Its getting colder!

This morning it was lovely to look out over the gardens to the moors beyond when it first became light. It was a really hard frost followed by brilliant sunshine and I could pick out the shapes of deer grazing their way along the slopes of Robin Howe. Apart from the bird song and the clopping of horses’ hooves as it was being exercised, there wasn’t a sound to be heard – it was so still and quiet.

Later on we took the dogs up past Cloutsham to get some holly and they just love it being so cold and dry, running for miles. Derek did his ‘me Tarzan’ bit and climbed the tree while I did the pathetic Jane bit and got stuck! When some semblance of order was restored we walked on and there was a herd of about 30 deer on the opposite valley slopes all congregating around a wallow. We came across a small herd of Exmoor ponies whose coats are fantastically thick now – like big balls of fluff!

Now the weather has got colder we are so glad of all the wood collecting we did earlier in the year. When our B&B guests arrive we always invite them to have a cup of tea and some homemade cake in front of the woodburner. The sitting room is a lovely traditional room and has fantastic views looking right across to the moors. We can see our guests start to relax and be at home as soon as they smell the lovely wood smoke and feel cosy in front of the fire.

I am trying to get organised for Christmas but as this is the time of year when we catch up with many of our friends and family, it is proving a tad difficult. We went to Feniton on Sunday to see my dearest and oldest friend and her husband. I have known Aly for 38 years and although we don’t see as much of each other as we would like, we just carry on where we left off. My throat is just beginning to recover! They do so many different things – they have bought a wood and now a cottage in France that they are doing up – not your usual run of the mill hobbies and far more interesting than some.