden 90 by 13 ft covered in bramble, bindweed, nettles and other various things. Under the canopy of leaves was glass, broken cans, rubbish etc. So to make it safe for the children, I had to resort to a step I don’t like to take – chemical weed killer: kill the garden, clear the garden, make garden safe… Then care for the garden is the plan.

Well, the garden is all but dead. So the day was spent raking “dead stuff” clearing rubbish and saving bugs.

A Pleasant Chaos

Tag: 30DaysWild