Fun at the Farm

Mr K took the day off today and we had an outing up to Mary Arden's Farm in Stratford-upon-Avon.
It's the farm where Shakespeare's mother lived and it's set up as a working Tudor farm. Fantastic!
There were rare breed animals - including some spectacular curly haired pigs, owl flying demonstrations, a working blacksmith, pumpkin carving in the farmhouse, salt dough plague charm making in the herbalists kitchen - Miss E made a bat and Miss L made a triangle. Both well known for their anti-plague properties!!
There was also a café which did a damn fine ham, egg and chips, tea, hot chocolate, ice-cream and chocolate cake,.
And a very muddy adventure playground.
The whole place had a really lovely feel. There was a real sense of history. You can just imagine a young Shakespeare playing in the farmyard; feeding those hairy pigs and splashing about in every muddy puddle just like the Little Misses!
In this picture they are looking at an outside toilet having listened in disbelief to me explaining that in the old days people had to go outside to go to the loo.
They heard a lot about the old days today!!
Then it was home and preparations for the long awaited Trick or Treating round the village.
To say that they've been excited about it would be an understatement!
Miss E wore her cat costume, Miss L wore her nurses outfit and they both painted their faces - with varying degrees of success!
Mrs C bought Mr R and Baby C over to join in the fun. And Nana came too.
People in the village make such a lot of effort - the decorations and costumes are fab.
And it's always nice to walk around in the dark sending the kids off to get sweets from strangers!