The Dam Builders

Mr D has a river at the bottom of his garden. 
When you're seven and five (and forty-one and thirty eight) the best thing in the world is to get in and try and stop the flow.
At 7.30am this morning Miss E was squealing and asking if we could go to the river yet!
After a quick breakfast we said a quick good morning to Uncle D and headed straight down to the river. 
It was so cold I honestly don't know how these two could stand it! But they were in there for hours building "the best dam ever"
Miss E was chief engineer and did a fabulous job directing where the stones should go. And she took charge of rock classification - whoppers, big ones, medium ones and wedges.
Papa would be proud of her efforts!
Once they'd gone blue - and almost completely stopped the river! - we came back to our cottage for lunch and then headed up to the quarry for a walk with Mr D and River.
It was a bit sunnier than the last time I photographed it. So green and so much heather. Just beautiful. 
As usual the Little Misses enjoyed scrambling about, trying to give us heart failure and drawing on slate. Arrows from Miss L so we could find our way back down and beautiful pictures from Miss E - foxgloves, the mine entrance and piles of slate.
After a quick play in the park at the bottom of the quarry - which sadly also seems to be left to go to rack and ruin - we headed into Betws-y-Coed for supplies, treats and some walking boots for Miss E. I just can't come here without buying something outdoorsy! When I'm dropping off the Little Misses in my fleece or walking round Stowe in my walking boots I'm instantly transported back up here and it makes me happy.
Miss E tried out her new boots jumping from rock to rock in the rapids in the middle of Betws-y-Coed. Again trying to give us heart failure. She didn't take too kindly to our suggestions that she was on her way to certain death!!!
Unfortunately craziness erupted on the way home, Mummy and Daddy got cross and the Little Misses were packed off to bed straight away after dinner.
We got crosser as they ran about screeching and jumping about on bunk beds but eventually they settled down and left us in peace for The Bourne Ultimatum. Stupid Mr K putting his foot down and not letting me watch X Factor!