Morning walk with Thomas

Both boys were quite tired after their family holiday and the subsequent days staying with friends so James decided he’d prefer to watch Danny McAskill bike the Cuillin ridge (again) while Thomas and I walked through the woods. We sampled the blaeberries before heading out to the heather. He loved the purple and scent so we headed down to Gimmerknowe to see if there was any honey for sale. There were 2 jars and a request for £5 a jar in the honesty box. I then took him via a new path through a wood and quarry where I said I had heard great birdsong in the spring. He said we’d need to get up at dawn next year and go there. On the way back he found 2 feathers which he thought were a barn owl and a pheasant. Our birder friend Ray was in his garden when we passed so we asked him and he concurred. I asked Thomas how far he thought we’d walked, checking on my phone and he was spot on with 2.5 miles.

When we got back Mr C and Colin had fixed the van step and were sitting in the sun with a coffee. James was making a den. He asked for a third breakfast (muesli and yogurt). They had honey on toast too.

We met the parents for handover at Wallington and had a walk. We were tired on our return but a quick shower reinvigorated us for a lovely evening with Linda and Colin. We were their first guests inside since Covid. It was lovely to see them and discuss the usual - books, politics, Music, art, their holiday house on the coast just over the border etc etc.