October 2024

Autumn has definitely settled in this month, though at some times it's felt more like winter. We've had some lovely bright autumnal days too though, it's nice when we get to see blue skies and sunshine this late in the year.

We've tried to make the most of every last little bit of sunshine we've had, enjoying days out where possible. We've visited Seaham and Scarborough on the coast, various National Trust properties, Pateley Bridge, Ripley Castle and Knaresborough, among other places.

There have been some Friday evenings out too. Something new we've done this year is head out, just as soon as Mick's finished work for the weekend, and enjoyed late afternoon or evening walks on the beach. It was good to still be doing this in October but now the clocks have gone back, we won't get the chance again until Spring arrives.

This last Friday evening's excursion was something special, we headed off to Fountains Abbey to see Fountains by Floodlight. This is an after-dark experience where you're able to wander around the Abbey's glowing ruins while a choir sings. The fact that it had been misty all day and into the night made it even more atmospheric. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

Wedding Fair season is upon us and we've had a few appointments with Daniel and Jasmine. I think they've just about decided on a venue now so once that gets sorted out it will be all systems go securing all the other suppliers needed to bring a wedding together. There's still a bit of time yet, the wedding won't be until 2026 but you do have to arrange these things in plenty of time.

I've read five books this month.

The Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith.

"A chance meeting with the manager of The Great Hippopotamus Hotel leads the much-admired and traditionally built Precious Ramotswe to investigate what is going wrong with this previously successful country hotel. Guests have been unwell, clothing has disappeared from the washing line, and scorpions have found their way into the guest bedrooms. Mma Ramotswe drives out to the hotel with her irrepressible colleague, Grace Makutsi (97 per cent in the final examinations of the Botswana Secretarial College). What they find there are family conflicts that only the investigators of the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency will be able to resolve.

Meanwhile, at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, Mma Ramotswe's husband, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, gets a visit from a middle-aged client who wants to purchase a fast Italian sports car. What should the conscientious garagiste do in such circumstances? Should the client's wife be told? Mma Ramotswe is used to wrestling with such tricky questions, but it is harder for Mr J.L.B. Matekoni.

And in the background is that beautiful country, Botswana, with its wide skies and its courteous people. In such surroundings, big problems soon seem small, and small worries fade away altogether."

This is the twenty fifth book in The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I often wonder if and when Alexander McCall Smith will call it a day with these stories but as long as he keep on writing them, I'll keep on reading as they're always so entertaining. A nice gentle crime series set with the slow pace of Botswana as a backdrop. What's not to love.

The Memory of Us by Dani Atkins.

"If she had been found moments later, Amelia's heart would have stopped and never recovered. Instead she was taken from the desolate beach to the nearest hospital just in time to save her life. When her sister Lexi arrives from New York, Amelia's heart is beating, but the accident has implanted a series of false memories. These memories revolve around a man named Sam, and a perfect love story that never existed.

Determined to help her sister, Lexi enlists the help of Nick, a local vet who bears a striking resemblance to Sam. Together, Lexi and Nick recreate and photograph Amelia's dream dates in the hopes of triggering her true memories.

But as love starts to stir between Lexi and Nick, they must navigate a complex web of emotions, How can Lexi fall for Amelia's dream man without hurting her sister?"

I had my reservations about this book as I was reading it thinking it was a bit far fetched, but I should have trusted the author. I've read all her previous books and loved them all and this story does work out in the end. Definitely one to tug at the heartstrings, make sure you've got a box of tissues handy if you decide to read it.

Nurses on Call by Donna Douglas.

"London's East End, 1957.

In the Nightingale Hospital, Matron Helen finds herself playing surrogate mother to her newly discovered French niece Catrine, while having to keep their family relationship a secret from the rest of the staff.

However, independent Catrine is determined to do things her way, and break the rules. But underneath it all, she is lost, still mourning the loss of her mother and struggling to get along with her new family.

Helen's own heart is aching since the breakdown of her marriage to David, which isn't helped when he returns to work at the hospital. Can she work side by side with the man she still loves?

Helen's isn't the only marriage that hangs in the balance, as Nurse Dora faces a shock that could mean the end of her own..."

This is another book series I follow. This is the thirteenth installment in the Nightingale series, and I've read this author's other books too. I like that even this far into the series, we're still following the lives and careers of some characters from the very first book, and there's plenty of new characters to get to know too. Another good read.

