Another day in the office





Found these monsters - made a lovely supper

Blackberry jam it is then

View from top of the Navages - you can see for miles

This has been a particularly hard season for us in the farming world, a very wet summer so harvesting has been very hit and miss, we have finally reached combining time, a time of year I love.  I love the smell of the combine and to see the corn flying out of the auger is lovely.  Today Glyn has been up the Navages a particularly steep farm where Glyn combines but the views are spectacular, his day in his office must be one of very best views you can have although I don't think there is much time for sight-seeing in his line of work, what with the field being partcularly steep and still quite wet in places it takes him all of his concentration to keep things on track.

Kington Vintage Show

Getting ready to load

The day had finally arrived, we had made it by the skin of our teeth.  We didn't finish getting the shedpherd's hut ready til Friday, but it was ready to roll down to Kington Vintage Show for the weekend.

Nearly on

Rolling off

Harry Thomas chainsaw carver in action

The Queen isn't she lovely

Interior of Shepherd's hut



The bedroom end



Me and Glyn at the door



The diddy woodburner and all thing enamel



People having a little look

We had the loveliest weekend, some nasty storms on Sunday but in the end the sun came out and a wonderful time was had by all.  We met some really lovely people who were very complimentary about the hut and made it all worthwhile, I finally got to display all my vintage china and enamel I have been collecting for what seems like an age.  I hope to get it in place for the Bank Holiday weekend so as the campers can have a little peep inside.

A little rest and relaxation

Beach Huts at Woolecombe




Deer on Exmoor - we went on safari

  A couple of weeks ago we managed to escape for a little rest and re-relaxation, we took off to Lynton and Lynmouth for 3 nights and then back to Porlock in North Somerset for our last night.  We don't often manage to get away at this time of year, usually it's October or November and although that is my favourite time of year the nights have by then drawn in and we don't get to enjoy some nice evenings out by the sea so this was an absolute treat for us both, Matthew manned the fort (or farm) if you prefer.

We had some lovely walks, and also did an Exmoor Safari which was great fun visiting some places that we would not normally have seen or gone to. The church where Lorna Doone was supposedly married, that was a beautiful simple church.


Watersmeet, Lynmouth



You just can't beat a fishing harbour

 This walk we did on our first evening, to Watersmeet a lovely river than run down to Lynmouth the only unfortunte thing was that the Cafe was closed!

Jubilee Weekend



Cakes, scones, fresh bread, merangues yummm



 

Front of shop





Lovely white iris and they smell beautiful

Blue Iris

Wonderful poppies at the Cottage as big as dinner plates

Well the flags are up and the cakes are in, all we need now is sunshine and our campers.  Have had a very busy couple of weeks since our return from a little holiday down to North Somerset/Devon I have spent all my time outside gardening and weeding hopefully it's looking lovely for the weekend.

Watching the clouds go by...

I do love the skies here, I never get tired of the clouds rolling by. The lovely sunrises and sunsets we have, with very little light pollution

 X marks the spot - Walton

Cotton wool balls








Even on a stormy day we can have some amazing clouds, here are just a few.

Fields of Gold

Looking across to Old Radnor - sun shining through

You don't have to travel far into the countryside at this time of year to see the "fields of gold" (I do love Eva Cassidy singing that song) but to have it right on our doorstep and all around us is a bonus right now. 

Tractors working ground down

 A new line in the shop which is going well

Hindwell Gold

 Jess and John make the most amazing oil seed rape, it's fantastic for cooking and on roasted vegetables and I have it on very good authority that it's wonderful stuff to cook your chips in.




 I wish that you could smell the lanes right now, the smell of the oil seed rape is really lovely I can't really describe the smell but I love it. I walked through it to take these photographs and the sound of the bee's working too and the birds singing makes me realise just how lucky I am to live in a countryside like this.





My "LITTLE" shop

Well it's Easter Monday, it's pouring with rain and it's a Bank Holiday but are we dis-heartened, noooo.
I thought I would tell you a little about my shop which has all the essentials like milk, welsh butter, welsh cheeses, welsh yoghurts from Village Dairy, the creamiest yoghurts I have ever tasted.  Also the lovliest bacon and sausage from Marston Meats of Pembridge.  We have free range eggs from Owen Hardwick and the essentials like tea, coffee, sugar, washing up liquid etc, we have local charcoal from "Goods from the Woods" in Herefordshire (as seen on Countryfile")  We have homemade chutneys and marmalade.

Cushions Galore

Book exchange & bits & bobs

Provisions & local charcoal

Chutney, marmalade, jam & honey

Musical chairs!  Various bags

More homemade gifts

Wooden goods & loely vintage wicker trays

Small items of furniture - saved from landfill and re-vamped

Also we have all kinds of treats for you to take home as presents or a little gift to yourself whilst on holiday, from cushions made from french linen sacks to china cup and saucer candles, hot water bottles with qulted covers, hot pot holders, tea cosies.