The National Trust @ Quarry Bank Mill #CountryKids
We had a lovely and much needed family trip out and we headed out in the cold sunshine to Quarry Bank Mill. It is a fabulous national trust property surrounded by gorgeous gardens and forest walks. It was beautiful strolling through the forest and the kids climbing on trees, jumping puddles and squealing as they ran. Perfect childhood freedom that is sometimes rarely available for our city kids. Of course, there was the odd squabble over sticks and who would hold the dog’s lead.
We went a little off track, having not picked up one of their info sheets on the way in, and ended up struggling across a field to get back onto the forest track. The field was up hill and had a sheer layer of mud all under the already wet grass. There were a couple of face plants in the mud! Good to be out and not have to worry about a bit of mud. Lots of hand cleaning later…
We got back to the mill and then paid the fee to get in. It was in the middle of being used in a film set so there were roped off areas in many place and lots of piles of fake cobbles everywhere presumably to cover the concrete. The mill is a listed building and a fully restored 18th century cotton mill. It has a fabulous massive waterwheel and lots of textile machines. We came here years ago when we just had one very lively two year old and i remember going through the mill being a little bit of a pointless activity. Chasing a chicken round a coop was a little bit what it felt like as my very active two year old was not interested in the slightest.
This time it was very different having school age kids who could read the exhibits, follow the stories and listen to the description of what life was like for workers in the mill. We still had the running toddler thing but even she stopped when we got to the fun water interact exhibits.
We finished the day off with tea and cake in the cafe, which had a small kid friendly area with pens, pencils and books. Then waving goodbye to a day well spent with the misty wintery sun setting over the mill. Pretty good all round. Next time we are going back to see the gardens as we ran out of time!
There is some deer in those woods!!
My parents were visiting and we went to the fabulous Dunham Massey. Its a national Trust property and oh wow does it ‘DO” autumn. The trees, the wild deer that are gently roaming around the park and the beautiful gardens, chickens, vegetable patches are just enchanting. I really love it there. The kids do to. Apart from that incident we don’t talk about in this house when my mum accidently knocked my son into the lake. Yeah..not a happy 10 year old!!
Finding the gold
Finding the gold: When old prospectors would look for gold they would take large pan and grab up huge loads of gravel and sand, shaking it backwards and forwards to encourage the heavier gold to the bottom of the pan, at the same time the lighter materials which are worthless are worked up to the surface and swept away. This process is repeated until all that is left is the heaviest most valuable material.
My finding the gold project is inspired by this description, searching through the daily stuff of life that is ultimately worthless…the stress, the what ifs, the tantrums, the work nonsense,…and finding those valuable bits of my day, my week that are the moments i need to remember. The things that catch my eye and are just beautiful in their simplicity unbidden and untouched by the daily grind. Things that make me smile, even if sometimes that smile doesn’t linger and stay.
Some weeks it is harder to than others, sometimes the pan feels like it is only full of gravel and sand. There are weeks when its hard to keep going, searching through the detritus of this crazy, busy, frantic stage of life. Times when having time to catch you breathe seems impossible let alone stopping to look… but then you catch a glimpse, even in the darkest of darkness a small shard of gold can shine out and lift your spirits. Even if it is just one piece.
Can you find the gold in your day…?
