Welcome it's Halloween...

Our friendly witch has perched herself on the front door to welcome you. She is getting attacked by the little blue tits that are now along with the other little birds coming out of the woods and back into the garden for the winter. They are trying to peck the material off her dress is now somewhat distressed. I have been taking the old summer plants out of their pots and baskets,replacing them with yellow pansies and purple cyclamen. There are still a lot of leaves falling and yet to fall. The autumn colours have lasted well this year as the weather has been pretty kind so far. There are lots of berries-haw,hip and holly about so guess we will have to be digging the thermals out soon and keeping the home fires burning.

Halloween Pumpkin cat for Rubi-Sue

When I was a child there was very rarely anything as exotic as a pumpkin about. So we used to go into the field and my Dad would get me a turnip. It was such hard work trying to take the middle out and by the time it was done there was array of bent spoons,knives and potato peelers, not to mention huge blisters and cut fingers. If children did those things now a days the parents would be locked up for putting their children in such danger
Rubi-Sue who turned one in September is now walking and saying a few words one of which is Molly,who is the cat. She obviously likes the cat so I set to work today to make her a pumpkin cat . I hope she likes her Narni's handwork and it isn't too scary for her and she realises it is a cat. SO armed with lots of candles to go inside I hope she enjoys her Halloween cat.

Coxwold Chimney Pots ...

It is not the chimney pots that Dick van Dyke and Julie Andrews danced between on the roof tops of London in my favourite film Mary Poppins , but the left hand side of the street in Coxwold heading up to the church which I capture last night just as the light was fading. I think I was about 6 when I was taken to see Mary Poppins at the picture house. It was the first time I had ever been out late at night I guess we were home by 8pm but in those days it was a great adventure. I think I will be able to count on both hands the time I have been to the flicks which then became the cinema in my whole life. The second best film I saw was Madonna in Evita and that was when it came out second time round. I think she has the most amazing voice. As I have said before memories are marvellous things.
Must go as a chocolate cake and an apple cake are waiting to come out of the Aga and don't want them to burn. Guess I will have to sample them before I go to bed.

Full moon and white owl...

Although I did have the camera with me last night I doubt if I could have caught the picture I wanted. It was a full moon and the sky was clear,the usual autumn nip in the air. I took the pups for their last run before bedtime, on one of the fence posts down the drive sat a white owl. He was obviously waiting to catch a mouse or vole . We have lots of owls about as you can often hear them hooting at night and sometimes those horrible ones that shriek. Barn owls are special,maybe because there are so few about, it is always a joy to see a white barn owl.Fortunately now there are 4 or 5 in the area . You see them at dusk skimming low in the fields backwards and forwards for twenty minutes or so. They seems to glide so graciously a few inched above a thorn hedge. These are the things that make staying in the countryside so special. The green woodpecker is also about again after his summer decamp into the deeper parts of the wood but is too quick to catch with my amateur skills with the camera. A dormouse enjoying the afternoon sun and nibbling on a fallen apple in the orchard. Jack snipes are also to be seen, a clue that winter is on its way.

Another back to school day......

This time it was held at the Best Western's Forest and Vale in Pickering. Arranged by the Yorkshire Tourist Board before all the funds dry up. Dee Marshall, as usual gave a first class presentation on PR and marketing strategies followed by a young lady who loves to twitter called Kristal Ireland. It was nice to see David Shields there and Craig who are always at the end of the phone should I have a query and thanks to Sarah Borrrowby for getting us all together. It was a very intense couple of hours and so I am now back to the computer in earnest to make a Facebook entry for Carr House Farm Bed and Breakfast.Please join as its friend. I thought I had uploaded lots of photos for you to see but they have disappeared into orbit somewhere, so hopefully they will come back and landing my account sooner rather than latter.
There was a definite nip in the air this morning as we had our first frost so it is time to pair all my odd socks up so my feet will be nice and warm.That is a mammoth taste in its self . The other mammoth taste of redecorating has finally finished - all the outside paintwork has been done along with bedrooms,bathrooms and staircase and the kitchen and other bits and pieces I have found along the way and Joe the painter will soon be off on his holidays- well deserved ones at that.

We celebrated at The Carpenters Arms at Felixkirk..

1977 -roll on 33 years, we went out to celebrate that this is was the weekend when we met all those years ago. Where have all those years gone.I bought a posh new frock and no it wasn't from the charity shop.I got it in Helmsley from the shop where Judy Boggett works. If it wasn't for Judy I would probably not have found it nor would I have parted with my money, but Judy is so lovely and always makes you welcome whatever the weather and it certainly rained yesterday. She is the shops biggest asset as Judy has her regulars too and she knows what suits them, keeping her eye out then is happy to ring you when something suitable comes in
.Thirty three years ago...Never then did we think of having grey hair,needing glasses to read menus and weighing a couple of stone more. Jack was in his hay day then riding all those winners on the point to point courses and I was a mobile hairdresser. We went to Felixkirk to have a meal as it has just changed hands and under the umbrella of Providence pubs of which Michael and Sacha Ibbotson have made such a success with Durham Ox in Crayke. Sacha was sat waiting patiently for Michael at the bar when we went in so got a chat with her before being ushered to our table in a very cosy ,warm dining room. Everything was perfect. We both had a generous amount of scallops sat in melted gruyere to begin. Jacks eyes lit up when he got his main course of T bone steak. It is not often you see that on a menu now. I stuck to a rib eye both rare and cooked to perfection.I have brought half of mine home to eat later. This was our first meal there and it certainly wont be our last and a good recommendation to guests.
We have had a lovely day and soon it will be over but with another memory to put in our box to store. Life is very precious.

Absolutely amazing ...

oh my dining room I just want you all to come and see it. I never thought to use this pale blue but it just looks amazing against the darkness of the wooden beams and oak panelling. As the weather turned to rain today we could not have the outside done so the painter turned his talents on in the house. A bedroom and bathroom were done in no time and then what do we do next. I was routing about with the paint tins and came across some blue I had bought for ...don't ask me but as there was only a small amount used it must not have suited me to continue so I thought it may as well be used to see what the effect was in the dining room. It is truly wonderful I am so pleased with it and hope when you come to see it you will be too . As you will see I have taken this photo to show you before I have even got everything set straight.The curtains are not even up yet but it will all be in shape for breakfast time even if I have to stay up half the night.