East Egg Hunt on Floyd

A proper North European Easter egg hunt with supplies from the Bottesford bunny.

Partial Abstraction, VMFA Studio School

Finally a class that went well - 3 hours for 12 weeks is proving a challenge but this was taking two objects, tracing them out repetitively and then adding on some unifying colour or tone - I loved the process and the gentle shell pink and soft green fake-leafed outcome.

Texas Beach Ruin, RVA

We ventured out in the spring sunshine and made it to the far reaches of Texas Beach, though not without wet feet for one adult and the other a little shaky on flu-recovering limbs. All relaxed on the wild life front, except that was a little unfounded, as a snake then crossed the path on the way home.

Mr Fox on Floyd

Mr Fox is the class 'toy' who travels home with a new pupil each week in his very own red briefcase.

This was a busy weekend that started with some time on his home-made computer, a Birthday party, a theatre trip, some house-viewing (of course!) and tire swing practice. His 3rd Grade biographer did a great job in his journal, though his Kindergarten-carer was a bit put out.

The James B. Hunt Library, NCSU, Raleigh

A fab roadtrip stop at the best library in the world. It has a yellow book bot (robot) and just incredibly cool styling and spaces. The Danes know how to build... now to get M into their technology program.

Plus they have an ice cream bar in the foyer. That student consultation document must have been fun.

San Augustine, Florida

Florida really was Spanish once and San Augustine is reputedly the oldest city in the USA. It's stunningly lovely, has a proper fort and cobbled streets and feels like southern Europe. Sangria all round on our balcony bar... before the long drive North.

Located thanks to the amazing hispanic staff at Disney who told us where to find the real Florida.

Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort

Walt was a man of great vision but just as it was getting really interesting he went and died and all that is left of his Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow is a fabulous futuristic monorail and geodesic dome.

Step further onto the site and the dream fades and full-on plastic country recreations with tourist shops and thematic booze & food outlets abound with little shade and 80s shopping mall architecture in between. Dame Judy Dench was on the audio that guided us through time and space aka the history of communication but it was not enough to lift us out of the mire of corporate blandness and a sense of lost hope.

Birthday Supper, Caribbean Beach Resort

Happy Birthday sung in Spanish and English as J had been working hard to teach us some, as this is the state that once ruled by Spain and we now know, thanks to the amazing restaurant staff, even has a proper fort at St Augustine. The sugar level was off the charts and followed marshmallow roasting down on the white sandy 'beach' of our Caribbeean themed resort.

Tom Sawyer Island, Disney

In the midst of Disney, a pontoon ride away, is Tom Sawyer Island. Up on the hilltop is a fort made of wood, a leafy picnic spot and down on the water's edge a barrel bridge and even an underground tunnel, that was very, very dark.

Disney Specials, Florida

The princess of choice was Rapunzel who encouraged braveness with new things, followed by the delightful Ariel in her grotto who suggested spinach cakes for celebrating the day. With Winnie the Pooh we found the queue as good as the ride and then there was the Boab tree of the Swiss Family Robson to climb that was super high with its leafy canopy and so so 'real'.

Splash Mountain, Disney

The first ride of the day was for the brave and happily wet.

Dolphin Day, Clearwater Marine Rescue Aquarium

It was pretty amazing to see Winter and Hope in the flesh and despite the packed and construction-filled site the basic reasons for the visit were there in all their graceful & playfulness.

On the roof Nicholas, the newest rescued dolphin is looking for fans but without a Hollywood movie about his recovery, he just can't compete. 'Rufus' the white pelican turned out to be two female birds - the second largest in the USA. The condor in California wins the prize for size.

Sanibel Sunset

A west-facing beach for true perfection at sunset with guitar plucking, tiny baby, a Moscow Mule and ancient watercolour set...

Sanibel Sunset, Doc Fords

After an alligator encounter there is only one drink to soothe the racing heart on this island and it's a Sanibel Sunset!

Also we had Rum and Lime, we wanted to be fair to the other drinks at Doc Ford's.

Alligator Habitats, Sanibel

Really?! A cycle path with alligators... we moved along it with focus and some speed. As we crossed a low bridge over a brook there was a truly ginormous alligator swimming towards us, though not deliberately at us. We didn't stop to stare... The next day we encountered a younger, sleeping gator by the side of the road in the Ding Darling Reserve. This time we took a moment with it before heading off into the mangroves and the boardwalk around the ancient shell mounds of the Calusa Indians. A long, black racer snake added some extra excitement to the stroll. 'This is the tropics, dear', ringing in my ear as the response of choice from hotel staff.

Shell Seekers, Sanibel

The shells were endless and at low tide the beach was full of folks collecting, even as I ran at dawn (making it to 8K by the final day). No Jun*nia but lots of conches (one with a reticent but totally live inhabitant who was swiftly returned to the surf) and scallops.

West Winds Motel, Sanibel

Living the '70s dream... with lawns to the shore and a sparkling pool, palm trees and shuffle board en route.

Hipster Savannah

A town that is home to SCAD is going to have a hipster vibe and Back in the Day bakery was where it was at with 60s school furniture & the star-spangled... The college was architecturally super cool!

Warmth in Savannah

Sun, Spanish moss and camelia across the many dappled squares of historic Savannah... such a beautiful town with great garages (!), should you need a solution to a leaking radiator situation.

Also an amazing mid-century neighbourhood and ice cream bar, with honey & almond to die for.

The player on Floyd

Somewhere over the rainbow... well in Charlottesville on an icy day to be precise, was a Winnie the Pooh player from the 1960s. It's in need of some TLC but has working disco lights and favourite records so far are Katrina, the Ballerina & Wizard of Oz music.