Serious Shopping- The Olive Branch in Easingwold

This is really a dream shop. It is full of such lovely lovely things most of them you could find a place in your home for - from the luxury of a tartan footstool or an item from the Aga range to add to your collection,a touch of Cath Kidstone or that special piece of pottery from Emma Bridgewater -you will find all of these and many others on the ground floor. Trot up the wooden staircase and find another floor of delights. Whether you are looking for touchy feely clothes from Noa Noa and Part Two or a sensible pair of Hunter wellies in vibrant-hey pheasants you can see me coming -colours. Just waiting to be bought are wonderful bracelets,rings and necklaces along with a range for Beckensondergaard- Danish leather accessories. The shop is owned by Jill Atkinson, who also has a shop in Addingham.Jill is very passionate about her shop and interested in quality decorations and furnishings doing a marvellous job suss out the goodies to fill her shops . Even though it was January the shop was doing a brisk trade and I came away very pleased with my purchases which had been neatly wrapped up in green tissue and one tied with red ribbon -that was for Rubi-Sue -a Cath Kidstone flannel with ducks on in pink,blue and yellow. It is her mum Claires' birthday in a couple of weeks so I cant tell you what I else I bought but can say I have never seen one anywhere else . So if you are looking for a present just a bit special this is the place to come.The girls are always happy to help but special thanks to Sophie who is always a friendly face and happy to tell you what is new and show you round. This shop is in a league of its own.

Spring is on the Way.........

....We have started lambing. The first lamb was born at the farm yesterday which for us means the beginnig of the farming year . The snow is slowly thawing and it is not so icy cold as it was. There are snowdrops and aconites leaves appearing which have been hidden under the snow. I walked with May the Labrador and Daisy, cocker spaniel-both who will be having their babies in the next week or two, down the drive this afternoon and thought I might see the daffodils starting to come through but they are still well tucked away out of the cold.The sun has been shining. It is getting dark now but little by little the days are drawing out.

Aga Baby- Little Labrador

This is why I have not been blogging for a week or two. This little Labrador has been taking up the majority of my time. It had to come into the house where it has made its home on top of the Aga.This week her eyes have opened and it can now hear. As soon as you rattle about in the kitchen it is up to the door of its little pet house to want to be feed. Ellen the vet from the Skeldale practice in Thirsk told me it would be better on goats milk rather than the orphan lamb milk as I was feeding it through a pipette.The roads were so bad I had to get Jack to take me down to Tescos in Thirsk to get some goats milk. I was delighted to find it is actually from Seaton Ross in North Yorkshire. It is called St Helen's Farm and has been a life saver for this little pup which now looks like a miniature black bear.besides milk they produce yogurt,cheese and butter. You may like to look on their website which is www.sthelensfarm.co.uk.

Oh to be in England now that winter's here.....

...and what better way to spend it out in the fresh air with my dad ,husband and son and a few others. Even though it was very very cold the company was warm. We had a very good day out shooting. Between the snow showers the sun came out and there was blues skies and it was oh so nice to be in England and not like some poor people stuck on the roads and in airports due to the snow creating havoc. The countryside is a picture I have tried to capture its beauty.

News Year Day 2010.....

Daybreak at Carr House -Jack was up as usual just after 5am and was out with the camera before the guests came in for breakfast. It looked like a full moon last night as the garden was lit up as if it was daytime.I took some photos but should have taken them earlier with the moon rising through the trees-it made a lovely silhouette but I waited until just before midnight then it was too high in the sky.My New Year Resolution must be to TRY to be more organised. Somehow I think it wont be long before it is broken.
It is again very cold this morning and we have got the log burner going in the dining room which makes it warm and cosy and gets rid of all the burnable rubbish accumulated over Christmas.It would have been good to have got the hot tub fired up last night but it just seemed such a waste of logs.Maybe I will go and have a poke about in the woods this afternoon as when we went away last year the best bit at Gleneagles other than the breakfast was to sit in a steaming hot tub with the snow falling on our heads.There was one bit difference you could wade through steaming water to get there Here it would be a mad dash back to the house through the snow.I think we are going to the Fauconberg in Coxwold for lunch so all this leaves me to wish you. All the Best for the New Year. Good Health and much Happiness- Anna xx

Kauto Star--what a star..

What a race, what a horse as we watched Kauto Star on top form winning the King George Cup again.Kauto certainly put on a star performance coming home nearly a fence in front. Also a star was Bess, one of our Labradors produced her first litter of puppies late last night .She had 5 girls and 3 boys.The maternal grandfather is FTCH TASCO MONK of MANSENGREEN.and the pups sire is FTCH and runner up in the IGL 2008 and TOP dog in Scotland FTCH LEADBURN VICEROY. I spoke to Catherine Steel-wife of Billy Steel snr this morning to tell them the good news. Catherine said they had over a foot of snow where they live up in Lanarkshire in Scotland. The icicles dropped off the eaves today so I guess it is not as cold here now but does that mean we will be getting some more snow as it usually warms up a bit before it snows. We had a very enjoyable meal as guests of Geoff and Ann Thornton at the White Swan in Ampleforth yesterday after they had been shooting at Newburgh Priory.The starter was a trio of terrines followed by excellent roast beef. That is the privilege of dining with the butcher.There is beef and beef and Geoff certainly knows what cattle to buy as he would have supplied Robert with the meat to cook for our meal.It proves a point you should always support your local butcher. It was nice to see their daughter,Emma,up from London and John was there too.
As Bess had been such a clever girl producing such puppies they are all little fatties and apart from the colour are like peas in a pod.She got all the pickings from the goose so for once there will be no stock.

Christmas Day 2009

Merry Christmas.
We started Christmas early having goose and all the trimmings for supper last night as I knew we would have a busy day in front of us.I sneaked down to the kennels last night to leave Jacks presents from the dogs then woke him up just gone midnight to give him his. I was up at 5am with Jack as I wanted to see if Santa Claus had been.It is only 11am and we have already been to Jacks mothers to take her to his sisters and then back to the farm to see my mum and dad. Rubi-Sue and her mummy and daddy were already there and Ellor ,Nick's Labrador was joining in the festivities with tinsel round her neck. Then we will be seeing Little Jack and Owen. They are 2 and 3 years old so will be more excited than Rubi although she was taking it all in and liked to see things spinning round.Before it gets dark it will be time to feed the dogs and take them out.After that we will sit down for another Christmas dinner and finally settle down in front of a lovely fire. We have already heard from friends around the globe what a marvellous thing the internet is.Hope you are having as wonderful a Christmas Day as we are. For Christmas one of my presents, which was wrapped up very well,was some Pringle socks from Jack which was what I wanted but in one pair was stuffed a diamond ring. I know I am very lucky to have Jack and the ring..... but not forgetting how lucky it is to have all my family and friends that make it as special as it is..