Storm brewing

A wonderful start to the day and really warm,but then as the first picture shows all of a sudden the clouds roll in a the rain started, it was so quick people were sat out in the garden and had to run for it.
There was a couple of rumbles of thunder but the storm seemed to pass us by.



The rain stopped to much of a walk tonight, just a stroll up the village to Buckle Yeat.



Dark early tonight, it seems like it was summer this morning and autumn tonight.
No teas tomorrow so we will be off on the dreaded shopping trail.

Beautiful Day

A really nice August day with blue skies and light winds. When you see the devastation in New Orleans USA it makes you realise how lucky we are. We get a few wet days and are complaining.
Not a very busy day at first but then the we had a full garden and people looking for tables.
We went for a walk down the Dub and through by the church.



This is a picture across Esthwaite Water towards Coniston



A shot of Esthwaite How Farm

Chalk & Cheese

Today's weather was good as yesterdays was bad, it was a sunny clear day, with the temperature in the low 20's.
We had a brief visit from God Daughter Ellie this morning, excited about a forthcoming trip to Blackpool.



All guest's present and correct so before tea we went a walk up to the tarns, it reminded me of a time we sent some American guests for a walk up to the tarns and I overheard them next morning commenting on not finding any shops, think they were looking for towns.


A couple of pictures at Moss Eccles

Awful Day

It has been a miserable day weather wise, so much so, not even one picture taken today.
Some houses in the village were without power again this morning, we are so lucky

The village was pretty quiet today for a Bank Holiday, I think the fact that the road signs tell us the ferry is not working when in fact it is. The thing that is not working are the signs, are you following this?

The bright spot of the day was England taking a 2-1 lead in the Ashes series eventually after a nerve racking last hour.Oh and Andrew fetching round my lotto winnings ( it will not change my life and I intend to keep working)

Only one room changed today so we where home early and after tea a hour with the papers, and then keeping up to speed with the Spanish footy.

Hot (cold) Chocolate

Phillip & Sheila from Whinfell called in for coffee today and said their grandaughter Rose had been complaining she was unable to visit Buckle Yeat for her favorite Hot but cold Chocolate,a conncoction designed by myself along with the expert advice of Rose.
So we are sending her a do it yourself version.
( Keep the recipe secret Rose)

England on top in the Test, how about this for a headline in the Tabloids
"Ponting run out by a Pratt and whingeing like a pom"

A colourful show in the garden next door.



Oh bye the way a rollover in the bonus ball, and number 49 wins the cash, ME!!!!

Power cut

Power cut in the village tonight, but thankfully we are OK.
Just a couple of properties without power, an underground fault they say.
Good to see the Aussies struggling.

Anvil Cottage



Post Office Meadow



Spent the night watching the football, Liverpool were poor but managed to win in the end.
It has been raining on and off since 6pm.

Bank Holiday

The last Bank Holiday is upon us,it's a blustery sort of a day but a least dry.
England are on top in the Ashes match at Trent Bridge and there's a footy match on tonight, it's all go.
Helen is busy making Roman Blinds, and we all know how to make a Roman Blind so I'm not saying it.
I'm helping with the joinery bit, battens and dowling and cleats.

It's Thursday it must be Kendal

Kendal again for the big shop, great fun, at Morrisons saw this steam driven bus in the car park,we just missed three or four similar vehicles which had passed through.



Some of the kids who had just got their GCSE results where quite interested.



When we got back managed to unload in between some really heavy showers, with one eye on the Test and one on the Champions League draw, ( Chelsea, no problem, you've got to beat the best to win the the cup) Late wickets for the Aussies swing it their way.

Called in for a beer at the Tower, Black Sheep Special, very moreish, is that a word?
Richard and Brocky came in kept us entertained.
Home for tea.

Changeable

After an awful night the day was really nice with just one heavy shower.
Not managed much of a walk tonight, just a stroll up the village.
Smoked salmon and salad for tea, very tasty.

A picture across towards Grizdale taken at about 7pm.



