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| Helping me make elder flower champagne. My youngest daughter was so funny. She tried a bit and then said "OHHHH, it's LOVELY, can I take some in my water bottle to preschool?" Er no... |
My wife had a day off last week as a day in lieu of working a weekend on a school trip, it was lovely to spend the day with her, we even managed to get up the hills for a walk before it got too hot in the morning.
We worked out that it was the first time we'd been on a walk like that with just the two of us since having children! We used to walk all the time together as well, some thing we really need to make more of an effort with.
Our youngest daughter also had her first taster day at school. She's been ready for school for so long now so she was super excited to go.
She had a great day but I think all the excitement and heat got a bit much for her. She started to suffer from heat stroke that evening and gave us a worrying few hours where she just couldn't regulate her body temperature. A few showers, wipe downs with flannels and some watermelon got her back to normal though!
We then had the climax of the last few weeks - the village festival!
This is held every other year and takes place in the church yard and the "field of fun" which also happens to be a field I rent. The parking is also in one of my fields!
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| My field doesn't normally look like this! |
I'd also decided to throw a huge BBQ which seemed to take a week to prepare for! I'd invited so many people and families that we are friends with.
It was great fun and went brilliantly. Our huge patio was completely filled, I'd borrowed lots of tables and chairs. 12 litres of homemade elder flower champagne was drunk, we even had a fire as it calmed down and the last people left after 2 in the morning!
I cooked burgers and sausages from the butchers, slow cooked two huge joints of mutton and did a spatchcock chicken as well. friends brought lots of side dishes and cake so there was loads for everyone to eat.
There was so many children it was a little bonkers, at one stage one child found a wasps nest and hit it with a stick, so there was a little drama and running around down the bottom of the garden!
Summer time brings lots of hard work and late night but I just love it. This summer has been great so far, we've not eaten inside in over a month and the kids are hardly inside!
How is your summer going so far this year?
Lovely summer fun! Enjoy your blog so much. A trick doctors use to get a little one's temp down with high fevers here in states is a popsicle (frozen juice bar). Something you can usually get them to take without a fuss and keeps their stress level down (fun treat instead of emergency).
ReplyDeleteShe had a freeze pop when she got back but I think it was too little too late bless her! We tend to have one as we get back from school, me as well I love them!
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DeleteLove your photo of all your friends, you can't beat a huge BBQ, we are eating inside the flies and smell in our garden (neighbours cats) is overwhelming. But loving this beautiful summer.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds smelly! I'm not a cat person it must be said! The BBQ was great fun, lots of funny stories and good times!
Deletewe are so hot and have been for so long that it is just awful. it's hard to be outside for more than 10 minutes or so. i'm SO ready for fall! your party looks like so much fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm avoiding the middle of the day heat at the moment, that's just too much for me!
DeleteWow, this is how summers are meant to be spent! It is very hot and humid for me. There are days I struggle to water my garden. I still plan to cook out for the Fourth of July and watch the fireworks. I never miss watching fireworks!
ReplyDeleteThe garden is being neglected I'm afraid. Thsi year I'm trying to concentrate on the house but that's not getting done either!
DeleteI too make Elderflower Champagne, and I've always wondered how much alcohol there is in it. I presume there must be some as the process is one of fermentation.
ReplyDeleteYeah, this has alcohol in but can't be that much. I might make a ginger beer int eh same way and see what it comes out like!
DeleteWhat a great batch of photos. Your daughters' smile is priceless. Our summer has been hot and rainy so far. Not a bad thing is some ways as the garden needs less watering, but it makes it harder to get much outdoor work done when it's either rainy or muddy.
ReplyDeleteI think we've got the lack of rain this year! Something we don't normally have to plan for! There was even a hill fire a few miles away yesterday! Shows I should store more water!
DeleteChampagne to preschool. Wish I'd had that option back in the 60's when I had to deal with Sister Mary Gerard the mean hand slapper. Anyway, love the pics and the big BBQ. Summer is for being outside and your kids are better for it. My mom would tell us "come home when the street lights go on and not a moment earlier".
ReplyDeleteProbably best you didn't! Could lead to a life long elder flower addiction! No good telling my kids about the street lights, nearest one is three quarters of a mile up the road!
DeleteLooks like you had a great time at the village festival and your bbq. Sorry your youngest daughter got a little bit too much sun. You need a little paddling pool in the shade with cool water in it. Then it seems like more fun when you are trying to cool kids down. It's 35C here today and two houses down from us there are 5 guys on the roof putting new shingles on. Don't envy them in this heat. They started at 7:00 to try and beat some of the heat but it soon heated up.
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