Up North.

When we lived in England back in 2012 we tried over and over to plan a trip up north with the Schwartz's.  Rob lived up in Cheshire when he was a teenager and Ames had told me so much about the beauty and magic of that place.  But it never happened.  So, Ames and Rob made it happen for us. And it was every bit as magical as they had professed. 

It took us the better part of a day to get up there, but that was mostly due to unlucky traffic and potty/snack breaks.  The first thing we did after arriving and meeting Amy’s good friends who so graciously let us stay with them was to go to Teggs Nose to take a country walk.  It was FREEZING, uncommonly so for June.  While my bones were screaming with cold my eyes were feasting on all that lush green, the vistas, the craggy hills, the wildflower paths, the rock walls.  It was all pretty magical.   My stellar niece Elle was spending the summer in London for her pre-senior year summer internship so we kidnapped her to come up north with us.  My kids were so delighted to spend some quality time with her and I was too.  It’s so fun to have a little more one on one time with her since I usually only see her when she is one of the 27 grandkids.  She pretty much rocks.  I loved watching these kids scamper through this countryside.  Makes me wish they could interact with the natural world like this all the time.  The world wakes us up.  Especially children.  Em’s relationship with Lambie hasn’t really changed in the past 3 years, but they both look a little older and more worn.  (see here for more Lambie adventures in the countryside)Here’s the best group shot we could manage.  Calling all those kids down from their wanderings was an impossible task.  I loved this family that we got to know (and stay with).  They were so gracious and funny and good and took us to see incredible things. I’m gonna let these pictures mostly tell this story.  My words can’t do it justice.  I guess the pictures can’t really either.  I wish you could smell and hear and feel the thrill of an experience more than you can through pictures.  Exploring and climbing on old machinery was another, different thrill for those kids.  Peter always with a stick.  Usually the stick is a sword.  And he’s slaying dragons.  I love these shots of these two friends.  One of my favorite things about this trail was the little library someone had built there, perched on top of the hill, surrounding the countryside.  What a beautiful thing. This kid was cracking me up with his modeling poses.  These girls?  Stunning.  I love this Peter boy.  And I hope one day he’ll marry this Elsa girl.Picking wildflowers, making daisy chains.  This are the crystal moments of childhood. 

Oh England.  I love you.  Your crags and moors and flowers and your green.  Everything in you makes me feel green and lush and alive.