Day trip - Gorges Du Tarn

We headed to the Gorges Du Tarn today which is a stunning gorge and a popular area for kayaking and rock-climbing. Bea unfortunately was a little under the weather, so didn't enjoy the kayaking as much as the rest of us did, and in the picture looking down the valley, from viewing place "Point Sublime", we woke the poor wee fella up and dragged him out the car for the photo op! But, it's a great kayaking place, and I think we'll do another trip again.

We now have two water babes!

Ili is going great guns in the pool and swam a whole width of the pool on her own today (only 4 meters, but even so!!). She's been super super brave. Rain coming tomorrow, so heading slightly further south to the Gorges du Tarn (a revisit of a trip that Frith and I did many years ago with Uncle Benji!!) and hopefully do some kayaking and exploring there.

Awaiting the BBQ!!

Ili's first swim strokes

It was v. cool this morning — so gardening was the order of the day — but we still managed to get a couple of swims in this afternoon, and Ili did her first couple of unaided swimming strokes!! Little by little . . .  Yippeeee! She's been very determined the last week, so hoping for more tomorrow. Here's a couple of pics of big Kettle and lil' Kettle hanging around up a tree.

Monkeying around

We all somehow managed to get up in a tree today. Even I tried a spot of pruning up the ash tree!!

Ili gradually getting there!

Ili still not swimming on her own yet, but is now using a teeny weeeny piece of float (the green bit tucked into her costume), that we've been reducing in size day-by-day, so hopefully not too long before she's afloat. 

Morning sky, Bea under terrace, pruning cherry tree

Frith pruning the cherry tree.

and the new view through the cherry tree.

Pool day

The kids and Papa went to check out a rock climbing route today along a nearby gorge. Rest of the day was a pool day!

New swimming cossie!

Ili at the window.

Bea in the water, as usual!!

Birds and the beas

Nice morning by the pool and not so hot today. Lots of butterfly, bees and beasty watching, and we found a praying mantis in the garden. Stormy this afternoon, and rain stopped play . . .

Bea watering the garden first thing this morning.

Watching the beautiful, big blue Carpenter Bee.

The Carpenter Bee and Bea.

Praying Mantis. Notice who's holding it!!

Hols - Ili with float, bea cycles to village

Lovely to see Bea trying to help Ili swim, and for her place to full trust in him. Her armbands are off, and we're just working with a float to get her swimming those first strokes. Even after a cycle down to the village with Papa, Bea is still full of beans and positively hypo!!!

Oleander, and some very parched grass.

Ice cream after a hot cycle road trip.

Curly tops on the top terrace.

Summer Hols!!

Been in France for a couple of days now, so posting a few piccies of the kiddies so far. Bea had his swimming trunks off most of the time, so had to be careful which ones I put online. But the kids having lots of fun in the pool—which is nice and warm—and we're hoping to get Ili swimming without armbands very soon. . .

Bea swimming until the sun goes down!

The new terrace.

Bea taking a swing in the hammock.

Ili sun creaming her big brother!

Swim ready.

The kids must have known what was in store as they both slept in their swimwear last night :-) Temps in their 30s again, so water, water, swim, swim, swim, cool off, cool off! I could handle every summer like this! Kids took the nets to their favourite swim spot and we did a spot of fishing — and hurray, caught a tiddler! Papa cycled round the lake to meet us after work.

This way. . .

That way . . .