Do you have a National trust card? If not I seriously recommend it. Our closest National Trust place is Ickworth. It's a fantastically grand house, and really focusses on the servants quarters (and has a kitchen to die for...every time I go I want to sneak into a giant copper pot and refuse to leave.
But today we weren't going into the house. We were taking two extremely excited pups on a jaunt in the cold crisp, Autumn air. Tom's been away in Yorkshire this weekend, so needing adult contact I called on my brother "Uncle Ben" to accompany us!
We bundled myself, Ben, two children, two dogs and a large pushchair into my little Fiesta....I'm still not sure how we all fitted!
(and boy, was it windy!) |
The trees in Ickworth are something else. Some are over 700 years old and are stunning, dotted all over the park land! They're just as attractive in Winter as they are in Summer. (although going with a tree surgeon [Ben] means you're never free from the knowledge that something's been Pollarded wrong/a branch needs to be chopped off that tree/the kind of fungus a tree has unfortunately contracted.)
One little Pickle was not a well behaved boy at all and, egged on by the crazy wind, went a little bit mad when let free to run, so had to be confined to a lead (after he at last decided to come back).....naughty Howard.
See...he's so embarrassed he can't even look at me.
Maximus (aptly named), although he was being a very well behaved pup....for once....also had his freedom cruelly taken away as all he'd do is bother poor little Howard, when off lead. Look how massive he is! 7 months old and still a way to go to being fully grown, he's going to be a monster.
Little man had a great time, playing with sticks but I drew the line at puddle splashing, as his wellygogs had been left at school. I think there were a few "accidental" steps through puddles, but I can imagine it was hard to stay away from temptation.
Hello! *waves* |
Little Hugs slept through the whole thing....I've got it on good authority that it's hard work being that smiley.
There was running...exclaiming at exciting looking sticks and leaves. Old trees were inspected (and judged....Ben!) Dogs were sniffed, and sniffed again, just to be sure, and the landscape was appreciated, greatly.
We decided that climbing into this dead tree would be unwise, as it seemed to be held together by it's bark.....
It wasn't too long before the moans of empty tummies and complaints of the cold started, so we headed back to the lovely little cafe, near to the house. We had much deserved tea and flipping giant sausage sandwiches (the big dog might have had to help finish mine.)
So with a full stomach, and the cobwebs well and truly blown out of our heads, we headed home. Bye bye Ickworth.
And here we are, back home, the little people watching Cars, one lego building and the other book eating (I'll leave it up to your imagination as to which is doing which), as I sit with a cup of coffee, sewing a little something (to be revealed later.) I hope your weekends have been full of fun and not of bugs and colds.