A brief time out...

A brief visit to my parents during the week. It was lovely. The kids are just the perfect age now. Never has a trip to my folks place been so easy. They were relaxed during the long drive. Ran about excitedly upon our arrival pulling out remembered toys from our last visit. And chomping at the bit to get outdoors into what Dexter described to Hugo as 'the biggest backyard you're ever seen'!

I know my mother will roll her eyes with a knowing look - but really, after such a smooth and relaxed break from the city life I'm wondering why we don't visit more often. I almost feel guilty for depriving my children of more time in the great open space of this gorgeous place, when it's here for the taking whenever we care to spend 3 hours in the car. Where such common natural occurrences such as fog, dew drops, sunsets and rainbows are somehow more acute and vivid than we ever experience in our urban lives. Can you tell I'm feeling a little city-saturated at the moment?! A brief trip to the paddocks of my childhood only whet my appetite. Lucky we're planning a camping road trip next week to fill my nature-cup!

Dex and Hugo lost themselves in play while I spied on them with the camera. Dex held the map and Hugo looked for clues.

Hugo enjoyed some quality one on one time with Pa. He chatted on and on to his granddad all about his body parts and how he is growing bigger. Pa pointed out the king parrots nearby. They hung out. It was very sweet to observe.

We perched here to watch the sunset. Dexter literally kept exclaiming Wow! Look! and such things in genuine amazement at his uninterrupted view of the sun setting!

They tried to get closer to the double rainbows by going to the highest point of the property!
Our morning of departure. We picked a humongous bag of Golden Delicious apples which are sitting in our kitchen waiting to be stewed. They certainly don't need stewing to be palatable, they are super crispy 100% organic and sweet and delicious, but there's an awful lot of them. So stewed apples it is.