Festival week and no knitting or felting!!!

I did take my knitting bag... really I did. 

But somehow the festival spirit took over and I picked up my needles only once. 

HesFes (Home Educators Summer Festival) 

It's a family festival safe and loving, welcoming to all. It's hard to describe what it means to us, a week of freedom and acceptance with folk who understand home education because they are on the same journey.

For one glorious week I forgot my age and had a fantastic time with my daughter and our amazing and wonderful friends. 

 We had a joyful week with early morning cuppas

And beautiful skies.

Emma and I made rag rugged brooches together in a workshop

All ages working together, to make and create...

Music...

And laughter...

A picnic hamper for a table, held everything I needed for a  relaxing week. candles, incense and  insect anti -bite cream!

  The last evening we stayed up till dawn.

 Emma never made it into bed at all!!!

My dear old mog..

 Epi or Epimenides to give her full title is, 14 years old and to be honest has always been a cat of very little brain.

I love her dearly but as the saying goes

" for every cat who knocks over the cream jug there is one who will get their  head stuck in it"

Epi has certainly got her metaphorical "head" stuck a few times over the years.

However on this occasion at least she was not too confused.

After inspecting the strange orange apparition on her lawn,

Which then hid amongst the flowers,

Mysteriously changed size!

And then multiplied...

She decided enough was enough and settled down for a wash in the sun. 

This at least she could understand.

A garden walk before work

I am very fortunate, when I go to work I leave my caravan and walk there. I may just stroll across the grass into the craft marquee. 

Sometimes I get to walk through the gardens of stately homes like Castle Ashby.

 On this morning I took the opportunity to explore before the gardens were open and really relished soaking up the atmosphere. 

I imagined the people who had enjoyed the gardens in the past, ladies in fine dresses strolling before the heat of the day, and gardeners many of them spending a lifetime tending the plants.

These Fuchsias caught my eye as I wandered around the quiet grounds.

 The orangery doors were already open ...

 Inside was a delight, the humidity and scents were a complete contrast to the dry heat of the summers morning outside.

The pool in the centre is 7' deep and swimming within are hundreds of goldfish. How many generations of fish I wondered had swum in this pool?

  Foxgloves hold a special place in my heart, so finding this display was an unexpected joy.

The sun was getting higher in the sky and I knew it was time to turn from the past and walk back to the craft marquees in the distance.

The future beckoned.....

Talking to the trees

The trees were calling to me....

After a very hot afternoon setting up my craft stall

When I had a chance to look out from my caravan

I saw this beauty across the field

 I just knew we had to get better acquainted.

I'm pretty sure this is a Redwood, one look at it's amazing trunk was the only clue I needed.

Next I spied this huge oak tree further along the field and was not disappointed when I got closer

 Hidden from sight around the back of it's magnificent trunk was the biggest bracket fungus I've ever seen on a living oak tree.

 As the shadows grew I turned to stroll back to my caravan.

The peaceful trees had worked their magic again....