The Orchard Cafe, Worcester

There's also nothing like a decent British baked potato for a Birthday lunch and locally sourced greens and then the tea... The Orchard Cafe does it all with such simplicity and it's all a moments walk from the hospital and much needed respite all round.

St James the Great, Colwall

Nothing beats an English churchyard at sunset... the chief party-roadie heads off into the glow for his next load of booze, whilst all was shaping up nicely in the neighbouring 16th Century Hall for the 70th Birthday celebration.

The Birthday Bunting...

...is complete, all labours in from across the globe and carefully stitched together (in Cheshire!) by the fabulous Auntie M. It is a thing of hot pink accents and individual glory, be the flags from self-professed non-sewers or the more adept needleworkers - it is a total joy!

0 - 70 years and counting!

The Old Bus Depot, Richmond

The outcomes of the Second Street Art Festival in Richmond are fabulous! The old bus depot, just 5 blocks from us and now on my morning jogging route, is transformed...

It was proving to be the destination-of-choice this Sunday afternoon - we cycled between the sheds, spotted an old tram, 'parkoured' the skate-border ramps and sat gazing at it all. Amongst the street-planting M found one lone strawberry... that should still be there.

Park(ing) Lot Day, International

I was needing inspiration for action today and then right outside our front door this garden and fake James River appeared... J and I had a brilliant time chatting to everyone involved, then taking our bikes down to the Main Library to see what was growing in their parking space.

J featured on instagram amongst other social media outlets. It was all gone by 4pm...

Meditation Class, The Fan

This was a Pied Piper moment, except the post-school destination was a delightfully soothing living room with candles, a gong and a singing bowl.

Taking time to breath, acknowledge the ups and downs of life and just sit... they're a lovely crowd of kids.

Bear Enclosure, Maymont

Right by the viewing hide sat a bear waiting for his supper. M did a sketch...

We were glad to have a bit of mesh between us.

Street Art, Virginia Beach

What with the roaring 'Freedom Fighter' jets overhead and the multiple military bases within minutes, VA Beach has an 'alternative' take on the mural - with a burning frigate on one and a wounded soldier being carried from battle, bleeding heavily, on another.

The camp breakfast, KOA Virginia Beach

It was a classy affair at breakfast time on our lot - organic scrambled eggs, Billy's bread and Valencia oranges plus the best of Trader Joe's cereals.

The camp fire, KOA Virginia Beach

P had a fellow pyromaniac to raise flames with - be it c/o a DEET aerosol, the mattress blower (now slightly melted) or plentiful pine needles. Our farewell fire lit up the night and the fellow cocktail drinkers.

Virginia Beach

It matters which way you face on this immense beach strip... The water was wild (and 80F/27C!), the sand was warm, the sun was intermittent but most of all the mermaids were happy.

Pirate Day, Fox

This was so super cute with M in handmade pirate gear imported from Muston, Leicestershire and J in her sibling-designed pirate gear heading up Floyd for the day's treasure hunt at school, tea-stained maps ahoy...

Back-to-School Night, Second Grade

We got to sit at M's desk learn the rules and debate appropriate snacks... ooh and there was some mad science in the corridor and a loud and tasty community meal for not quite all 571 student and families - oh boy, it's a big!

Her co and student teachers pictured...

Day 2, Pre-K...

J notices co-ordinating accessories and photographs one of the class horses she loves - the Green Grass of Wyoming beckons...

Pre-K, Bon Air Presbyterian Pre School

... and so to Day 1 of J's school career, a little bit of Reggio Emilia loveliness in a 1960s church building on the edge of Richmond, with the best playground ever - ramshackle and shady, with running water and kitchen pan instruments and giant construction pipes for rolling...

'Bye, best mum ever', she called as she whizzed ahead of all the other families and disappeared off to find her cubby. Her 'director' capacities will hopefully soften and I'm getting my head round the kiss-n-ride pick-up process.

Katie Blue, Carytown

A mini cupcake, cocktail glass with straw and New York Fashion Week on the monitor... plus a wandering friendly pooch. Hair styling never got so good and the staff are just a joy too! We are all cropped and well groomed.

Sienna Miller is the muse of choice this season.

Sunflowers in the Fan

A spindly stem has finally borne a flower after some 77 days of M's nurturing. It feels like an amazing thing and J ran outside shouting with excitement when she spotted it.

A few blocks up we found a sidewalk full of fabulously tall sunflowers and then at the coffee shop, a magical mixed bed with it's own picket fence.

Pony Pasture, James River

Our first bit of wild swimming this year. The water has been so high and we took a while to 'relax' into the joys of it all, but once we did it was the most exhilarating thing ever!

So here goes M deciding to take to the rock slide...

Down pipes on Floyd

There nothing like burying a bit of formerly overground drainage. So gone is the unsightly plastic trip-hazard and in the process a bit of mortar training has been gained thanks to the neighbour-on-the-right.

Next we fancy a bit of paving...