Jo and Steve Colwill - quilting and textiles

One of the best things about running a bed and breakfast place is the smashing people you meet – interesting and with great senses of humour. People that arrive as guests leave as friends as in the case of Jo and Steve Colwill. Jo runs quilting and textile workshops near Launceston in North Cornwall (Cowslip Workshops). You may have seen her on the TV showing Kirsty (from Location, Location, Location) how to quilt. Her work is beautiful and she has teachers and students from all over the world to come to her classes. Next week she is having an exhibition with work from her students plus some from London and abroad.

We have had our nephew and his fiancé to stay this week. After spending a year travelling around the world, they both now teach PE in Thailand at the Harrow school. It’s fascinating hearing about their lives and how they spend their time coping with the heat and humidity at this time of year. We have had several bed and breakfast guests staying from different parts of the world especially northern Europe this year. Everyone falls in love with Exmoor and wants to return and we often get photos sent to us.

As we have been so busy lately, I haven’t been able to get out for many walks. But last night it was such a lovely evening, I rebelled and cast the ironing aside and instead we took the dogs over to Withypool Hill. It was perfect and so warm. All the cattle and their young calves that were grazing on the moor looked fit and well and their coats were gleaming. One calf decided that he wanted to play with Soda but Soda decided that 10 stone of calf chasing towards her was not what she considered to be playing and spent the remaining part of the walk very close to me!

At the end of the walk we went into Withypool and had a delicious supper at The Royal Oak and bumped into a couple of friends – a perfect way to end a perfect evening. On the 25 minute journey home we saw 3 cars, 1 tractor and several pheasants – it was a busy night on the roads!