October 2023

October has seen autumn settle in. The temperature has dropped, the trees are beginning to change colour, some dropping leaves, and nature's bounty can be found in the hedgerows. We've had all kinds of weather, some beautiful sunny autumn days when it's a joy to be out and about, but storms have also hit the UK with devastation for some including, very sadly, loss of life. It's that time of year when we just never know what we'll get.

We've tried to make the most of the good weather when we've had it this month with a few outings, though we've stayed closer to home rather than taking long drives. Mick had a week off work in the middle of October and we spent a lot of it at home just taking some time to recharge our batteries while getting some outside jobs done ready for the winter months, amongst a couple of trips out. One of the places we visited was Knaresborough, a market town in North Yorkshire, about twenty miles from where we live. The photo above shows one of the Town Windows. Many windows in buildings were blocked to avoid window tax or incorporated in the building's design to provide symmetry. Artwork has been installed on many of these panels around Knaresborough which illustrate characters and events from the town's history. I keep saying that we'll visit one day with the intention of seeing how many we can find, but we haven't done this yet. You do see them all over though as you wander around.

I've read seven books this month.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

"Lewis Carroll's anarchic, disturbing and boisterously funny Alice stories, conjured up one afternoon to entertain a young girl, are a unique blend of wordplay, logic, parody, puzzles and riddles.

Their dream worlds of nonsensical Wonderland and the back-to-front  Looking Glass kingdom depict order turned upside-down: a baby turns into a pig, time is abandoned at an unruly tea-party and a chaotic game of chess makes a seven-year-old girl a Queen. But, amongst the eccentric humour and witty conundrums, are poignant moments of nostalgia for a lost childhood."

Actually two books in one as Through the Looking Glass is also included in this edition. I'd never read about Alice's adventures before, though I think most people know the general story. A perfect tale for children and adults alike, lots of word play and general nonsense. I have to say that I dream exactly like Alice, I wake up feeling shattered! I rarely read books with pictures these days but the story was punctuated with forty two illustrations by John Tenniel which I enjoyed. A true classic.

Christmas at Thrush Green by Miss Read.

"The villagers of Thrush Green celebrate Christmas in a way that has hardly changed over the generations, Children eagerly hang up their stockings, families go to church together - and when the snow arrives, it seems as if Christmas will be perfect this year. But not everything is as peaceful as it seems.

Phyllida and Frank have their work cut out when an outbreak of chicken pox disrupts preparations for the Nativity play. The indomitable Ella Bembridge has been behaving strangely, much to the concern of her friends. Then there are the Burwells, newcomers to Thrush Green, who cause a stir with their meddling and their tasteless Christmas decorations. And Nelly Piggott, owner of The Fuchsia Bush tea shop, receives an unexpected letter that sends her into a spin.

Full of nostalgia, warmth and brilliant characters, Christmas at Thrush Green is a truly festive treat."

Sadly, this is the final book in the Thrush Green series. I was sorry when I came to the end of the Fairacre series and didn't think I'd enjoy Thrush Green as much but I have. I do have to say that I was very disappointed in this book though. Billed as a Miss Read book, Dora Saint, who wrote under the pen name of Miss Read, was 96 when this book was published and it's stated at the start of the book that although the initial idea and developing storyline was discussed with her long-time editor, it was actually Jenny Dereham and not Miss Read who put it into words, and you can tell. When you've got to know the characters through a series of books you get to know the way they talk, the way they think even, and definitely how they'd behave in certain situations, and unfortunately, many of the characters just didn't ring true.

I'm sad to say this but if Miss Read was unable to write the book herself, then it should have been left well alone. It's a sorry end to a brilliant collection of books.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.

"Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing.

But it's the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality. Forced to resign, she reluctantly signs on as the host of a cooking show, Supper at Six. But her revolutionary approach to cooking, fuelled by scientific and rational commentary, grabs the attention of a nation. And soon a legion of overlooked housewives find themselves daring to change the status quo. One molecule at a time."

