Les has got his spurtle ready

Suddenly it feels like winter. We have it seems enjoyed the last of the mild autumn days and after a week of high winds and rain, the temperatures have dropped and  it feels like winter is upon us. It dosnt seem possible that Christmas is just around the corner,  but yet the cold weather is somehow reassuring.  I love the changing seasons and it seems wrong to have sunshine at Christmas like they do in so many parts of the world.

But the real treat for winter is porridge.  It's a time when you can tuck into a bowl of yummy, thick goodness that warms you, fills you and nourishes you like no other breakfast can. 

So many people have changed there breakfast habits to include this most simple of morning rituals.   Whether for health reasons or just for the enjoyment of it, it is now one of our most popular breakfast requests from guests. 

Salt or sugar, golden syrup or plain, nuts, yogurt or fruit. There are many ways to enjoy this most humble of morning treats.

We pride ourselves on the breakfasts we serve our guests, and have received many compliments over the years about how good they are. So this time of year why not enjoy a bowl of goodness either before your cooked breakfast or instead of it. 

 

Les has his spurtle all ready. In fact if truth be told we have porridge in summer, winter, spring and autumn. It gets our vote most mornings.

 

 

Presenting our new Blue Room

Over the past few weeks Les and I have been busy getting our new letting room ready.  The Blue Room, it is now up and available to book.  It is a large double with Kingsize bed and modern ensuite shower room.

Whilst Les was busy painting I was making the new window seat, curtains and cushions to complement the room.  It has all the usual requiurements: flatscreen TV, tea and coffee making, hairdryer etc. . 
Les also made the little blue table that holds the kettle and cups etc, which he is particularly proud of.



So the next time you stay with us why not book the Blue Room or any of our other two rooms, Lilac and Rose which are equally comfortable.  They will be having a face lift too during the winter months.

Glorious offerings from the garden

How remiss of me not to have blogged for so long. My excuse is having a new granddaughter who is of course the apple of our eye - 10 months old already where does the time go.

Talking of fruit it is the season for jam making and so far this week Les has picked over 8lbs of gooseberries, 10lbs of blackcurrants and a lot of raspberries. So I have had a couple of days jam making to ensure that there are plenty of supplies for breakfast.

 Have made the gooseberry and blackcurrant ( 2nd batched boiled over though - woops) so far, but am debating whether to try making raspberry jam as I haven’t tried it before. I have a recipe for ‘no cook raspberry jam’ but it doesn’t keep longer than 2 months so I may just freeze them and enjoy them through the year in puddings.

If anyone has a good recipe for raspberry jam I would love to hear from them. 

Oh well that has been my ten minutes sitting down at the computer, back to the cooking now. Evening meals tonight for four guests.

Spring is on its way

 

I am sure I have said this before but Spring is my favourite season.  The hope and anticipation that you feel when the snowdrops start blooming and the daffodils and crocuses are peeping through always fills me with joy and the sure knowledge the circle of life continues.    It’s so reassuring to see the new growth.  When the trees are bare and lonely, they look so sad, as if they have been forgotten and neglected.  But then Spring starts its slow journey and in time all is renewed again. 

The B&B is not too busy at this time of year which gives us the chance to do any decorating or repairs that are needed.  It also gives us time to enjoy our home.  January and February are not really the months for gardening and I look out most days and ‘see’ what needs attention.  However last night’s guests departing words this morning were ‘you have a lovely garden’.  Such a nice thing to say at a time when it is probably at its least colourful – so looking again with fresh eyes this morning I can see that Spring is indeed arriving.