Updates on our life at Hill Farm Bed and Breakfast in the Derbyshire Dales - why not come and stay with us to experience it for yourself! Find out more at www.hillfarmderbyshire.co.uk
The only task that remained was to cement the post into it's hole. Dave was lent a cement mixer and after a bit of head scratching worked out how to assemble it. His only problem: the number of passers by who stopped to chat and were delighted that we'd made the effort to put the broken post back.
Our neighbour and a friend kindly come round and help manoeuvre the gate post back into its hole. I watched them through the mist! Amazingly they managed to line up the two drilled holes and slot the metal joining bar into place.
It's been mild and along with the lovely underfloor heating I only really needed the flicker of candlelight tonight rather than the warmth of the log burner. Apparently it's been the warmest start to November on record. For us though it's stayed very foggy.
It's been a foggy day here. Briefly it lifted mid afternoon but as I was about to start making supper I noticed first a line of mist and then it rolled up the slope filling our field and then the lane. I'm glad I don't have to go out tonight as it's definitely a time to stay cosy indoors.
I know we have really reached the end of autumn. I made a creative arrangement of my giant courgettes (although a couple of people in the village were keen to have them to eat - I was happy to oblige but fear they are well past their best). Dave pulled up the last of the sweetcorn and picked up a handful of apples that had blown down earlier in the week.
As my pumpkins weren't the right size for a candle I bought one to decorate. Originally I thought Joe might do the honours but he came home from work on Friday full of cold so the carving was down to me! I decided it was prettier to go with a heart theme rather than make something more ghoulish. It sat happily on top of the (unlit) log burner.
As it's Halloween I decided that the time is right to harvest my pumpkins, I grew two varieties - Munchkin and Kuri from seeds I bought from Sarah Raven. They look really good but the vines haven't been very productive, probably due to our miserable summer.
Joe has been watching the new Jamie Oliver series and made these delicious smelling muffins with sweet potato for his weekday breakfasts. If you fancy doing the same here is the link to the recipe.
This is probably the closest I have got to puss. Walking back from church I didn't notice her sitting on the gate until I was in touching distance. She sat tight and I decided my approach wouldn't be welcome. After all this time she is still so very timid.
