Wacky Forth Races

Four brilliant rafts this week...

First place was Jamie's Rocky!

Last but not least Rebecca's RFC

Third time racing this year were sisters Zoe and Mia - coming in at 3rd place was Zoe's Stick It and 2nd place went to Mia's 'A Raft'!

Bats, Owls and Spooky Tales

Thank you to John, our brave bat volunteer this week at Cobleland Campsite :-) It was quite a bat-tastic evening around Lemahamish as the bats are eating as much as they can before they descend to the bat cave soon for a snooze (usually Hallowe'en around here quite fittingly). It's also their mating season so lots of bat action in September!

John the funky bat

Crane Fly Season

Crane flies are everywhere! I am pleased to say that I have conquered my fear of them - in fact I often find myself saving as many as I can from the campsite facility block and our tent (unless they are too high to reach).  Some have been getting caught in the tent mesh at the top and they fall prey to the birds which sneak under the tent flap to feed on them!  They are quite tickly and cute once you get to know them and I am probably saving as many as I can due to childhood guilt!  Come the evenings during September, my sister and I would dry up the dishes and use our t-towels to try and whip them away - we were scared silly of them! 
One thing at time though, I'm not quite ready to face pipe cleaner spiders without a paper towel in between me and thee and I'm definitely not ready to face my snakey fear just yet - that I must have inherited from my Mum, but maybe some kundalini yoga might help with that?

We may of course know crane flies as Daddylonglegs, but looking at Wikipedia they are also known as mosquito eater (or skeeter eater), gallinipper, and gollywhopper - excellent :-)
Taken from good old Wiki.........
"Despite their common names, as adults, crane flies do not prey on mosquitoes, nor do they bite humans. Some larval crane flies are predatory and may occasionally eat mosquito larvae. Adult crane flies feed on nectar or they do not feed at all. Once they become adults, most crane fly species exist as adults only to mate and die".

Well as least I am helping to provide a cosy mating location before they peg it!

Bat Walk at Forest Hills

We are just loving our new bat wings! This lovely chap helped us to demonstrate how they have evolved to be the only true flying mammal in the world during our bat walk at Forest Hills .  He didn't take off though?  The batfink mask was just for fun - it was his friends that made him do it, very amusing thanks :-)

Arts & Rafts at Forest Hills

It's quiet here too at Forest Hills now that most kiddies have returned back to school.  Alexander though, from Germany still has two weeks left so he got stuck in with some whittling and came up with this lovely little boat.

Craft at a Now Quiet Cobleland Campsite

Only two little ones on the campsite - it's sooooooo quiet!! Young Imogen kept us company today though and made this magnificent, sparkly Rowan wand. Her first spells she tells me will be based around her having a dog one day and becoming a doctor :-).  Will made her a boat too as she slept in after the bat walk and missed the Wacky Races on Sunday - I nearly did too!

Imogen's Sail Boat - inscribed with Viking letters (you just can't see it)!

 

Imogen's Rowan wand which will keep her protected, especially at Hallowe'en from naughty spooky things.

Wacky Forth Races

This weeks rafts and race at Cobleland...

Ronnie's Rocket Jet 7 (complete with fire jet propulsion) came in 3rd

Sam's Zoomer and Gaby's Luna (names after their guinea pigs) came in 5th and 2nd. Sorry about the fallen tree Sam, it was a winning contender for a while before it got stuck, got free, turned over and got stuck on another tree.  The drama!

Mia's Flaming Pheonix was this weeks winner!

Sophia's Spectacular Sophia came 4th - love the fiddlesticks design!

 

It was close half way down the river but you can never predict the winner :-)