When the Village Turns White

It was always predicted to be a colder winter than the usual. A long, dry summer not usually seen in England had us all wondering what would happen next. These un-seasonal events tend to preclude colder, drier winters so we remained hopeful - well, some of us did. Many were lamenting the arrival of snow …

After December 25th

And so Christmas Day has passed us for yet another year, and we find ourselves in that strange space between nostalgia and reality. I do hope yours was lovely. Ours was spent quietly, and with our usual traditions as closely as possible. Our day started with the usual opening of stockings and exchanging of gifts …

Nativity – a Journey.

While my Australian friends and family are waking to a summer Christmas day, it is still Christmas eve here in frosty England. We have had a cold and clear day, and walking through the fields this morning was a joy indeed. We have been baking for days, attending to the need for endless arrays of …

The Church Yard Extravaganza

Have I mentioned I love this village? Well, in case I haven't - I do. I also love Christmas to the point of obsession, particularly in England. So it was that when Jane Flower asked if I would help her decorate the church yard this year I jumped at the chance. The church yard as …

Dreaming of a White Christmas

I wonder if it is too much to ask that we get snow for Christmas this year? It’s always a hope, but usually a futile one and I usually know that even as I’m hoping it. There are parts of England where it snows well, but usually in February. Of course as you head further …

Christmas Reading

Those who know me or follow my Facebook page know I love books. I love the way they look, feel, smell and the comfort they give. I have way too many, even after the big clear out we had when we left the last property. Occasionally I like to read a few as well. Many …

Mistletoe

I know I’ve mentioned the mistletoe growing here in one of my posts about the apple tree, but if you’ll indulge me I need to proclaim it’s greatness once more. This stuff is growing in almost plague proportions on the gnarly branches of my ancient Bramley apple tree, which I have described in infinite detail …

The Autumn Chores..

Well, here it is; October is over, November has started and to my mind, that well and truly classifies as the lead up to Christmas. We can now safely bombard our Christmas https://www.facebook.com/christmasevermore and Secret Cottage https://www.facebook.com/secretcottagebooks pages on a daily basis with pictures, quotes, movie titles and book recommendations all centered around the festival …

The Winding Down.

And the wind down of the year begins – it is Autumn.   It is October – when on earth did that even happen? It feels as though I went to sleep one evening in March, wondering when I would be able to fly back to Australia and the next thing, I woke up in …

The Joy of Squirrels

By now you all know how romantic and doe eyed I get about England. The trees, the flowers, the stone cottages, the lanes, the hedges, the Queen, the eccentric people, the mail slots in the doors, the bridges, the birds….and so on, ad nauseum. Well, squirrels are another of those things I get very excited …