“Can we go out for the day together?” asked my younger son. Days are precious because of their uncertainty around here at the moment, but the chance to spend time with my son and granddaughters made the answer one that I did not need to think about. With everywhere closed and covid restrictions in place, it would have to be in the open air and the first place that sprang to mind was Wayland’s Smithy.
We were lucky with the weather… a glorious, if chilly, spring day dawned. A picnic packed to eat in the car and a wheelchair borrowed ‘just in case’. With the girls sharing the back seat with Stuart, we headed off to one of the most iconic ancient sites in the land… and the place where the adventures Stuart and I have shared over the years had begun so long ago. It was to be a special day for so many reasons.
I already knew that I would not be able to climb Dragon Hill and planned to wait, looking out over the Manger, while the others climbed to the top. I had told the girls the legend about how St George had slain the dragon atop this hill, and how the bare patch of chalk that remains on its summit is where the dragon’s blood was spilt and the grass no longer grows. Caught between shivers of delight and disbelief, Hollie, at six years old, appeared to approve of the story.
I watched the great kites and the buzzards circling far beneath me, and arms outspread, the two little girls ‘flew’ around the hilltop. I could remember clearly our dear friend and companion in the Silent Eye, running down the top of the hill, arms outspread, taking off like a dragon… and she has not ‘come down’ since 🙂
Disaster struck when I fell down for the second time… my leg simply ‘disappearing’ as far as my nerves were concerned. This time I took Stuart out with me and the wheelchair was reluctantly brought out from the car. We drove to the main car park and Stuart and I waited on the grass while Alex and his girls went to see the chalk-cut figure, thousands of years old, that is said to represent a White Horse, or Epona, the horse-mother goddess. Or, given that it has a ‘beak’ or flames coming from its mouth, perhaps a dragon…
Image Wikipedia
Once again, tucked up with a tartan blanket and a granddaughter under each arm, I shared the legends, telling them about the great prehistoric enclosure of Uffington Castle and where to find the Fairy Thorn beside which a skylark had risen one fateful and misty morning that had changed our lives. I was hoping that they would feel the same magic in the land as we had done, and being open to it, would let it in.
A long time later, my son and his girls came back and we headed off to Wayland’s Smithy, just a mile down the five thousand-year-old track known as the Ridgeway. The wheelchair was a necessity now and not one I was happy about… but needs must. I told them the legends… Stuart added to them by including silver-shod unicorns… capturing a little magic for the girls. We told Alex about the feather that fell from the sky when we had been here that first time… a small, white feather, exactly like the one the girls had found and given to me earlier that morning.
The girls made friends with the welcoming darkness of the tomb, sitting within its embrace. Perhaps my own imminent passing may be softened a little for them as they remember the feeling of a peaceful place where loved ones were laid with such care and respect… a place where laughter is as welcome as reverence and where the sun ripples on the spring flowers playing in the breeze.
Wayland’s is a place to which we have taken many people we love, seeking to share the love of the ancient land and its lore that began to blossom for us there. As another generation learned to see with ‘fairy eyes’… to see the many faces hidden in the spirit stones and feel the living presence of earth, stone and sky, I was so glad we had been able to share the day. All you need to do is go out and connect with your roots, no matter where you are in the world… the earth has no boundaries, but continues as a whole, even beneath the sea and beyond time.
And were I in any doubt at all about whether the girls were old enough to understand, two small stones had been picked up along the path and hidden in pockets until they were home… small stones that are standing stones in miniature, covered, from whichever angle you look, in faces…
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
Love that last “shadows” photo!
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‘We were here’
…nce upon a time 🙂
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Yes, it makes a wonderful memory to hold onto.
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🙂
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I read this breathlessly like a child at the fireside. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, you write so beautifully.🌹
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Thank upi, I’m hlad you enjoyed it .
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My pleasure! Have a beautiful day! ☺
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Very good Sue. Both the narration and pics are superb
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Thank you, Saji.
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Pingback: Back to the start… again — Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo |
What a lovely outing. I’m glad you shared fairy🧚🏻🧚♂️🧚♀️ magic with the little ones. 💚❤️
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So am I… it was a beautiful day 🙂
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💗🌹🌷
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Thank you for sharing your experience and photos with us, Sue. A beautiful write, enjoyed reading. 🙂
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Thank you, Kitty.
