New Years Eve

I like New Years Eve. It's the start of something new, fresh and unspoilt.

What a year it has been, as I have said in other recent posts, full of ups and downs. I want to take this opportunity to thank all my followers and fellow bloggers that pop by and say "hello" or just those that pop by.

I look forward to the coming year with plans that I have to say scare me a little but could also be very exciting......

Happy New Year!

We are cut off!

Our planned trip to Shropshire had to be cancelled today. We packed our over night bag and set off about 10.30am. It was sleet and snowing but the main road was clear. Reports from Shropshire was that it was just raining.

As we climbed higher to get to the M62 we could see cars stopped ahead. I am not sure if a car or truck had stopped on the incline because it was round a corner but we were not going anywhere in a hurry and the road was getting more and more covered in snow and slush.

We turned the car around and tried another route but this was worse. We managed to get to the summit of a hill to find a huge snowdrift across the road and cars trying to turn around. So we are cut off, we made our way home stopping in the village for supplies on the way.

So I am able to show you the photos from our walk yesterday. As you can see above we decided to go where there was even more snow! We drove up to the Yorkshire dales.

We stopped in Malham.

And started to walk to to the top of the village and towards the cove.

We walked across Malham fields.

Passed the bridge over the beck.
Once upon a time, a huge waterfall poured over the top as a massive glacier melted on the high land above it.

The limestone cliff is 80 metres high. If you enlarge the photo above you can just see two climbers on the first ledge.

People hammer coins in logs near the waters edge.

Then we turned back and walked down to the village.


Then onto Settle for one of these...

2009

2009

2009 has had it's ups and downs. We had some worrying moments but also lovely days and one of the highs was starting this blog.

Here are this years highlights.

January

Cold start, but high hopes for the year ahead.

February
Unexpected day off work due to snow. I started my blog and had cocktails at the theatre.

March

Learning new things in new places but with old friends.

April

Spring sunshine and Easter tea parties. Visits to old halls and famous railway stations. Oh and my birthday!

May
reliving the 1940's in Haworth and a wonderful holiday in Cornwall.

June
Produce from the garden, planes and Art in the garden.

July

Holiday in Wales and Shropshire, the Tatton Garden Show and other days out.

August

Cars shows, Halifax show, picnics with friends and crochet flowers

September

Winning paintings at the Village show and making chutney.

October

Making owls for charity, more days out and sunsets and sunrises.

November

Roses still blooming, Craft fairs and candles.

December

Snow for Christmas, family and friends and walks in the winter wonderland.

2009, lots of craft and art (hope to do more next year) and I would like to thank all the people who follow and comment on this blog and look forward to 2010 and all it may behold!

Winter walking

Today Hubby and I went on another winter walk. I will post about it soon but I can't at the moment because my SD reader is playing up.

There was plenty of snow and farmers feeding their sheep with hay, just like the painting above.

I want to do a 2009 review and have made some mosaics to go onto the post. I may get chance to do it tonight or indeed it maybe on the 31st December if we are home in time. Hubby and I are off to see his mum in Church Stretton tomorrow for the 1 night so we shall see.

Our Christmas Day walk

Our Christmas Day walk was just what we needed.
We walked up the lane behind the house and into the woods. We followed the path down towards the old neglected mill.

The mill is being partly demolished and some parts renovated into apartments.

The snow had drifted in through the open door.

We couldn't resist a peep inside.

The ivy was growing over the broken windows making them look like stained glass.

We walked along the side of the mill pond toward to river.

On the river bank we met this handsome fella.

The blossom was frozen on the tree.

Then thoughts turned to the turkey in the oven back home....

Boxing day 2009

I am curled up on the sofa. It's been a lovely relaxing Christmas this year. Yesterday we woke to a winter wonderland. The stockings were opened while we had our first coffee of the day. Small jokey types of gifts go in the stockings each year. Then it's downstairs, lights on the tree, roaring fire and onto opening all the gifts under the tree.

We almost lost Lucy under the discarded gift wrap!

She of course had lots of her own gifts to play with. But liked the ribbon that decorated them more!

Then with the turkey in the oven we went for a pre-lunch walk. Time to try out my surprise Christmas pressie from hubby-new walking boots!

(I will show you the photo's from our Christmas day walk tomorrow).

Back home you can just spy another Christmas pressie off Hubby above (I hinted heavily!) a Cath Kidston three tier cake stand!

The light was fading as we sat down to eat. It was worth waiting for. The chutney my sister-in-law made was perfect with the turkey.

We did not have any dessert and just opted for an espresso coffee and some after eight mints. Feet up and a bit of television-perfect!

Today my family came over for lunch.

The table set again but I didn't do turkey. I made a beef and vegetable pie. I made it Christmassy though by putting pastry holly leaves and berries on it!

We ate and drank then we relaxed before they braved the snow and ice and set off for the hour long drive home.

They broke down half way there and have just phoned to say the tow truck had just arrived to tow them the rest of the way!

We are just tucking into a turkey sandwich!