tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306301409492210442024-03-12T22:49:37.106+00:00Hill Top house and the Beatrix Potter Gallery National Trust TeamKeeping you up to date with our work, from the house teams at Hill Top and the Beatrix Potter Gallery.NT South Lakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15942970782674603021noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-3362621198976880072016-08-22T17:34:00.002+01:002016-08-22T17:35:56.419+01:0070 years of opening at Hill Top <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We're looking back to the 1940's to when <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top" target="_blank">Hill Top</a> first opened to visitors:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Seventy
years ago on July 7<sup>th</sup>, Hill Top opened to the public for the first
time, after being left to the National Trust by Beatrix Potter.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mkk2mlFRWx4/V7soElJsGII/AAAAAAAABBY/iNVbg8v16Awd6LMSEp6XbddV7beHrWg7wCLcB/s1600/NT-Cumbria-242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mkk2mlFRWx4/V7soElJsGII/AAAAAAAABBY/iNVbg8v16Awd6LMSEp6XbddV7beHrWg7wCLcB/s320/NT-Cumbria-242.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hill Top with the Coniston fells beyond</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Beatrix
wrote in her will:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That the rooms and the furnishings used by
me at Hill Top farmhouse may be kept in their present condition and not let to
a tenant and it is my wish that any other objects of interest belonging to me
in any other of my cottages and farmhouses may be preserved therein.”</i></span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">In
1944, whilst Britain was still at war and houses were not to be left empty,
Ethel Hartley came to stay and created a notebook based on her conversations
with William Heelis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">She
wrote in her ‘Notebook of Ideas’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“It is a
joyous task to be asked to live in Hill Top & in its atmosphere of peace
& quiet, to listen: think: suggest: & help to plan for the day when the
Beatrix Potter memorial can be completed.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Beatrix
and William discussed at some length how the house could be opened as a place
of pilgrimage for those enjoyed the little books, and as an interesting example
of Lakeland vernacular architecture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surviving
his wife by only eighteen months, William was unable to put into action some of
the plans they had discussed, some of which seem quite radical – for example,
opening a Peter Rabbit tea garden, encouraging the Girl Guides to put on plays
during the summer; and opening a shop: "Peter Rabbit books could be on sale,
with postcards, calendars etc. All these would make money and go toward the
upkeep” </span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">In
1946, the house did open to the public – with an entrance fee of<ins cite="mailto:Perry,%20Clare" datetime="2016-06-06T14:56"><span style="color: teal;"> </span></ins>one
shilling. Mrs Susan Ludbrook was the first custodian and only member of
staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It immediately became a popular
destination leading Bruce Thompson to admit to Time Magazine in 1946:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">“We need to be
careful what we do about Hill Top’s propaganda: in the first seven weeks we
have already had 1,200 visitors!”</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">In
the early 1980’s the custodian was joined by a “houseman” and a couple of part
time assistants. In 1992 the role of volunteer room-guide was introduced and we
still have one or two of these original volunteers helping us! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">We
continue to evolve and adapt the needs of the house for the benefit of our visitors,
using modern conservation techniques to monitor and protect its precious
objects,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so Hill Top might remain a must
see destination for visitors to the Lake District for the next seventy years.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RV9Hrt4YPtA/V7sogmwkbBI/AAAAAAAABBg/5O0tJ0Q1lnYX-bMHe0o87H64-rAC1QMEQCLcB/s1600/1168950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RV9Hrt4YPtA/V7sogmwkbBI/AAAAAAAABBg/5O0tJ0Q1lnYX-bMHe0o87H64-rAC1QMEQCLcB/s320/1168950.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail from the bedroom at Hill Top</td></tr>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">“It was never
intended to be just merely a lovely, old period farmhouse. It was essentially
& will always remain Beatrix Potter's house. She loved pretty things &
simple things, & odd things. In Hill Top she wanted</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> to find a home for
them all.” (Ethel Hartley) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">As well as celebrating this special anniversary in 2016 we're also marking the milestone of Beatrix Potter's 150th Birthday. Find out more about the celebrations <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/celebrating-beatrix-potters-anniversary-in-the-lake-district" target="_blank">here</a> and join in the fun! </span><br />
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Words by Jane Watson<br />
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<br />NT South Lakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15942970782674603021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-36034181372190263952016-04-01T15:15:00.000+01:002016-04-07T20:06:45.287+01:00Sweet peas and primrose pottage.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've written before about my dislike of winter and the wet and gloomy days it brings, but I'm delighted to say that the clocks have gone forward, there are lambs in the fields, frogspawn in the ponds and one of my favourite wild flowers, the primrose, is blooming in Hill Top garden and the surrounding woods.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvItWkmU0Go/Vv5okVTE6jI/AAAAAAAAB8M/pq2rz2Dizt8tMHK6MM7TxNUc0mNrEE9Rw/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvItWkmU0Go/Vv5okVTE6jI/AAAAAAAAB8M/pq2rz2Dizt8tMHK6MM7TxNUc0mNrEE9Rw/s400/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Primrose at Hill Top</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The primrose is the sacred flower of the Norse goddess of love Freya and gets it's common name from the medieval Latin 'prima rosa' meaning first flower. Like many wild flowers it has a wealth of common names depending on which part of the country you live, including</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Butter Rose, Jack in Box, Jack-in-the-Green, King-Charles-in-the-Oak, Lady's Frills, Milk Maid, Primorole, St. Peter's Wort, Summeren, Spink, May Spink, and Summerlocks. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Primroses were considered fairy flowers in Ireland and Wales but they represented wantonness in England, as expressed in the phrase 'to be led down the primrose path'.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The alleged medicinal properties of the primrose are equally numerous (as always, please don't try any of these at home); in the past it was<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> considered a blood purifier, and useful for gout, palsy, and lumbago. An ointment made from the leaves and flowers was commonly used for skin problems. It was said to heal wounds, burns and scalds, and to soften wrinkles, lighten freckles and other discolorations of the skin. Primrose was also used for vertigo, hysteria, epilepsy, convulsions, palsy, backache, cystitis, and urine retention! Handily, it was also used as a cure for alcoholism - probably brought on by those short gloomy winter days.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flowers were also the chief ingredient in a dish called Primrose Pottage which was made by boiling pounded flowers, honey, almond milk, saffron, rice flour and powdered ginger. It was served garnished with flowers and surprisingly for a fifteenth century recipe actually sounds quite edible. </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the things about being a gardener is that the year is divided up not so much by calendar months but by the seasons and the tasks required in each season. This time of year is always time to start sowing seeds and some of the first to be sown are the sweet peas. Now, if you watch 'Gardener's World' of a Friday evening you'll probably see Monty Don sowing his sweet peas in autumn, but up here in the cold wet North I prefer to wait until spring.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mExc2XrSrfI/Vv0_txhOsyI/AAAAAAAAB78/FBTmp1ibGwYnoNrMemQfH2ScSLkz2TXpw/s1600/IMG_0478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mExc2XrSrfI/Vv0_txhOsyI/AAAAAAAAB78/FBTmp1ibGwYnoNrMemQfH2ScSLkz2TXpw/s400/IMG_0478.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sweet pea sowing kit (other seed merchants are available!)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sweet peas can be awkward to germinate, they have a hard seed coat and if sown straight into the ground can rot off. Some sources say to soak the seeds in water for a day but that didn't work for me at all and others say to chip a small section of the seed coat off with a sharp knife (too many injuries and seeds flying off across the greenhouse). My own technique involves a pair of pliers and some sandpaper. Take the seed and grip it gently but securely in the pliers and rub the seed on the sandpaper several times until a small hole appears in the seed coat. Just make sure you don't sandpaper the pale coloured 'eye' where the shoot will appear from.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--eTdp4zFMgc/Vv5vZgBoE2I/AAAAAAAAB8c/Nh2rDFaQfp8LV0yudZuGacpG_hw3Y2TKA/s1600/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--eTdp4zFMgc/Vv5vZgBoE2I/AAAAAAAAB8c/Nh2rDFaQfp8LV0yudZuGacpG_hw3Y2TKA/s400/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A nice neat hole</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once that's done, pop the seeds into some compost, (I always start mine off in the greenhouse), water them in and in a couple of weeks you should see green shoots appearing. Grow them on for a few weeks until they are about 10cm tall then pinch out the growing tip to encourage bushy side shoots. When the seedlings look big enough to fend for themselves, plant them out in the garden in some nice rich soil with some canes or hazel poles to support them. I like to use small twigs as well to keep the young plants from rocking about in the wind.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TKBJ-I8OoMM/Vv1AJQUK-9I/AAAAAAAAB70/fkBDJ1WcwHIVyX93O0TOnOwjfbawFBGkA/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TKBJ-I8OoMM/Vv1AJQUK-9I/AAAAAAAAB70/fkBDJ1WcwHIVyX93O0TOnOwjfbawFBGkA/s400/IMG_0483.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A light covering of compost and they're ready to go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By early Summer you should be picking your first blooms and the more you pick, the more flowers will be produced. Try to make sure you don't leave any old flowers on the plant as they'll turn into seed pods and slow down the flower production. Incidentally, if you want that lovely sweet pea scent, and that's really half the point of growing them in the first place, buy old-fashioned types, some of the modern frilly-flowered varieties hardly smell at all.</span><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_2sL85sZkVE/Vv59z2ApLdI/AAAAAAAAB8s/GsbOumk9_GwJOIffk0npMIgq5cH89gzaA/s1600/DSCF2030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_2sL85sZkVE/Vv59z2ApLdI/AAAAAAAAB8s/GsbOumk9_GwJOIffk0npMIgq5cH89gzaA/s640/DSCF2030.JPG" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The end result</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For my musical link this time I could have gone for 'Primrose Polka' by Jimmy Shand but I've used that one in a blog before, or 'Primrose' by the bizarrely named and equally bizarre sounding United Sacred Harp Musical Association, but I plumped for <a href="http://www.mtv.co.uk/paul-weller/videos/sweet-pea-my-sweet-pea" target="_blank">this</a> by 'The Modfather' Paul Weller.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And just for good measure here's a poem by our old friend Robert Herrick (he of 'Gather Ye Rosebuds' fame) and it's called, appropriately enough, 'The Primrose'.</span></div>
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<i>Ask me why I send you here <br />This sweet Infanta of the year? <br />Ask me why I send to you <br />This primrose, thus bepearl'd with dew? <br />I will whisper to your ears<br />The sweets of love are mix'd with tears. <br /><br />Ask me why this flower does show <br />So yellow-green, and sickly too? <br />Ask me why the stalk is weak <br />And bending (yet it doth not break)? <br />I will answer, These discover <br /><br />What fainting hopes are in a lover.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy the spring, see you soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Words and pictures by Gardener Pete / Robert Herrick</span></span></div>
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NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-83554665225957306912016-01-22T10:00:00.000+00:002016-01-22T10:00:08.588+00:00Salvage Training Day at East Riddlesden Hall<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It was hard to miss the news coverage of the fire at Clandon
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">in April, last year.</span> </span>It was a shocking event
that was particularly poignant for those of us with a personal involvement in
the heritage sector. Times like these make us especially aware that an event
such as this could potentially happen at any one of our properties. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">National
Trust staff work with the fire brigade to retrieve precious historical
items.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A
week after the fire at Clandon. Members of the fire crew carry a gilded frame
away from the ruins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">All National Trust properties
have procedures in place to help them deal with the aftermath of emergencies
such as fire and flood. An essential part of emergency preparedness is staff
training, and I was lucky enough to be able to attend a salvage course at East
Riddlesden Hall earlier this month. The day included a full-on salvage training
exercise which involved the local fire brigade! National Trust staff from
across the country came together to learn about the best practice for dealing
with an emergency.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Throughout the day we were
briefed on planning procedures and took part in salvage workshops to prepare us
for the salvage exercise in the afternoon; these included how to give first-aid
treatment to water-damaged historical items. For the exercise, we were split
into two main teams: the Salvage Team and the Recovery Team. Once the fire
brigade had given the go-ahead, the Salvage Team were suited and booted to
enter the building to salvage historic items. I was part of the Recovery Team,
whose job it was to receive the items from the Salvage Team and administer
first-aid treatment to the water-damaged objects in the designated ‘safe area’.