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You are welcome, Sue. 🙂
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It’s so beautiful, I had to share it. I hope you don’t mind. xx
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Of course I don’t mind, Jen. Thank you 🙂
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I went to write a review on LAUGHTER LINES but I haven’t bought enough books LOL 😊
You’re welcome 🙂
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If you happen to write one on your blog and let me know, I can share it for Ani 🙂
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Ah okay! 😊👍
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😀
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Soon. I’ll steal (take/borrow) the picture of the cover from my kindle copy. 😊
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Thank you, Jen.That will make the Small Dog’s day 🙂
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😊Anything for Ani!
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🙂
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😊
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Wonderful to be able to share that magic, Sue. Falling down or upright, a special day 🙂 🙂
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I’d have rather stayed upright, I have to say… but yes, it was a special day x
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🙂 🙂
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How beautiful, Sue! I thought of you on the weekend, with the weather being so nice, and it sounds as though you had a wonderful day. I’ve not yet visited Waylands, but when I do I’ll look for you there 🙂 xx
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I think you may well find me there, Helen. Youwill need the whole day… walk from The White Horse and the Castle along the Ridgeway. It won’t take all that long, but time doesn’t ccount itself the same there 😉 xx
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That always happens in the best places, doesn’t it? 😉 I will make the journey one day, definitely xx
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It does…aas we have found so often… xx
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Reblogged this on pensitivity101 and commented:
Wonderful piece, precious memories, time having gone full circle.
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Thank you, Di 🙂 x
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You are so welcome Sue
Have a lovely day ❤
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Thanks, Di 🙂 x
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You book of poems has arrived today. I’m looking forward to curling up with it tonight ❤
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A little different , but I hope u=you enjoy this one too ❤
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I read the first entry ‘Purpose’ on line, and those last few lines had me hooked. You paint a beautiful picture with words Sue.
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Thanks, Di.
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🙂
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A wonderful day to make memories to share in the future. The feather was a sign of home and belonging ❤
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It was rather strange to startthe day with such a synchronicity 🙂
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I wish you had been my teacher! You make everything interesting, special, and magical.
xxx
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Life is that way ❤
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How wonderful to share the place and the story with your sweet granddaughters. They will not forget this day. xo
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I hope not, Darlene x
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What a truly beautiful day of memories Sue. 💜💜💜💜
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It was, Willow ❤
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💜💜💜
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A magical day out for you all and some wonderful memories for your granddaughters to keep. And son and Stuart, too, of course.
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It was a good day… in spite of a bruised rump 😉
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Heh, like they say, ‘good times’ll get you in the end.’ 😀
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The earth got me this time 😉
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what a beautiful day for so many, many reasons.
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It was, Beth… on all levels 🙂
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Ok done! I should get some sleep. Soon…
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You probably should 🙂
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When? OK now LOL
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LOL 😀
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Poof!!!!!!!!!!😴😴🥱
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🙂
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https://jengoldie493473930.wordpress.com/2021/03/03/laughter-lines-life-from-the-tail-end-by-sue-vincent-book-review/
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How wonderful to give your granddaughters more precious memories. Your writing is so beautiful. G-d bless.
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Thank you… It wsan amazing day with them 🙂
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Hi, Sue. So pleased you had a great day out with family, sharing tales and memories. Love the photos. Take great care of yourself.
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Thanks, Goff. We had a lovely day…and even the weather cooperated 🙂
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So pleased for you. Weather has been great here too. Today not so great, a little damp and grey. Happy Wednesday.
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Same here, Goff.
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Reblogged this on Lizanne lost in a good book and commented:
A beautiful post from a very special person.
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Thank you for letting us come along Sue. ❤️
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lways happy to share the old places with friends, Colleen 🙂
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❤️
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I have shared your wonderful blog on my site, Sue. We will miss you so much, but your words and thoughts will still be with us.
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Thank you, Lizanne. I appreciate that.