I'd seen such good reviews of this book that I couldn't resist picking it up when I saw it in The Works. I'm glad I did as it deserved every one of the reviews I'd read.

Going back to the 1950s and 60s, this book highlights the plight of women, not only in science but in all sorts of different situations at that time. I loved Elizabeth Zott and what she stood for, in fact we're introduced to many wonderful characters but my favourite has to be Six Thirty, the dog. The book was witty but also sad in places too, and the story has a tidy ending. One of my favourite books of the year, I'm not surprised that it's being made into a TV series.

From a Far and Lovely Country by Alexander McCall Smith.

"Mma Ramotswe's birthday was not going to go entirely unmarked and there was the additional prospect of tea with a slice, or even more than one slice, of Mma Potokwani's justly celebrated fruit cake. There is always a silver lining, thought Mma Ramotswe - or almost always. The trick was to recognise the silver lining when it came. That was what needed to be done, Sometimes you had to look quite hard and the silver lining might not appear until rather late in the morning, as was the case that day.."

This is the twenty fourth book in the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and I've read and enjoyed every one of them. Set in Botswana, a country I know little about, I love the feeling of the slow pace of life and learning about this country's customs. 

These books fit into the cosy crime genre but really, it's like catching up with old friends when you sit down to read the latest instalment in this series.

A Merry Little Christmas by Julia Williams.

"As the festive season ends in the village of Hope Christmas, what will the new year bring?

With four children, a Christmas cookbook to write, and her mum suffering from dementia, Cat Tinsall has plenty to juggle. When her eldest daughter, Mel, starts going off the rails, Cat has even more on her plate.

Pippa Holliday adores her family although often finds her hands full. But when her husband, Dan is involved in a terrible accident, Pippa's world is turned upside down.

Balancing her job as a school teacher with twins and her stepson Steven isn't easy for Marianne North. With her husband's ex causing trouble, life is getting even trickier.

As Cat, Pippa and Marianne help each other through a difficult year, they're all hoping for a much brighter Christmas."

Too early for a Christmas story in October? I don't think so. I've got a few Christmas books to read this year so I thought I'd start sooner rather than later. I received this book as a gift from my lovely friend, Lisa, in our Twelve Days Of Christmas 2022 swap, a gift swap we've been doing for the past ten years, and over those years I think I've received a book to read as one of the gifts every year, and I think I've sent Lisa a book to read every year too.

This was an easy read about three families who live in a village called Hope Christmas. I wouldn't say it's a story about Christmas other than the ending being at Christmas time, but it was enjoyable and I whizzed though it. I had the feeling that there may have been more books about the village before it and on checking afterwards, found that this is the second in a trilogy, but it certainly stood up to being read as a standalone book. Perhaps I'll look for the other two.

Strictly Christmas Spirit by Helen Buckley.

"From disco balls to Christmas baubles...

Ex-dancer Emily Williams turned her back on the sparkle of popular dancing show Strictly Dancing with Celebs to help those in need. Now the only dancing she does is teaching lonely pensioners to waltz, and the closest she gets to disco balls is making baubles with the homeless people in her Christmas crafts class.

She's certainly not star-struck when Hollywood heart-throb Blake Harris is sent to her at short notice for community service, and has no desire to babysit the arrogant actor with his bad boy antics and selfish ways. Christmas might be a time for miracles, but Blake seems to be a lost cause.

But Emily's reasons for abandoning her dancing passion means she understands the Hollywood wild child more than she'd like to admit. Could their time together, coupled with a dash of Christmas spirit, lead to a miracle change of heart for them both?"

This was another book I received as a gift last Christmas, this time from my pen pal, Pauline. I loved the story set around a community drop-in centre, quite an original idea I thought. Although the story is about Emily and Blake, it's quite a short book at just 212 pages so more could have been made of the other characters, who I wanted to know more about. A very enjoyable read, so much so that I read this book in a day.

The Merry Christmas Project by Cathy Bramley.

"Anything can happen at Christmas...