Of course the items being salvaged in the exercise weren’t part of East
Riddlesden’s historic collection, so a water-logged copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bridget Jones’ Diary</i> was one of the
items we had to treat! This item went into our make-shift wind tunnel which we
had created using upturned tables, polythene sheeting and a couple of fans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2KnPes9Qgb4/Vo58EfBtT5I/AAAAAAAAB7Q/av4fu-_ZwgE/s1600/east%2Briddlesden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2KnPes9Qgb4/Vo58EfBtT5I/AAAAAAAAB7Q/av4fu-_ZwgE/s400/east%2Briddlesden.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The fire engine outside East Riddlesden Hall at the end of day.</span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Once the exercise had ended we
met with the fire brigade to review how the task had gone. Overall, everyone
was very pleased with how we had coped with the situation. Taking part in a
practical exercise helps to simulate what a real emergency situation would be
like and prompts us to consider the finer details needed to help us prepare for
them. The day helped me acquire new skills, but I just hope I never have to use
them! So I will sign off now, whilst touching all available items made of wood…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roisin, </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assistant House Steward, Hill Top &
Beatrix Potter Gallery</span> </span></span></span></div>
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NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-64028697807146709722015-10-09T14:20:00.000+01:002015-10-09T14:20:00.498+01:00Bloomin' Foreigners<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firstly I feel I must apologize for my absence from the blog this summer, a combination of lots to do and a touch of writers block and suddenly it's Autumn again! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LwjKLSB3-Uc/Vhe5ZgwQMwI/AAAAAAAAB6s/yVHyIf2ETco/s1600/IMG_3987_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LwjKLSB3-Uc/Vhe5ZgwQMwI/AAAAAAAAB6s/yVHyIf2ETco/s400/IMG_3987_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Misty Autumn morning</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The summer in the Lakes has been 'average' at best with lots of rainy days interspersed with some sunny ones, but since the schools went back, as is often the case, we've had the best weather of the year so far, verging on the mythical Indian Summer I talked about in a previous blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps because of the 'little and often' supply of rain this summer, the garden at Hill Top has done pretty well. The borders were full of flowers in June, July and August and the flowering season seems to have gone on longer than usual. I even seem to have kept on top of the slug population in the veg garden and produced some reasonably good crops (I'm particularly pleased with my black kale this year).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZ92BQyoTzc/VheuVy3jgoI/AAAAAAAAB6Q/E_GkP81RzVw/s1600/IMG_3989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZ92BQyoTzc/VheuVy3jgoI/AAAAAAAAB6Q/E_GkP81RzVw/s400/IMG_3989.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Black Kale</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One downside of the rain is that the grass has carried on growing all year. Normally the drier weather in summer slows its growth down a bit and I get a break from trudging round after the mower but this year it just kept growing and growing....and growing. Fortunately there isn't much grass at Hill Top, although the village verges need doing regularly, but at the other garden I look after at Monk Coniston there is rather a lot. All I can say is thank goodness for a good pair of earphones and an iTunes playlist on my phone!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's been a lot of talk about immigration over the summer and I recently got to thinking how many of our favourite garden plants are actually immigrants themselves, even in a quintessentially English cottage garden like Hill Top. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kaffir lily</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Top of my list at the moment is </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hesperanthera coccinea </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(used to be called </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Schizostylis </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but it changed, don't ask me why) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the Kaffir lily which is a native of South Africa and is flowering merrily in Hill Top garden, a very long way from home. Its crimson flowers provide a welcome splash of colour late in the season although one point to note about the Kaffir lily is that the flowers always face towards the sun, (probably looking longingly towards their homeland), so don't plant it on the southern facing side of a path like I did or all you'll ever see is the backs of the flowers!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another cottage garden favourite, the Dahlia, originates in Mexico where the Aztecs used the tubers as a source of food (they're closely related to Jerusalem artichokes), indeed they were introduced into Britain for that very purpose but proved more popular for their decorative properties than their culinary ones. I've never eaten Dahlia tubers but they'd look a whole lot nicer in the veg garden than a row of potatoes (an import from Peru incidentally). Dahlia crisps anyone?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HpQpf6qki08/VhexM9wwvLI/AAAAAAAAB6c/vHnEjzdAXlc/s1600/DSCF0294%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HpQpf6qki08/VhexM9wwvLI/AAAAAAAAB6c/vHnEjzdAXlc/s400/DSCF0294%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dahlias - yum yum!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The list of 'foreign' plants in Hill top garden goes on and on; Chinese wisteria, Japanese quince, <i>Eucryphia </i>from Chile, Sneezewort from the USA, even that most English of flowers the rose has species from Asia, America and North Africa, all of which have made their way into the varieties we grow. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's the same story with fruit and vegetables, Jemimah Puddleduck's rhubarb originated in China, runner beans in Central America and even Peter Rabbit's favourite, radishes hail from South-East Asia, So I think it's true to say that without these foreign imports, our English Country Gardens would be frankly pretty dull and our English cuisine duller still!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For my musical link this time I could have had 'Illegal Alien' by Genesis or 'Immigrant Song' by Led Zeppelin but they're both pretty awful so I've gone with an American theme and chosen <a href="https://youtu.be/okxNFTTXwZs" target="_blank">this</a> on the subject of immigrants and <a href="https://youtu.be/KFu9JZe5ZLg" target="_blank">this</a> about cutting grass!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bye for now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Words and pictures by Gardener Pete.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-20040798336908240602015-07-31T10:00:00.000+01:002015-07-31T10:00:00.712+01:00B is for Beatrix and Birthdays :)<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Beatrix and I have something rather special in common<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- it’s both of our birthdays this month! By
the time that this post goes up on the tinternet it will have already been
Beatrix's. B’s is on the 28<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and mine… it’s today! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wonder how B would have celebrated her birthday? I would
like to think that she would have celebrated in some big way but really I think
that she would have had a quiet one with William at her side. You may remember
my first blog post, approximately 2 years ago now, when I wrote about Moss
Eccles Tarn (and coincidentally lost my car keys whilst trying to take some
photos of the water lilies). I told you how Beatrix would draw whilst William
would row on the tarn, it sounds like a pretty idyllic day out on a summer’s
day. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last month I told you about my move to Townend and, well
it’s happened, I’m here and I’m really enjoying it!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I found out a surprising connection between my newly adopted
family, the Browne’s (who lived in and owned Townend) and Beatrix. Whilst doing
a spot of research on the house and the family for my tour I found out that B
would visit Townend when the last Browne, Clara, wa</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">s
living in the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that
Beatrix went and had a look around the house and is known to have passed
comment on Mr Browne's prized carvings. It is said that she called him “The
tiresome Mr Browne” and that he had the outdated Victorian habit of over
embellishment.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clearly she wasn't a fan of the work he had put so much effort
it to.. my Dad has a very similar opinion, he loves old furniture and antiques
and doesn't like that someone has changed them... in his eyes, not for the
better. Troutbeck however, he loves. But that's ok, we all have different
opinions on things and that's what keeps things interesting.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you have a spare hour or so I think you should definitely
pop over to the house up in Troutbeck and come have a look around this Lake
District gem for yourselves :) (Can you tell that I'm enjoying my time up here
much?)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you're anything like me summer will make you think of the
sunshine, bbqs, eating outdoors.. ice creams (I'll look like an ice cream
soon.. )and beer gardens.. but one thing I've been fancying recently is a spot
of afternoon tea.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of my favourite cups and saucers that Beatrix owned is
this little set..</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xm3Na6olpas/VblXMtokCBI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/tbphyEVjM9g/s1600/IMG_6763.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xm3Na6olpas/VblXMtokCBI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/tbphyEVjM9g/s320/IMG_6763.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">They're rather striking and have always taken my eye. And
coincidentally I am told that they came back to Hill Top from Troutbeck Park
Farm just up the road.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Officially this one is down as a coffee cup. I'm strictly a
tea girl myself (the smell of coffee I can do, I can even handle a slice of
coffee cake but the real stuff.. no thanks). However that doesn't put me off, I
still love these with their gilt rims and painted flowers these pretty things
were made by Royal Worcester in around 1870.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dvhxlkUDTBA/VblXQ6PWrQI/AAAAAAAAB5g/hwc3G-9IqK0/s1600/IMG_6766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dvhxlkUDTBA/VblXQ6PWrQI/AAAAAAAAB5g/hwc3G-9IqK0/s320/IMG_6766.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saaucy..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ironically I used to hate pink, I used to think it was a “girl’s
colour”, yellow was my favourite colour and still is but now I love it and I
love these! I don't think of myself as one of those olden day ladies by any
means but I could just see myself having a cup of tea in the garden with
these... and maybe a delicious scone as well.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With its new replacement handle this cup has certainly seen
better days but on the flip side maybe it means that it's also been well loved
and well used?</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AuetKMAiAhc/VblXnP3Xf8I/AAAAAAAAB5w/3I3StfXuZis/s1600/IMG_6770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AuetKMAiAhc/VblXnP3Xf8I/AAAAAAAAB5w/3I3StfXuZis/s320/IMG_6770.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cup Of Tea?!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">They date from approximately 1770 made in porcelain.. The
original handle was replaced with a woven rush one at some point but when it
was attached a crack appeared at the bottom. Do you think that the cup was
dropped, overused, or maybe it was always a tad bit wobbly? I don't know, but
whatever happened to it and wherever it comes from I think it's absolutely
charming!</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">They are one of a pair and the other cup and saucer are in
good health but I like this damaged two piece better.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, usually my usual “Heelllooee There” is something that I
really like from the collection. This time it's awkwardly something that I
don't like that much.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's these two people! I don't know what the heck they are doing;
I've always thought that they might be dancing? Gossiping? Or just generally
hanging out.. I don't know what they are doing but like the previous cup and
saucer they are one of a pair.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7dfRck_jBuw/VblXXe0ZJrI/AAAAAAAAB5o/raIUK6Awn-A/s1600/IMG_6760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7dfRck_jBuw/VblXXe0ZJrI/AAAAAAAAB5o/raIUK6Awn-A/s320/IMG_6760.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Dancing in the moonlight.."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Think having two of these is a good thing? Na, it means
there are two of the things to look at! Don't get me wrong, I would never try
and hide them behind something so they can never be seen but personally,
they're not my sort of thing... </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">They're Staffordshire and made between the late 19<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
and early 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> centuries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each ornament has both a girl and a boy; they have white hair painted
brown, blue shoes and shells around the base... They're just odd haha.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On that bombshell I'll be off.. (to London where we'll be celebrating
my birthday :) ).</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have an absolutely fantastico weekend, I hope the sun shines
where you are :)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ta ta for now :)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Words and pictures by Natalie </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span id="goog_550064835"></span><span id="goog_550064836"></span></span></div>
NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-70673984746088566032015-06-26T10:00:00.000+01:002015-06-26T10:00:09.325+01:00Travelling In Style!<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Thinking about how to begin this
month's post I realised that Beatrix and I have a few different
things in common – a rather snappy dress sense, a thing for the
sheeps (I am Welsh after all.. or at least that's my excuse) and we
both have a bit of a thing for adventurin<span style="color: black;">g
around a</span>nd exploring new places.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Beatrix may never have ventured out of
the United Kingdom but she sure got around, exploring a lot of
different places within the country, something I love doing.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There are all kinds of journeys –
long ones which require a multitude of snacks, small<span style="color: #00b050;">,</span>
little ones that zip past and those you remember for a variety of
reasons.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
If you have peeked at the Hill Top and
Beatrix Potter Gallery's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeatrixPotterNT" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page over the last few weeks you
will have seen that Michael Portillo brought his railway journey up
to the lakes to see B and the team at Hill Top. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
He was here to find out more about
Beatrix, her friendship with Hardwicke Rawnsley and the part she
played in the formation of the National Trust. I was lucky enough to
be able to see some of the filming at Hill Top. I didn't quite get my
on screen debut just yet but watching it happen was interesting so
keep your peepers peeled for it on the tele in the near future!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Micheal P may favour the railways for
his journeys but this isn't the only way to travel check out this
amazing ship that we have at Hill Top.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZWxVtXU9g0/VYxWa_90H4I/AAAAAAAAB2I/i_cCgDqyNFQ/s1600/IMAG0594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZWxVtXU9g0/VYxWa_90H4I/AAAAAAAAB2I/i_cCgDqyNFQ/s320/IMAG0594.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Land Ahoooyyy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
To say that I don't know much about
ships is a huge <span style="color: black;">understatement</span> and my
experience with them is pretty limited – unless rowing a small
wooden boat on Durham River counts? With these long arms I'm
practically made for rowing..</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So to find out more about this vessel
I've done what all good detectives would do... I googled!