A different shot of the village with the Garth and Beechmount in the background and Lake field cottages in the foreground, taken from the Swilling Shop.



One of those heavy showers is on us at the moment.

Downpour

What a night, gales,torrential rain, window boxes blown down, gutters blocked,well it is August. Dry at the moment but for how long? Two sets of Japanese guests coming today.

Hawkshead Show

A bright start but the weatherman got it right the clouds gathered and the rain arrived at about 2pm. These are a couple of pictures of the horses at the show, the bad weather is plain to see.



Sadly Margarets cushion went unrewarded, whilst Willy's cucumber was a 1st prize winner.



A frustrating match to watch, Liverpool that is,losing 0-1 at home but at least we live to fight another day.
Matthew is out playing squash at the Pillar club with a mate from Elterwater.

Costa del Sawrey

After a rainy night it turned into a fantastic sunny day.
Spotted this vehicle on the way to work this morning, some competitors from yesterdays event at Torver



After work we went a walk to the lake and Matthew took this shot of me and Helen down by Esthwaite Water



As usual a couple of swans arrived to beg for titbits, sorry nothing doing here.



Hawkshead Show tomorrow and they will be hoping for a day like today,
Helens mum Margaret will be there showing this cushion she has made and joining the Hawkshead Quilters demonstrating their art.

Raining tonight

This is the gate into Post Office meadow this morning before the sun burnt off the mist.

A christening in the village today at St Peters as Debbie and Drew christened their daughter Abbie, they had the celebrations at the Tower Bank Arms. Abbies auntie Heather brought us some christening cake, and good it was to.
A lady who parked in the yard in a big old Volvo had some tea and then tried to turn the Volvo round instead of backing out. As the crowd gathered to watch she became more and more flusterd, she almost took out the greenhouse and three innocent customers waiting to spend a penny. In the end I had to offer to back it out, in I got along with her disabled mother and three very large smelly dogs and managed to back out on to the road, how far she gets I'm not sure because the clutch was at it's wits end, hence her problems backing uphill,I nearly got a round of applause from the tea garden people spectating the event. One Aussie said he understood why her clutch was shot at judging by her prowess behind the wheel.




Before tea we went a walk through the Bishop and where amazed how the brackens are turning autumnal.
We went along this path then down into the village to Buckle Yeat to light the log fire, and just got home as the rain started. It's still raining as I write this.

Pea Souper

Very very misty this morning first thing but another glorious day now. It's Langdale Country Fair at Torver today, so they are going to be very lucky with the weather. Not many guests leaving today, just a couple of rooms.

Commute

It's a cracking day with the sun shining all day, and mid afternoon it was quite hot. This first picture is my commute to work every day, never any traffic jams on this road, known locally as the swilling shop.



Change over day in the holiday cottages, so not a very busy day until the very last minute when a coach load of Canadian tourists descended on us for tea.
After we finished and had an hour with the papers in the Sawrey sunshine we went a walk up Coopers Lane and on to Moss Eccles.



Me Helen & Matthew on the outcrop by Moss Eccles

Friday

Friday and again it's a sunny one, only problem is we have kitchen to paint, great fun but it has to be done.Got finished about 3pm and managed to get an hour or two with the papers. A room free tonight and for a Friday unusual, but full tomorrow.
This is a telephone box at the Esthwaite Farm holiday flats, it actualy has a private pay phone installed for the use of holiday makers at the flats.



This is Grizdale Forest and Esthwaite Water early this morning with a light mist just lifting 10 minutes later it had gone.

Peter Rabbit

Before setting off on the shopping treadmill I got a tip off from Matthew and went up into Hill Top garden and bumped into an old bunny. Some kids where happy to chat to Peter but one in particular was not to pleased.


Has Peter put on a bit of weight, that jacket is struggling to fasten



On to Kendal via Grange over Sands,this is The Cedar Coffee House on the Main Street in Grange,very busy it was as well. It come highly recommended.


Lunch at Artisan in Kendal and loads of the boring essential shopping, then back across the ferry home.

Hill Top Open

Hill Top is open today and there is a very large queue at the ticket office. Word is a Mr P Rabbit will be popping in, watch this space. Another nice morning long may it last. Shopping again !! later.

Fisherman

A another sunny day in Sawrey. Busy but manageable today, a lot of families about this afternoon.
We had a few rooms arriving tonight so only a short walk to Esthwaite Water.
Plenty of fisherman out tonight, both on the bank and in boats.



These are a couple properties on the entrance to the village taken off the footpath to the lake. The big house to the right is Ees Wyke Hotel and the middle one is Little Ees Wyke, Helens brother Tony and his wife Margaret live there.

Cunsey Walk

Turned out a really sunny evening, Me Helen and Matthew went for a walk down Dub Lane along the main road and through to Cunsey Bridge and then back into Far Sawrey and along the footpath into Near Sawrey

These are a couple of shots of Cunsey Bridge




This is the footpath through to Cunsey

Dahlias

Really busy afternoon, about as busy as it's been. Before all the mayhem, took this first shot of one of Denis's dahlias.
Had an e-mail from some regulars Mark & Carole today, and we are looking forward to seeing them at the end of September.



This is Ann & Harold from Yorkshire who left this morning, they have stayed with us many times and are really lovely people. Their son Paul took part in the round the world yacht race The Global Challenge a few years ago.
One night Helen and I met him by chance in the Tower, he was visitng a mate in the next village. We had heard so much about him from his parents we felt we already knew him, so from what I remember we had a really good night and suffered a bit next day.



A really colourful garden in the village

Cream Teas

Cream Teas the order of the day,this is one of the Buckle Yeat cream scones, all low calorie of course. Quite busy this morning and then tailed of a bit this afternoon.
Watched the last hour of the test when we got finished, shame England did'nt quite do it.


Misty morning and never got as sunny as the weathermen said it would.

Misty Morning

Like a September morning, a bit chill and misty over Grizdale first thing.
Denis has got the tables out in the garden so he must think it's going to be a good day. No rain please at Old Trafford so England can have a full day at the Aussies.

Drunken Duck

Picked Matthew up from Oxenholme station at 7:10 and then he drove to the Duck and we had a really nice meal, prior to that had a bit of a crack with Eddie a local farmer who was in for a early pint.
Matthew bought me a pair of flip flops for my birthday which might take some getting used to, but I am told is worth the effort.
Also tonight a couple of nice messages from Jan & Jeff & Peter & Linda wishing me all the best.

Ambleside from the Drunken Duck



The Drunken Duck at Barngates

Bright and Breezy

Better morning today, quite a lot of departures and arrivals to sort.
Hopefully Matthew will be back tonight, all three of us are going out for a meal and he is driving. Just got a phone call from Dorothy one of the Wirksworth rebels wishing me Happy Birthday.
Helen got me a smart shirt for a present and I got a few cards.

Power Cut

What a start to the the day, torrential rain and a power failure, why always at breakfast time? It was a tester for the new generator.
Matthew is away at Sarah's and then on to a 21st in Warwickshire
Watched Liverpool grind out a 0-0 draw at Middlesborough,but that's better than a 3-0 loss at home ( Preston North End).

This is the footbridge up Cuckoo Brow Lane



Horse in a field on the way up to Moss Eccles ( Harriet's I think )



A view of Esthwaite Water, taken by Tony & Margaret.



Oh by the way way it's my birthday tomorrow.

Marrow Show

A cloudy start then the sun came out,Helen had another visit to the dentist, I did some bookwork with one ear on the Test (great).
Helen me and Margaret went for a walk up the lane and met the Nishi family who are staying at Buckle Yeat, it's Friday night so the Kimonos where on, very smart.




Down into Far Sawrey and we met Roger from Fold Farm, and Cliff from Spout House, and they let us have a look at the Marrow situation,the annual Marrow Show is on the 3rd Saturday in September and the competion is intense, look at Rogers face when he see's how big Cliffs specimen is.