Christmas has always meant something special to Merry- even without a family of her own. This year, her heart might be broken but her new candle business is booming. The last thing she needs is another project - but when her hometown's annual event needs some fresh festive inspiration, Merry can't resist.

Cole loves a project too - though it's usually of the bricks and mortar variety. As a single dad, his Christmas wish is to see his kids again, so getting the new house finished for when they're all together is the perfect distraction.

But this Christmas, magic is in the air for these two strangers. Will it bring them all the joy they planned for...and take their hearts by surprise too?"

Another gift from my pen pal last Christmas. I've never come across Cathy Bramley before but after reading this, a bit of research has led me to discover that she's written quite a few books and there's even a sequel to this one which I've now bought. A feel good Christmas story, quite predictable but hugely enjoyable. I shall definitely look out for more from this author.

Does anyone else tend to get in a rut where cooking meals is concerned? Mick's a very plain eater so we get to the point where we stick to the same meals week in and week out. I got so fed up of this at the back end of last month that I pulled out the cook books and we've decided to choose one new recipe to try each week. Those of you who follow me on Instagram will see some of the things we've cooked so far: Cumberland Sausage, Chicken and Squash Tray Bake from the Hairy Bikers British Classics; Chicken Hot Pot from Mary Berry's Simple Comforts; Pizza-Stuffed Chicken from Pinch of Nom are the first three we tried. We've enjoyed them all and more besides. We're actually enjoying cooking and trying some new things. Sometimes you just have to shake it up a little.

It was Bakewell Wool Gathering on the 14th of October. I'd made a note of it in my diary but it wasn't until the day arrived that I made up my mind to go. It's a lovely wool show, very friendly and not too big. I was very restrained and didn't buy much but it was fun to look round all the stalls and chat to the stallholders. Afterwards, we had a wander around Bakewell, situated on the River Wye, it's the biggest town in the Peak District and we always enjoy our visits there.

During the summer months I find very little to watch on TV but as soon as autumn arrives, the TV schedules begin to look up again. As well as old favourites like Strictly Come Dancing and The Great British Bake Off, I've been watching one or two other things to note.

The Reckoning.

Steve Coogan portrayed Jimmy Savile in this TV mini-series and what a fantastic job he did. It was hard to remember that we weren't actually watching Jimmy Savile himself in some parts and it was rather chilling. The series told the story of Savile's life from his working-class upbringing to his rise to stardom, and ultimately how he was able to get away with sexually abusing hundreds of young girls and boys, including many children, before finally being exposed as a predator and paedophile after his death. It actually beggars belief how he got away with it for his entire life.

The Long Shadow.

A seven part true crime drama detailing the events from 1975 to 1980 when Peter Sutcliffe, dubbed the Yorkshire Ripper, committed his thirteen murders. I was just seven when he began his killing spree, twelve when it ended, but living close to some of the areas where he murdered his victims, I can still remember the fear of that time. This drama focuses on the victims rather than Sutcliffe himself, and the botched police investigation.

All Creatures Great and Small.

A feel-good series based on the early career of vet, James Herriot. Shown on Thursday nights, it's one of those programmes which lends itself to Sunday evening viewing when all the family sit down together to watch something gentle and entertaining. Wonderful characters and appealing storylines set amidst the backdrop of the Yorkshire Dales, what's not to love. 

I've got another yarny advent calendar on order to countdown this Christmas so I thought I'd better start using up the advent calendars I've still got from years past. I decided to cast on the Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart. I won a pattern of my choice from Alex at the My Yarny Corner blog quite a while ago, this is the pattern I chose and I'm really enjoying knitting it. I'm using yarn from the charity advents which Helen at Giddy Yarns put together last year and the year before, each mini skein is from a different yarn dyer and it's a treat to use such a selection.

Today is Halloween. We've visited the Spooky Skeletons Trail at Lotherton as we do just about every year, it's such good fun, especially for children. Mick's carved a pumpkin and we've decorated the front of the house so that any trick or treaters know that we're game for their visits. We love to see the creative ways they've dressed and enjoy seeing their excited faces. We've got plenty of treats waiting in readiness. 

