Welcome to Yorkshire Advert 2014 very good but no sight of Jacks's dogs

Lottie Shaw and her generousity

I have just written a blog about Y14 but feel I cannot go without mentioning the generousity of Lottie Shaw at the Y14 conference. While there were other food and drink stands in the foyer selling their wares. Even a woman who made biscuits standing in part of the Barclays Bank Stand.It made me laugh as she only wanted you to buy them but not even taste a crumb. Lottie Shaw was so generous handing out biscuits and drinks to everyone who passed her way. The biscuits were my mothers favourites -Ginger parkin ones.They are the crispest of the crisp. I explained I was taking it home for my mum so she gave me one for my dad too - You know this thing about me and my Dad....and I didnt want him to miss out. Lottie came with her little van laden up and also drinks for everyone too. I hope she gets lots of new customers from her being there. She was dressed in rather a nice green dress which I commented on. A Cath Kidston she declared with thrill in her voice that I had noticed... it had bicycles on.... To celebrate Le Tour coming to Yorkshire Lottie has commisioned local artist Kevin Haynes to illustrate the Bike race. which is available as a sleeve for the Yorkshire Parkin as well as cups and prints. Lottie is also busy baking Gingerbread Bikes and for every one sold they will be giving a donation to Marie Curie. If you'd like to find out more about Lottie Shaw's "Seriously Good" products please take a look at www.lottieshaws.co.uk or call her direct on 01422 372335. My thanks to Lottie we are going to hold a Alice in Wonderland themed Tea Party soon and Lottie will be on the guest list ...more later about this -

Y14 and all that jazz

The first Y conference I went to at Harrogate we were welcomes by a jazz band . This year it was Tom Ashurst and his colleague who I spied first. I got a good viewing seat up in the rafters. Gary Verity look very suave in his yellow trousers -quite a suitable colour for lambing in I thought. Nick Clegg arrived and spoke well about the involvement of Welcome to Yorkshire and Le Tour. The 8th Earl of Harewood House,David Lascelles spoke of the involvement of the Arts side of things and so it continued. The arty side of things had made these huge birds on poles that when they were waved through the air by their 3 legs - men with poles you need to use your imagination here.Think voultures rather than Mrs Henny Penny. Ending in a grand finale to mark the 100 day countdown to LeTourYorkshire with what I could descibe as large yellow party poppers been let off. As Alistair Griffin and the band ended the presentation with the song that again has been created for Le Tour. People are thinking up great ideas ,coming together with others to make this the biggest and the best Grande Departe. What we cant organise is the weather but lets hope it behaves itself.

It's Spring -what is happening with us

Grand Départ 2014 - Made in Yorkshire

Spring Cleaning.....

Spring cleaning doesn't stop at home . I set off to Filey the other day to spring clean the beach hut.It had been given quite a battering by the high tides over the winter. The floor was covered with sand ,so I set to and it is all up and running again for when guests come to stay and fancy a drive over to the coast. They can borrow the key and make a complimentary hot drink .This is is a great saving as it cost around £25 a day to hire ot a beach hut and ours comes complete with bunting and a bucket and spade.We also have a heater in it too.The views is still as lovely

The White Bear at Stillington

This used to be a regular watering hole of mine years ago. On Monday night it was good to return, Phil has been the landlord here for 19 years and is well known for his love of great beers and certainly known how to keep a good pint. A lovely fire and a warm welcome this pub serve geninue food at very reasonable prices. It was the venue for the YO61ners which brings business people from the area together and the chance to win a bottle of champagne. And guess who won it .Moi - The event is organised by the printers in Easingwold G.E Smiths and the lovely Jo Burgess. Phil and his wife,Sue, have recently won Camra's pub of the season and was proud to tell me they are the only pub to have won it twice. So here you have another place to visit when you come to stay with us. And there is also a near non-existant feature of pubs now a days -the jukebox - so maybe you are in for a boogie on a Saturday night

Gardener's Delight

I admire the statley gardens of Castle Howard and Scampston. The Walled Garden in Helmsley with an orchid house and probably my favourite is Hovingham Hall .Wolds Way Lavender has now returned to free entry for 2014 and is home to the only wood burning distillery in the country producing liquid gold.We are lucky to have all these in our area Ryedale. Not too far from here is Harrogate where you can wander around Harlow Carr, The RHS, The Spring Flower fair is held in Harrogate in April.There was a good presence of displays at Thirsk the other week .I took a few photos to tempt you to create your own Garden of Eden.

