Bistro set on Floyd

Sun yellow in a can of ice-cap melting joy. Surface texture smoothness thwarted by multiple tropical storms, rapid-spun spider webs and some consistent spray-coverage issues. With these IKEA delights its going to be a bright outdoors this 4th of July.

The pond on Floyd

Fish training in progress... final session this weekend and then these guys will be fully qualified and in charge of THE pond next door. It has had an exploding population in recent weeks.

Carter Mountain, Charlottesville

The peaches weren't quite ripe but that didn't stop us. The wild raspberries were ready and they tasted amazing, if you could stretch far enough across the poison ivy to reach them.

It was baking hot with a low grey muggy sky. We stood arms out-stretched in front of the giant fans back at the farm store before a picnic in the shade and a bit of peach painting - all dry in moments.

Build School on Floyd

'Supportalators' are the things that give strength to any given structure. A detailed video exists describing their values that makes for child and dad-led learning victories. Those bowling guys usually get posted into interior oblivion, after a fall from their precarious perches.

Bond location and set directors need look no further for future talent...

Robious Landing, Midlothian

J's Forest School off-shoot up at Robious Landing on the James River, swollen from recent tropical rainfall and muggy and creepery as a result.

We watched rowers train on the river, painted clouds (pic) and checked out the wildlife on offer - we saw a non 'fake' woodpecker, heron and an almost drowning young labrador. Made mulch soup with some little girls in the playground and talked snakes with the park ranger...

For a more historical perspective check out the role of Prince William the III.

Vacation Bible School (VBS), St Mark's Boulevard

He's got the whole world in his hands... and the back stairs and pizza!

Here the world in body parts - the UK thanks to J's head and the kidney shaped island thanks to M's feet. They had such a good time without us and we had such a good time on our bikes, at speed, with a scotch egg picnic and in a classy NZ burger joint with local beer and finally with a Hell's Kitchen approved pizza.

Three free evenings... what more could one wish for.

Forest Camp, Sabot at Stony Point

So M headed into the woods sprayed thoroughly with insect repellant and in suitable footwear. Their adventures took them to different locations deep into the Lewis G Larus Park, including the Chippenham Parkway underpass.

Day 1. The (fun) Bridge
Day 2. The (dusty) Canyon & The Bridge
Day 3. The (muddy) Tunnel
Day 4. The (muddy, dark) Tunnel
Day 5. The Bridge then The (exciting) Gardens

The teachers had a snake-walk they did with a  sturdy stick before they kids settled down to play and on the final day a young i.e. more volatile, copperhead was spied at the creek, so they decamped back to the school gardens.

Sightings - a turtle, toad, a snake (!), tadpoles, assorted insects... more ticks