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;">This is a three
masted ship and apparently made by a sailor between 1870 and 1900-ish. From my research (aka scrutinizing lots of images of ships) I'm
going to make an educated guess and say that this is a type of
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schooner" target="_blank">schooner</a>? These are sailing vessels with two or more masts often designed for
trades that required speed and windward ability.. trades like,
pirating, “Ohh Arrrg!”</span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
With all those sails I imagine that it
would have had no problem zipping through the waves or lakes!
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
A slower, more sedate, unconventional
and downright feathery mode of transport is this month's
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
“Heeeellooooe There!”.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Sure maybe you wouldn't want to use him
for long journeys,<span style="color: red;"> </span>mainly because he is
extremely dinky in real life and to be honest he's a bit out of
practice after having been in a cabinet for such a long time.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uiajJS2Fvdk/VYxWRNJi9zI/AAAAAAAAB2A/oPl6PIbcUX0/s1600/IMAG0590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uiajJS2Fvdk/VYxWRNJi9zI/AAAAAAAAB2A/oPl6PIbcUX0/s320/IMAG0590.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I know what you're thinking, “A swan
is not a mode of transport!” but I would counter this with, “Have
any of you seen Doctor Doolite?” the original of course... He had
this amazing great big pink sea snail and no one questioned this as a
mode of transport when it was time for Emma to head back to London! I
absolutely love this film, but back to the swan :)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Wit<span style="color: black;">h a
fleur-de-lys pa</span>inted on one side of his body and a lady in
traditional dress knitting on the other it could have possibly been
produced by Quimper Faience in Brittany, France. <span style="color: black;">This
</span>pottery's design reflects a strong traditional Breton
influence and a lot of the older pieces are strongly sought after.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Luckily for us this little guy is
staying firmly at Hill Top!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tiXWakDwsYY/VYxWQw_MmsI/AAAAAAAAB18/g9rFuH0WptA/s1600/IMAG0591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tiXWakDwsYY/VYxWQw_MmsI/AAAAAAAAB18/g9rFuH0WptA/s320/IMAG0591.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This year's top model pose..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
He may be petite but he wears some
pretty flamboyant eye makeup.. I mean red eyeliner? That's a bold
statement but <span style="color: black;">he</span> is definitely working
this look. I myself might give it a miss, <span style="color: black;">with
my </span>extremely pale skin I worry I'd end up looking scary rather
than spectacular!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Whether you choose a ship or a swan to
complete your journey you'll need to have a general idea of which way
to go, don't you?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This is down as an ornament on our
inventory, it lives in the ivory cabinet but to be honest I'm not
completely sure of it's<span style="color: black;"> actual purpose or even
if it has one..some things are 'just because'.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;">What are your
thoughts on it? </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--nefPP9wAq0/VYxWzOkT23I/AAAAAAAAB2g/lLBZFIq8AB4/s1600/IMAG0589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--nefPP9wAq0/VYxWzOkT23I/AAAAAAAAB2g/lLBZFIq8AB4/s320/IMAG0589.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The hand in the middle twizzles around and to
me could point you<span style="color: black;"> in the right direction </span>–
in my mind the numbers could even be routes? (Does this make any<span style="color: black;">
sense or is it just something in my mind??)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
My other thought about it was that it
reminded me of the big hand from the old lottery adverts.. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hAnKsHVBP3o/VYxWzIgH6AI/AAAAAAAAB2c/lR5c01_-AjQ/s1600/IMAG0588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hAnKsHVBP3o/VYxWzIgH6AI/AAAAAAAAB2c/lR5c01_-AjQ/s320/IMAG0588.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“It could be you!!!”</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Anyway I digress, this object came from
London and is marked on the bottom ‘H Rodrigues, 42 Piccadilly,
London’ – but apart from that we can only guess about its
history. Could this have some to Beatrix from her parents or
grandparents along with the other bits and bobs of ivory?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
My own history with Hill Top and
Beatrix has only been relatively small; about 2 and a bit years (ish)
but like Beatrix I’m going on another little journey of my own.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I’m happy to say that I’ll be
working over at Townend from mid-July until the end of October on a
little secondment <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
However, never fear, this isn’t
farewell, we all take different paths on our journeys and you’ll
still find me strutting my stuff up and down B’s path one day a
week.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is actually a little connection
with Beatrix and the Browne’s of Townend but more of that next
week!</div>
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See you all in July!</div>
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Ta ta for now
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Words and photos by Natalie <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span></div>
<br />NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-86535005184716224142015-06-18T10:00:00.000+01:002015-06-18T10:00:02.899+01:00A Taste of Hill TopBeatrix Potter didn't waste time wandering round a supermarket agonizing over the red labels for saturated fat and sugar on everything she fancied. Nearly everything would have come from the farm or garden - just buying in flour, salt, sugar, bread from the baker and maybe some spices.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F8XcsTKWvj0/VXnkgzmF9NI/AAAAAAAAB0w/Avg3fLVR0u0/s1600/IMG_0293%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F8XcsTKWvj0/VXnkgzmF9NI/AAAAAAAAB0w/Avg3fLVR0u0/s320/IMG_0293%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hill Top cattle posing in Windermere</td></tr>
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There are still beef cattle and sheep grazing Hill Top land but Beatrix also kept Dairy Shorthorns for milk, pigs, horses, an assortment of hens, ducks, geese and turkeys as well as collies (such as her favourite, Kep) to work the sheep. She also grew oats and turnips - Beatrix says she 'singled the turnips when she had time'.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pete's veg patch in Hill Top garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gooseberries amongst the flowers</td></tr>
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There was also a productive vegetable garden - as there is today, thanks to Pete - and fruit trees bearing apples, plums, pears and damsons, not to mention fruits, such as blackberries from the hedgerows for making blackberry and apple jelly.<br />
Beatrix was nothing if not fair. Whilst wanting to keep the best apples for herself, she appreciated the need for local children to 'scrump' - what is better than a stolen apple straight from the tree? She tied ribbons round the trees the children could help themselves from but heaven help them if they touched the others! At one time there was a royal procession of apple trees - Blenheim Orange, Norfolk Royal, King Russet and George Royal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I2VZRXP7PlU/VXno_kiUX3I/AAAAAAAAB08/a4hr9tE2-pE/s1600/IMG_0288%2B%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I2VZRXP7PlU/VXno_kiUX3I/AAAAAAAAB08/a4hr9tE2-pE/s320/IMG_0288%2B%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We think this old Bramley in the paddock dates from Beatrix's time</td></tr>
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Animals would have been butchered on the farm - no traumatic journey to the slaughterhouse - and milk made into cheese and butter in the dairy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5HVWOufK-zk/VXnp3lqQLvI/AAAAAAAAB1E/A4Z2qxQ61Kg/s1600/IMG_0290%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5HVWOufK-zk/VXnp3lqQLvI/AAAAAAAAB1E/A4Z2qxQ61Kg/s320/IMG_0290%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the left of this building in the farmyard the pigs were hung and salted and the right side was the dairy</td></tr>
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Beatrix didn't like 'modern' machinery so most of the work would have been done using hand tools and horse drawn implements. During the First World War, when men were called from the land to serve, life must have been particularly hard. Writing to a potential employee, Beatrix explains that she did most of the cooking herself and also looked after the poultry, the orchard, flower and vegetable garden, as well as helping with the hay. So she wasn't just digging sheep out of the snow!<br />
So, what might she have cooked? She was definitely familiar with Roly Poly Pudding and Pies and Patty Pans (perhaps filled with beef from the farm). Lamb - or more likely the tastier hoggett (the next stage up from lamb - the year after it was born) or mutton, would have featured, perhaps with peas, beans and potatoes from the garden. Hill Top kitchen might have been filled with the smoke from bacon frying.<br />
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Without freezers, preserves such as jams and chutneys would have been important and she mentions a visit to Wray Castle where they were pickling walnuts.<br />
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So - no wasted time at the supermarket but still ...... whenever did Beatrix Potter have <b>time</b> to write and illustrate her stories?!<br />
Sue and ticket office team. <br />
p.s.If you're wondering where Sam the spaniel is ,,, he was hiding behind the camera when I took the photo of cattle! NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-48152673568132090102015-05-29T10:00:00.000+01:002015-05-29T10:00:07.505+01:00You've got May-le :)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hi there!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It seems an awful long time since my last post, what’s it been? 6 weeks (ish)? In my last update I had been giving it the big talk with all my positivity around our warmer weather but gosh that old saying “Ne’er cast a clout till May is out” has never been more appropriate…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s not just the weather that’s been busy this past month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As well as helping to keep Hill Top and the gallery running I’ve been lucky enough to attend a National Trust run course, <a href="http://www.convestival.org.uk/" target="_blank">Convestival</a>. This is aimed at volunteer managers or those who are getting more involved in volunteering. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This fantastic 2 day course took place<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at Calke Abbey in Derbyshire – this year it had a superhero theme!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a festival style experience, through the day sessions were held in marquees and you could choose which ones were most relevant to you. The festival theme continued through the evening . We enjoyed a superhero menu (including ninja turtle pizzas :P), a live band and a free “schnippel” of cider from the Calke estate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also fantastic to meet other people in similar roles as me and others who had completely different responsibilities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the whole it was a relaxed course but you really did learn a lot, not just from the tutors but from other attendees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I loved the whole thing from start to finish (could you tell?)! I would definitely recommend it to anyone involved in volunteering :)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To infinity and beyond?!<br />
Thanks to Sarah and Rachel for giving me a lift :)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love getting feedback on my blog posts, I’m constantly asking family and friends to check them out and they’re usually pretty complimentary. However, last time around, someone, whose opinion I really value wasn’t so keen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This man loves antiques and likes to read more about the objects that we have within our collection as well as what I get up to (I hope!). So, this month I’m reverting back to my original format. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dad, this one is for you </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I can’t remember when I found this first object, sometime in February I think, and I’ve had a photo of it for aggggges, ready to be put up on here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was the tortoise shell top that really caught my eye and once I carefully got it out of its case and got a proper look at it… it’s really lovely!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is a little oval purse, the front is inset with gold and it’s got the most gorgeously, bright purple silk inside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is one of those “I would definitely have this” type of objects! Although it’s not very practical for today’s modern lady. As dainty as I aim to be, I can’t see my ‘buy 9 and get the 10<sup>th</sup> drink free’ cards or all the pounds I have for the amusement basketball hoops (which I am actually pretty good at!) fitting in there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From what little knowledge I have of Beatrix I don’t know if she would be using this type of thing up here in the lakes. Then again from personal experience I know that not everyone lives in their walking gear so maybe I should keep more of an open mind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Hello there!” has been missing recently but it’s back with a vengeance! I have been looking at this little lady for the best part of a year. She’s tucked away in a store so doesn’t get many visitors; something that I think should change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So here she is!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'm a laaaadddyy"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not exactly sure what it is I like about her as most people I’ve spoken to think she’s a bit creepy..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but when you look at her tiny face she’s not scary at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She’s pretty pale – it must be all that time in the dark and her hands are in a strange position but I can confirm that she is not a zombie! There is nothing to fear.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">" 'Cause this is Thriiiilllleerrr.."</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yeah, what about the hands… they are stretched out and some of her fingers are curled under. Is she playing the piano? Pushing a pram? Doing an interpretive dance?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We don’t really know, what do you think?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is this something that B was given as a child or perhaps she had inherited it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I like to imagine her making up voices and personalities for her inanimate objects – it’s something that I did and still do (who says you can’t have a stuffed unicorn at the aged of 27 ¾?).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Look at this beautiful Davenport desk, dating roughly from the 1830’s/40’s. It currently sits in the corner of the Treasure Room quite happily, not making any fuss and many people don’t give it much notice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over winter we had to move him into the New Room so that we could carry out some essential work and I learnt a number of things. 1) Its really, REALLY heavy! (not advisable to try if you’ve skipped your Weetabix that morning) and 2) it’s got some rather special secret compartments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is what Catherine and Rosemary showed me one afternoon after I helped shuffle it back into its place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">They did something special and then all was revealed – pens, pencils and lots of what look like funeral mourning card envelopes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back in the day, a mixture of tradition and respect saw people send cards in black edged envelopes. Used throughout Europe these carried the sad news of a loved ones passing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Did I just see some of the things that B had around the time of Norman’s death? She bought the house in 1905 after all. Or possibly one of her parents?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Everything looks so neat and ordered, like she could come back and use it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you think that this was all put inside “For the time being”? we all do it, but unfortunately</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">these items hardly see the light of day again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whatever the reason I feel like I’ve stumbled across a sort of time capsule and I was really rather</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> taken with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then again, isn’t all of Hill Top a step back in time? “Letttttt's do the time warp again!” I wonder what I would leave behind for future people to find and ponder over..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whilst I go to mull it over I shall leave you for another month, I hope by the time I’m back we’ll all be able to “cast our clouts”!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have a fabulous June!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ta ta for now </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Words and pictures by Natalie</span></div>
NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-28637758925382610602015-05-12T22:13:00.000+01:002015-05-12T22:13:10.594+01:00The Primrose path<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May is probably my busiest time of year. After a long winter and a colder-than-average early Spring, we've had a few warm days and everything, flowers, weeds and grass, has sprung to life and is growing like crazy. There isn't much grass to cut at Hill Top but at Monk Coniston, one of the other gardens I look after, there is enough to keep me busy for quite a few hours. I cut it the week before last and I've just been over there and it already needs doing again!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given the amount of work to do at this time of year, it probably wasn't a great idea to take a week off for a 'boys trip' (or more accurately a 'middle-aged and increasingly decrepit blokes trip'). We stayed in a remote and basic <a href="http://www.kilchoan-knoydart.com/#!druim-bothy/c1b0c" target="_blank">bothy</a> near Inverie in Knoydart on the North-West coast of Scotland, and spent three days mountain biking and walking whilst dodging the rain and snow showers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the highlights of the trip (apart from the excellent </span><a href="http://www.theoldforge.co.uk/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Old Forge</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> which claims to be the remotest pub in Britain) was the sheer number of wild flowers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On one of our jaunts up an unpronounceable Scottish munro, large areas of the lower slopes were literally covered in wild primroses, accompanied by wood anemones, dog violets, lesser celandine and even a common lizard warming up in the sun. The surprising thing was all these woodland flowers were growing quite happily a long way from the nearest woodland. We came to the conclusion that at one time in the past (before the clearances?) the area would have been wooded, and although the trees have gone, the flowers have remained and are thriving thanks to the very low grazing pressure. We saw quite a few Red Deer but no sheep at all while we were there.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Primroses by the thousand</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in the real world, my little greenhouse is bursting at the seams with all sorts of vegetable and flower seedlings all waiting until they are big and brave enough to go out and face the slugs and snails and mice and rabbits and cold and wind and rain of Hill Top garden. I've got marrows and broad beans, hollyhocks and everlasting flowers, lettuces and kale, pumpkins and French beans and I'll be planting them out over the next few weeks. I've put in my onion sets and planted potatoes already and I'll be sowing seeds like beetroot, peas and spinach straight into the ground as soon as I get chance. I'll keep you updated on their progress.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Waiting to go out</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other plants looking good at the moment include the white wisteria on the house wall which is just coming into flower and the Azaleas opposite which will soon be their usual riot of colour. Having looked back at some photos from last year, the flowering time seem to be about two weeks behind last year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Something which you just have to see and hear if you're in the area is the 'Harmonica Botanica' currently installed in the fern house at Wray Castle. A plant growing in a pot has electrodes clipped to its leaves and roots and the change in resistance as the plant grows is fed into a box of electronic gibbons which converts the signals into wonderful soothing, constantly changing music. One of our visitors found it so relaxing that they fell asleep and missed their bus home! <a href="https://vimeo.com/soundintervention/harmonicabotanica" target="_blank">Here's a link</a> showing the Harmonica when it was installed at Cragside, apparently the gardeners there are really missing it. It's at Wray Castle until May 20th so pop along if you can.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My <a href="https://youtu.be/G31prHOCsig" target="_blank">musical link</a> this time isn't one of my all time favourites but it ticked too many boxes to pass up, especially in the week following the somewhat momentous result in the general election 'North of the Border'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See you next time</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Words and pictures by Pete the Gardener</span><br />
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NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-26094585276021307392015-04-17T10:00:00.000+01:002015-04-24T09:53:48.687+01:00Which animal are you?Beatrix Potter's animal characters strike a chord with people all over the world. So what's their appeal? Unlike Mickey Mouse, which is a caricature of an animal, Beatrix's illustrations are painstakingly accurate. The shape of the animal is right, even when she has them stand on their hind legs and wear clothes! Anyone could recognise a rabbit having seen Peter.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oB2nlOy0N7g/VS_m0tsJM1I/AAAAAAAABv4/HwJ6jPzO398/s1600/peter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oB2nlOy0N7g/VS_m0tsJM1I/AAAAAAAABv4/HwJ6jPzO398/s1600/peter.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This took practice! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beatrix's sketches of hedgehogs</td></tr>
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As well as being true to their physical appearance, Beatrix also has her animals behave as real animals might. Jeremy Fisher eats butterflies and grasshoppers and lives in fear of being eaten by a pike, rabbits nibble radishes and Mr Tod has designs on Jemima Puddleduck. These animal characteristics are blended seamlessly with human ones. Jeremy invites his friends for dinner, Ginger and Pickles run a shop, and so on.<br />
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The animals have been chosen carefully to fit the human stories they tell. When John Taylor's son, the village carpenter, appeared in 'The Tale of Samuel Whiskers' as the terrier, John Joiner, old John was jealous. 'how could I draw him if he didn't get up' Beatrix is reported to have said, adding that he'd have to be a dormouse! <br />
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We might wonder whether foxes really are cunning like Mr Todd, rabbits mischievous, like Peter or mice house proud, like Mrs Tittlemouse but it's very difficult <u>not </u> to link certain animals with human traits. Or to see people as resembling animals!<br />
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Clothes also have to appropriate. Could Mrs Tiggywinkle have worn anything but a print gown, striped petticoat and apron? When Mr Tod is turning over Jemima's eggs he is pure fox, without clothes and a successful Jemima at the end appears without bonnet and shawl.<br />
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Many of Beatrix's characters were animals she knew. For example, Peter was modelled on Benjamin Bouncer, the collie in The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck based on Beatrix's own Kep and a black Pomeranian living in Sawrey became Duchess in The Pie and the Patty Pan.<br />
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We decided to look at our own animals. I couldn't decide what Sam should be. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cavalier lace collar to go with his curly ears</td></tr>
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He looks happier out on a walk<br />
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We wondered which animal would represent us in a story. Maybe a mischievous rabbit like Fran's house rabbit, Bracken, <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely plotting something!</td></tr>
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or a pony like Jenny's Fell, Jess<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Let's play chase'</td></tr>
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Or a comedian like the goat<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last laugh</td></tr>
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You could, of course, use toys as characters. How about this Herdwick sheep grazing in Hawkshead National Trust shop<br />
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We decided Adam was very much like his dog, Pippin. Both very friendly and waggy tail (Pippin), energetic, keen to work and loyal.<br />
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Others see themselves as a dormouse (with attitude), a rabbit, a sheep, a parrot, an elegant horse and a squirrel but I'm not saying who they are!<br />
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<br />NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-56024612368567054232015-04-10T10:00:00.000+01:002015-04-10T10:00:00.622+01:00Wake up and smell the flowers!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scientists who know about these things say that our memory for taste and smell is far more acute than for words, faces or places we've been. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marcel Proust, in his ‘Remembrance of Things Past’, wrote that a bite of a madeleine vividly recalled childhood memories of his aunt giving him the very same cake before going to mass on a Sunday.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The phenomenon which is known as 'olfactory evoked recall' is most often associated with scents experienced in childhood and I came across one such scent earlier in the week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was working at one of the National Trust's currently vacant cottages near Coniston, cutting back some climbers which were threatening to engulf the cottage. It was a warm, sunny afternoon and butterflies and bees were busily feeding up after the long winter. The object of their attention was a large flowering currant bush (</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ribes sanguineum) </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and as I walked past,</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the scent of the flowers transported me back nearly fifty years to the playground of my primary school, where a large flowering currant grew in a tiny border surrounded by tarmac. I didn't know what it was called back then, in fact I was still grappling with the mysteries of the alphabet ('A is for apple so rosy and red, B is for baker who bakes buns and bread, C is for.....well you get the idea) but I vividly remember the scent of the flowers, obviously associated with blissful childhood memories of playtime at my first school (or maybe not, I never really liked school)! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a few scented plants in Hill Top garden at the moment, the most striking of which is a small clump of 'Delft Blue' hyacinths which I planted last Autumn. They smell great but you'll have to get on your hands and knees to really get a good whiff.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hyacinth 'Delft Blue'</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also planted some scented daffodil bulbs last year (varieties Scilly White, Pencrebal and Geranium if I remember rightly) and these will be coming into bloom in the next week or two. Then it will be the turn of Rhododendron luteum the wonderfully scented yellow azalea, followed by lilacs, old-fashioned sweet peas, roses...there is always something to smell at Hill Top, even if it's only the tantalising aroma of a full English breakfast wafting over from the Tower Bank Arms next door!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been busy away from Hill Top this week; as well as the climber pruning in Coniston, I've been working at another NT cottage not far from Hill Top which has been vacant for a few months while it received some much needed building work. The garden was rather neglected and I was tasked with creating a lawn area in front of the house. It seems a simple enough request but the ground was a mass of raspberry canes, nettles and docks and would have been a nightmare to dig over by hand so I hired a rotavator to make things easier. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ChDIT3CQLuA/VSaEzvzjPAI/AAAAAAAABvE/UpORhim0QYU/s1600/IMG_3102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ChDIT3CQLuA/VSaEzvzjPAI/AAAAAAAABvE/UpORhim0QYU/s1600/IMG_3102.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or so I thought! The ground was so rooty and compacted and laced with stones that all the rotavator wanted to do was skip over the surface and it took a considerable effort to get it to dig in and churn up the soil. By the time I had finished I felt like I had spent four hours wrestling with an enraged grizzly bear!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_RwEhUTu5UQ/VSaEu9SCnLI/AAAAAAAABu8/J5vY_VOXz4k/s1600/IMG_3103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_RwEhUTu5UQ/VSaEu9SCnLI/AAAAAAAABu8/J5vY_VOXz4k/s1600/IMG_3103.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After - phew!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, it is as near to a fine tilth as it's going to get and the next step is to rake it over, tread it down, level it off and lay the turf. If it looks good when it's finished I'll post a pic up next time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's enough for now, the sun is shining and I should be in the garden, I'll leave you with my musical link which</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">could have been 'I Just Came to Smell the Flowers' by Porter Waggoner (unbearably cheesy) or 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' by Nirvana (great song but not really relevant) so in the end it had to be <a href="https://youtu.be/uFfNTBJTX1U" target="_blank">this</a> .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See you next time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Words and pictures by Pete the Gardener.</span>NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-26130865749761514652015-04-03T10:00:00.000+01:002015-04-03T10:00:00.519+01:00"Pace" yourself this Easter!<div class="MsoNormal">
We've made it! </div>
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<br /></div>
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We've (hopefully) passed through those dark,
rainy and particularly nippy winter months up here in the Lakes. Although no
one seemed to tell mother nature – did any of you also have snow last
Thursday?! However, I am extremely happy to see the sights of Spring all around
me, I've spotted lambs in the orchard, the flowers are trying to poke their
heads trough the water logged soil, there is an egg in the garden (although
unfortunately not the delicious chocolate kind!) And at this moment I wish I
hadn't previously spoken to you about Beatrix's egg heads! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I for one am
definitely looking forward to the warmer weeks that we will hopefully have
coming up (maybe that's because I'm a summer baby) even if they don't always
like me – I'm pretty pale, almost translucent some could say, so it's factor 30
all the way!.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Spring is not the only thing to have arrived; Easter is here