Now that the clocks have gone back we seem to have much shorter days. It makes me want to go into hibernation mode, hunkering down until spring arrives, so I'm not sure what I'll have to report in November. On the bright side, the coming month will see the start of Christmas preparations so we may get out to an event or two. We'll see.

Mills And Canals

Mick's been off work this week. We knew the weather wasn't going to be brilliant so we didn't plan on doing much other than having some downtime and recharging our batteries. It's been lovely actually. We've had lots of slow days, eaten out, seen family, and we did manage some short outings close to home too.

On Wednesday we drove over to Sunnybank Mills where The Great British Sewing Bee is filmed. 

We had a mooch around but didn't stay long. There's a lovely yarn shop there called Ewe Neek which sell a good range but I was good and resisted adding anything to my stash.

Afterwards we drove about a mile to Rodley so that we could take a stroll along the canal. Our usual walks Down By The Canal are along the Aire and Calder Navigation but this is the Leeds & Liverpool Canal which stretches for 127 miles and links the cities of Leeds and Liverpool.

Some parts of the canal stretch through residential areas, other parts travel through tranquil countryside.

The trees are just beginning to start showing their autumn hues. I hope they manage it before they drop their leaves, which the strong winds we've had over the last couple of days are helping them to do.

A beautiful swan came gliding down the canal. He was all alone, I hope he's got a family waiting for him somewhere.

Further along the canal it becomes more built up along the sides, and there are boats moored up here too.

A swing bridge allows pedestrians and bikes to cross. You can actually feel it move as you walk across it, a weird sensation.

It was a lovely day, blue skies and very mild for this time of year, so there were quite a few people out walking. The storm was forecast that same night though it wasn't as bad as had been forecast. It's now full on though, rain lashing the windows and strong winds, I'm glad to be indoors on a day like today.

There were quite a few boats along this stretch of the canal.

I love the name of this one. Music lovers I think.

Not sure this one's water tight. It's definitely seen better days.

Horses graze along the other side of the canal.

The footpath at the side of the canal is a great place for a Little Free Library. I had a look but nothing took my fancy.

Soon it was time to turn back and head for the car as Archie's little legs couldn't walk much further. This photo shows how close the canal is to the houses. I'd quite fancy living close to the canal and watching the boats sail by.

It was a nice idea for a couple of hours out when we didn't want to go too far.

What Lies Within

I decided that I'd join in with a couple of Halloween knitalongs this year. Alex on the My Yarny Corner podcast and Helen on the Giddy Knits podcast are both hosting one so I thought I'd knit a pair of socks and enter them in both knitalongs.

I didn't want to go to the expense of buying yarn especially for this but didn't have any Halloween yarn in my stash, so I decided to go with a skein of yarn I'd got from Love Handyed called Autumn Fallen Leaves. The colours are very autumnal but I do think it looks a little Halloweeny too as there's pops of bright green, bright yellow and bright orange in there if you look closely.

As for a pattern, I had the What Lies Within Socks by Naomi Buchanan in my Ravelry library. It's a pattern I won a few years ago but have never knitted before. As it's inspired by the Harry Potter books and in particular The Chamber of Secrets and the basilisk, I thought this would suit the Halloween theme rather well. It's a very easy cable pattern and I love how it looks.

The added bonus of entering these knitalongs is that I now have a nice new pair of socks to add to my sock drawer just in time for the colder weather.

Official Photos

It's Eleanor and Jacob's first wedding anniversary today, the wedding seems so long ago now. I did a post about Eleanor And Jacob's Wedding Day at the time and included some photos which people had snapped on their phones but I never got round to showing you any of the official photos.

Actually, they still haven't got their wedding album. It was a while before the photos came through and then there were well over a thousand photos to choose from. It's been a bit of a full on year for them with one thing and another so the photos had been put on a back burner but they've now decided which ones they want including in their album and are just waiting on the photographer putting it all together.

