Noelle and Tim wish you a very Happy New Year. The Festive Season has been notable for the persisting snow and ice. We are nearly reaching the 6th week of snow in Ryedale which has largely melted now but remains behind walls and persists as lumps of ice where cars and walking has compressed it down. We escaped with few freeze ups and burst pipes and have been grateful to our attentive and exhausted plumber, Nigel, who has helped in crisis or two. Thanks also to our guests for their understanding and for one particular Applestore visitor who was able to sort the frozen outflow of the condensing boiler. It felt like a team effort. Minus 5 degrees on a frosty morning felt like a mild start after the preceding days down to -15C. It's amazing how quickly we adjust our values.
The best advantage of the snow and ice was the opportunity to stoke up the woodburners and make a cosy atmosphere amongst the Christmas decorations and the tree. Noelle enjoys preparing the trees in the cottages as well as the inside and outside trees at the Hall. Mulled wine is a treat we like to share with our guests and our family look forward to her stollen and other Dutch influenced baking.
Bird feeding became an important part of the day with sacks of grain used to help a wide variety of birds to survive the harsh conditions. Even warmed water froze briskly so became a regular daily task. As the thaw starts it's good to see large numbers of survivors feeding noisily.
We have had some wonderful walks with our American in-laws. One snowy late afternoon was marked by a lovely sunset which reflected off the beck flowing out of Keld Head. The pair of swans gliding past made it perhaps the best photograph I have missed this year! I should carry a small camera at all times but the gloom and freezing conditions persuaded me that any success was unlikely. A large swarm of us walked around the hunting bridges in Newtondale where snow on the trees proved irresistible to the children. All ended up soaked! we also enjoyed the walk straight up the hill from Noelle's Cottages into the silence and stillness of the countryside. Distant sledgers added a dot of colour and excited laughter. We struck off across a field but soon lost the footpath and filled out boots with snow. Great to find our way back and then see Middleton in the distance with the sun setting and the promise of lighting the tree and sitting in front of the log fire.
Midnight Mass in the pretty ancient church in Sinnington was a lovely introduction to Christmas day.
We are now enjoying the Holy Nights with a little entertaining, relaxation and holiday reading which will energise us for the year to come. We have no major building plans for the year other than a green roofed log store and perhaps a little maintenance on the garden walls. My retirement present from the surgery was a badger watching hide which has yet to be conceptualised. It will have photographic possibilities designed in though.
We are looking forward to welcoming our guests in 2011 and wish you all a very happy, healthy and rewarding New Year.
Noelle and Tim