and will be in full swing by the time that this post hits the interwebs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Trying to think of ideas for an egg-citing entry I'll admit
that I found this month's post one of the most tricky, and to be honest I've
been putting off writing it for quite a bit. One thing was certain, I wanted to
link it to Easter somehow and making it interesting without using too many of
those terrible egg puns (though saying that, I seem to have lost some of my
willpower and have used quite a few!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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A bolt of inspiration hit me quite uneggspectantly<span style="color: #92d050;">. </span>The other day I remembered an old photograph that
was taken by Beatrix up at Hill Top that we have in the collection. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The photo I was thinking of is of a small group of Pace
Eggers outside the front of Hill Top. <br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kYlpHupN3Zg/VR2nmPiNsqI/AAAAAAAABuU/ON0EhrHY4Ys/s1600/pace%2Begger3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kYlpHupN3Zg/VR2nmPiNsqI/AAAAAAAABuU/ON0EhrHY4Ys/s1600/pace%2Begger3.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p> </div>
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Sometimes these groups are also known as Mummers, they are
people who perform traditional folk plays – you are perhaps thinking that this
is old fashioned but surprisingly these groups are thriving across the country.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Back to the Pace Eggers, you're probably thinking 'What the
heck are they?!' and to be honest before (finally) settling down to write this
post I had no idea either. <o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
After a smidgen of research I discovered that 'Pace Egging'
dates back hundreds of years and has<span style="color: red;"> </span>been
recorded in several northern counties including Lancashire (in which Hill Top used
to reside) and Northumbria.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Essentially Pace Egging is a folk play that revolves around
a rebirth theme and has strong references to the crusades. It is primarily
performed on Good Friday (I think) and according to my research it involves St
George fighting many foes including a Turkish Champion. By a sick twist of fate
St George then dies but is later brought back to life by a comic doctor. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Mummers are known to go all out on the costumes; they
often blacken their faces for the performance and like to have a bit of craic
with the crowd. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Oh and did I mention many groups give several performances
on the same day, each at a different pub? So, in my mind it's a bit like a play
mixed with a pub crawl – and that can’t be a bad thing!<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unusual it might be but I think it sounds great, so different
to anything you would see today and in a way it's totally “British” and we
should celebrate our quirky British heritage a bit more often.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Also, is anyone else getting the impression that this
slightly follows Jesus' resurrection – although Jesus didn't wear chain-mail
armour, or fight dragons, apart from that it's totally similar …<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This tradition had all but died out after the First World
War when many of the men who would have taken part and performed in this folk
play died in action but it's since been brought back to life and is going
strong across many northern towns. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This type of folk play can be seen in many locations this
year including Middleton, Heptonstall and Bury amongst others – I believe that there
are several around the wonderful north so if you fancied seeing one I am sure
you might be able to find an opportunity to go. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I for one am seriously intrigued by the whole thing! And
would love to learn more about this little known part (for many people) of
English heritage. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Who thinks that the north is even more amazing now?! Beatrix
and I certainly do! #JustSayin'. And some of you may scoff and say, “pfft but
you're Welsh” and yes I am but to that I would say, northern Welsh so it still
counts! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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If you want to know any more about this intriguing Easter
tradition you can try this <a href="http://www.pace-egg.org.uk/index.php/hands" target="_blank">link</a> or a generic internet search will also do the job.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Back to Beatrix! I've asked Liz why B took a photo of the
group but I can only assume that they may have performed a play in the village
or close by and she wanted to document it for the future.. maybe? She loved
local folk law and the differences that could be found between regions and
wanted to preserve them so that they could retain their individuality – this is
one thing I have no problem agreeing with her on. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
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This would also ring true because we also have a short
letter that came from Country Life Magazine
in which they send Beatrix a rejection for a short story that she wrote
to the publication detailing an idea that she had for a piece about the Pace
Eggers. We have a facsimile of the letter out at Hill Top and many of our
staff, volunteers and visitors<span style="color: #92d050;"> </span>can't believe
they rejected her, can you?<br />
</div>
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If, like me, you've managed to wangle this Easter off (I'm
still not sure how I succeeded in this!) why don't you take a sneak peek at
your local events and see if you've got a Pace Eggers play in your parts and
help to keep this unique tradition alive? Or if Pace Egging isn't your thing
then Hill Top is open throughout the Easter period, so come along and say Hi to
the team! <o:p></o:p></div>
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As for me I'm off up to the North East to spend Easter with
my girlfriend, stuffing my face with a choccy Easter basket type thing my Mum
and Matt have put together for us, exploring a castle, a lighthouse and
enjoying a proper Easter Sunday dinner :D <o:p></o:p></div>
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Whatever you get up to have an egg-stra fantastic Easter –
the weather's not looking too bad. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Enjoy yourselves! :)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ta ta for now!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Words by Natalie :)</div>
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NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-20861912344314544572015-03-27T10:00:00.000+00:002015-03-27T10:00:06.425+00:00Field and Farms Forever??How the landscape Beatrix Potter loved came to be.<br />
<br />
It's easy to understand why Beatrix Potter, like many others, fell in love with the Lake District. The pattern of undulating fields and stone walls sprinkled with farmhouses and woodland, along with the quaint villages and quiet tarns, give it a special feeling of intimacy. This is set against the grandeur of the fells - when they don't disappear mysteriously into the clouds!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IlTFrIplm6c/VQvoFt3rKDI/AAAAAAAABtQ/LcKVk5pR2n8/s1600/IMG_0215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IlTFrIplm6c/VQvoFt3rKDI/AAAAAAAABtQ/LcKVk5pR2n8/s1600/IMG_0215.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fields around Near Sawrey showing Castle Cottage where Beatrix Potter lived as Mrs Heelis</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xoo3y-THGU4/VQvom-N4f_I/AAAAAAAABtY/h0pW-MBuWg8/s1600/IMG_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UHB_NxegJ7U/VQvlwlO_fSI/AAAAAAAABtE/jupoUQW2-FY/s1600/moss%2Beccles%2B2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UHB_NxegJ7U/VQvlwlO_fSI/AAAAAAAABtE/jupoUQW2-FY/s1600/moss%2Beccles%2B2015.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moss Eccles Tarn above Near Sawrey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
However, the landscape, even that of the high fells, is largely man-made and would have been woodland.<br />
<br />
People started to change the look of things in the Neolithic (around 6,000 years ago). Polished stone axes from Great Langdale became the 'must have' gifts exchanged by the upper classes across the country.<br />
<br />
The sporadic woodland clearance became more extensive in the later Iron Age (say 300 BC to Romans). Recently (I mean that - about 2013!) an observant boy found a strange piece of metal in a hedgerow near Hawkshead. Not convinced that it was a bit of junk, he took it to Kendal Museum and it proved to be an Iron Age sword! Esthwaite Water was probably larger then so the sword might have been ritually broken and thrown into the water as a gift for the god.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NRP4uMUBi8A/VQvrRH44wCI/AAAAAAAABt0/iH5lwXDY62c/s1600/IMG_0222.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NRP4uMUBi8A/VQvrRH44wCI/AAAAAAAABt0/iH5lwXDY62c/s1600/IMG_0222.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iron Age sword - broken intentionally (Kendal Museum)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From around AD 300 and through the early medieval the climate became warmer and drier - sorry, you missed it! The Lake District would have been patched with cereals, grown for food, and blue flax and hemp mainly for their fibres. No, they weren't all high on cannabis!<br />
<br />
The many 'thwaite' names, Norse for 'clearing in a wood' suggests that more woodland was cleared under the Danelaw. Hawkshead's name derives from the Norseman, Haukr, who had his dwelling, Saetr, there. Sawrey, a muddy place, had its first mention in 1336 as Sourer and Esthwaite Water is literally the 'water by the easten clearing'.<br />
<br />
After AD 1000 more trees went and in the late medieval sheep ruled as there was money in wool and monasteries (in this area Furness Abbey) practised large scale sheep farming in the uplands. The Court House in Hawkshead served as the administrative centre for this area. If you want to find out more and look inside, call in the National Trust Hawkshead Corner shop for the key.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xoo3y-THGU4/VQvom-N4f_I/AAAAAAAABtY/h0pW-MBuWg8/s1600/IMG_0211.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xoo3y-THGU4/VQvom-N4f_I/AAAAAAAABtY/h0pW-MBuWg8/s1600/IMG_0211.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Courthouse, Hawkshead</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, Hawkshead developed as a market town and many of the buildings, including the one which houses the Beatrix Potter Gallery and retains many original features, date from this time. The name 'Rag, Wool and Putty Street' reminds us that much of the 'industry' would have been based on animal products and the air redolent with more pungent odours than that of roast dinners!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yb67lS68sac/VQvo6I-NqJI/AAAAAAAABtg/E2a-jm2vPe4/s1600/IMG_0216.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yb67lS68sac/VQvo6I-NqJI/AAAAAAAABtg/E2a-jm2vPe4/s1600/IMG_0216.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leather, Rag and Putty Street, Hawkshead</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Stone walls make good barriers, and shelter, where hedges might be hard to establish and useful places to put stones cleared from the fields. In medieval times, ring garth walls marked the open fell from cultivated vally bottoms. Cultivated land was divided as feudalism gave way to individually farmed land. Finally, the Enclosure Movement of the 18th and 19th centuries led to the long walls crossing even the most forbidding areas of the high fells.<br />
<br />
In the late medieval there was a 'Little Ice Age' (ending around AD 1700 but persisting in Hill Top ticket office) which contributed to the spread of mire and acid grassland.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LKSLn2vN7RA/VQvpigtVt3I/AAAAAAAABto/yEoq4Aqe3aY/s1600/sam%2Bin%2Bforest.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LKSLn2vN7RA/VQvpigtVt3I/AAAAAAAABto/yEoq4Aqe3aY/s1600/sam%2Bin%2Bforest.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam particularly likes mud! (and moves too fast for my camera action)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From AD 1600 to AD 1900 coppicing for charcoal has left patches of overgrown or managed coppiced woodland in which oak and other species may be encouraged to regenerate.<br />
<br />
For more on how we're caring for the landscape now, check out the Rangers' blog.NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-69023944532042967292015-02-23T22:27:00.001+00:002015-02-23T22:27:58.094+00:00Hill Top Children's TrailBeatrix welcomed children to Hill Top, and often wrote to the children of friends, telling them about life in the village and what her characters had been up to. We extend that welcome to today's children, and over half term it has been lovely to see so many young children coming up to Hill Top with their parents.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y-ycc92CBmQ/VOhNrFyZZRI/AAAAAAAABr8/dNsDVE4RLaw/s1600/DSC_9176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y-ycc92CBmQ/VOhNrFyZZRI/AAAAAAAABr8/dNsDVE4RLaw/s1600/DSC_9176.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cath awaits the arrival of a group of children</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Quite a number of our young visitors will attempt the garden trail, which has been a popular activity for a number of years, especially when we are busy and there might be a bit of a wait to get into the house.<br />
This year the trail follows the adventures of the rats Samuel Whiskers and his wife Anna Maria. You may remember, at the end of the story of the Rolly Polly Pudding, these two naughty rats are chased from the house by John Joiner the dog, but manage to bundle a number of items they have stolen into a wheelbarrow belonging to Beatrix.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nymvP7h_NO4/VOumVMELJ9I/AAAAAAAABsM/X5i-Mz6pRsA/s1600/WP_20150218_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nymvP7h_NO4/VOumVMELJ9I/AAAAAAAABsM/X5i-Mz6pRsA/s1600/WP_20150218_003.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The abandoned wheelbarrow</td></tr>
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<br />
For the trail we have imagined that these naughty rats dropped most of their ill-gotten gains along the paths as they ran through the garden; we invite our younger visitors to find six of them scattered around, including the wheelbarrow itself.<br />
They might also want to have a go at drawing the house with its simply arranged windows and central front door - a perfect child's view of a home..<br />
<br />
Older children can try deciphering Beatrix's own code that she invented for her diaries when a teenager. We have taken an extract from a letter she once wrote to a young girl who had recently visited the house.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nLtAk4bBvRw/VOundcepjtI/AAAAAAAABsY/sMQZrpf8EV4/s1600/WP_20150218_002%2B(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nLtAk4bBvRw/VOundcepjtI/AAAAAAAABsY/sMQZrpf8EV4/s1600/WP_20150218_002%2B(2).jpg" height="320" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rats dropped this mixing bowl, but where is it?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The trail is available from the shop near to the entrance to the garden, and children can return to the shop for a sticker when they have completed it.<br />
Good hunting!<br />
<br />
