It is a beautiful day here in Dulcote and everyone is in good spirits.  There are lots of walkers passing the house and we joined them at lunchtime to walk Bob over the field into Wells.  the sun is shining and while it is cold, the sky is blue and there is a hint of spring in the air.

On our return home we decided to look around the garden to see if there was any signs of life and I was really happy to see that all of our snowdrops are beginning to show.  There were even a couple of brave ones peeping out.

Snowdrops are my favorite flower and it lifts me so much to see the first one.  So another year begins and both the Spring and Summer to look forward to

Between Christmas and New Year a photographer stayed with us for a few days and has very kindly given us permission to publish some of his photographs on our website

The images focus on the Cathedral and especially its internal infrastructure but there is also a superb image of Vicar’s Close, the oldest inhabited medieval street in Europe.

These encapsulate the beauty of Wells and confirm the status of the cathedral as one of the most beautiful in the UK

Images of Wells

Over the New Year I was reflecting on why we have settled so well in Dulcote and why we all enjoy life here so much.  My conclusion was the small kindnesses that take place on an almost daily basis with our friends, neighbours and also paying guests at the Bed and Breakfast, some of whom are already on the way to becoming friends….

We have our neighbour Tony, who delivered our Christmas tree to us by tractor as it was too big to fit in our car; and another neighbour who dropped in during the holidays with a huge box of chocolates to welcome in the New Year

Our lovely friends Jane and Alex who worked really hard all over the holidays entertaining their friends and family.  We were lucky enough to join them and returned their kindness with a hugely enjoyable evening with one of our very rare (these days…..) “a la carte” dinner menus

Our new friends Nicky and Chris, who entertained us so well during their first lasagne date with us and also brought a gift of home made pickled walnuts (haven’t yet tried these but I know they taste fantastic in a casserole and thankfully now know – following a recent Chris Evans discussion on Radio 2 – that you must never ever eat a whole one!)

Not forgetting my adopted mum Ros, one of the first to welcome us to the village, whose knowledge of bed and breakfast really got us started and whose friendship, love and thoughtfulness is really treasured (thanks so much for the tulips when you found out that “rib” doesn’t mean we are planning a BBQ!)

Brigid, a previous owner of the White House, recovering from a knee operation and who returned our visit (with a bottle of blackberry vodka to ease the pain…..) with a visit complete with walking stick when she found out about “the rib” and also our friends from bell ringing who also popped over to make sure we were all ok.

And our many lovely guests, from the lovely Christmas cards and thank you cards received (many of which have a picture of a Schnauser on the front and containing so many kind words); to the vintage train ride voucher given in return for our refusal to take payment for an early return home due to illness; then passed to another returning guest who we knew loved trains with a passion, which was then returned through a voucher to our favourite restaurant – absolutely un-necessary but very much appreciated and enjoyed; to the promise of a mystery “gift” following my gift of a jar of home made marmalade……

And then those who made sure all of my puppies (children included) were looked after just fine (you know who you are…..) when both Rod and I had immovable and clashing business trips yesterday

I could go on and on but you get the picture?

It is the small kindnesses that are so often missing in large cities that make the world go around and make life so much more pleasurable.

So here is a huge thank you to all of our friends, no matter where.  We very much appreciate you being there for us and wish you all the very, very best for 2017

In December we were delighted to see a photograph of the Reindeer Parade in the Times and again a little later in the month with a photograph of the inside of Wells Cathedral during the Candle lit concert.

We have now hit third time lucky, with an article in the Sunday Times based on Cedars Hall. 

Transcript below:

“Wells has one of the most glorious cathedral precincts in England, the sort of place that is almost impossible to improve with new architecture.  But EPA has done that with a 359 seat recital hall for the cathedral’s venerable music school.  The roof appears to be floating on the power of music, above a series of pillars that are almost megalithic in their austerity.  In reality, the hall is sunk several metres into the ground, the roof rests on a sophisticated structural system and between the “megaliths” are single sheets of glass that can withstand the impact of a cricket ball bowled at 100mph. The BBC has already used it as a venue for lunchtime broadcast recitals”

We have been lucky enough to see two concerts already in the hall and agree totally with the write up.  It is a beautiful venue with superb acoustics and we strongly recommend a visit if you get the chance.

All of us here at The White House wishes everyone a Happy New Year with all of the very best for 2017.

And we also hope it will improve dramatically for us…………….

The children left home at 3am on New Years Eve for a school ski trip, extremely excited, but we were dismayed to receive a call from the trip leader on the morning of the 2nd January to say Ed had fallen and broke his wrist, with 6 ski days left to the holiday that he couldn’t join in.

Not to be outdone, I slipped and fell walking the dog the very next day and broke a rib!

It’s not as bad as it sounds, and hurts most when I laugh, which wasn’t helped when Mel rang to ask how I was and we both ended up crying with laughter as I explained I had fallen when out walking with Rod as part of our New Year “healthy living” resolution.  It just proves my life long belief that exercise is very bad for you……………

This is my final post before Christmas and I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from all of us here at The White House.

I was unsure what to write as my subject – do I tell you about the Candlit Concert at the Cathedral last night? or the lovely Christmas wishes we have received from many of the guests we have enjoyed over the past year? Perhaps the bottles (or demijohns) of homemade Blackberry Vodka, Sloe Gin and Plum Brandy that we now have ready? Or maybe the home made Advocaat that we made this afternoon and tried for the first time (truly delicious but so thick that one third of it has made a very tipsy Eton Mess for after supper this evening).

Well my final choice was my home made hampers that have winged their way to a few friends close enough to receive them, we hope you all enjoy them

First batch of mince pies have been made (and also disappeared…….)

And the excitement seems to already be going to everyone’s head.  Never in my life did I ever imagine anyone could get Rod to wear an elf hat (complete with huge false ears) but guess I was wrong………

We received a beautiful Christmas greeting from the head of Wells Cathedral School yesterday.   It focused on an image of Vicar’s Close, taken by one of the pupils at the school.

We may not be expecting snow this Christmas but I’m sure you’ll agree Wells in Winter is stunning:

We spent the weekend choosing our tree and collecting holly in preparation for Christmas.  Still can’t quite believe how December came around so quickly.

Our eldest daughter Melanie is coming home from Paris at the weekend, quickly followed by our Christmas guests.

Still so much to do.  Next step – present wrapping, and then my favorite job – bottling the home made liqueurs…

It was the Wells Annual Reindeer Parade on Sunday and this year, The White House were down there helping out.

Rod is a member of the local Rotary and so with the help of the children, he helped to prepare the mistletoe and sold programmes, all in aid of the Air Ambulance.  The presence of the Wells Cathedral Choristers, and of course Santa, all helped to make a fantastic festive occasion.

Once again, the event attracted huge crowds, and all for a great cause.

Its not too late to give to this worthy cause so if you would like to find out more, visit http://www.dsairambulance.org.uk/