The Best Views in England ...

We all think we have nice views, but I reckon we are up with some of the best. I am not up early, like Jack is, every morning. This morning the little birds were singing their hearts out and it was pleasantly warm. I wanted to get some work down before it turned into what was forecast the hottest day so far of the year. It was 9 degrees already at 4.30am. Although the lilac has taken a beating with the last couple of evenings heavy showers of rain, the air was filled with perfume from the lilac tree. It must be a good year for both that and wisteria as you dont have to go far to see the houses clad in lilac ,delicate lilac each bloom made up of so many confetti like little heads together. The moon was still out and moving over Craykeland, a local bluebell wood which our farmland surrounds. Looking East over the Moors as if the sun was waking up rising from the sea. It is okay taking photos but nothing beats looking at it with the naked eye. As I came down Wass Bank the morning was truly waking up. After the rain with everything refreshed the colours were amazing. I am sure an artist would have been delighted in being able to capture that. My favourite colours are blues and greens so I was in my element. We are surrounded by woods so you could take a hundred photgraphs and still want to take more of the sun shining through the trees and the shadows it casts. So how about coming to stay with us and getting up early to see it all for yourself. Pack up your breakfast and take it with you. Maybe if you are quiet and stay still for a while you may see fairies. This morning but I did find some of their scarlet cups on a mossy branch. Whether the fairies drink the dew out of the cups or pick them up and carry them to the stream they were not about to tell me this morning.

see fairies and syke like

Bank Holiday Monday

We hear of people going here and there. Having nice lunches out,even better afternoon teas and sharing glorious photos after they have battled through traffic jams to get to their destination. Lockdown seems a million miles away for a lot of people as they head off into the crowds. Here we did what we did last year and enjoyed our surroundings. So many of our guests enjoying sitting out at the front of the house but we like to be up in the trees. It is like another world up there and guests are welcome to enjoy this space too. The added bonus is there is a stream too. We did the same yesterday with an acception we had a snooze on the grass first then Molly came with us. Yesterday Molly decided we didnt need to sleep and kept coming back and splashing us with her wet coat and stand on us with her muddy paws .Then she chased the cat who was for one moment we thought on her way to Heaven. The cat fought back and ruled the world once more climbing on to some logs and striking Molly in her forehead. Cats often strike near dogs eyes or on their noses so it is always safer to keep puppies and cats apart. There was still some bluebells out and wood anemones. An empty nut shell split in half as the squirrel has dined on his winter store. I thought Monty Don would be in his element here. I am sure if it was transported to Chelsea Flower Show it would certainly win a prize. How I would take the butterflies and dragonflies is another question and the birds are more than happy to stay singing in the trees here. As we walked back the wild mint was startng to grow. For a few minutes the mint over ruled the smell of the wild garlic which is in full flower now .

Cocker Spaniels and Bluebells

A combination of cocker spaiels and bluebells makes for a delightful picture to get you through the day. There is something about walking through a wood full of bluebells that raises the spirits. We are lucky to have our own bluebell wood and a couple of cultivated ones to which only 2 days ago had hailstones and snow on them. The weather is vey temperamental. Is it mother nature's way of saying the population havent learnt from lockdown wanting to clamber on to the first holiday plane to leave our shores. They said people would take on board to enjoy take things slower and look after our planet. And nature is now giving us a reminder. Anyway enough preaching for today even though it is Sunday. Yorkshire puddings to be eaten and important things like that to think about.

April and our very own Poets Corner

Oh, to be in England Now that April's there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware, That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf, While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough In England-now! From 'Home Thoughts, From Abroad' by Robert Browning. And in May onwards when you can come and stay with us you too can enjoy the sounds and sights that inspired Robert Browning to pen such words. We are opening up a Poets'Corner for you to pen your own words. If you would like to leave your words and thoughts behind when you depart we will happily frame them and hang them in Our "Poets Corner"for others to enjoy. And you can enjoy reading what other people have written too .

Wild Garlic and Coronavirus

As we all adjust to isolating ourselves, this will be my 4th week of only going out when there was no other way, my mind goes into overdrive of what can I do today . I must add my cousin admitted yesterday she thought I was mad when I moaned at her 2 weeks ago for taking the train from Scarborough to York to meet some friends for lunch .In fact I was quite cross with her ..there was simply no need I said to her. I think she is thinking a bit different about me now .

We are surrounded by wild garlic ...acres of the b... stuff and it stinks when it rains . It encroaches on the garden and  I have always classed it as a weed. Guests would in previous years comment on it . Chefs rave about it ,people go crazy for it ..the equivalent attraction as cat to catnip.
Then I thought garlic is supposed to be good for you ..when I google it I came up with all positive things so now every day I go out into the woods and pick a  basket full ,and then I am drying it .
The house stinks of it and every night as Jack goes to bed early I dry some on top of the Jotul log burner and the rest is in the Aga . If this Coronavirus attempts to get into our house I am going to give it a good

run for its money . I am not giving up easily.

• Garlic was (and still is) believed to protect against wreckage and drowning, leading sailors to take cloves on deck.
• Throughout Europe, garlic was historically placed in the home to keep out all forms of evil, and in particular it was hung above the doorway to ward off the evil eye.
• Wearing garlic about the person was believed to protect against inclement weather, monsters and enemy attack.
• Biting into garlic could repel evil spirits, and it was frequently placed beneath children’s pillows to protect them in their sleep.
• Brides carried cloves of garlic in their pockets to bring them luck and keep ill fortune at bay, and rubbing garlic onto pots and pans before use was supposed to remove mystical negativity which may otherwise have contaminated the food.
• Garlic was also a key ingredient in traditional spells designed to ward off ailments such as hepatitis.

Forest bathing or a world away in our woodland ...come and enjoy this away from the crowds

Forest bathing originates from the Japanese practice of ‘shinrin-yoku’. Translated literally, it means forest bath. It involves sitting quietly in a forest or woodland and using your senses to mindfully connect with the natural surroundings, completely immersing yourself in them.

The idea is to calm the overactive mind and stress levels brought on by modern life. There are even studies that show forest bathing lowers cortisol, heart rate, blood pressure, and depression or anxiety symptoms – all of which benefit health and counteract illnesses. Worth a try, right?

We have enchanting woodland all around us . We have bluebells very soon and masses of wild garlic so you are welcome to take home as much wild garlic as you wish to cook with, make delicious pestos and sauces . Life is good in the countryside