Hope on the Horizon - Spring is starting to Spring!

Spring is sprung after a very long, cold and grey winter.  I'd almost given up hope.  Its still cold but its bearable because there is sunshine for the first time in months.  And there are three important indicators that spring is here:

The daffodils are out

When the daffodils are out, its always a hopeful sign, and they always make me think of Wordsworth and Mr Ireland, the teacher who taught me the poem.  If you cant quite remember it, click HERE

The Italian ice cream shop is open.  They close in winter.  The nearest place to sit is the Sainsburys arcade, and it has dawned on me that we have a series of annual photos of eating ice cream here.  The photos change every year, from Caelyn expecting Wendy then Teresa Jayne.  Our Brakkie dog has gone and Benny is with us instead.

Caelyn and Nigel had some 'together' time.  They have been so busy that they haven't had much of that lately.

Wendy really enjoyed showing her sister around the place and what to do.
  

This sort of toy car is always a hit with the kids.  This is the Indoor area and it has been revamped so there is more for the kids to do when it is raining or they need to get out of the sun. Its a beautiful job and the kids love it.

Those kids always manage to inveigle Sean into getting down on the floor or in to small spaces.

Teresa Jayne had enormous pleasure from playing with cars.

Nigel is leading Teresa by the reins.  Teresa is leading Benny.  She loves Benny and always wants to lead him around, much as Wendy used to do with Brakkie

The Health and Safety mafia have been to Lathe Barn.  They used to sell small bags of feed for the children to give the animals but they can't do that any more.  Chickens in cages were all around the play area, but they are now behind another fence.  The only animal they can get anywhere near is the goat.  He too is behind a fence as always but goats come to the fence so the kids can see them up close.  Still, they might stop coming close now that the children have no food to give them.  The pigs are gone, and there is only one goose left. The indoor play area is very much better than it was, but part of the charm of Lathe Barn was the kids getting close to farm animals.  I know they were forced to comply with Health and Safety regulations, but the essential character of the place has had a major shift.