Three Little Boys

Posted on 08/08/2021 By

Once upon a time there were Three Little Boys. Jason, Jay and Bobby

Jason, Jay & Bobby.

Jason is tiny and not yet two. Jay is little and nearly six. Bobby is huge and nearly 78. Jason doesn’t say much. He wouldn’t yet, would he? Thinks a lot. Jay is the live-wire that Bobby was told he was when he was Jay’s age. Bobby has never grown up and talks too much.

They hadn’t seen each other for a long time, because people said they had to stay indoors and not see each other. Two of them didn’t understand why. The third one did. He didn’t want to get ill and stayed away from the other two in case he did and made them ill too.

All because of something called Covid. We will never forget the time when the Three Little Boys stayed apart, but now things are changing and we can see each other again out in the open air. And we did. Last Sunday.

Jason, Jay and Bobby met again at last. Jasmine, Jay and Layla invited them all to the Butterfly Farm. Bobby got there first and was a little surprised that the Butterfly Farm looked like something out of the Beverley Hill-Billies. Or maybe the Darling Buds of May.

An ancient farmhouse, overlooking a small farm shop, outside of which Three Old Boys sat on a bench chatting the whole time we were there. The Butterfly Farm was just an old tunnel greenhouse covered by camouflage netting.

Soon everyone was ready to go in. Jason, Jay, Bobby, Jay, Layla and Jasmine. Confused? I don’t blame you. Jason is really “Bobby”. Bobby calls him “Bobby”. Jay is either Little or Big. Big is Little’s dad. Bobby is Bobby. The Bobby I know. Jasmine and Layla are sisters. Jasmine is “Bobby’s” mum, but she calls him Jason. She is also Jay’s mum but calls him “Little” because Jay’s dad is “Big”. She calls Bobby “Grandad”. So does Layla.

The Butterfly Farm was wonderful. In years gone by, Bobby, Layla and Jasmine went to the Wisley Gardens Butterfly Festival. Always in January. Thousands bought tickets. Queued up in the wind and the rain to enter an enormous greenhouse at least a hundred times as big as the Butterfly Farm.

It was winter, and few butterflies were on the wing if the sun wasn’t shining. Even fewer, when a rogue Robin got in and ate them all! Our little Butterfly Farm had hundreds and hundreds of Butterflies. Caterpillars too. They all loved it. Even Jason, known as “Bobby” by Bobby. (Jason’’s second Christian name is Bobby after his Great Grandad).

Twenty minutes is your allotted time, to allow other people in. They had lots of stuff for a picnic. Bobby had even brought fresh Watercress and Tomatoes from Kingfisher Watercress Farm. But where to have the picnic? “How about Ditchling Beacon?” said Bobby.

So off they drove to the Beacon on a fabulously sunny morning. Big clouds were gathering, but not before they all had their picnic. And walked along the South Downs Way. Soon it was time to go. “Bobby” was tired. So was Bobby. And off they went home. All except Bobby, who saw the sign to the Bluebell Railway and simply couldn’t resist it. Dropping in to see some steam engines at Horsted Keynes.

They all agreed it was wonderful day and would meet up at Bocketts Farm very soon.

The Butterfly Farm

Outside of the Butterfly Farm.

Google Review Page of Butterfly Gardens at Middleton Farm.

 

Red Admiral

Butterfly/

Black Butterfly.

Jay studying a Butterfly with big "eyes".

See those big “eyes” little Jay. To frighten birds that might eat them.

Butterfly.

Looking down on Jason with a Butterfly on his arm.

That’s a lovely one, Bobby (Jason).

Butterfly.

Big Caterpillar.

Biggggg Caterpillars.

Black, translucent Butterfly.

Two Butterflies on Bobby's hat.

Butterfly.

Caterpiller camouflaged on a bit of dead leaf.

Bobby (Jason) and Layla.

Bobby (Jason) and Layla.

Rudbeckias with three Butterflies on them.

Love Rudbeckias.

Butterfly.

Big Jay with a Butterfly on his finger.

Big Jay.

Middleton Farm House. 17th Century.

Middleton Farm House. 17th Century.

Ditchling Beacon

A glorious day on the South Downs at Ditchling Beacon.

A glorious day on the South Downs at Ditchling Beacon.

Dog stile Big Jay! Also unusual in being built by local volunteers as a very rare “squeeze” stile. Not for for lardies.

Dog stile Big Jay! Also unusual in being built by local volunteers as a very rare “squeeze” stile. Not for for lardies.

Jason.

Thinking.

Ditchling Beacon.

Fantastic. “I love it here, Bobby!”

Ditchling Beacon.

Looking for Crickets.

Ditchling Beacon pics

Skipper Butterfly.

Here’s a Skipper Butterfly. “Seek” told Bobby.

And here is a Striped Caterpillar feeding on its favourite food plant. Ragwort. The Cinnabar Moth.

And here is a Striped Caterpillar feeding on its favourite food plant. Ragwort. The Cinnabar Moth.

Cinnabar Moth. (Library)

Cinnabar Moth. (Library)

Ditchling Beacon.

Looking for snakes. (He said). No chance up here.

The South Downs Way on Ditchling Beacon.

“Bobby Bobby Bobby. Can we climb to the top of the hill?”
“Of course.” “Hurry up then”. The South Downs Way.

The South Downs Way on Ditchling Beacon.

And back again. Heading west to the car park.

Jason with a Dung Beetle in his hand.

“Wow what have you got, Bobby (Jason)?”
“Dung Beetle” (per Seek)
“Dead, overdid it on dung!”

Seaford Head from Ditchling Beacon.

Far distance Seaford Head, where Layla went to school.

Little Jay and Bobby.

Friends for ever. “Bobby… can you come to see me more often?”
“I can now, Little Jay. And we are all going to Bocketts Farm where once Diddley and I took Jasmine and Layla.”

Still on the bedroom door. Layla and Jasmine at Bocketts Farm, September 2006.

Still on the bedroom door. Layla and Jasmine at Bocketts Farm, September 2006.

Peppa the dog in her trike.

Here’s Peppa. Arthritis has made walking difficult for her, but she loves Ditchling Beacon and has her own doggie pushchair. Even with safety belts on her front paws.

Bluebell Railway

Bertie: “Bobby? Are you bleedin nuts? After such a lovely day, why go to the Bluebell? You said you were too tired.”

Bobby: “It was on the way home.”

Bertie: “No. It wasn’t!”

Bobby: “Almost! Anyway. When I got to Horsted Keynes, I was too tired to walk to the station from the field car park. I saw this small gate and wondered if I could see a train from there. It turned out to be the Bluebell Railway’s memorial garden. Nice. Peaceful. Just sat there in the last of the sunshine and saw one train and went home.”

Memorial Garden Bluebell Line. Horsted Keynes.

Memorial Garden Bluebell Line. Horsted Keynes.

Remembering those no longer with us who love the Bluebell Line.

Remembering those no longer with us who love the Bluebell Line.

Memorial tiles, Bluebell Railway garden.

Double-headed train just about viewed from the garden.

Double header… just.

Lighting a Candle for Diddley

A candle lit for Diddley.

She never knew her great grandsons, but we will tell them all about her. And take them to Swifts Hill one day.

————-

Wildlife    


  1. Felicity Drewett says:

    Bobby, what a fabulous Mindfully Bertie!!
    Educate children in what you love and they will love it for life. I was brought up on history. Love it!! So excited that Jasmine and Layla and Big Jay are taking their children/ nephews to such fabulous places with you. You can sense Di’s smile!!

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