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths.

"A CHILD'S BONES are discovered near the site of a pre-historic henge on the north Norfolk coast, and the police ask local forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway to date them. Are these the remains of a local girl who disappeared ten years ago?

DCI Harry Nelson refuses to give up the hunt for this missing child. Ever since she vanished, someone has been sending him bizarre anonymous notes about ritual sacrifice, quoting Shakespeare and the Bible. He knows Ruth's instincts and experience can help him finally put this case to rest.

Then a second child goes missing, and Ruth finds herself in danger from a killer who knows she's getting ever closer to the truth..."

I've read many great reviews of this Elly Griffiths series so I decided to give this first book a go. I've had it on my bookshelf all year waiting to be read. I figured that if I enjoyed it, it would start me off on a new collection of books to read, there are actually fifteen in the series and Elly Griffiths has now announced that she won't be writing any more.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, it's a bit different from those I've been reading recently. I did guess 'whodunnit' but I didn't mind that, it kept me entertained and I shall definitely be reading more from this author.

The Secrets of De Courcy Square by Ann O'Loughlin.

"When Cora Gartland learns that her long-term partner, Jack, has been killed in a car crash in Ireland her world falls apart. But she soon discovers that there was another woman in the car: a wife he'd never told her about.

Devastated, Cora flies to Dublin to try and make sense of Jack's secret life. As she grieves, Cora must find the truth and a way to move forward. But what else was Jack keeping from her and how will she ever survive this betrayal?"

An okay read which I expected more from. I just didn't find it believable that after discovering your long term partner who had been killed in a car crash was married, and heading from America to Ireland to find out more, you'd just slot into a life living in that couple's home, wearing the dead woman's clothes, and becoming involved in a campaign to save a community park from being turned into a carpark. The blurb was misleading, I should have paid more attention to the title. The book was more about the residents of De Courcy Square and not Jack's secret life.

Saying that, I did enjoy the story but I was waiting for a big reveal which never happened.

Today is Halloween. We had a trip to Lotherton at the weekend to visit their Halloween trail. You'll have seen many posts on my blog in the past about the Spooky Halloween event they put on there, it's similar each year but they do change things up a little. This year it's all about Scarytales, that's fairytales with a twist. Expect to see all your favourite characters from childhood stories in a different light! Mirror mirror on the wall...

Granny's little pumpkin. Jack's such a cutie in the hat I knit for him especially for Halloween. This is Sweet Pumpkin by Drops Design, a simple pattern to knit up. I used Drops Karisma in the Orange and Forest Green colourways, a DK wool yarn. He wore it when Eleanor and Jacob took him to the pumpkin patch to choose their pumpkins and it prompted lots of comments from people.

The clocks went back at the weekend so the dark evenings have now arrived. It's time to hunker down for the winter months. There's only one thing in the diary for November and that's Jasmine's birthday which we'll be celebrating as a family, but I'm sure we'll find other things to do as the month progresses. Christmas events have started popping up so perhaps we'll get to one or two of those, we'll see.

Tree Carvings

I'd heard that The Yorkshire Carver was going to be working at Lotherton earlier this year. He was demonstrating his art, and carving for the visitors to see. We didn't make it at the time, but I thought I'd show you the carvings which were done on the pollarded trees in the Visayan warty pig's enclosure.

He's carved the leaves and seeds of six British trees into the trunks of these pollarded trees.

Ash

Beech

Walnut

Oak

Sycamore

Horse Chestnut

Shane Green, The Yorkshire Carver, uses a chainsaw to create his carvings. He's previously represented Great Britain at international chainsaw carving competitions in America. Apparently, he's created a new art trail in Roundhay Park in Leeds recently based on wildlife so I shall definitely have to go and see that.

Archie's Passport

We joined the National Trust earlier this year and as part of the membership package, we receive three National Trust magazines throughout the year. The assortment of articles they contain are interesting to read. 

In the magazine we received most recently,  we saw that there's a promotion running this autumn, right until the end of February, whereby you collect stamps in a Pooch Passport in order to receive treats. Now Archie would freely admit that he's a greedy dog so when I told him about this he was eager to pick up his own Pooch Passport and begin collecting.

We visited Beningbrough Hall in North Yorkshire on Saturday so this gave us the chance to acquire the passport and collect the first stamp. We need six in total for a free packet of natural dog treats and if we manage to collect twelve, Archie will get a free snood, how smart would he look in that.

