What can you do when you can't get on your planned walk?

 It was a lovely day today - cold and frosty. What was needed was a walk so we decided to go to Wheldrake Ings. This is a waterlogged flood plain stretching along the bottom course of the River Derwent and attracts millions of water loving birds all year round. It is a protected site of scientific interest. However, when we got there, we couldn't even get into the fields to start our walk - the water was right up to the road. You can see where the footpath disappears into the water on the photographs!

But we weren't put off - because not far from here is another unusual natural site of heathland - Skipwith Common. So we went there instead. It's not as dramatic as the Ings and there were a lot of people there, but the exercise and fresh air did us good!

After Christmas

 It always seems to take us a long time to get started again after Christmas. We usually spend the week between Christmas and New Year visiting friends - going out and about, doing some walks - but this year it has been different

 

Today saw Gerry back in the pottery - he had some ideas for some teapots. These had parts thrown on the wheel and then the bits will be assembled together.

 

 

We were given some hyacinth bulbs by my granddaughters, so I was able to find a plant pot and get them planted.

 

 

 

And then we applied for  new driving licences - we still have the old paper ones!!! The self employment grant now requires you to produce a photo licence in order to claim - a sudden change in the rules....

Happy Christmas!

 

Happy Christmas.! I hope things get better for everyone next year.

Nearly there...

 

So, today I have just finished icing my Christmas cake. I made four this year for various members of my family. My mother used to do this, but since she developed altzheimers, has been unable to do so - it looks as though I have taken over the task.

I made about 50 of these little stockings during the Pandemic and gave them out to my neighbours in their Christmas cards. One of them sent this picture of hers, already hanging on her tree with chocolates in it.

And now I am just going to relax!!!

and so the village is getting ready ....

 Paul, a builder in our village, has made a Santa Scarecrow and put it up outside the pub...... It's a reindeer Santa!

We now have lots of lights and decorations in the village. Let's hope we can all enjoy it though......

Smoke gets in your eyes!

Today we had the raku firing that had to be rescheduled from Saturday due to the rain. I had made some ceramic leaves back in the summer by rolling the clay onto some sycamore leaves that I had picked in Fangfoss. They had been biscuit fired to 1,000C and  had been waiting to be raku or pit fired ever since.

I have also been making some little Christmas tree decorations and they look lovely finished off in raku - so that's what made me decided to proceed today.

 

                                                       

Tree planting

Today we spent the morning planting trees at Jubilee Park. We had obtained 105 trees through a grant obtainable from the Woodland Trust. They are supporting a campaign by the government called "Plant Britain" which is hoping to plant a tree for every child strating primary school this year. In our village that would only be about 20 trees - so we have planted a tree for every child in the school - 105 of them!