Moo Moo is back on Floyd

... but grouchy. His primary carer is delighted to see him though.

Agecroft Hall, Windsor Farm

Tudor England right here in RVA overlooking the James and not Lancashire's Irwell for now. Well if you can get a deal on shipping a crumbling manor house, why not?!

We pottered through the gardens for a 6th Birthday treat.

Last Day, Pre K

So nine months on and here it is - the actual last day, but there is summer camp to come...

Playtime, Bon Air

The penultimate playtime on an Outdoor Day - hiding out in the cookie cutter cupboard (a store for tree trunk discs) and making sand pies...

Back to York River State Park

It looks pretty amazing and wild and savage... even with rough bike paths, wooden pontoons, osprey platforms and picnic benches the wilderness couldn't help but overtake us. Ticks fell from trees, red headed lizards and click beetles roamed free and tree roots stumped our bike plans. It got over-hot, the river water was disconcertingly luke-warm and the girls just wanted to potter not trek.

There were some moments of shade and awesome entomology instruction in the lee of a fossil cliff but after that - the dream was of ice cream and civilisation.

Amy's Travels, Latin Ballet of Virginia

We've got a little bit of the production introduced by one adoring fan.

A weekend of lovely shows and backstage living and make-up training and tight hair braiding, with 'Mírame!' being the Spanish phrase of choice, as mothers tried to keep distracted children in position until their look was completed. Borrowed pink and blue eye polish aka shadow for M and lip stick too, of course.

Bouquets and petals form the sky, though they tended to fall a little early each night.

Field Day at Fox

Yup there was dancing and the limbo, sack races and best of all, tug-of-war.

500 children moved in swathes from shade to pitch to indoor action. It was impressive and actually fun. No mixed-age teams but the odd sibling slipped in for that extra dash of community bonding.

Picnic Night, BAPP

J's pre kindergarten program/me has been so brilliant for all of us and now it ends...

No more awesome parenting sessions, no more everyday wilderness adventures, no more block room babies and no more slow-movement art.

This place is magic.

Storm Warnings in RVA

Can lead to these falling from the sky so hard you have to hide and holes are cut through hosta leaves. Then there's a passing tornado and if you're super aware, a 3.8 earthquake in between.

Flip, meteorologically it's siren worthy stuff.

Class Photo down on Gallmeyer's Farm

So here they are - J's 5 year old class - post strawberry picking with the amazing Miss Jean and Miss Anne. Best friends to left and right and below on far left.

Gallmeyer's Strawberry Farm, Varina

Down on the farm the sun was shining, the hay bales were out and the tractor in action... J's last school trip was magic and biting into warm, juicy strawberries was very, very good.

York River State Park, VA

I was on a dull return trip to Williamsburg Premium Outlet Mall - having been rather surprised to find all the clothes I'd rejected, albeit silently, back home. However this changing room mishap landed me in this nearby State Park for a brief moment.

It was deserted and delightful and Pocahontas could have come out of the rushes and I wouldn't have flinched, though the lizard who stood stock-still in my path certainly gave me a start.

Williamsburg, VA

My favourite bit of England this side of the Atlantic and best for hat (!) shopping, picnics and it's Premium Outlet Mall, with a cottage garden and orchard for extra joy.

Granola c/o P

A triumph of non almond, non honey, non raisin and non cinnamon granola ingredients with toasted oats, Canadian maple syrup, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, dates, apricots, hazelnuts, cashews & walnuts, and freshly biked-in strawberries, peaches and raspberries.

Next time we've got coconut oil to add to the mix.

The Really Big Show, Abner Clay Park

There was a young guy called Jonny Z who lived in Richmond and was much loved by many people we now know from the DJ folk, to our local Italian joint, to the fab hairdresser... He died tragically, 7 years ago in a lone bike accident and every year friends gather for a Festival.

This time we were there and it was the antithesis to anything we'd been to in awhile and was all the more magic for it. Loads of arty things to try and hula hooping and music and a sandy park and lovely people... simple stuff that felt like it could change the world. Go Jonny Z!

Binders, Office Depot

So how ethical is it to ship your reclaimed card binders from where Office Depot store them?!

Almost college ready...

Mother's Day Eve & Dawn

Popcorn in bed c/o neighbours (8am!), a yellow gladioli, clay pizza and pony-tailed figure - a pretty unusual combination. Add in one weary, grumpy male parent and one slightly bamboozled, still recovering female parent mmm sort of bliss.

Mother's Day Eve had involved a fresh strawberry cake and chilled wine with the MD plan-facilitation neighbours... Thanks Barbara and Lanny!

Strawberry Street Festival, Fox

This is a Herculean event even when up to speed. Today we had a sweet companion and experience on our side. Craft stuff, hair dyeing, bouncy things, exotic bird sanctuary, food trucks and storytelling occupied the hours, though no communal seating or free action anywhere.

This is all about the fundraising and loses something for it. Bring back the cups of tea and racing ducks at Owthorpe Village Fair.

Breakfast portions on Floyd

Portion control just got a little more precise. Frozen peas, rice crispies, Joe's Os and oatimilk amongst these breakfast delights.

The James River, above 9ft

We had another visitor in 2014 and things were suitably wild down on the riverside - dead ring snakes, roaring water with a dash of Lynchburg crude oil and flooding paths. G&T's needed to calm the nerves.

Fresh stash of Cadbury chocolate bars for afters - thanks great guest!