Tuscaloosa Tuesdays: When Friends Come to Visit

The first of March brought our first visitors from home.  They came bearing gifts (a suitcase filled with possessions we left behind), and it was such a pleasure to have them here.  These guys have been such a blessing to us.

They got to experience what a typical week looks like for us and meet everyone in Grace Church, and we were also able to go exploring a bit of the Yorkshire Dales on Thursday.  While KJ got some work done on Wednesday, and the kids were home for one of their homeschool days, I took Matt and Seth to visit Fountains Abbey.  Though we've been several times now, there are always new places and views to discover.

We had a picnic lunch overlooking the abbey and then started walking.

The kids were pretty impressed by Seth's acrobatic antics.

 



 

The day was really beautiful and sunny but still quite cold.  It was that point in the coming of spring where you somehow think if you just don't wear your big coat and gloves you can will the warmer weather to arrive.

 



 

The kids have really turned into amazing walkers.  I didn't plan on us walking as far as we did, but they insisted on going further up and further in so they could revisit a tunnel.

 



 

We did a lot of pheasant watching, and the "surprise view" was once again surprisingly beautiful.

 

 

The kids really loved having familiar faces from home around.  James is all wrapped up in Seth's scarf.  I think we all stole something to keep us warmer before the afternoon was finished.

 

KJ planned out our Thursday adventure that began with a quick stop in Knaresborough to see the remains of the castle.  Then we started driving into the Yorkshire Dales. 

 

 

Even pictures taken from a moving car are beautiful here.

The Adventurer had to cross her first fjord.

 

 

We had lunch in the Strid Wood and fortified ourselves with several cups of tea before going for a walk by the river.  It was windy and cold, and the water was rushing, and we saw many a brave duck swimming upstream.

 

 

This was the view of the footbridge after we climbed the hill Ella and James were so excited to climb.  It was so windy at the top James had fun throwing sticks in the air and watching the wind carry them away.

 

I think we all agreed that house on the hill would be a good place to settle, though it would admittedly be a very quiet life.

 

It looks like a painting up there, doesn't it? 

 

When we made it back to the car I got pretty sleepy going up the windy roads, and it was really hard to want to get back out even when we started passing waterfalls and snowy hills.

 

You find yourself willing to brave the cold for views like this.

 

 

Our next stop was Aysgarth Falls, where we learned a scene from Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves was filmed.

 

Our final stop was the most beautiful, though.  We drove up to Castle Bolton, where Mary, Queen of Scots was held prisoner for a time.  We arrived too late to go inside, but the views alone were worth it.  I'm glad we have an excuse to go back another day.

 

 

It was mostly a day of walking and driving, but walking and driving can be real pleasures with good company and a place like this. We're really grateful for the time we had with Matt and Seth and how they encouraged our family.