Autumn and what it means to me

It is that time of year as September and October are months of reflections and giving thanks for the people who meant so much in our lives .A day does not go by without thinking of what we would have been doing at this time of year .bring the harvest home, ploughing and planting for the next year .Going to the markets to sell and re-stock. The smells and sights of Autumn. How apt when down the churchyard today there were mushrooms growing out of the side of Fred's headstone and quite a picking growing a few feet away .Calving would have been well underway and we would have endless curd pies to eat made from the beastlings - this is the cows first few days of milking after they have calved. Conkers fights at school -bet they arent allowed to have them now -health and safety and all that rubbish .The trick was to soak them in vinegar if I remember rightly to make them harder when they were dried out. Nothing beats growing up on a farm surrounding by loving family who teach you about seasons and what the months hold in store. Why the pears and apples you might ask -they loved their fruit and planted many many trees for future generations .As George said you don' plant trees for yourself you plant them for the future generations to enjoy. It wa smy way of bring a little bit of their farm to them. Keat's words sum Autumn up perfectly . To Autumn 1795 –1821 Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease, For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells. Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store? Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find Thee sitting careless on a granary floor, Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind; Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep, Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers: And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep Steady thy laden head across a brook; Or by a cider-press, with patient look, Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Friday Night Quick Tea

Where do you go for "quick tea" on Friday night . We used to have fish and chips when Rob cooked at Wass . Should have got a steak pie from Auntie Anne's then brainwave ...Jenny Bulmer has opened up Nawton Grange as an eating venue and everyone is raving about it. So curiosity got the better of me and off I trotted. Too late for the beef cooked for 14 hours ,the pulled pork didn't disappoint. The only disappointment was I couldn't finish mineit was a big late full .Served up with new potatoes in a creamy mushroom sauce with coleslaw and salad .A bargain at £12 . Puddings, well they had to come home as had no room to eat them and had a sample out when I got home,

but in the fridge for tomorrow . Certainly a place to recommend .So Anne Maaye a good place to take the Helmsley WI ladies . Sunday lunches are spot on we have no doubt as have known Jenny for many, many years and her cooking is second to none and always delivered with a smile .Note they are only open between May Bank Holdiay and end of September when the cattle come in I thought Jenny was kidding, but no the shed is dual purpose and the cattle come in for the winter .

Tuesday ,Tuesday

#tuesdaythoughts what does Tuesday mean to you. My #Tuesday was #ᴛᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ to my #roses, picking #Trays of raspberries from the #garden , #Thoughtful #guests , then #Time for #Tea at the #thestarinharome with little #treasures Tucked in the Wall and to #Talk to old friends. My Tuesday was a good day #thankyou Hope yours was as good

Welcome to the North York Moors National Park

Ampleforth Abbey Circuit Yorkshire Walking Trail

and afterwards you can treat yourself to the Ampleforth Abbey tearooms .

How to Date Billy Walsh | Official Trailer | Amazon Prime and it is filmed at Ampleforth

The location of Ampleforth was chosen for this film - The village was chosen because it had a backdrop of rolling hills, verdant green spaces, and tranquil countryside, providing a dramatic backdrop for some of the more intense scenes and intimate scenes, such as food fights and rainy romantic play, which were shot in a movie studio in a movie studio. and stars Sebastian Croft The school is at Ampleforth College. This is good news again for the area as it was also were JK Rowlings got some of her inspiration to write the Harry Potter books. So probably a good time to book a stay with us before the crowds start to form.

Happy New Year 2024

A lot happened last year and apologises for not keeping in touch more. I will try harder this year but what often seems mundane to me is of interest to those of you not living in the beautiful country side which surrounds us. Strawberries in December in the garden well seeing was believing .The day after Boxing Day saw Father Chrsitmas's deer return to our field for a well earned rest. I was greeted by 5 of them walking leisurely down the drive as I drove home.I know they can be destructive but they are lovely- just wish they didnt eat my fruit trees. Father Christmas had called at Wass Grange as we had the grandchildren round and little Ralph had been left a shiny blue wheelbarrow Jack says we need to get him a brush and shovel now to go with it . The girls.. well Emmy is really into her tea -fruit teas so she got a fruit tea teapot and lots of different flavoured teas. Martha got some fluffy bedding and Rubi the oldest - well at 14 it is all about makeup. . I had been to London with my cousin to see the lights in London in Decemeber so classed this as my Christmas present. My cousin loved the lights but I loved the shop windows.I would love to know what happens to all the decorations afterwards. It was a perfect day out getting the train from Thirsk in the morning and back home by 9.30pm - 17,000 steps later. We dropped in for lunch with our Italian friends and exchanged with a half moon of Wensleydale cheese. Telling them to eat it with their Christmas cake -fruit we hope. and came home clutching our Panetonnes. I was delighted to find the New Zealand shop, Rodd and Gunn, so Jack was very happy with his Christmas present too. Liberty never fails to impress with its beautiful displays but also the character of the building. I could have just spent all day looking around but we did it all.. well nearly all- names that pop up on the Monopoly board. But you know we have some fantastic Christmas displays around here. Helmsley market place looked lovely this year with its coloured lights on the tree, Thornton -le Dale, the villagers had certainly spent a lot of time and effort making their village look pretty and Norton near Malton excelled in the main street . Castle Howard was the highlight and I was treated to an evening preview of Peter Pan. I had hope to go back it was so good but went down with whatever was going about and just recovering now as is Jack. Christmas can be such a sad time too as I went down the churchyard to put the holly,ivy and fir from the farm on the graves. I did th erounds and popped some on not only parents/grandparents/greatgrandparents but old Dr Vidal who I have spoken about before who brought my dad into the world. Also village people who I looked up to when I was young and their families live abroad now. Ironically as I came out with tears streaming down my face I got a hug from another village "lad" whose ancestors are buried there too and we talked about the good old days and it lightened my step. We realise so much how our health is the most important thing we can have and so may people come to stay with us to recharge their batteries .Pretty soon we will be able to tell you about what is going to be happening in Spring 2024 when we join forces with Sara M.

to bring you some very amazing things.