George Lupton is home and recovering well..

Thank you for everyone who has sent good wishes to my Dad over the last few days. He had a bit of a set back on Friday but thanks to the staff at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton I was able to bring him home last night. Although he got dressed and put his gallises[North Yorkshire word for trousers braces] on he cant do any work for a couple of weeks. Those who know him will remember he was driving a tractor within a week of having his pace maker in. He celebrated his 88th birthday on the ward and was very touched when all the staff and patients sang Happy Birthday and presented him with a cake. With his gall bladder gone he will be able to go back to eating nice things again but for the moment is taking it steady and just glad to be home. It was a huge cloud that has hung over us for the last year that has now lifted and we are just so grateful for all the support you have all given us. Thank you . This photo was taken last shooting season and hopefully there will be many more days like this to come

Update on my Dad....

Just to thank everyone for their concern and kindness . My Dad had his operation later than planned, yesterday. He wasn't able to have keyhole and had to have the bigger operation to take out his gall bladder. My mum and I went in for only ten minutes last night so he knew we knew he had had his operation and was back on the ward. I didn't sleep very well and rang before 7am when they said he was comfortable so I waited until the day staff came on to get a better update as although he went in in good spirits he is 88 tomorrow and no spring chicken. I rang at 9am and he was sat up having his breakfast. This is good news and hopefully he will be up and about soon and able to have a good shooting season and use the cartridges he bought on Monday. What spirit he has.

Rubi-Sue's Christening.

On Sunday, family and friends-not forgetting her playmates and little boy friends like Arthur came together to celebrate Rubi-Sue's first birthday and christening.Everyone was dressed up in their best bibs and tuckers. There was a table groaning with food. pink balloons and a pretty cake and the most wonderful violette water from France that was not only pale violet in colour just right for a little girls party but tasted of violets too .Rubi-Sue of course biased view of Granny's little treasure -was the belle of the party and behaved so well. All the children did and played nicely together - all 17 children were under3. My next mission is to go to France to get some of this voilette water, it came in a very swish bottle too-.

My DAD- George Lupton

My Dad is 88 years young this next week. Here you seeing him admiring some of 70 sheep he bought when he went up to St Boswells yesterday on the Scottish borders.They had just been delivered on a wagon which was 4 decks high. They all came out very well and were soon feeling at home munching away on the grass. Sometimes I go up but it is an early start and as I had breakfasts to cook I had to miss out this year.What is more noticeable in Scotland than down here is that shepherds have the most wonderful crooks.The carvings on them most have taken hours. My dad has to go for his gall bladder out next week but he has plenty of work to do before them and also has planned an evening to go duck shooting. So lets hope it is a good night as he will probably be out of action for a few weeks. Please think of him on Thursday when he has his operation which is the day after my mum and dads 56th wedding anniversary and 2 days before his birthday.

Out with the paint pot.... Remember to shop local..

There is a saying "it is who you know not what you know" and how true. It has been a very busy summer and the paintwork is now in need of more than one lick of paint. I know it is supposed to be spring clean but when spring comes there are also lots of other jobs that need to be done. Thanks to Eddie Bramley who runs JEB Taxis, which our guests use when staying here, he is a mine of information. He has put me on to his painter and decorator, Joe who came last Saturday morning. Not only is Joe is a dab hand with a paint brush, he makes everything sound so easy. He had a quick look round at what needed to be done, giving me a price and told me how much paint etc I needed to get.Even better he will be here in October. How much easier is it than that.Didnt fill my head with silly colours and really knows his stuff. I had one man who thought the dining room was "crying out"to be library green and his wife chirped in with,"or bold red". Have you seen the size of my dining room -if you have you would know that was a silly statement. I always try to get my paint from the Home Decorating Centre in Kirkbymoorside.The lady there is very friendly and again she is a mine of information. So by 3pm I was home armed with all that was on my list and some discount without even asking. So I reckon as well as being proud to support the local shop ,it worked out cheaper than the larger shops nor had I had the stress of running round the shop floor looking for an assistant who would then declared " I only started yesterday -so I will have to ask". Remember if we dont use our local shops we will lose them as well as characters who run them.

Back to school with Susan Briggs...

well maybe not back to school as in fact it was to the Arts Centre in Thirsk where Susan Briggs was the guest speaker. If you ever have chance to listen to Susan try to get to one of her seminars. This one today was on How to market your town -not quite me but Susan is a hidden gem when it comes to giving you good logically ideas to market your business.I was so lucky it was only a few miles away as one lady had travelled from Devon. To my left was a young lady from Southwell-who I was amazed had never heard of the local Bloodhounds as they were on parade the last day we went to Southwell race track. Jack has ridden his point to point horses there many times. The last time he had a runner there it was with Missile Man his own gelding who was ridden by Simon Brisby on the all weather course and it won at 10/1. To my right was a jolly man who had come with some colleagues from Morpeth who was promoting the Farmers Markets in the North East. He runs three websites so I guess he will be burning the midnight oil if he takes on board all Susan told us. Home now and back into getting Jack his supper. I think I will fore go eating tonight as the food at the Courthouse was as good and plentiful as ever-many thanks to the girls who do such a good job with the catering there..

Happy 1st Birthday Rubi-Sue

Rubi-Sue,our little granddaughter, is a year old today. As she has a very hectic social calendar we celebrated her birthday yesterday. Jack had blown up 6 pink balloons for her and I made her a pink cake with a candle on. She was more interested in the balloons and dogs at the farm than she was in her presents. She is a happy little soul who prefers custard cream biscuits to cake. Claire ,her mum,has got her hands full as she has now started to walk and does a sterling job. Here you see them both setting out to blow the candle out and the second photo after she has tucked into her custard creams.

Elephant Hawk Moth....

We thought we had been invaded by something from outer space or found some creature left over from prehistoric times. The photos a bit hazy -Jack must have had a wobble on - We hadn't a clue what it was . The young Labradors were amused by one the other day and were barking at it . I took it over to the farm and presented it to Nicholas as I had gingerly poked it on to a plantain leaf and put it into a container and taken in over. I proudly put it in front of him on the dinner table and said -"something here for you". He knows me of old and carefully opened it.Steve, a retired agronomist was lunching too and he knew what it was straight away and went out to his car to get his butterfly and moth book. It was indeed the caterpillar which turns into a Elephant Hawk moth. It looks to have 2 sets of eyes to ward off predators but in fact they are just marking on its body. Very clever. When it finally turns into a moth is it very pretty with green and pink markings. I brought it back home and put in down near where Jack had found it . Only when I looked at the photo I realised it wasn't that clear so within minutes I rushed out again with the camera. Frantically searching I never did find it again. Hopefully we will see it when it turns into a moth.