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What a glorious day you had and what a memory you have given your grand daughters! And your son will forever have an image of you sharing your love of history and symbols and nature with his daughters. I am so very happy you got to share one of your favourite places with them and now again with us. ❤️
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It was beyond nice to be able to have that day, with the sunshine, to share ❤
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Yes, it was a blessing. ❤️
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Oh yes, that it was ❤
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And a wonderful example of living in the present. All that matters is today, right now.
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That is really all thereis… and children and animals remind us of that 🙂 x
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They surely do and thank goodness for that, or we’d miss out on an awful lot 😘
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We would, Fransi… and what a shame that would be… 🙂
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Indeed it would.
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Sounds like a nice little outing, though sorry you had to be wheeled instead of walking through a lot of it. Cool that the girls got to hear a bit of the local lore, even if a unicorn or two were added. Great write-up and photos. And, of course, I just recently visited those sites through The Initiate 😉
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As you have read the Initiate, you will have a bit of a handle on where those sites would eventually take us… a strange and beautiful journey to have shared 🙂
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Yes, following kites to colorful churches and all. At some point I will need to follow you (and the kites) a little farther on that journey with the other books in the series.
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Well, as I am working while I still can, any day now they are being re-released in black andwhite ( we were never happy with the colour print pricing!)
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What a wonderful day of making memories for your son and granddaughters.
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I know you understand the value of that, Sue.
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I’ve been waiting for this post and it did not disappoint. I’m so glad you were able to share the magic of this place with your granddaughters. I’m not surprised they understood. ❤️
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I loved the stones they had smuggled home… it showed clearer than anything that they understood. ❤
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So wonderful indeed! ❤️
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Oh yes ❤ Very different from our visit, of course, but beautiful to share with the girls 🙂
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Hi Sue. how is Ani doing?
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Ani is doing okay at the moment, Jean, than you or asking. She knows something is wrong as is rather quieter than usual much of the time… but still a pup at others.
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What a lovely day and outing, Sue. And I’m so impressed that the girls brought home stones. I hope their father will keep on the tradition. Gorgeous pictures as usual!
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I rather think he will, Noelle… and it was indeed a lovely day.
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I am so glad you could go out with your sons and granddaughters. I am certain they will remember it all their lives, just as I am certain they will have picked up a lot of the wonder you have for the world from you.
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That last I hope they can find… it makes the world a magical place 🙂
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Lovely, Sue… Thanks for sharing.
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Someday, in the future, a small child will be sitting next to their mother as she shows her ‘treasures’ from the box – – a stone….a white feather… and the day spent with her grandma and the silver shod unicorns that showed up and…….. the magic flows on…. ❤
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That is my hope 🙂
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Okay – I believe it to be true, thus you don’t have to just ‘hope’ – you can ‘know’ now, right? LOL
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Right LOL 🙂
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Oh Sue, there are so very, very few things, I KNOW – deep down, at cellular level, but reading your post/the feather/the stones? Um, yup, instantaneous shift in cells – I KNOW this one thing – – just saying……
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🙂 xx
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❤
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Sue, thank you for sharing the magic in your life. Going back to your roots brings me back to mine, growing up in a small town in Maine. I’ve also collected stones from many places. Reminders of treasured memories. Your grandchildren did the same and made me smile. Thinking of you. 📚🎶❤️ Christine
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Thanks Christine. The simplest things make the best memories. ❤
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Absolutely! ❤️🎶🌺
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I love it that your granddaughters hear those old stories from you, Sue. They will always remember the magic and carry it in their hearts and pockets. ❤
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I do hope so. ❤
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Thank you for this x
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“The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 😉 Glad you brought the wheelchair, worth getting out and about, I’d think. So nice to have that day with A, the girls and S. What a gift to pass your love of the land to the girls. H. will surely remember it. Pocketed treasures forgiven. 😉 ❤
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And as an edded gift, I’ve just spent the evening with my son, all fired up about standing stones… and that made my day 🙂
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Love that, passing the torch!
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I hope so 😉
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I’m glad you were able to share the tales and create another beautiful memory with your son and grandaughters. It’s a shame the wheelchair had to come out, but I’m sure everything else about the trip will be much clearer in the hearts and memories of the girls than that fact. Also, I love that the girls connected with the place so well they took their own small stones home without any adult prompting or knowledge, as well as the fact they presented you with a feather identical to the one that landed in front of you when you were there before.