The stamps have to be collected from different National Trust properties, I'm sure we'll manage six before the end of February but I'm not sure we'll have visited twelve individual properties in that time. I mentioned this to Archie and he told me he didn't mind, just so long as we get the treats!

Marienlyst Sweater

I'm still knitting baby garments. I saw the Marienlyst Sweater by Guri Pedersen on Instagram and immediately popped over to Ravelry to purchase the pattern.

I used Drops Merino Extra Fine in the Light Taupe colourway but in hindsight, I think a slightly finer yarn would have been better. It's beautifully soft though and has a beautiful drape to it now that it's been blocked. I didn't knit a swatch, it's knit up a little bigger than the 3-6 months size I chose but it doesn't matter, Jack will grow into it at some point.

I really enjoyed the pattern, I believe it's written in Norwegian and translated to English, but it was very straightforward to understand. This designer has some really lovely patterns, especially for babies.

I think this sweater will be perfect for the cold weather, especially when warm layers are needed. That time will come quicker than we expect, the nights are drawing in and the heating is on!

September 2024

Autumn seemed to arrive at the very start of the month with the mornings and evenings noticeably cooler. I was hoping for an Indian summer but that wasn't to be.

It was my birthday on the 3rd and I had the most perfect day. Mick took some time off work, we hadn't really planned a day out as the forecast didn't look too good but in the end we decided to head off to the Yorkshire Dales. I'm glad we did as it turned out beautiful, warm and sunny. We started the day off with a walk around Aysgarth Falls, a triple flight of waterfalls surrounded by woodland, before travelling on to the market town of Hawes, home of The Wensleydale Creamery. Of course, we had to bring some cheese home with us. The family came round once they'd finished work and we enjoyed a takeaway and an evening of games. I was so spoilt receiving some wonderful gifts and cards, the words inside them chosen especially for me were just beautiful.

We've been trying to make the most of every bit of fine weather this month. Now we're into autumn and with winter on the way, we may end up stuck indoors more so we've made sure we've had plenty of days out. We've visited Hardcastle Crags, Haworth, Thornton-Le-Dale, Hebden Bridge and Bingley Five Rise Locks, amongst other places. We like to get about a bit.

I've read four books this month.

Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt by Lucinda Riley and Harry Whittaker.

"Maia, Ally, Star, CeCe, Tiggy, Electra and their long-lost missing sister are gathered together for the first time, on board the Titan, to say a final goodbye to the enigmatic father they loved so dearly.

He has entrusted each of them with a clue to their past. But for every truth revealed another question emerges. How did Pa Salt amass his fortune? Why did he choose to adopt the sisters and why were they chosen from such different parts of the world? Have the answers been there all along, if only they had known where to find them?

The sisters must confront the idea that their adored father was someone they barely knew - and even more shockingly, that his long-buried secrets may still echo through the generations today."

The final book in The Seven Sisters saga and the one where the unanswered questions and secrets of the previous seven books are revealed. Sadly, Lucinda Riley, who wrote the series, died before completing the books so she entrusted the plotline to her son, Harry Whittaker, who wrote this final installment. He's done a brilliant job as the change in authors is seamless. Such a complicated story to unravel in this final chapter, it must have been a mammoth task to take on, but it was done brilliantly. 

I'm so sorry to have come to the end of this excellent series. I can only say that if you haven't yet read these books, you're missing out.

A Vintage Summer by Cathy Bramley.

"London has not been kind to Lottie Allbright. Realizing it's time to cut and run, she packs up and moves back home - but finds her family in disarray. In need of a new place to stay, Lottie takes up the offer of a live-in job managing a local vineyard. There's a lot to learn - she didn't even know grapes could grow so far north!

Butterworth Wines in the rolling Derbyshire hills has always been run on love and passion but a tragic death has left everyone at a loss. Widowed Betsy is trying to keep the place afloat but is harbouring a debilitating secret. Meanwhile her handsome but interfering grandson, Jensen, is trying to convince her to sell up and move into a home.

Lottie's determined to save Butterworth Wines, but with all this and an unpredictable English summer to deal with, it'll be a challenge.

And that's before she discovers something that will turn her summer - and her world - upside down..."

