One of those days...

...of the gorgeous, relaxed, simple and down to earth kind.

The kids and I started off reading a chapter of Heidi and then Nathan wanted to re-read our book on early man.

Then out to the garden to give it a good watering (we haven't had rain for quite a few weeks and it's been getting warmer and a LOT of wind to dry out the soil). The new seedlings we popped in the ground over the last week have all settled in nicely. We noticed the other seedlings are beginning to take off, potatoes needed a bit more mounding, the strawberry plants are loaded with fruit and the plums are beginning to turn red. I moved my pumpkin seedlings into a redundant compost pile but had to cover it with netting as the chickens jumped on and kicked them all out again.

Meanwhile Nathan was inspired to build a lean-to hut like he'd seen in our prehistory book.

The chickens moved in right away lol.

The kids moved into the sandpit and Nathan retrieved the baking soda and vinegar to make volcanoes. He showed me something he discovered if he made a paste of baking soda and water and how it would glob off his fingers but keep it's shape.

While reading Heidi earlier on, we read of Heidi running in the meadows with her apron on and collecting flowers. It made me think of Danielle and her love of collecting flowers and things from nature whenever she's outside. So I decided to make her a wee half-apron with pockets on the front to store her treasures and remain hands free. We popped out mid afternoon and went to the local charity shop and found some pillow cases to refashion into the apron. I had the flowery fabric in my stash set aside for her to make another Lazy Days Skirt at some stage (hopefully there'll be enough left) - she's still wearing those two skirts as well so I won't need to make up the other fabrics till next summer. This is where I'm at (just roughly pinned on to check the layout). I will use the floral for the waistband and ties and have a ribbon to put along the tops of both sets of pockets to firm them up.

Here are the flower oils infusing on the windowsill.

I've been doing less of this during the day (sitting at the computer - it's funny what you find on your camera when you weren't expecting it)...and for the past few weeks the kids have been doing zero TV after 9am and haven't missed it a bit.

And the rain has finally arrived to give the ground a decent soak and refill the water tank which is solely used to water the garden.