These are just a few of the photos they're including in the album. I hope you've enjoyed seeing them. Eleanor and Jacob are currently in Crete where they're celebrating their anniversary in 5* luxury.

Happy First Wedding Anniversary, Eleanor and Jacob!

September 2023

We had a heatwave at the beginning of September. It was quite unexpected after the mixed summer we've had this year but it was nice to get some good weather at last, especially as autumn has now brought cooler temperatures with it.

The weather perked up just in time for my birthday on the 3rd. It fell on a Sunday so we booked a table for a lovely Sunday lunch for the six of us at a very popular pub less than five miles from home which I mentioned when I wrote my post about St Mary's Church, Lead. Afterwards it was all back to our house where we enjoyed the sunshine in the garden, ate cake and ice-cream, and played games. I can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday. I received some wonderful gifts, a few of which are shown above. Some more books to add to my classics collection from family members. The note book, yarn and chocolate were from my lovely friend, Maggie, who blogs at Black CountryWench. The notebook is lovely, it's one of those with the loose cover so that the book can be replaced when full. Thank you Maggie, such a lovely gift. I also received perfume, a new case for my iPad and lots of chocolate amongst other things.

We don't visit Lotherton as often as usual during the summer months as it's much busier when the schools are on holiday, but come September, we're back to our usual walks. The red deer have lots of fawns in their herd at the moment so are rather skittish but this beautiful girl was very inquisitive and wanted to know exactly what we were doing. Archie's happy to be back walking at Lotherton too, his favourite place.

I've read five books this month.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte.

"This sensational, hard-hitting and passionate tale of marital cruelty sees a mysterious new tenant at Wildfell Hall, Helen Graham, unmasked not as a 'wicked woman' as the local gossips would have it, but as the estranged wife of a brutal alcoholic bully, desperate to protect her son.

Using her own experiences with her brother Branwell to depict the cruelty and debauchery from which Helen flees, Anne Bronte wrote her masterpiece to reflect the fragile position of women in society and her belief in universal redemption."

Anne Bronte wrote only two novels before her untimely death at the age of twenty-nine. I read Agnes Grey last year and enjoyed that so I decided to give her other book a go.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall reads as two books. First of all there's the story of Mrs Graham, a mysterious widow who has come to live at Wildfell Hall, a dilapidated mansion which has stood empty for years. She becomes the subject of neighbourhood gossip but Gilbert Markham believes none of it. She eventually gives Gilbert her diary to read and this is where the second story takes over.

Dealing with themes such as domestic violence, mental cruelty and alcoholism, Anne Bronte touched on subjects which were considered taboo and many now consider The Tenant of Wildfell Hall to be one of the first feminist novels.

I loved this book, I read it much quicker than I expected as I just didn't want to put it down. It's so sad that Anne died at such a young age, she was obviously a talented author and I'd have loved to read more.

The Year at Thrush Green by Miss Read.

"Following a bitterly cold snap in January, winter at Thrush Green turns into a beautiful spring and a series of local dramas takes hold of the village community. Plans for the village fete are hotting up, the illness of Mrs Peters at the Fuchsia Bush restaurant makes the future uncertain for its staff, and problems concerning the Rectory Cottages prove difficult to solve.

Meanwhile, the arrival of a stranger from America excites much interest and curiosity - who is this blond giant, and what effect will he have on the village?

Set against the changing seasons, exquisitely observed, The Year at Thrush Green is a rural delight."

This is the penultimate book in the Thrush Green series. Written month by month, Miss Read takes us through a full year of all the happenings in the village. One of the wonderful things about these books is how the changing seasons are observed, and as the story takes us through the calendar year, we get to see the changes in nature which each month brings through the beautifully descriptive writing.

Just one more Thrush Green book to go, I'll be so sad when this series comes to an end.

Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes.

"Meet Sam...

She's not got much, but she's grateful for what she has: a job she's just about clinging on to and a family who depend on her for everything. She knows she's one bad day away from losing it all - and just hopes today isn't it...

