Week 2 of 30 days wild and we are ready to get wild, even if the weather isn't! By Katy Ferguson

Week 2 of 30 days wild and we are ready to get wild, even if the weather isn't! By Katy Ferguson

Whitehaven Harbour
© Katy Ferguson

Once your kitted out in a good pair of wellies and a raincoat, there's no stopping you!

Kicking off Day 10 with some time in our yard, chalk drawing on the walls and my little one 'helping' digging up the plant pots and watering. Also found a garden snail (Cornu aspersum) hiding behind the leaves of one of our apple trees. The verdict from Toddler varied from 'cool' 'scary' then settling on 'cute'.

Day 11 was an surprisingly educational day, in which we caught a moth that was fluttering around our living room in our trusty bug catching pot. We had a close look at its markings then let it out into the yard. Further investigation using the butterfly-conservation.org moth identifier page, we think it was a brown house-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) a very common moth, this Asian species was introduced into Europe and beyond during the 1840s but can now be seen throughout homes in the British Isles.

Day 12 was a wet work day, so our selection of wildlife themed books at bedtime were the appropriate 'Worm Weather' by Jean Taft, 'That's not my bee' a lovely touchy feely book for little ones and 'This is not my hat' by Jon Klassen, not quite as nature themed but a cautionary tale about a fish stealing a hat.

Yet another long, wet, work day for Day 13 so settled on a few episodes of 'Puffin Rock' a beautifully animated series on Netflix, about a young puffin and her baby brother exploring the wild Irish island they call home, with all their different animal friends. Perfect for pre-school children, and very calming before bedtime!

We spent some time on Day 14 with a visit to our go-to wild place, Vulcans Park in Workington, armed with wellies and a splashsuit, we splashed in puddles and talked about how the rain helps all the trees and flowers grow big and tall.

Day 15 was a toddler-free afternoon celebrating my sister's birthday in Whitehaven, not to miss out on the rare bit of sunshine, we enjoyed pints and crisps outside The Harbour Master Coffee House and Bar situated right on the harbour side. We spotted seagulls, swans and a cormorant stood stretching its wings out to dry. 30 Days Wild photography isn't without its risks as a bemused gentleman asked us if we'd never seen a seagull before!

Day 16 rounded up week two with a trip to the park with toddler and Auntie, playing in the park and investigating around the roots of a cherry blossom tree for creepy crawlies. Successfully found 'pretty' woodlice and a spider which the little one insisted her Auntie pick up for a closer look. A lesson to always remember your bug catching pot!

Even when our British summer is being its usual unpredictable self, pull on your waterproofs and get out in that fresh air, or even if its too wild for 30 Days Wild, snuggling up with a good book or TV show is an excellent compromise! Here's to hoping for a nicer week next week! Don't forget to search for '30 Days Wild' across all social media platforms for more inspiration and ideas!