I've read a couple of books set around Christmas by Cathy Bramley and enjoyed them so I thought I'd give a summer themed one a try. I found it very easy to get into and an enjoyable story but there was just too much detail about winemaking for me, the technical details just made me want to switch off. It doesn't put me off wanting to read more from this author though, I like her style of writing and they're easy reads.

Home Truths by Charity Norman.

"Two years earlier, Livia was a probation officer in Yorkshire, her husband Scott a teacher. Their children, Heidi and Noah, round out a happy family until the day Scott's brother dies.

Grief and guilt leave Scott seeking answers, a search which takes him into the world of conspiracy theories. As his grip on reality slides, he makes a decision which will put the family on a collision course with tragedy.

Livia's family has been torn apart, and now her son's life is hanging in the balance. Just how far will she go to save the ones she loves?"

Charity Norman is one of my favourite authors, she hasn't written a book I haven't thoroughly enjoyed, so I've been waiting for the release of this latest offering. It was a good start, the book grabbed me from the first page and I read on wanting to know more.

This author comes up with some very interesting storylines and I love the way she writes, building the tension and urging you to turn page after page. Another brilliant read, I'm just sad that I've come to the end and have to wait for her to write something new.

Swimming to Lundy by Amanda Prowse.

"Tawrie Gunn feels stuck. She's spent her whole life in the same seaside town with her beloved Nana and grief-stricken mum, all of them still reeling in different ways from the tragic loss of Tawrie's dad at sea. Desperate for a change, she challenges herself to take up wild swimming - every morning, no excuses, from March till September.

Daring to take the plunge with the 'Peacock Swimmers', Tawrie feels alive in a way she's never known. Suddenly it seems she might be able to step outside her comfort zone after all and let life surprise her - perhaps even dream of a future beyond the shores of Ilfracombe? Especially when, one day, she spots a man in a pink linen shirt who seems as eager for a new start as she does.

But it turns out taking risks on land is a little different from wading into the sea. Can Tawrie face her fears head-on and find her way to happiness? She knows it's never too late to pursue your hopes and dreams, but it might be easier said than done..."

Amanda Prowse is a prolific writer and I've read every one of her novels. She writes about women, families and everyday life, and each of her books strike a chord, we can all put ourselves in the situations she writes about and I think that's why she's so successful at what she does.

Another great read, well rounded characters, a good storyline and a beautiful setting, what's not to love.

Jack has turned three months old. He's brought so much joy into our lives, he's such a happy little character and we love him so much. He's already rolling over and he's cut his first tooth. I'm just loving being a granny to this beautiful boy.

I've been busy knitting various versions of the Baby Aosta Cardigan by The Knit Purl Girl. I knit one for Jack in the first size and he's worn it to death, it's Eleanor's favourite cardigan for him and it's the baby cardigan I enjoy knitting the most. I decided I'd knit one in the second size for him, Eleanor requested a green. I thought the Olive colourway in the King Cole Cherished range was a nice shade so I went for that. It took just over 100 grams so as I had the best part of 100 grams left, I decided to knit another in the first size as a gift to go with a little pack of babygrows as my friend is to become a granny to a little boy in October. Then, as the winter months are approaching and Jack will need plenty of woollies, I decided to knit another for him. I went with the Happy Hippo colourway in Sirdar Snuggly, though I can't say I'm happy with the shade of blue, far too bright and with a purple tinge, but it was purchased online and you can't always get a true reflection of the actual colour when you don't see it in person. It's the second size again but the yarn is a much finer gauge than the King Cole so it's knit up a little smaller, but that's fine, it will just fit him sooner. I think it's time for a rest from this particular pattern now for a while.

Some of the shows we associate with autumn are now back on our screens, Strictly Come Dancing, The Great British Bake Off, and one of my favourites, All Creatures Great and Small. I remember the original TV series with Christopher Timothy in the leading roll. This new adaptation is now in its fifth season and I'm eager to see how the latest installment unfolds.

Autumn has arrived in earnest, I can't remember feeling ready to hunker down for the colder months quite so early in recent years but there's been no gradual creeping in of the darker evenings, they've just arrived all at once without warning. It's already dark at 7.30pm but one thing I have resisted is the urge to turn on the heating, even though we've already had some quite chilly days. I'm pleased I've been able to hold out until October. October will see Eleanor and Jacob's second wedding anniversary and, at the very end of the month, Halloween. We've got nothing planned for the month ahead so we'll just sit back and see what it brings.