On the left is Snowball. Today she went to live with the Scales family and be loved by them all espically their 2 little girls. They got George who is Snowball's brother a while ago.He doesnt look too suited to share his lovely life Unfortunately Snowball lost her own puppies and we nearly lost her. She spent time recovering here in familiar surroundings. She was Quozzi's half sister and although I didnt want her to go I cant cope with dogs in the house when I have guests in. Also the cat wasnt amused.Talk about cat and mouse this was cat and dog. So she has now got the ideal home . Lisa sent the photo about 2 hours after she had gone .Needless to say she looks as if she was always meant to ride in the back of a posh car and spend her days lying in front of the fire with fun trips out with the children.

Shirley and Jenny: Two Elephants Reunited After More Than 20 Years

And I guess after you have watched this you will have a tear in your eye )

Happy Birthday Mother

89 years young today, it was my Mum's birthday .She didnt want a lot of fuss as that isn't her style. Not even keen of having her photo taken. So as it was her birthday her wishes were taken as commands. I made a few cakes for my Dad and her to tuck into. The great grandchildren went down after Rubi-Sue had come from school this afternoon.My Dad gave her red tulips as he does every year .After all he has known her 84 years and he always get her red tulips so if he doesn't know what she likes by now it is a rum job. Her day was complete when Jack's present to her was some sprinkle on cat wormer for her two cats. Must be nice to be so content with life.

Welcome to Yorkshire Literature Exchange

Held at Thirsk Auction Mart for businesses to go to pick up 2014 brochures. I have learnt to go early and was met by the ever friendly face of David Shields. There was a lot of Welcome to Yorkshire staff there and one celebrity in the form of Lorraine Chase who I passed but didn't recognise as she worn a large hat. Nor was she talking as I would have remembered Luton Airport. Craig Nattress was there -he is our local Ryedale link and Susie Brindley is back in the fold. Lots of lovely 2014 brochures -spoilt for choice. This year I have tried to keep my choice more local. There were lots of faces I knew and I spied some of the friendliest faces from Thief Hole Cottages, Jessica Barker and her husband Phillip who was doing a sterling job helping carry brochures. I need to ask Jessica how did she get him trained so well. I saw my sister in law in the distance she was collecting her brochures and put them in a suitcase with wheels. You can tell her husband and mine are tarred with the same brush-nowhere in sight.

North York Moors which are on our doorstep in the heart of #Ryedale

Ampleforth-Carr House Farm and the Holbeck

Ampleforth-Carr House Farm and the Holbeck

Malton and its market days

Depending on whether you are a farmer or a shopper, markets are on different days .We take livestock to be sold on Tuesdays. Hopefully Phillip Plaice and his merry bunch of auctioneers will rap up a good price for us. Shoppers wanting a market to buy vegetables .flowers etc are on Saturdays. Malton is truly a market town. A sad day may soon dawn when the livestock market is moved out of the middle of the town so better make it something to see soon. The Shambles is the little street that goes up to the livestock market from the main hub of shops .Call in the Spotted Cow pub for a drink or a mug of tea on market days. At the bottom of the Shambles, Selina Scott sells her Angora sheeps socks. Selina of newscaster fame long ago lives over the hill from us. Malton is a very special place and a friendlier place you couldn't wish to find. I went to school there. My paternal great grandparents lived just over the river in Norton. A lot of the shops are individually owned and don't worry if a shopkeeper talks to you. They are not trying to "chat" you up but are passing the time of day with you. They talk to you as if they has known you for years. This is Malton.