Helping The Medicine Go Down

Today Olly had his pre-school booster jabs. Olly is a fearless little boy, but he really doesn't like going to the Doctor. I have no idea why. The only time he has been are for his vaccinations and a couple of visits for the usual infantile bugs. Now he is older, I felt it was only fair that I told him that we were going. You can imaging his reaction to the news. The procedure was unpleasant and stressful for him. The nurse was lovely, but Olly rebuffed all of her advances. He did, however, take the sticker she offered. The boy's no fool. Stickers are a badge of honour for any four year old, and he will be wearing it with pride to nursery tomorrow I'm sure. I also gave him some chocolate, in lieu of a spoonful of sugar. That was polished off fairly quickly too.

We went for a walk. To turn a not so good start into a little adventure. I knew just the place. The grandly titled King George V Memorial Walk in Hayle. It's a recent discovery for us. But it is a lovely way to spend a couple of hours, as there is so much to see and do. The Hayle Town Council website describes it thus:

"This beautiful Walk at Undercliff was purchased in 1936 by Phillack East Urban District Council from the Great Western Railway. It was laid out as a formal Walk to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary. With an Art-Deco Arbour and three Fishponds, one of which has a fountain, it is approximately ¾ of a mile long. With its panoramic views across Copperhouse Pool it quickly became a popular venue for walkers and bird watchers. Waders and wildfowl can easily be observed without disturbance from the path which follows the entire N.E. bank of the Pool. The Memorial Walk was chosen as the town' s main Millennium Project and the Victorian-style Lamps, new benches and the Scent and Touch Garden for the Blind were added as part of the Hayle 2000 celebrations."  

It is just a lovely walk. It is a sensory delight, with lots to see, touch, smell and interact with. I'm glad that I had forgotten Olly's bike, because it meant that we could have a meander through all of the little nooks and crannies of the place. My favourite bit is the sensory garden and the quite frankly fabulous bug house that the gardeners have built. I have decided to build two similar ones at the allotment and in our garden.

Olly was fascinated by the pools, which were teeming with tadpoles. He drew some pictures of the plants too. He has taken to carrying a little pencil box and jotter everywhere with him. He set up his studio in the middle of the path, oblivious to anyone walking past. Luckily it is the most wonderfully friendly place too. There are dog walkers, joggers, perambulators, municipal gardeners and those carrying their shopping back home from town. Everyone says hello, and passes the time of day. It is the kind of place that encourages you to slow down a little and interact.
It's not just the people, it's the abundance of wildlife too. There were birds singing in the trees and foraging in the borders. There were birds out on the estuary dipping and wading for food. There were insects buzzing in and out of plants. Some really chubby bumble bees and little flies skimming the surface of the pools. The planting is a real mix, with sub tropical plants sitting side by side with more familiar shrubs and flowers. What I really love is that the wildness of the steep bank has been allowed to mingle too. So you have dandelions and other wild flowers in the mix. It makes for a harmonious whole, and is just as a public space should be.

I taught Olly the Sticky Bud game, as there was an abundance of this wild plant growing along the walk. I don't know it's proper name, but when my sister and I were little we would often see how many of these sticky plants we could place on my Mum's back as we went on our walks with her. We improvised, there being only two of us, although Honey did become the unsuspecting victim a couple of times. And while we looked at the tadpoles, I told him of the minnows and sticklebacks I used to catch in The Malago stream that ran through the open spaces - 'The Valley' - where I grew up. Further along the walk, we saw two older ladies blowing dandelion clocks. "I haven't done that since I was a girl," one said to the other.

Maybe that's what a walk like this does. By slowing one down and alerting our senses, it also recalls to mind the simple pleasures of times gone by. It certainly seemed that way today.

Leanne xx


Postscript

Can I just thank everyone who commented with words of support, solidarity and general amusement on my last post. Marc has reluctantly put away his halo, and has already started his new job. I am very aware how fortunate that is. I am very aware that Marc's job affords us the luxury of living here, and for me to look after the boys full time. It is never taken for granted. Well maybe it is just a little bit. But the uncertainty of the past four weeks has certainly put it all into perspective for me.
And hello to new followers. You are very welcome!

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