Haddo's got a brand new bag

22 degrees at Haddo in the late afternoon. Beautiful wee brown butterflies that Sam knows the name of but I don't were flutterbying everywhere and the crickets were fairly rubbing their legs in the tall grasses. We fed the really hungry geese who were trying to make sense of why no one was coming to see them. The humans were instead swarming around the new wooden play park, picnicking and yapping and lounging and people watching. We walked through them trying to be invisible as they soaked up the rays, amid some very funky play stuff, a wee bit too young for Sam and Tess, although we'll no doubt have a go at the death slide. The old park was completely deserted so we stayed there for a wee while. Sometimes it's nice just to sit and listen to the birds, bugs and beasties when no one else is around. Haddo estate and country park is having a makeover; a beautiful park and for many years a worst kept secret, it is now getting busier and busier, but it's big enough and beautiful enough to cope.

Back home for a frantic tidy up before Tess' sleepover friends descended. Dave and sam have headed into the forest in camo gear to photograph wildlife.....but the girls have just headed the same way emanating sporadic scream like decibels that will ensure there is no wildlife to be seen for miles.