IanNT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-16421237600581979122015-02-16T16:10:00.000+00:002015-02-16T16:10:37.022+00:00Digging.....<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been doing quite a lot of digging lately and although my back protests slightly more than it used to, the gain is more than worth the pain for several reasons-</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It makes the vegetable garden look tidy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a good way of getting warm on a cold and frosty morning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It gives the hungry robins and blackbirds some much needed soft ground to scour for worms and other assorted bugs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It turns up slug and snail eggs and exposes them to frost and hungry birds.</span></li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WlkEjEKIyKw/VOIEWVpmvpI/AAAAAAAABrc/mQ0CCOA5itM/s1600/IMG_3020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WlkEjEKIyKw/VOIEWVpmvpI/AAAAAAAABrc/mQ0CCOA5itM/s1600/IMG_3020.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nice and tidy</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I dug away, with my brain in neutral, I noticed a number of fragments of pottery being turned over with the soil. I've noticed them before, they are there every time I dig the veg garden over, but this time I decided they deserved a closer study so I picked up all the ones I found and put them in my jacket pocket.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time I had finished digging I had amassed quite a collection....and a pocket full of soil!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just like Time Team!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what have we got? Well, the most eye catching are the delicate blue and white willow pattern fragments, presumably from a plate or a cup in someone's best china dinner service. There are a number of plain white china pieces including a cup handle and some much thicker pale brown chunks which I suspect might have been a fairly heavy-duty bottle or storage jar. In the top right of the photo are two pieces that look like they might be from a casserole or pie dish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the top of the photo are some fragments of clay tobacco pipes. These were used from the late 1500's until the early 1900's when cigarettes consigned them to history. Clay pipes were fragile and had a fairly short life but replacements were cheap and plentiful. Maybe the ones I found were discarded by a previous gardener, leaning on his spade having a well-deserved smoke.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But where did all the pottery come from? I don't know about you but when I break a plate or a mug my first instinct isn't to throw the pieces into the garden; any right minded person would simply throw them in the bin. Aha! but in the days when the above </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crockery </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was broken there wouldn't have been 'bins' as we know them and certainly no regular rubbish collections. So what to do? The pottery bits won't burn so you can't put them on the fire and they won't rot down so there's no point putting them on the compost heap. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most large houses had a 'tip' for things like bottles, crockery etc, often located away from the house in a 'quarry hole', perhaps villages had a communal one? Sometimes broken crockery was incorporated into paths, but there is so much stone in the soil here I can't really see the need for extra material. Maybe the broken pieces were used as crocks in the bottom of plant pots to help with drainage and as the plants ended up on the compost heap, so did the crocks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course the tantalizing question is, did any of these fragments actually belong to Beatrix? Unless Natalie and the house team have some inside knowledge, I guess we'll never know!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elsewhere in the garden I've ticked off another of my winter jobs by replacing the rustic fence in the vegetable garden. The previous one had been in place for two years and had become brittle and grown an interesting collection of fungi. I made the replacement from sycamore saplings from Monk Coniston garden and a couple of dozen two inch nails.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCEWzRKE9Ik/VOIEZLaU1cI/AAAAAAAABrk/UmzzYuB1C1M/s1600/IMG_3015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCEWzRKE9Ik/VOIEZLaU1cI/AAAAAAAABrk/UmzzYuB1C1M/s1600/IMG_3015.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ODz00roAurU/VOIEdnPeiCI/AAAAAAAABrs/SHbnu7LoqQ0/s1600/IMG_3018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ODz00roAurU/VOIEdnPeiCI/AAAAAAAABrs/SHbnu7LoqQ0/s1600/IMG_3018.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's still not much flowering in the garden, the snowdrops are opening their petals</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on warmer days and the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Viburnum tinus </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which I pruned rather savagely a couple of years ago has put out a few early blooms. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although we've had some bitingly cold weather recently, and it might just be wishful thinking on my part, there's a definite hint of Spring in the air (Florence, my ever chilly whippet has even been seen outside without her coat on!) and in honour of that, my musical link this month isn't 'Digging in the Dirt' by Peter Gabriel but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgeZEdbv_m8" target="_blank">this</a> by the excellent Tom Waits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy digging,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bye for now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Words and pictures by Pete the Gardener</span></span></div>
NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-52511696471123130402015-02-06T10:00:00.000+00:002015-02-09T12:03:16.311+00:00Show Beatrix some love on Valentine's Day!<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;">Someone once told me that the older you get the faster the time goes and I'm beginning to think that this is true. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">The time since my last post and our wintery closed months that followed seem to have passed with a super speedy blur – and I'm sure that I'm not the only one who's feeling this way. I mean it's February already!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f-_f6mHrqJo/VNPXFE6Ei5I/AAAAAAAABqY/2zN6RCQdDMY/s1600/IMAG0420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f-_f6mHrqJo/VNPXFE6Ei5I/AAAAAAAABqY/2zN6RCQdDMY/s1600/IMAG0420.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">THIS is February!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black;">Our Hill Top has been looking a bit odd these past couple of months, the objects have been safely packed away, furniture covered and things have generally been out of place as we carried out the deep clean.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">At the time of penning this post I'm pleased to say that it's looking much, much better inside the house and over the last couple of weeks a lot of things are being slowly returned to their rightful homes. It's like the house is coming back to life again and before we know it Hill Top will be open to the public once again.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">With so much going on recently I think that the theme of this post is really a little update on what I've been getting up to.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I wish I could say that I've played a big part in putting things back out at Hill Top but I really can't take credit for any of it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">This year I was lucky enough to be allocated a place on the annual Housekeeping Study Days course. This year it was held down in Surrey at Polesden Lacey. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTA7JIgjfwE/VNPXBVc9VdI/AAAAAAAABqQ/ZBZz43pYGSs/s1600/IMAG0394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTA7JIgjfwE/VNPXBVc9VdI/AAAAAAAABqQ/ZBZz43pYGSs/s1600/IMAG0394.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I am sure you'll agree that it's quite a contrast to our little Hill Top! It is an amazing property with a huge and beautiful collection, opulent surroundings and it's share of interesting past residents . It was wonderful to experience a totally different property.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">It was a fairly decent journey but it was so so worth it! Through the course you get a good grounding in every aspect of preventative conservation and all the ins and outs of what we as house staff need to know to care for a collection of a variety of different objects and materials properly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I really did enjoy it and have come back to the Lakes full of enthusiasm. It was a residential course, which means you stay over in a hotel as the course is taught over a number of days. This course was 3 nights and 4 days and as well as a whole lot of great learning it was fantastic to be able to meet and chat to others who are in similar roles as me from all across the country. To be honest, looking back I can't believe I was ever nervous about going! </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Some other things I've been up to include measuring the plates at Hill Top so we can buy some new stands for them, this should improve the support they have and ensure they last for decades to come.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SDU-sFVGp3g/VNPZdKKDn7I/AAAAAAAABq8/Yug8uM-VcWc/s1600/IMAG0408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SDU-sFVGp3g/VNPZdKKDn7I/AAAAAAAABq8/Yug8uM-VcWc/s1600/IMAG0408.jpg" height="320" width="177" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Not up to 'stand' ard :P</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black;">I've also been scaring away spiders and hoovering up their cobwebs with a vacuum at the Beatrix Potter Gallery and most recently I attended another course at Rufford Old Hall in Ormskirk on caring for historic wooden floors. Phew, quite a variety of jobs ey?</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Finally, this week has seen me help Liz, our House and Collections Manager, to put up the new exhibition in the gallery ready in time to open for the new season. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Some of you might think that this doesn't sound too exciting but I would have to disagree, I mean, I actually get to touch and handle original Beatrix Potter artwork including sketches and watercolours. I do think I'm incredibly lucky sometimes, when I have a great day it's really a great day! :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">This year our exhibition is “On holiday with Beatrix Potter” with a focus on the people who came to visit and meet B. I know you probably think I'm slightly biased but I do urge you to come visit us this year, the exhibition is a great one – plus, if nothing else you can evaluate how straight I have put the artwork up, or not as the case may be.. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">On Tuesday we were getting some of the art out of the store ready to go up and Liz asked me to find a page in a sketchbook, 'half timbered buildings in Wales'. When I finally found it I was REALLY excited! I actually scared Liz a little with my excited squeal which apparently sounded a bit like I'd had a disaster haha. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yeef7oLNJOM/VNPXL3tvo8I/AAAAAAAABqg/dqiVYWd64Ec/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yeef7oLNJOM/VNPXL3tvo8I/AAAAAAAABqg/dqiVYWd64Ec/s1600/photo.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Serious conservation face...Silly jumper :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black;">In the book were sketches and watercolours from different places that Beatrix visited in 1905, what was so exciting is that when I flicked the page and saw the images I instantly recognised them as my home town of Ruthin! Not many people know where this is so I'll explain, it's in a small county called Denbighshire in North East Wales... around 35/40 minutes from Wrexham (coincidentally where the majority of my family are from) if that helps at all? So yep, there is it, this means that I am Welsh, not that you would ever guess it from my (lack of) accent.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">They are really rather good drawings and I was so thrilled to see my little town in B's sketchbook that I actually recounted the story of what I had seen to both my parents and wasted no time in telling them which buildings and businesses you can see in the images. For those of you who know the area, look out for The Castle Hotel, Barclays bank and the Wine Vaults :)</span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;">Valentine's day is soon approaching (it's a week tomorrow in case any of you still have last minute preparation to do :P ) however today marks another exciting day – tonight Wales takes on England in the 6 Nations Rugby! I know what you're thinking and you would be right, Wales are going to thrash England! We may be a small nation but we're extremely proud and extremely optimistic. It would be wonderful though if the land of dragons and daffodils came out on top – sorry English readers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">To go with this little slice of Welsh pride my “Hello there” comes in the form of this Welsh doll in traditional costume.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R5BZZWcItww/VNPXWTKXysI/AAAAAAAABqo/2-USI2QipWM/s1600/IMG_6685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R5BZZWcItww/VNPXWTKXysI/AAAAAAAABqo/2-USI2QipWM/s1600/IMG_6685.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Cymru am byth <3</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black;">How did B acquire such a thing? To be honest, I have absolutely no idea but I would like to think that it's from one of her Welsh jaunts, one reason to visit the area would be because her uncle had a house in the next town over.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Although Wales is certainly not all about the black traditional hats and red cloaks, I can't help feel a sense of pride that the Welsh are being represented in this way, however small.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Like Pete, I also am looking forward to the arrival of Spring, I don't know about where you are from but here in the Lakes we have been in the minuses a hell of a lot recently and I honestly cannot wait for warmer weather. If I were to include a musical link it would go a little something like this "I can't feel my fingers, I can't feel my toes..."</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Hopefully by March's post we'll have some of the sunny stuff :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">For now I will bid you farewell, I'll be back next month with another post but if you're looking for something to do in the mean time, why don't you come visit us when we open again on the 14<sup>th</sup> February.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Ta ta for now</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Words and pictures by Natalie :)</span></div>
NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-26841087745542344622015-01-29T20:30:00.002+00:002015-01-29T20:30:35.359+00:00Lost your bottle?Very recently, here on the South Lakes Property we held an Assessment Day to help us choose a new member of staff - an Assistant House Steward. The Assessment Day was held at Wray Castle, on the shores of Windermere,
which has to be the best location for a job interview - it certainly
has the best views. And thankfully it wasn't as snowy on this day!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MktN23RzzM/VMqX1Gp5YGI/AAAAAAAABqA/1IoUZv2HWUg/s1600/Wray%2BCastle%2Bsnowy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MktN23RzzM/VMqX1Gp5YGI/AAAAAAAABqA/1IoUZv2HWUg/s1600/Wray%2BCastle%2Bsnowy.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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We put our potential new member of the team through all manner of tests (but we also gave them lunch). My role on this day was to work with the other House Steward and do the 'Object Handling' session.<br />
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The idea of this Handling session is to test the candidates' knowledge of the care of and conservation of various items; in this case a textile, a book and a piece of ceramic. We ask the candidates to handle them, watching carefully to make sure they do it in the correct way so as to minimise any risk of damage. We ask them to look carefully at the object - describing its condition in detail. They will tell us about cleaning the object and maybe displaying it safely to the public.<br />
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The ceramic we chose this time was not a fancy gilded delicate piece,
which our candidates may well have expected, thinking of Beatrix
Potter's lovely collection of cups and saucers and ornaments that are on
display at Hill Top. Instead we chose an earthenware bottle, with a broken handle.quite at random. <br />
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Down in the basement there are all nature of interesting things during the closed season: all the Craft materials for children's activities; Christmas decorations; dressing up clothes; a taxidermied Herdwick sheep; recycling bins and boxes containing items dug up from the grounds of Wray Castle.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yVyAH4qJKyM/VMqMT5JGpGI/AAAAAAAABpU/NbEZ-DhDu9Y/s1600/2015-01-26%2B12.16.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yVyAH4qJKyM/VMqMT5JGpGI/AAAAAAAABpU/NbEZ-DhDu9Y/s1600/2015-01-26%2B12.16.17.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once our candidates got over their surprise at having to deal with such an unusual item, they seemed to relish handling and describing it. One rightly surmised that it had been dug up from somewhere!<br />