Meet Nisha...

She's got everything she always dreamed of - and more: a phenomenally rich husband; an international lifestyle; but...she's just been locked out of all of it after her husband initiates divorce proceedings...

Sam and Nisha should never have crossed paths. But after a bag mix-up at the gym, their lives become intertwined - even as they spiral out of control.

Each blames the other as they feel increasingly invisible, forgotten, lost, and desperately alone.

But they're not.

No woman is an island. Look around. Family. Friends. Strangers. Even the woman you believe just ruined your life might turn out to be your best friend. Because together you can do anything - like take back what is yours..."

I reserved this book a long time ago at the library and finally got to the top of the list. I didn't even know what the book was about when I reserved it but I didn't care. I've read every one of Jojo Moyes' books and there isn't one that I haven't enjoyed. I suppose other people feel the same because it's taken a heck of a long time to get to the top of that library list.

Jojo Moyes comes up with some great storylines, her books are never 'samey', she's very original and this is why I look forward to her releasing new material. She also comes up with great characters who you always end up rooting for.

Another great book and another I'd definitely recommend.

Three Sisters by Heather Morris.

"Their story will break your heart

Their journey will fill you with hope

Survival would be their victory

When they are young girls, Cibi, Magda and Livia make a promise to their father: that they will stay together, no matter what. Years later, at just 16, Livia is ordered to Auschwitz by the Nazis, Cibi, only 19 herself, follows Livia, determined to protect her sister, or die with her. Together, they fight to survive through unimaginable cruelty and hardship.

Magda, at only 18, stays with her mother and grandfather, hiding out in a neighbour's attic or in the forest when the Nazi militia come. Eventually she too is captured and transported to the death camp. In Auschwitz-Birkenau the three sisters are reunited and, remembering their father, they make a new promise, this time to each other: that they will survive.

Three Sisters is a beautiful story of hope in the hardest of times and of finding love after loss, based on the incredible true story of the Mellor sisters, as told to Heather Morris."

I've read books by Heather Morris before and this one is just as harrowing. It's so hard to imagine the atrocities which were committed in the concentration camps. This story, and others like it, are important because we must never be allowed to forget.

This book is so well written and I like the fact that a good proportion of the book is about the lives of the Three Sisters after their time in Auschwitz-Birkenau, how they got their lives back on track and the obstacles they had to overcome. I know not everyone likes to read this genre of book but it's definitely one I'd recommend if you do.

How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie.

"THEY SAY YOU CAN'T CHOOSE YOUR FAMILY.

BUT YOU CAN KILL THEM...

Meet Grace Bernard.

Daughter, sister, serial killer...

Grace has lost everything.

And she will stop at nothing to get revenge."

I'm sure you can guess by the title that this is quite a dark book, but written very tongue in cheek and with humour. There are some rather long chapters where the story seems to drag a little but it did keep my interest. I'm in two minds about the ending though, on one hand I found it a little lazy but then on the other, it's quite inspired. Contradictory I know. All in all I found it a good read, something a little different from the books I usually pick up.

We said goodbye to a very dear family friend this month. Although she'd been poorly over the last couple of years, her health had improved somewhat and so her death came as quite a shock. Apparently, she'd left detailed instructions on how she wanted her funeral to be carried out and so her family knew exactly what she wanted. We found this bookmark on our car when we left the crematorium.

Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens and what a great start to the series we've had. There's some fabulous dancers this year, hard to guess who will still be there at the end. Once again, I'm joining in with the Strictly Sockalong which is being held on the Little Drops of Wonderful podcast. This is the sixth year that I've joined in, with those taking part knitting socks whilst watching the show, though of course, cheating is encouraged so I may end up knitting the socks at other times too.

As we head into October, it's all about preparing for winter. We haven't succumbed and turned on the heating yet but I doubt it will be long before we do. I don't enjoy the colder months of the year, and as the clocks go back at the end of the month, the nights will be drawing in too which is something else I dislike. I don't have anything planned for the month ahead so let's see what it brings.