A February visit to the Derbyshire family

Toadlet's Argyll school half-term holiday week coincided this time with that of my elder grandson's Derbyshire school. The same week contained my younger grandson's third birthday so Toadlet and I went south a-visiting. The following day was cold but bright so we headed out for a welly walk in Swallows Wood nature reserve.

                         

                          Found a bench, took a mug shot.

one poser ;)

two posers

Spotted some Water Figwort in the mud

A view looking back

We tramped up a hill well-trodden by cattle and horses. Just as well it was such a cold day and the ground a little frozen or we'd probably have lost a welly or two.

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The next day was 'Piglet's' birthday. Toadlet was on cake decoration duty. Piglet had asked for a blue chocolate cake with a reindeer, at least that was DerbyshireDaughter's interpretation of his specifications! It tasted good.

There was more cake baking the following day as some of us felt in need of a grown-ups' cake. DD made this blueberry cake from Kymmy's Kitchen on Facebook. She used a mixture of berries and I think she used a different cream cheese icing recipe. 'Moo' (elder grandson, age six) took me on a walk in the drizzle through ginnels and back ways to the nearest icing-sugar shop as DD had run out of it. He instructed me in my first use of a self-checkout and then, on the way home, tested me on whether I'd been listening to him on the way! At one point Toadlet answered a question. He said: "Don't tell her!" My 'creative' sense of direction is a family joke. I keep pointing out that I get unlost as often as I get lost.

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On the last day of our visit the weather was fine again so we went for a day out to Tatton Park. That is a brave pose by Moo on the wooden pig as he'd already tried and fallen off with quite a bump! His dad was making sure of no further falls when I took this photo.

A noticeable fungus on an old tree

With DD and Toadlet both giving directions, the latter from the satnav on her iPhone, and the former saying "Follow the road signs!" (Daddy and the boys went in a separate car as neither vehicle would hold us all) I made no wrong turns, the car didn't choose any extra-circuitous scenic routes on the way back. Just around the corner from where DD lives, we stopped to take in the last of the day's light.

Yesterday Toadlet and I came home. Rain and strong winds from the South Lakes to the Boggy Brae in Argyll and it's still pouring. It has been a wet winter even by wet western Britain standards.