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After the assessment sessions were done and we were in the basement with cups of tea and leftover sausage rolls (from lunch). I decided to Google the mark that was on the bottle, as it was so unusual. Herzogthum Nassau was stamped on it, along with a kind of lion decal and the word 'SELTERS'. I wanted to know what this all meant!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GPjZz91UEoM/VMqPYvD1-pI/AAAAAAAABpw/e75jlXWFiGQ/s1600/2015-01-26%2B15.32.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GPjZz91UEoM/VMqPYvD1-pI/AAAAAAAABpw/e75jlXWFiGQ/s1600/2015-01-26%2B15.32.05.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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What I discovered was that this bottle once contained German mineral water! Herzogthum Nassau, means the Duchy of Nassau, a province in western
Germany that is today the state of Hesse. The Selters area of the
province on northern slopes of the Taunus mountains was famous for its
mineral springs. Starting in the mid-18th century, the water was packaged in stoneware
vessels and sold internationally. Shipments went out to the
Netherlands, Sweden, England, France, Russia, Africa, even as far afield
as America and Jakarta. It was a highly profitable venture, with more
than a million jugs sold in 1791. In 1850 three million jugs were sold!<br />
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Wray Castle was built in the 1840s by James Dawson (a surgeon) who had way more money than sense, and he would appear to have been a fan of the health benefits of drinking this carbonated mineral water. Who would have imagined that way back then bottled water was readily available and drunk by those who could afford it? I certainly learnt something interesting that day.<br />
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Written by Fiona (one of the House Stewards)<br />
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<br />NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-11428595877025173942015-01-23T10:07:00.000+00:002015-01-23T10:07:00.251+00:00Winter Fashion<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cy7ZZe4r4ts/VMDIUDfmb9I/AAAAAAAABn0/YW0sTiIwkcs/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cy7ZZe4r4ts/VMDIUDfmb9I/AAAAAAAABn0/YW0sTiIwkcs/s1600/002.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hill Top Farm in winter</td></tr>
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Beatrix Potter had spent most of her life in London, visiting the countryside for spring and summer holidays. However, once she bought Hill Top Farm, she faced the snow, ice and rain of winter with her usual determination.<br />
She wore skirts and jackets made from Herdwick wool and would visit her tenants with an old sack over her shoulders to keep out the rain. No walking boots or wellies; clogs would be the standard footwear. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIHKFDLVrME/VMDJzpEy42I/AAAAAAAABoI/Mk7LYhp8WPQ/s1600/124469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIHKFDLVrME/VMDJzpEy42I/AAAAAAAABoI/Mk7LYhp8WPQ/s1600/124469.jpg" height="320" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clogs by the spinning wheel at Hill Top</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bQk13z2O94Q/VMD9NevQIXI/AAAAAAAABpE/0VJ2KBDwZW8/s1600/IMG_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bQk13z2O94Q/VMD9NevQIXI/AAAAAAAABpE/0VJ2KBDwZW8/s1600/IMG_0194.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cath, centre, wearing long skirt and jacket of Herdwick wool helping to plant the Beatrix Potter rose (not in winter!)</td></tr>
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There are tales of her helping to dig sheep out from snow drifts. Herdwick sheep have been known to survive for weeks buried in drifts, nibbling their own fleeces for nourishment. These are luckier.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o668L6iJsAk/VMD2Q4148gI/AAAAAAAABog/kzzSdjIUhwE/s1600/IMG_0188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o668L6iJsAk/VMD2Q4148gI/AAAAAAAABog/kzzSdjIUhwE/s1600/IMG_0188.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter snack bar</td></tr>
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Cattle aren't brought in to keep them nice and warm; as ruminants sheep and cattle have their own built in central heating provided by their digestive system. However, trampling hooves on wet ground soon reduce it to a muddy mess which won't grow grass for a long time. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Jl3rR9zu64/VMD1Rd-jq4I/AAAAAAAABoY/fmfK84Sxx1U/s1600/IMG_0186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Jl3rR9zu64/VMD1Rd-jq4I/AAAAAAAABoY/fmfK84Sxx1U/s1600/IMG_0186.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast cereal? (mentioning no names)</td></tr>
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Edwardian farm wear was based on natural fibres and women would wear long skirts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DcBBiDPCedY/VMDJcmeqgKI/AAAAAAAABoA/k6hGgkMveCg/s1600/BBC%2BEdwarian%2BFarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DcBBiDPCedY/VMDJcmeqgKI/AAAAAAAABoA/k6hGgkMveCg/s1600/BBC%2BEdwarian%2BFarm.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From BBC Edwardian Farm series - more pics on their website</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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Now farmers have a wide choice of materials designed to keep out wind, rain and snow. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5dJ_d1fr9gA/VMD22goyBKI/AAAAAAAABoo/dMb-9w6ox30/s1600/IMG_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5dJ_d1fr9gA/VMD22goyBKI/AAAAAAAABoo/dMb-9w6ox30/s1600/IMG_0187.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the well-dressed farmer wears to work</td></tr>
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And National Trust Rangers bob around the countryside like winter robins.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uXhszvGe3Y4/VMD301snVsI/AAAAAAAABow/kutaGg3KGro/s1600/IMG_0190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uXhszvGe3Y4/VMD301snVsI/AAAAAAAABow/kutaGg3KGro/s1600/IMG_0190.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul models Ranger gear</td></tr>
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Even dogs have their own walking boots!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v0w5d-BCA14/VMD6Gh9unbI/AAAAAAAABo8/_U33msOgLlo/s1600/IMG_0184%2B(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v0w5d-BCA14/VMD6Gh9unbI/AAAAAAAABo8/_U33msOgLlo/s1600/IMG_0184%2B(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam modelling boot on sore paw whilst waiting for a walk</td></tr>
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In between Beatrix's time and the present, I can remember Lake District walks meant sensible shoes and plastic macs and have fond (?) memories of students wearing clogs clattering along the corridor on their way to early morning practicals at agricultural college. It wasn't that long ago!<br />
NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-18503607055063618262015-01-16T12:03:00.001+00:002015-01-16T12:04:39.559+00:00We are nearer to Spring than we were in September....<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to confess that I'm not a winter person. If winter consisted entirely of blue skied, frosty days with the occasional dusting of snow I might feel differently, but up here in the Lakes winter is made up mainly of leaden skied rainy days,with occasional sleet to liven things up a bit (although it's snowing quite hard as I write this). For a gardener this is bad news and I sometimes scan the National Trust vacancy list for jobs in East Anglia where the yearly rainfall total is about what we get in a month. And don't get me started on the short days, having got up at 6 am this week for a gardeners meeting at Lyme Park I'm convinced there should be a law against getting up in the dark!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But there is one bright spark in this otherwise unremittingly gloomy season, and that's for the six weeks after Christmas the garden is closed to the public. That's not meant to sound unwelcoming; for the other forty-six weeks of the year you are most welcome to come and see the garden; but for those six short weeks I get it to myself. It's now that I can do all those jobs that are difficult when we're open, I can block the paths with branches when I'm pruning things, I can leave jobs half finished if the rain gets too heavy and come back to them tomorrow, I can leave muddy footprints on the paths and even park my van outside the house if I need to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One such job which came to the top of my list yesterday was to cut back the rather too rampant ivy around the side gate to the vegetable garden. Ivy (<i>Hedera helix) </i>is a useful ground cover plant in shady areas and a good food source for a wide range of wildlife. This particular clump had escaped my notice over the last few years and it wasn't until I looked closely that I discovered just how out of control it had become. What started off as a little gentle clearing around the gate turned into a full scale assault on stems as thick as my arm which were threatening to completely engulf a couple of damson trees.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The end result was a much clearer veg garden wall and a huge pile of ivy that took three trips in the van to get rid of!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-za62UwUcSnc/VLjtHzCt-II/AAAAAAAABnU/-1HcrUGxxBo/s1600/IMG_3783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-za62UwUcSnc/VLjtHzCt-II/AAAAAAAABnU/-1HcrUGxxBo/s1600/IMG_3783.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the moment it looks rather like a bad haircut, but in a month or two you'll never know it had been cut back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Incidentally ivy is dedicated to Bacchus, the Roman God of wine, who is often depicted wearing a wreath of ivy and grape leaves. Apparently it was thought that wearing a wreath of ivy leaves would ward off intoxication. I may try it next time I'm in the Tower Bank Arms!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elsewhere in the garden, the snowdrops are just beginning to flower and the daffodils are poking their leaves up through the ground although still a month or two away from flowering yet, but as Percy Bysshe Shelley (why is no-one called Bysshe anymore?) wrote,<i> '</i>If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?'</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Snowdrops</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As always I have a long list of jobs including lots of pruning, loads of digging, some new apple trees for the paddock and a new fence in the veg garden. I won't get them all done before we open again on February 14th, but at least you'll be able to get up the garden path!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My musical link this time had to be <a href="http://youtu.be/37WmN9MOqfE" target="_blank">this</a> and I'll leave you with a short poem by Oliver Herford.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I Heard a Bird Sing.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I heard a bird sing</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>In the dark of December,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A magical thing</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>And sweet to remember</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>'We are nearer to Spring</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Than we were in September,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I heard a bird sing</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>In the dark of December.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See you next time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Words and pictures by Pete the Gardener.</span>NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-61192511190741785182014-12-05T13:41:00.000+00:002014-12-05T13:41:19.162+00:00Feeling Claustrophobic?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For some of us the scariest holiday of the year is not Halloween,</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7VFG-yebm0g/VG9CEH4NFYI/AAAAAAAABiI/GEzaYc6gQJQ/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_505698="null" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7VFG-yebm0g/VG9CEH4NFYI/AAAAAAAABiI/GEzaYc6gQJQ/s1600/Untitled.png" eta="true" height="320" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you missed us at Halloween, here we are at the Hawkshead shop scaring customers with the help of our familiar and village resident Sparky.</td></tr>
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...but Christmas! </div>
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But never fear dear, the South Lakes retail team are here to <strike>elf</strike> help you!</div>
Yes, that's right, we are still here over winter so make sure you plan a visit.<br />
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<strong><u>When can you visit us?</u></strong></div>
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You probably know that during winter many of our properties, such as Hill Top house, are closed for essentail conservation work and a very well deserved rest.</div>
However, there's still plenty to do, including your Christmas shopping! <br />
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<strong>National Trust Shop and Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead</strong></div>
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The shop is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00am to 4:00pm until Christmas eve. We are also open December 27th to 31st.</div>
The Beatrix Potter Gallery is now closed for winter conservation until 14th February 2015.<br />
<strong>Hill Top Shop</strong><br />
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The shop and garden at Hill Top are open every day until Christmas Eve, 10:00am to 4:00pm. Entry is free.</div>
The house itself is now closed for winter conservation and will reopen 14th February 2015.<br />
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<strong>Wray Castle Shop</strong></div>
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The castle and shop open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 21st December, 10:30 am to 4:00pm.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wray Castle shop looking very festive.</td></tr>
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And just because it's now cold and dark out there doesn't mean your social life has to dull down too. There's an absolute sleigh-full of goings on in the next few weeks, take a look!<br />
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<strong>Hawkshead Christmas Fair</strong></div>
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A great day our and a perfect opportunity to do your Christmas Shopping!</div>
Hawkshead's annual Christmas Fair takes place on Saturday 6th of December and Sunday 7th of December, between 10:00am and 6:00pm.<br />
The weekend includes over 50 stalls, a Lantern Parage, carol singing, live street music and entertainment, beer festival in the pubs and loads more.<br />
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For more info take a look at <a href="http://hawksheadchristmasfair.com/"><span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">http://hawksheadchristmasfair.com/</span></span></a></div>
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Make sure you pop into the Hawkshead National Trust shop while visiting. We have an unmissable range of gifts and decorations to fill your stockings with, plus we will be offering samples of our delicious new food range.<br />
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Struggling with your Christmas shopping or need some inspiration? Pop in and speak to our staff. We would love to help you find that perfect present and will even gift-wrap it for you. Much less stress!!!</div>
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Don't forget to visit Santa himself on the weekend at the Beatrix Potter Gallery!</div>
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<strong>Our Thank You For Shopping Voucher</strong></div>
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All profits from the money you spend in our National Trust shops go back into funding our work, so we want to say a great big THANK YOU for shopping with us and supporting us.</div>
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Pop into any of our South Lakes shops and pick up our exclusive shopping voucher which entitles you to great discounts in our shops.<br />
Make a purchase in all 3 and be in with a chance to win a fantastic hamper worth £335.<br />
