Happy Easter

Good Friday Morning - to you all and Happy Easter. As we are busy with lambing all we ask for is some sunshine and we have got it . I think it is all across North Yorkshire this morning . Still nippy but sunny and dry. The hens are on overdrive - I think it more about the time of year than Easter. As we seem to have eggs by the dozen multiplies trice a day .Shame they don't lay chocolate ones this week. The birds are singing away and all seem right in the world here at Carr House Farm any way. Our little Labrador pups are tucking into the first week of meals with weetabix.

and then for lunch

Well Christine and I were going to lunch and treat ourselves at Harvey Nicks 2 years since I was last in Leeds.then Caroline joined us and then we meet Rosemary in teh street and then someone else turned up .So there ended up being 5 of us to please. One with a wheat intolerance so why would we go to an Italian .All pastas and pizzas you say. The lady who owns it has been there since the year dot. I hear from good sources even thought they do delightful sauces that she will burst into song and give her diners a taste of the Italian Opera will they eat. Unfortunately she did not,maybe next time . We were so impressed by her ever so charming son who was very accommodating to our wheat free needy friend as he is too .he offer her chip wedges with a tomato sauce ,which went down very well. Orange juice was the proper stuff as I watched him squeeze the oranges himself. A delightful place and certainly one to recommend. Sorry we don't know your name but will ask next time.So we will for now call them Mamma Opera and her bambino. When I look at the photos the girls are all in convict stripes. The restaurant has lots of flags up and music playing and a lovely feel to the place.

Leeds Market

My Dad had always talked about going to Leeds market .They used to go for a walk around when they went to see the pantomime. Now I guess this was at least 70 years ago. So when I got home he quite understood my enthusiasm for what we saw at the market. With it being very multicultural there were fruit,flowers,fish and meat I had never seen before. I managed to track down some sweetbreads which you rarely see now a days. Willie McCauley was so envious when I told him that I had found some I promised him on my next trip to buy him some.On the same stall there were hens feet,halves of pigs heads and even lungs -not sure what the latter are used for. Moving to the fish avenue the show was amazing.From Whitby and Cornwall to far away places like Mexico. The fruit was amazing too lots of exotics as well as spices and then to finish we went to the flower stalls.It makes you want to have a big party just to share it with everyone you know. Everything was so clean and the stall holder so friendly I will certainly be going again. Guests can either drive or get the train in just over an hour to Leeds. I guess they will be amazed too.

#Y13 with Welcome to Yorkshire

Had to travel intercity like the men do on Thursday,I caught the 8.30am train to Leeds and meet up with Christine Ryder. Y13 was held at the West Yorkshire Play House. Gary Verity and his full team of staff had worked hard to pull it altogether and we had an insight into what will be happening this coming year in the tourist industry. In the foyer there was Louise and her brother doing a sterling job supplying the multitudes with their different types of Swaledale Cheese. There was Jackson bread there too . A barley combination bread was some of the tastiest I had every had. Seabrook crisps are produced in Yorkshire and besides them printing on in Yorkshire on the packets we all got a bag each to bring home. There was the Le Tour de France boss, golden girl Hannah Cockroft and a young Olympic cyclist there too. A highlight was to listen to Alistair Griffin singing a song he had written after he had watched the Olympics. All too soon the conference was over. We then headed across the road to the market...[cont]

Uploaded videos (playlist)

Today. Jasmin who is staying with us from Berlin, and I went to bils&rye gallery in Nunnington. It is 6 miles from here and as well as this contemporary 3d gallery. Nick and Kate Bentley own it. Kate is the artist of the family. On winters days there a great log burner stove so a warm retreat from the cold air outside. My favourite is the little dogs made of felt shown at the beginning of the video. There is Nunnington Hall to visit too ,which is a National Trust property. This makes for an ideal afternoon out. You could come in from the opposite directions to and visit the Star At Harome for lunch.

Sneaky lunch at the Hare at Scawton

Tucked away just off the A170 near the top of Sutton Bank on the road to Rievaulx Abbey. The Hare was always a favourite place for ours to go to eat.The previous owner got distracted making soufflés finally moving on to pastures new. A review by Elaine Lemm in the Yorkshire Post brought me back for a very quick lunch the other day. I really didn't have time to stop but then how could I call in and not have a bite to eat. Liz, the landlady is a charming, lovely, lovely person.I couldn't believe how busy the place was on a winters day lunchtime. I had forgotten my specs so had to glaze over the menu, randomly picked the first thing on the menu . It was ham hock with foie gras, piccalilli with other dots and dashes of colours.Tastes which if I had been able to read the menu properly would have been able to tell you. Whatever it was it was delicious. Jack's birthday is looming,this could be the ideal place to go. Some guests of ours had eaten Sunday lunch there the other week,excited texted me to say Bellissimo. I think that says it all.

Wedding Event at Thief Hole

Jessica Barker who runs Thief Hole near Northallerton along with her husband Phillip invited us to a W2Y networking event. Jessica is very lucky as Phillip not only runs a 600 acre farm but has done all the work at restoration of these buildings himself.. Again the W2Y team where out in good force to make sure everything went well. On the Sunday the venue turned into a wedding event, The cake maker was there with her beautifully iced creations and not a snow scene in sight. You may remember me saying all my cakes have snow scenes whatever time to year.

Thirsk Literature Event

Or to some of us it is Brochure Pick Up Day . Held in the Auction Mart at Thirsk and organised by Welcome to Yorkshire. I was one of the first to get there as from previous experience I know how popular an event it is. Some go armed with trolleys and the like .After been greeted by Liz Tattersley who always makes a dull day look brighter with her sunny smile and first timer at the event Rosie - I saw her mother had come along,I teased her saying she had come to make sure her daughter was doing her meet and greet bit properly. Jane was actually picking up brochures for her own business. I headed straight to Elmtree Press who have bedroom browsers.I think are a must as they keep all the brochure in one neat pile advertising the attractions of the area. David Shields,hard working as ever was there. I was surprised to see Gary Verity,head of W2Y there as I heard he was busy lambing. Gary amazes me to the amount of functions he gets to. I don't think he will have time to sleep . Couldn't resist a photo of the Harrogate Flower Show, Beautiful study taken by the lady on the stands husband. He took an eye catcher last year too. Nice to see new and old faces. catching up with old friends from Whitby Captain Cook Museum. Wold Way Lavender ,Catherine Calvert from Hazel Brow Farm and Tea rooms and the Hawes Ropemakers to name but a few. The brochure are now installed in each of our bedrooms for you to read through at your leisure hoping you find them useful. Please remember to leave them for future guests too

Mad March Offer

...and did you remember to say White Hares on Friday. As I was driving last week I saw two hares running across a stubble field -Stubble is a field which had grown grain on it last year and has not yet been ploughed. Mad March hares I thought but I was a day early . Hares really like turnips and swedes to eat . We do too. My Dad sows the best swede seed from Scotland. How many do you think ? a couple of rows .I did say we like swedes -so I reckon he grows about an acre. As I walked up the field the other day I thought yes that is what I will give my guests who come to stay in March. I bet it is quite an original offer too . We give you a bag and you can nip into the field which is near our house and pick your own for free. I reckon that is about as fresh as you will ever get.