English Riviera

Views of our vacation to the south coast of Devon, England. We'd never been to this part of the UK before, and it was beautiful!

Beach huts

Collecting shells at Goodrington beach.

The steam train we rode on with my parents.

Dartmouth/Kingswear harbor

The edge of Dartmouth/Kingswear and out to sea

Dartmouth castle

Teignmouth

Sophia making sandcastles in Paignton

Perfect weather for working on my suntan!

Wes finds a mermaid marooned on Broadsands beach.

My dad makes the definitive sandcastle of our vacation.

Wes and my dad kayak in the sea.

Alathea composes music at a Paignton park & 

Are Wes and the girls reenacting Baywatch??

Nature Walk

Two children fighting over toys at home. Hmmm, what should we do today? Park? We were there a few days ago. Library? Did that yesterday. Friends are busy today...so how about a nature walk in a local wood and field?

Sophia was definitely up for it, and both girls enjoyed sampling wild blackberries we found growing. Then lunch on a bench, and a craft to display our findings? Sounds like a good idea, if I do say so myself.

Flowers in Our Garden

When my dad sees an empty bit of dirt, he feels compelled to put some pretty flowers in it, which is why the flowerbox in our back garden ever ends up looking as good as it does. I can only take credit for the chrysanthemum growing in the middle. My dad is responsible for everything else. Thanks, Dad!

Sophia's friend gave her Californian poppy seeds last year, and we had no idea if they'd grow or not, but here is the fruit of my dad's and Sophia's labors in the spring. Well done!

Reading "Owl Babies"

TRANSCRIPT:
Alathea: "Think a lot!"
Wes: "Then the baby owls..."
A: "closed their owl eyes and wished their owl mother can come. And she came!"
W: "Soft..."
A: "and silent she swooped through the trees to Sarah and Percy and Bill."
W: "'Mommy!'",
A: "they cried and they flapped and they bounced and they bounced up and down on their branch."
W: "'What's all the fuss?'",
A: "their owl mother asked. 'You knew I'd come back!'"
W: "The baby owls thought..."
A: "(All owls think a lot.)"
W: "'I knew it!'",
A: "said Percy. 'I love my mommy!', said Bill."