Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Butterfly House

A little adventure today to the Bedford Butterfly House.
What fun! Take a look!Naturally there were LOTS of butterflies in the tropical house that came from all over the world. The temperature is usually kept between 25 and 30 °C (77 to 86 °F) and since it is so cold here, that felt great!

There were all sorts of ‘butterfly food’ about – aka tropical plants!

We went with Karen (mom), Kate (above) and her big brother Joshua, who you will see later. Iain and Joshua get along great - Iain just follows him all around.

More Butterflies...

This one wanted to say hello to Anna!
I had a few butterflies land on me and stay for a while. It was kind of neat but hard to take a photo....good thing I have a bump for them to land on!!
(Iain was really impressed )

Oh, and Iain loved seeing the ducks and fish that were in the tropical house as well.


This is inside the insect part...icky...
but Iain being the boy that he is enjoyed it.
Kate needed a short rest here, so Iain was going to help her out by taking off her shoes...

So neat, we were looking at baby fish!

There was also a petting zoo. Here Iain is discovering Bunnies. It has been one of our words we have been working on too. So that made it neat for him to see. Iain naturally hopped about.

But he didn't like being inside with the bunnies...out please Mom!

But helping them drink water was really neat for the little man.


Looking at chipmunks play, run, dig and eat.

Saying Hello to a garden troll.


Pig? Is this the piggy that went to market or the one that went home?

Here is a Kune Kune pig. Kune kune pigs are a rare breed. ‘Kune’, pronounced cooney, is a Maori word meaning fat and round. (know how that is right now) Hence kune kune means very fat and very round, which aptly describes this little pig. They are very docile animals and eat mainly grass.

There were also goats & Ginnie pigs
Here is a photo of Joshua.
In addition to all the animals and insects there were lots of room to run around.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Hardwick Hall

Hardwick Hall - the New one, appox mid 1500s

Looking from the garden to the house

Mom and Iain in the garden
Two Views - got to love 'em

Getting ready to go into Old Hardwick Hall, which is right next to the New Hall

Reading up on all things...been a while since Sweet BriarView from the Old Hall looking at the New Hall
Old Hall


This is the first English Heritage site I have been to where they have redone some of the plastering right over the old walls and left it exposed. It was neat to see and gave you a better idea where things were located. Pastry Ovens -
Mom and I both took this photo, maybe we wanted something to eat ?!

View from the roof top where they would have walked aroundGramps and Iain going down the stairs

Outside! Run, run, run!!
Gee, think he is having fun with his Grandparents?
He is like this ALL the Time,
trust me!
Iain Photos:

Like his new glasses? He got them from Mr. Potato Head!
I think he is very proud about it too.

Now this is Iain's newest thing to do after bath time - sleep.
Oh he is asleep alright, he even makes the snoring noise and everything.
But if you touch him he breaks out into giggle fits.
This is more like the real thing...
looks like a good idea if you ask me!

Monday, June 04, 2007

Mom and Dad's Trip

Bird In Hand- Our Bed and Breakfast in the Cotswold's



Blenheim Palace
It rained all morning, the entire time we were in the house but once we got to the gardens the rain stopped. We got lucky. Then once we were in the car, it started again. Welcome to England
(No photos inside were allowed)



Iain is pointing to the duck



Churchill's grave was in a very small village near Woodstock.

Kelmscott Manor
This was the summer home of William Morris, one of the co-founders of the Arts and Crafts movement. Naturally we were not allowed to take photos in the house.




To say this was a BIG Bull is an understatement
then to mention how SMALL the fence was holding him in
would also be an understatement.
I was glad he was not mad.


St. Ives



pointing at the ducks, swans and boats



Cromwell himself



Oxford
In the first Harry Potter movie, this was the staircase the
first-years walked up to the great dining hall.



Oxford's Bridge of Sighs






Two Roman statues I found


on the park and ride




This is the infirmery that was in a Harry Potter movie,
and oh yeah, above it was one of the oldest libraries in England too.


Open Gardens in Sudborough





Travis's house in England,
Brewery Cottage











Nassington