Ozark Photos

Old news - almost 2 weeks ago we went to the cabin in the Ozarks for three nights. Bluet enjoyed playing in the stream (where she caught lots of tadpoles with a net, and jumped as if streams were muddy puddles) and meeting the cows. Meanwhile Ilona slept, although she has developed a fondness for looking at the dogs.

Meanwhile back on the farm Ilona bounced with Dingo the dog, while Bluet delighted in making footprints anywhere

Bluet's Flower baths

you may remember that in Texas Bluet sat in a bath of Blue Bonnets. Here she has sat in a bath of dandelions, and at the Brunot farm, a bath of daisies

 

life on the farm

Of course, most of the time it is a big treat for Bluet if she gets to do something without Ilona, or to spend time with a parent or grandparent alone. But sometimes she decides to show Ilona a toy, or push her around in a pushchair, and it is almost like they are playing. Must be the countryside air.

What Bluet really likes is for Wayne to tell her about snakes (she even found one all by herself in the rocks - a king snake, apparently

This week, we got some pretty good local Mexican food, and Bluet rode a 'burro'

Meanwhile, Ilona has been learning to sit up and has been getting very good at eating - even real banana - and has discovered her toes

Yesterday we went to the pond and Bluet and Thane were both very excited to see each other and play on the dock.

Sometimes Bluet even gets to eat outside

Jumping in Muddy Puddles

We've been in Missouri for almost two weeks now, and Bluet has really enjoyed spending time with her family, and being outside so much. What she likes best is to jump in muddy puddles (Peppa Pig really does teach kids to do the best things). She can jump in muddy puddles (or streams) for hours on end.

There is also a pond near Hamil's house which is great for a quick canoe ride, or playing with all of Bluet and Ilona's American cousins

Bluet wears a vintage dress

At the same time, she has been showing more interest in Ilona, perhaps because Ilona is becoming more interactive with her environment, reaching out to grab things including Bluet's finger

Bluet and Ilona spend family time

One of the advantages of coming to Missouri is that Bluet and Ilona get to spend time with their cousins and grandparents. Here is Bluet hanging out with Thane, sharing a yoghurt covered raisin or two, and Ilona looking at photos with Nana

Life is hard out here

Bluet is always happy to find a swing

Writing

On Sunday Bluet picked up one of those big chunky bits of chalk for writing outside on the pavement, and carefully wrote her name

Snakes

Friday at the farm was Solar Day, where Nana and Wayne show local school kids the natural world, including snakes. The snakes were still around when we arrived on Saturday (Emily, Bluet and Ilona from St Louis, and me from my road trip), so Bluet got to do some snake handling (non-venomous, of course). She showed no fear and was happy to handle snakes big and small. Here she is doing it:

On The Road

Greetings from Arkansas!

So this is it, our time in Texasis over . Our house is packed and in a container on its way to Zurich. I am driving the car to Missouri whilst Emily took Bluet and Ilona on the plane this morning. Tomorrow I will join them at Emily's parent's house. We are looking forward to spending the next 3 weeks relaxing in Missouri, then finding out what life in Switzerland is really like. Here are some pictures of Bluet and Ilona from when the house was being packed up yesterday. Bluet spent most of the time watching Peppa pig and Ilona found time to catch 40 winks.

Improvised dinner chair

Ilona supervises, Bluet eats an apple

All our stuff came nowhere near to filling the shipping container.