Our visit to Bradgate today is a special one. It is a welcome return to tree climbing. Our second eldest son has spent the last six months recovering from a broken arm, caused by a painful cyst in the bone. To our immense relief, he has had an all-clear that everything has healed and he can now return to living the active life he had before. We are so proud of how our son handled everything, he never complained whilst spending the hottest months of the year on bedrest, in full shoulder-to-wrist plaster.
It is a beautiful day to be in the park. Everything feels so still and filled with potential … as if the vegetation is collectively primed for a signal to burst back into life. We spot a new nest in a tree we often walk past.
Just seeing my son suddenly point out a bird with his “bad arm” is such a joyful thing to behold.
Up ahead of us are my husband and the rest of our boys. I stay behind whilst our returned climber clambers over fallen tree trunks. I am carrying his little sister in her back carrier and she cheers him on enthusiastically. I can tell she wants to get down and join in, but the light is fading, the park will close soon and I know I will never convince her to get back in again.
The view from the top of the hill over the canopy of greens and oranges towards the village, is one of my favourites. Meanwhile, my son finds another lightning-hollowed tree to explore.
I have often thought that this triad of gnarled, ancient trees look as if they are in deep conversation with each other. Deep underground, their roots must be as intertwined as their branches above.
My son finds a path through the bracken. I love seeing him treading over the difficult terrain again without a care. Our 17 month old shouts “hurry up Mummy” from over my shoulder as I try and carefully pick through the potential trip hazards.
Our lungs have that wonderful cold feeling of having breathed in lots of crisp fresh air and all of the children have flushed red cheeks. We get home just as the sun sets in red streaks across the sky.
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What a wonderful way to celebrate your son’s return to full strength.
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Thank you! He is a really active chap, so sitting still for so long, and being ultra careful (especially when his four siblings were charging around) was a bit tricky.
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Fabulous photos. When I see pics of kids in nature I can’t help but hope that they’ll never lose the sense of wonder they now feel.
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I know what you mean – my upbringing was very outdoorsy, as my parents loved fell walking, and I really want my children to have a similar free roaming childhood to me 🙂
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Lovely post. I’m pleased about the arm, although as we have only linked up recently I hadn’t known about it. I smiled at your verbal 17 month old – as the youngest of 7 she would have developed her language early.
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Thank you Derrick, I’m reading all of the lovely well wishes out to my son and he is so pleased 🙂 Our daughter is very chatty – and it has been brilliant, not only because we delight in hearing her, but also as it is helping her two non-verbal brothers as they are copying her learning to talk. The house has never been so noisy! 😀
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Excellent
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What a super walk. I loved those gnarled trees. Pleased that your son is climbing trees again. It’s horrible when our children are unwell or injured.
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Thank you 🙂 The park are actually cutting down a lot of trees at the moment, as recent storms made them a risk – but I think these three are very firmly in the ground! My son says thank you very much for the well wishes 🙂
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A beautiful, magical place! And what lovely writing. So glad your son is feeling better and is able to scamper about.
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My son says thank you Laurie 🙂 We’re lucky to have the parkland just down the road … although it’s doing a bit too well at the moment, as it was suddenly voted in the top ten days out in England in a national paper – now we have to go very early or very late to miss the tourists 😀
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I know. Unfortunately a place can be loved to death if too many people visit. Happens in Maine, too, small though we are.
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I can see why – every photo you post from Maine is just wonderful, such a pretty part of the world 🌿
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My goodness, thank you!
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What a fun, wonderful day with your family!
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Thank you Sheryl x
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Love that fresh feeling of cold air in the lungs Mrs TP.. And Trees, don’t get me started on trees.. Just love them, hug them, talk to them, lol. and so love their twisted shapes and images you often see in the bark…
Wonderful Walk… Thank you for sharing your lovely family with us.. ❤
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Hello Sue – I am just reading “the secret life of trees” – and if you love trees and have not read it yet, I think you would really enjoy it 🙂 Thank you, as always, for your kind and thoughtful comment xx
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I will have to add that to my reading list Mrs TP… I recently bought five new books, and also re-picked up my knitting needles yesterday, As I couldn’t resist some new Aran wool for a waistcoat Aran pattern I had been itching to make.. Hence my quieter time here on WP… Loving your site Mrs TP, and thank YOU.. ❤
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It’s good weather for knitting today – an absolute storm here, best weather for being cosy indoors! I actually have a giant aran jumper that’s about seven sizes too big that I wear to do my writing 🙂
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It was a perfect knitting day and I got half a back done.. 🙂 And smiled at your Aran jumper … I remember one of the first knits I ever did for hubby, his sleeves were miles too long, He never wore it, I undid it in the end and as it was navy in colour I knitted
a school cardigan for my young daughter and school jumper for my son… So it didn’t go to waste.. 🙂
Enjoy your writing in your snug jumper 🙂
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It’s a habit – my late grandmother always knitted a few sizes too big, so I could “grow into it” 🙂 I’ve grown used to having lovely huge jumpers now x
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🙂 lol Wonderful to know your Gran used to knit, I learnt to knit from my Gran..
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I am a failed knitter, unless anyone wants a very very long plain scarf 😀 I did inherit the family love of the outdoors, gardening and endless cups of tea though 🙂
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Being in nature and loving gardening are most important Mrs TP.. We all have our various skills… And Scarves come in handy too… 🙂 ❤
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You’re very kind 🙂 x
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💕
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