Strictly Sockalong 2024

It's that time of year again, the nights are drawing in, the days are getting chilly, the shops are displaying their Christmas wares and Strictly Come Dancing is back on the TV, which means it's time for the Strictly Sockalong.

Each year, Ali at the Little Drops of Wonderful podcast hosts a knitalong where those taking part knit socks. It's just a bit of fun and hugely popular with many people. This year I decided that the socks I knit will be for Mick, he's wearing hand knit socks more often these days and as he hasn't got many pairs, I need to knit him some more. I've been wanting to try the Yarnsmiths yarn which is sold by Wool Warehouse so I asked Mick to choose which colourway he liked, he went for Rainy Days. The Merino Sock Prints range is a 75% wool 25% nylon mix.

The Strictly Come Dancing launch show was last Saturday so this is when I cast on, I managed to get the cuff done. It's a very soft yarn and I'm enjoying using it. It's a while since I've knit a pair of socks, the last time was when I joined in with last year's Strictly Sockalong. I've been using a lot of Double Knitting yarn for baby knits since then so this yarn seems very fine in comparison but I'm getting used to it again.

And as for Strictly Come Dancing, it looks set to be a fantastic series, many of the contestants have big personalities this year so I think it's going to be very lively. Saturday's show was as spectacular as ever with some brilliant first performances, so much so that I was engrossed and didn't get much more done on my socks, but there's plenty of time yet.

Robin Hood's Bay

Last Friday, we decided to have a day out. The weather is slowly turning to autumn so we're trying to make the most of every sunny day we get. Mick was supposed to be working but when we saw the sunshine after a couple of very bleak days, he took the day off. I'm glad he did as the rest of the weekend was a bit of a washout.

About five miles south of Whitby on the Yorkshire coast lies the old fishing village of Robin Hood's Bay. Where the name comes from is a mystery as there's no evidence to show that Robin Hood ever visited the village.

It was a little misty as we drove over the North York Moors and though it was still misty out to sea, the village itself was bathed in sunshine.

There's a very steep hill from the upper village to the lower and the road is narrow, just one car wide in places.

It's interesting if you go off the beaten track with little ginnels and snickets creating a maze through the back streets.

You really could get lost among all the alleys which run between the buildings.

It's such a great place for exploring as you really don't know what you might find. Take this particular alleyway, what do you think the building is on the left?

It's a second-hand bookshop. Yes, there are even shops, cafes and tea rooms to seek out if you stray from the main road.

I love all the old cottages, each one so individual. Robin Hood's Bay has been used by smugglers and it's thought that some of the cottages have underground tunnels which lead to the beach.

A view of the beach.

Parts of the beach are rather rocky rather than sandy.

There's lots of rock pools. This beach is popular with fossil hunters as ammonites and belemnites can be found here.

Archie was happy there was somewhere for him to cool off.

Archie always enjoys a walk on a beach.

There's a free museum in Robin Hood's Bay which has collections and displays of local interest. We didn't go in as we had Archie with us.

Tea, Toast and Post, the old Post Office is now a lively cafe, bar and gift shop.

Dollies sweet shop. This has been the village sweet shop since 1928.

Browns Chocolate Heaven. I'm not sure how I resisted this shop. There's a good selection of shops in Robin Hood's Bay selling everything from jewellery comprising local jet to locally produced craft gin as well as plenty of gift shops where you can purchase a souvenir.

As we were walking back we encountered two vans on the bend ahead, wide enough for just one vehicle. One was driving down, the other was driving up. Each had a couple of cars behind them so it wasn't easy for either of them to reverse. The village came to a standstill whilst they watched and listened to the expletives each of the drivers spat at each other. I'm not sure how it was resolved as we left them to it, but we did see a couple of the cars further up the hill attempting to reverse, not an easy task on a hill so steep.

The moors were still bleak as we drove home, a shame as it's usually beautiful at this time of year with the heather in bloom. It definitely wasn't shown at its best on this particular day.

As I looked out over the moors a steam train suddenly came into view heading towards Goathland Station.

I had some company. Sheep have grazed the moors for hundreds of years.

It's been a while since we last visited Robin Hood's Bay, I wasn't sure how Archie would manage the steep hill but he did remarkably well, though he did make straight for his bed when we arrived home!