Balloons and Bells

 Watching the bell ringers of the Holy Nativity Church, Knowle - http://holynativity.org.uk/Aboutus/

We have been big fans of 'Melody' on CBeebies for quite some time. The show is music based set around the life of Melody who is partially sighted. On one episode she goes to see the bells being rung at her local church. The Holy Nativity Church is just around the corner from our house, and the Vicar is the dad of one of Eve's nursery friends, Rosie. So, when I bumped into him one day I asked if we could possibly stop by one Sunday to see the bell ringers in action.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/melody

Eve was very good and let us dress her in a cute top for church. We arrived bright and early at 9.30am and were sent straight up the tower. 

Eve looked a bit unsure at first as we stood in the doorway of the bell room chamber, but when they started pulling on the ropes and the bells started ringing she was completely in awe, and watched with mouth open wide.

After chatting to the Vicar, his wife and some of the congregation we headed to the playground. It was a fresh morning and felt so good to push myself high into the air on a swing, whilst Eve laughed with Daddy pushing her.

Daddy went to work in his studio after lunch, so I took Eve for a walk in the woods. She enjoyed running about, and we went and had a look at the flowers amongst the war graves. I explained to her that we had to carefully go round the graves and stay on the grass at all times, and she was very good about it.

As we were wandering I spied loads of ripe blackberries. I emptied Eve's drink container and showed her how to pull them off the stalks. We picked until the container was full, then she got into her pram for a sleep.

Whilst she slept I headed back home, and then trundled back to the woods with her and extra tupperware in tow.

This is the recipe I used: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/member-recipes/recipe-detail/4268/

It was quiet, still and cool in the woods as I worked at blackberry picking. I filled an entire lunchbox (600g) with blackberries. The success of foraging and traipsing about in nature is so therapeutic.

I returned home, left Eve asleep in her pram in the hallway and set to cooking apple and blackberry crumble for dinner. I was pleased and it turned out well, however, Eve only wanted to eat the 'white biscuit' part and didn't want the 'pink stuff.' Doh!









It was our fifth wedding anniversary this weekend, so we used it as an excuse to mainly chill out together. We went to a bbq at my sister's on Saturday. Eve and Jago loved playing together, especially filling watering cans in the paddling pool and using them to water the garden :-)

Eve and cousin Jago on Saturday

On Saturday evening just as I had got Eve down to sleep Sam called to me with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc under his arm - the balloons were flying by en masse past our house. We raced upstairs as they flew overhead. As the balloons fly over the crest of the hills some of them are so low down that we can hear the people talking in the baskets. It is such a spectacular scene, and a truly brilliant way to spend our anniversary each year.

Bristol Balloon Fiesta from our roof - http://www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk/