big freeze so the weather man says

4 feb 2012. weather man says big snow on the way, well the snowdrops are in for a shock then, even the rabbit has been playing outside during the last few weeks.

3 jan 2012. some lovely guests over christmas and new year, familiar faces and new ones. time to take down the trees and back to the school runs.

22 dec plenty of people up to see the sunrise on winter solstice

21 dec we have chosen and cut the trees for the house, cant wait to vacuum the kids rooms in january!!

7 dec yuk slush but at least roads are clear again.

6 dec. oh yes white again, beautiful views

26 nov this time last year masses of snow, now warm enough with just a fleece

12 and 13 nov. a weekend of leaf mowing, playing in the woods,guests walking in the fog.

2011. 11 october. beautiful autumn colours in the woods, pickling beetroot. great walking in the wind.

28 september. turkeys and geese happy out in the fields, potatoes dug up, peas and beans still being picked.

5 september 2011. lots of lovely emails and messages after the repeat of channel 4 three in a bed programme today.

these are in date order going down from last year.
20 December. Masses of snow, beautiful views of the Peak District, piles of logs in, glass of mulled wine, bliss.

22 December. Snowmen, sledging, kids happy. Wheelbarrowed the bags of plaster for the snug up from the road.

4 January. Guests thought it an adventure between Christmas and New Year, yet again we are marooned with stunning views.

20 January. We now have more green than white on the ground. Our Plasterer has managed to make it and is finishing our snug, dining room and utility.

31 January. Kirsten and I had a gorgeous walk down Lathkill Dale, around Ricklow quarry, looking forward to picnics.

15 Febraury. Can't believe we have more snow when the remains of the first lot is still here.

21 Febraury. I was meant to go mountan biking with a mate from Middleton, but I couldn't get to Middleton on a bike. So I went for a snow run instead, Vancouver be jealous.

9 March. Walking weather is here, Kirsten and I walked from here to Monyash via Lathkill Dale yesterday. An hour and a half, with interludes for bow and arrowing. Blue sky, solid ground, water flowing from the cave, bliss.

24 March. The Geese were late to start laying, the theory is the first egg is Valentines day, ours were a week ago, not that far out really.

10 April. Last weekend it was snowing, today we were having our first swim in the Lathkill in Youlgreave.

27 April. Beautiful weather today and yesterday. And with only 52 days untill Mountain Mayhem I just hope the weather stays nice.

15 may.. ooooooooooooh nooooooooooooooooooo. we are only 10 days from our episode of channel 4 three in a bed, we will not see it before you do, on wed 25 may at 8pm. i am going to put my passport on the kitchen table, and watch with the yarwood family rather than die of embarrassment on our own. we have horse guests in that evening too, so, that could be even worse or they might not watch?

19 may. just seen the trailer for next week, as a digger is outside his window, mike says he`d just like to drop a bomb on the whole place. i can`t wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!

27 may, pheeeeeeeeeeew, i had been secretly rather worried about this and am now mightily relieved. we have had masses of really supportive emails, some from regular guests, or one off guests who remember staying here, some from total strangers saying keep it as is it is, some from people now booking stays. All the messages took somebody some time to do and have been a real bonus, I couldnt be happier.

8 june. more horse riders away this morning. one lonely gosling has just hatched. i was racing in milton keynes at the week end and people even recognised me there, from the tv, totally out of context.

14 june. antonia made a birthday cake for a guest, alex appeared covered in crumbs and icing to report that the cats had eaten the new cake.

24 june. solstice days were warm dry and calm, lovely crowd of regulars, some call in to say hello, some call the kids over when the kids go up to the top, all is lovely.

10 july. the marquee is up,catering is all in hand, the grass is dry, the sun will shine. luke and eli should have a beatiful day, and nobody will be disturbed by the noise!

17 july.guests for buxton arts festival this weekend, last week horse guests, all have stayed before and are a joy to have.

10 august. lathkill dale walking with the kids, bradford dale swimming with the kids. bakewell show guests last week. we have the waterslide up in the field and raspberries by the bucketload in the woods.

2 sept. back rom rainy camping and surfing in devon, now its sunny. plenty of horse holiday riders, seem to have bred horse boxes in the last few days.

15 october.a flurry of horse b and b, thankfully everybody took the right horse out or home. plenty of last minute walking b and b, havn`t had any mtb`ers for a few weeks, perhaps they are waiting for the muddy season.

6 november. firework spectacular from our french windows across all the hills to the north last night, hope for more tonight.

8 november. and just what is this snow, saturday i was digging in the veg plot in a t shirt, toady the cat and fiddle is closed due to snow and its vile.

16 nov. froggatt edge was stunning on sunday. now i am on my hands and knees repainting the skirting boards, doors etc.

27 november. michaela, kirsten and alex were sledging at 7.30 this morning. long rake is sheet ice.

30 November. Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally cold, we have made 2 snow men & a snow angel. we are all at home because school is closed because there is too much snow woop woop. Might make a cake with icing sugar on it so it looks like snooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow ♥

1 December. There is loads of snow !! School was cancelled again (: went out and froze to death. Will England ever be green again? ♥

10 dec. i can see greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen, not alot.

2011

7 jan. new years eve we had horses to stay, a hardy lot. horses booked for next w/e . went mountain biking last w/e and the bits of the tissington trail we wnet on were thawing out.

26 jan.i`m glossing door frames in our end of the house. steve has been processing heaps of firewood. hosepipe at long last unfrozen and washed the car.

17 march. the fields have been chain harrowed, how do moles make such big heaps. chickens are laying like there is no tomorrow. front and back doors are now red.

2 april. red front door now has pots of daffys, james has put some new fenceposts in the field,the kids rabbits can now spend most of the day in their outside runs.

8 april. looks like another sunny weekend, could we be moving the tons of soil in the "garden". steve has started patio constuction, makes him sound like a diy man of the 80`s.

15 may. antonia has been mowing the field with the tractor for gramma`s birthday bash, both things are scary

23 may. mum`s 80th birthday, pigroast and jazz in the field. now its blowing a hooly and i`ve got to get 2 marquees down, without flying to manchester.

6 june. and just why do i have a bald ibis on my roof?

4 july. kirsten and i have been swimming in the matlock bath hotel unheated lido, thenk heavens for wetsuits. the ibis had escaped from blackbrook zoo.

1 august. tried to swim in bradford dale but water is too low at the mo. noisy weekend of silaging but now peace returns. steve has spent the week painting windows and doors.