Snowdrops & Early Spring Blooms at Hillcrest Cottage

 

It is exciting to discover what is in the garden at Hillcrest Cottage.  One of the nicest things about moving into or owning a new property is seeing the what surprises there are in the garden that first spring and summer.  

I am delighted that there are lots of snowdrops flowering....... 

 

...... and a dwarf variety of what I think is a Christmas Rose. 

Beautiful - I love white flowers.

Having said that I hope there are lots of daffodils at Hillcrest too! 

 

The gardens in Low Row are definitely further forward than up here at Pry House Farm.  There is evidence of life in the form of a few shoots but it will be a while before I have any snowdrops in flower.  Just goes to prove how a few hundred feet of height and a much more exposed location can hold things back.  On the plus side, when everything is dying back at Hillcrest, everything will be at its best at Pry House! 

Mary Berry & Chris Tarrant Gatecrash the Party

 

Chris Tarrant, Mary Berry and a host of other T.V. look-a-likes were to be seen

partying in Barnard Castle last night!!

 

 

 

Mary was too busy with genuine television appearances to bake for the party so extremely talented baker, Nicky Cole from Middleton-in-Teesdale came to the rescue and made these fabulous looking, beautifully moist cakes with not a 'soggy bottom' in sight!

 

Nicky bakes cakes, makes novelty confectionary and much, much more and is hoping to open a shop in Teesdale shortly.  If you need a celebration cake, whatever the occasion, Nicky is the lady for you.

Get in touch with me and I will give you her contact details. 

Remember Goliath? Just Look at Him Now!

When Goliath was born last spring he was enormous!  We don't usually name our lambs (impossible when there are several thousand) but Goliath was so unusually large, his nick-name stuck.  He wasn't terribly well when he was first born - his journey had probably been a difficult one and he was weak and shocked - but with some careful monitoring and a lot of luck he pulled round and soon grew into a big, strong lamb.

 

 

 

He is not the best Tup Hogg of the bunch, mainly because of the long, dark birth mark across his shoulder, but occasionally its a case of 'size matters'.  He is easy to spot in the building as he stands head and shoulders above the rest. 

 

He is also very well bred so we will probably keep him and breed from him ourselves.