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It all seemed to mesh together perfectly, Tori… a real gift of a day.
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Pingback: MarySmith’sPlace ~ Cancer Diary #26 – all kinds of medical questions; so far without answers | Mary Smith's Place
And the Wheel turns ever onward. 😀
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As it always does 🙂
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I love that the girls brought the stones home and that you got to share such precious moments.
Stanny wants to know it Ani was in the mix?
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No, not this time…no room in the one car, sadly, as I cannot drive any more.
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I’m sure you got a helluva welcome when you went back to her!
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She is very quiet at the moment, bless her.
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Ani, is that you?
Love,
Puppy Stan xxxx
P.S. I got my paws on the computer and had to say hello. Hope I don’t get caught. I’m not half as clever as you. 💚
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No, that was the two-legs 😉 xx
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Were you upset they couldn’t bring you yesterday or did you get up to mischief?
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I caught up on some sleep… I have been really busy on guard duty… 😉 xx
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That’s good. Guard duty can be exhausting but I guess we have to sort of do our bit.
Have a lovely day hope you get lots of cuddles.
Stan xxx
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I’ll do my best, Stan… they are pretty good with the cuddles at the moment xx
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Here’s one from me to add to them,
Stanny 💙
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❤
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Wonderful thoughts and photographs, Sue. You are making memories for all your family to hold in their hearts. Take care of yourself. Jx
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Thank you, Judith. I am being well taken care of ❤
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What a beautiful family and a fun memory to cherish!
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Yes, they are beautiful… all three of them 🙂
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I’m very glad you are passing on the magic. And I’m very glad you had a beautiful day and the weather cooperated. Perfect days like that are so rare for all of us.
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I could not believe how lucky we were with the weather…I know how lucky I am with the family and the love I took with me ❤
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This is such a treasure of time and place from every angle. I’m so glad your granddaughters were able to share it with you. (K)
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So am I… and to see my son becoming enthused by the wonder of these places is yet anotehr gift.
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Brilliant stuff…. so glad you got there and I will treasure the day we spent there…
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So much magic in that day too, Gary… unforgettable 🙂
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how lucky your granddaughters are to be able to listen to your stories that are both educational and entertaining. sounds like it was a special day…
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It wa a wonderfulday, Jim.
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Fairy magics is around us all, if we stop and look and listen and FEEL. I feel that there is lots of fairy magic within you, Sue, as you slay some mean dragons and “teach the children well.” ❤
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I’ll jst tame th draons… slying them seems a tad unfair when theyare only following their nature. ❤
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I KNEW when I wrote slay I should slay my words!! Yes, tame is much better. xo ❤
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❤
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A beautiful venture with the family Sue I’m sure the precious ones loved the tour with grandma ❤ xx
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I think they did. Hopefully, the weather will let us go out and feed the ducks at least this weekend 🙂
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So mote it be. 🙂 xx
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Amen to that!xx
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❤
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A beautiful magical day that your son and granddaughters will remember and return to many times in the future where I know they will find your presence …in the wind, the trees… all around them …Thank you for sharing such a special day, Sue… Hugs x
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I was so glad to be able to have that day with them and share a place that runs deep in my heart 🙂
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The whole post is just beautiful ❤
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Thank you ❤
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You’re welcome 🙂❤
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My goodness! Spending the day at a remarkable site that you know so well with your granddaughters – and telling them the stories (that’s the best part) – will be a day they’ll always remember. I can picture the day. Thank you for this post and taking me there, Sue.
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It is a place that means such a lot to us, Jennie.
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I can tell…❤️
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❤
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Thats definitely magic! Your writing, and also the landscape! Thank you for sharing, Sue! Best wishes, Michael
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It is a beautiful and magical land 🙂
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Indeed. I hope these virus thing will end asap. Have an appointment with the Highlander too. Lol
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I would have liked it to end before I was stuck at home in the south here…
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So true, Sue! Hope will never die. At least the UK has vaccinated the most of the citizens. You only have to keep closed the doors to Germany. 😉
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🙂
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