Yummy Cherry and Almond cake

We had a Herriots Yorkshire meeting last night at the Arts Centre in Thirsk. Organised by Ian Ashton, it was well attended with David Shields from Welcome to Yorkshire ,Sam who does a sterling job with our website and David Crocker "Mr Train" who helps us enormously with our running costs in printing etc, who is the marketing manager for Grand Central Rail.It was good to catch up with old friends and new faces. Jessica Barker has just won a gold award with her 5 star Thief Hole cottages there- I have sat round the Barkers "uncles" table from being a child.Admired this family-of show jumping fame- who lent me my first pony. I think she is a whirlwind how she works so hard with her cottages and has 2 small children and still looks a million dollars.Lady Mary Furness from Stanhow Farmhouse who I have known for 20 years plus and runs self catering was to my left. A remarkable horsewoman who often had to choose between going to a meeting and riding with the hounds.To my right was Annette of 4 in a bed TV fame a relative newcomer to the bed and breakfast business. What she lacks in years she puts forward in enthusiasm. Dear friend Alison, behind me who has the watermill at Crakehall and her "miller" was in tow. What a friendly do it was. To top it off we had the most delicious cakes as ever.

Views from Scarborough Southcliff

We are only 34 miles from the seaside so it takes less than 45 minutes. A nice drive out through pretty villages like Thornton le Dale and the market town of Helmsley. If the day is nice to get over there and take in the sea air. For the more hardy go for a paddle. For me I like to go to find mussels and whelks and other edible bits and pieces on the shoreline.I took these photos when I went to get an ice cream -see previous blog.The gardens are still looking very colourful They talk about Harrogate for its gardens - the autumn flower show is on at the moment. Harlow carr is another drawing point to Harrogate.I think Scarborough gives other towns a run for its money any day

Scarborough and Icecream

No trip to the seaside would be complete without an ice cream. Up on the South cliff you will always find the ice cream cart near the clock tower. Opposite there is the "Royal", the hospital, which is on the television programme. It is ideal to go up there to enjoy an ice cream. Easy for parking for those who cant walk very far. Lovely views over the bay. A steep hillside walk down to the Spa and along the beach to collect shells ,seaweed and mussels. Even a putting green if you fancy a game. This is away from the main drag of the "kiss me quick" hats,bingo and arcades which are on the south bay seafront near the harbour. This is the more refine Scarborough, were you can quietly take in the sea air and enjoy the finer things Scarborough has to offer. Of course if the sun is shining it makes for a more perfect day beside the seaside. You can see where the words came from of the song "Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside".The icing on the cake or should I say the flake in the ice cream - Lovely to see my cousin Gillian up there hard at work and she even played the ice cream jingle for me.

Jack harvesting

I love the smell of Autumn.When the leaves are all changing colour and times on the farm are busy as we are right in the middle of harvest. Having waited all year for the crops to get ready it is an anxious time in the farmers calender. We are so dependant on the weather -we need dry days so the combines can travel on the land. Here you see Jack at the end of 9 hours harvesting corn. It is dusty and concentration is to a maximum but you can see from the look on his face he is enjoying every minute of it. I took his tea down to the field - no time to stop, it was eat it on the move-fast food with a different twist. Just time to eat while the combine was tipping its tanks of grain into a trailer. You can see as the arms are taking the head of corn into the machine. Separating it out, corn is sent into the tank, the straw is sent out behind the machine. I remember when I was a child,we had horses pulling a binder.Then the sheaves were stacked at an angle to dry like a wigwam and us children would hide in them. Our combine is only a very small one but modern day machinery is all computerised with such up to date technology. I know which was the most fun though.

Wass Village Barbecue

Last Friday night our village had its annual barbecue. Here you see our celebrity chefs hard at work. I took spare ribs which I had cooked in the Aga. There was chicken,sausages,burgers and salmon. Salads and puddings. Tony -Jacks friend took 2 barrels of beer and others took their favourite tipple. Needless to say a good time was had by all. A tradition started as a fund raiser by Pat and Shirley Clayton who used to have it in their garden.Long may it continue.

Happy 2nd Birthday Rubi-Sue

Rubi-Sue is 2 today. Talk about how thinks have changed since I was two.Here you see her little Ladyship tucking into a plate of cheese sandwiches and olives Yes that's right Olives. -Plain,stuffed with garlic or whatever sort you care to put in front of her she eats . When I was two I don't think there would be many people in this country ate olives let alone children.Today she was having a party at home with her special friend, Arthur. She had a Thomas the Tank engine cake. We had s little cake for her at the farm on Friday and we all sang Happy Birthday. She is getting quite a character now. her favourite words are -This is my sister ,her name is Martha Mai Taylor - which comes out all in one breath. Needless to say Martha Mai was oblivious to the partying but I did manage to get a smile from her. I thought it was wind but my mother insisted it was a smile