The hamper includes a Go Ape gift voucher work £120 and a variety of wonderful Beatrix potter gifts.<br />
Valid at Hawkshead, Hill Top and Wray Castle shops until 8th December 2014. See voucher for terms & conditions.<br />
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Happy shopping!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">by Emma, Hawkshead Shop Supervisor and rebel without a Claus.</span><br />
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NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-72651773504838335322014-12-05T10:00:00.000+00:002014-12-05T10:00:05.281+00:00Ho Ho Ho!<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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December has arrived and with it, Winter. Although you wouldn't think so with the cracking weather that we've been having recently - it has been pretty glorious! Cold, but pretty.<br />
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The arrival of Winter means that it's really very nearly Christmas time. </div>
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At my family home we absolutely love Christmas, my mum and little brother, Matthew go crazy for it. In fact, today I've had confirmation that they have already got a vast amount of decorations up with Matt taking the lead - think Santa's grotto but with more decorations! </div>
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It's such a special time of year that means many different things to many different people. For me, it's all about family, friends and spending time with the ones you love – and not forgetting bread sauce! Is there anyone who doesn't love bread sauce?! :)</div>
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This time of year was definitely special for Beatrix too! And it was in the festive period that she became an author and illustrator. She would frequently design menus and place cards for family meals but it was in 1890 when she began to take it more seriously. With a little push from her brother, Bertram she sold some of her drawings to Hildesheimer & Faulkner, London who used her images in Christmas cards. And rest, as they say, is history!</div>
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For all of us working up at Hill Top and at the Beatrix Potter Gallery it's been a busy month since our buildings closed at the end of the season.</div>
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Over at Hill Top we've been occupied with checking the inventory against the objects in the house, meticulously working our way through the house room by room checking objects off the list as we go.</div>
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Slowly, steadily and with great care we cleaned, checked and covered each object to protect them until it is time to open the house again in 2015. </div>
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This was quite full on but I've taken a few snaps to show you some of what we've been up to :)</div>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvBncyHJb5c/VHy3wPoBO8I/AAAAAAAABlQ/xTmEw13y148/s1600/2014-11-10%2B14.21.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvBncyHJb5c/VHy3wPoBO8I/AAAAAAAABlQ/xTmEw13y148/s1600/2014-11-10%2B14.21.17.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" unselectable="on" width="177" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mz62CO3DAtk/VHy3l4CwEzI/AAAAAAAABk8/gTlfDqjF_L8/s1600/2014-11-07%2B12.11.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mz62CO3DAtk/VHy3l4CwEzI/AAAAAAAABk8/gTlfDqjF_L8/s1600/2014-11-07%2B12.11.59.jpg" height="320" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martin making friends with Henry!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are some funny shaped ghosts!</td></tr>
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<br />I've decided to go on a completely different tangent for the main part of my blog this month, if truth be known I wasn't really sure what direction to take. Our Marketting and Communications Co-ordinator asked me to give it a festive feel if it was possible and with all our objects put away for Winter I was a bit stuck for ideas. <br />
After thinking about it (for quite a while), my girlfriend gave me a great idea and it seemed like a lot of fun so decided to roll with it :)</div>
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I'm assuming that most of you will recognise this traditional festive tune but I have adapted the words a little. </div>
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I hope it will bring a smile to your face and engulf you in festive feelings :) - and I expect you all to sing it aloud!<br />
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On the first day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Hill Top in her legacy</div>
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On the second day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Two egg heads<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What an egg-citing blog post!"</td></tr>
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On the third day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Three Chippendale chairs<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QNcY4QQz-mA/VIB23m6jOqI/AAAAAAAABlo/M4Tx_Z5FYzg/s1600/HIL0274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_595850="null" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QNcY4QQz-mA/VIB23m6jOqI/AAAAAAAABlo/M4Tx_Z5FYzg/s1600/HIL0274.JPG" eta="true" height="200" width="133" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QI136LN-sks/VIB26n8LVKI/AAAAAAAABlw/7JSYaX1-VOE/s1600/HIL0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_595850="null" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QI136LN-sks/VIB26n8LVKI/AAAAAAAABlw/7JSYaX1-VOE/s1600/HIL0275.JPG" eta="true" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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On the fourth day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Four ivory Netsukes<br />
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<img alt="" height="104" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-thumbnails/00000001358/cms_642130.thw" width="138" /> <img alt="" height="111" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-thumbnails/00000001358/cms_642131.thw" width="138" /></div>
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On the fifth day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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FIVE QUUUUIIIRRRRRRRKKKKY DOLLS</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Hill Top © National Trust / Robert Thrift" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-zooms/00000000117/cms_hil0308.bro" height="213" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
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On the sixth day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Six ceramic teapots</div>
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<a href="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-zooms/00000000679/cms_641571.bro" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hill Top © National Trust / Robert Thrift" border="0" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-zooms/00000000679/cms_641571.bro" height="139" width="200" /></a><a href="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-zooms/00000000678/cms_641375_2_.bro" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hill Top © National Trust / Robert Thrift" border="0" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-zooms/00000000678/cms_641375_2_.bro" height="157" width="200" /></a></div>
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On the seventh day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Seven mystery silhouettes</div>
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On the Eighth day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Eight flowery teacups</div>
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On the Ninth day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Nine Bertram landscapes<br />
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<img alt="" height="91" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-thumbnails/00000001416/cms_pcf_642005.thw" width="138" /> <img alt="" height="83" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-thumbnails/00000001416/cms_pcf_642006.thw" width="138" /> <img alt="" height="88" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-thumbnails/00000001416/cms_pcf_642007.thw" width="138" /> <img alt="" height="89" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-thumbnails/00000001416/cms_pcf_642013.thw" width="138" /></div>
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On the tenth day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Ten of Rupert's plates</div>
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<a href="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-zooms/00000000679/cms_641536_1_.bro" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hill Top © National Trust / Robert Thrift" border="0" src="http://gateway.ntpl.org.uk/hppa-zooms/00000000679/cms_641536_1_.bro" height="178" width="200" /></a></div>
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On the eleventh day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Eleven ruby glasses</div>
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On the twelfth day of Christmas Beatrix gave to you and me</div>
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Twelve mini characters</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z7FTUpd8Z4I/VIB9qXt482I/AAAAAAAABmA/kIbQzmAosMs/s1600/Salvage%2BImages%2B021.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" closure_lm_323843="null" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z7FTUpd8Z4I/VIB9qXt482I/AAAAAAAABmA/kIbQzmAosMs/s1600/Salvage%2BImages%2B021.jpg" eta="true" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Wow! With that little musical delight (I'm using those words VERY loosely!) out in the open I hope you're not judging me too much right now haha.</div>
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This festive filled post will more than likely be the last time you'll hear from me for the remainder of 2014 so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.</div>
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I hope you all have wonderful Christmases and I shall catch you in 2015! :)</div>
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Ta ta for now, </div>
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Natalie :)</div>
<img closure_lm_323843="null" height="96" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvBncyHJb5c/VHy3wPoBO8I/AAAAAAAABlQ/xTmEw13y148/s1600/2014-11-10%2B14.21.17.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 338px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 582px; visibility: hidden;" width="53" /><br />All the words are mine (and some of the snaps are too) but I've had to borrow a few of the images off our collections website :)
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-QvBncyHJb5c%2FVHy3wPoBO8I%2FAAAAAAAABlQ%2FxTmEw13y148%2Fs1600%2F2014-11-10%252B14.21.17.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvBncyHJb5c/VHy3wPoBO8I/AAAAAAAABlQ/xTmEw13y148/s1600/2014-11-10%2B14.21.17.jpg" --><!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvBncyHJb5c/VHy3wPoBO8I/AAAAAAAABlQ/xTmEw13y148/s1600/2014-11-10%2B14.21.17.jpg" with "https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvBncyHJb5c/VHy3wPoBO8I/AAAAAAAABlQ/xTmEw13y148/s1600/2014-11-10%2B14.21.17.jpg" -->NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-52633585739352621792014-10-31T14:09:00.000+00:002014-10-31T14:09:41.202+00:00Pumpkins and penny sweets.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pumpkins can be fickle creatures at Hill Top, some years they grow like Topsy and threaten to take over the whole garden and other years they seem to just sit and sulk for weeks before reluctantly producing a few bowling ball sized fruits. This year hasn't been great, I only managed to produce two decent sized pumpkins, one of which was snaffled by Jess for the Wray Castle halloween shop display and another smaller one which I've left 'on display' in the garden too long and is slowly being eaten by slugs.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This years pumpkins - must try harder next year.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pumpkins I grow at Hill Top are the French heirloom variety 'Rouge Vif d'Etampes which are yellowy orange 'cinderella' type and in a good year will produce 4 or 5 large fruits per plant. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I usually sow the seeds in the greenhouse in May and plant the seedlings out in mid June but they can also be sown in late April directly in the soil. Either way it's a good idea to make a planting pocket by digging a hole about 30cm square and filling it with a mixture of compost or well-rotted manure and soil. Add some general purpose fertiliser too if you've got some. If you've grown plants in the greenhouse, make sure you harden them off before planting them out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once they're established, it's just a matter of feeding every couple of weeks with a high potash fertilizer once the fruits appear and making sure they have plenty of water. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don't have a garden you can even grow pumpkins in a growbag.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spooky spider's web!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The association between halloween and pumpkins and the rise of 'trick or treating' is, like Miley Cyrus, a recent (and some would say unwelcome) American import. When I was growing up in the 1960's only the really well-off kids had pumpkins, we had to make do with the more traditional hollowed out turnip (I'm not joking here - anyone under 40, ask your parents)! If you've ever tried hollowing out a turnip you can imagine the number of cuts and stab wounds which resulted from the combination of small children, sharp knives and rock hard root vegetables - never was the Blue Peter advice 'get a grown-up to help you' more appropriate!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having hollowed out our turnips and bandaged our fingers,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a string handle was attached, a candle placed inside and the turnip lid put on. This was invariably followed by the acrid smell of burning turnip as the flame from your Mum's 'power cut candle' slowly cooked the turnip lid (tea lights </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hadn't been invented in the '60s kids).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The more </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">entrepreneurial children would then set off around the estate stopping at houses and reciting the enchanting verse</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The sky is blue</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The grass is green</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Can you spare a penny for Halloween"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 24p profit from an evening trudging round in the drizzle was spent the next day on Curly Wurlys, Black Jacks and white mice (again - under 40's- ask your parents) or sometimes a box of bangers to be let off well before bonfire night (don't do it kids, it's not big or clever).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, I digress!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Elsewhere in the garden the Autumn colours are in full swing. The Crimson Glory vine on the pub wall has been...er...glorious, as have the deciduous azaleas. The <i>Eucryphia </i>and the <i>Enkianthus </i>are just colouring up now but the <i>Wisteria </i>on the house is staying steadfastly green, probably kept warm by the warmth from the south facing wall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flower-wise, the Michaelmas daisies have given up and the soapwort is all but over. Rose 'Felicia' is still bravely flowering as are the Evening Primroses and the Pot Marigolds. My runner beans, still not killed off by frost, were blown over in the tail end of hurricane Gonzalo.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Glory-ous</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hill Top house closes on Sunday, although the garden and shop are open right through to Christmas eve, so with fewer visitors around, the hard work of cutting back the borders, lifting and dividing perennials and digging over the vegetable garden can begin. My fingers are crossed for a nice dry, frosty winter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With all this talk of Halloween my musical link this week had to have a spooky theme so I could have gone for 'Walking With a Ghost' by The White Stripes or 'Ghost Train' by Elvis Costello or even the very obscure 'Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead by XTC but in the end I couldn't decide between the old school Halloween-ness of <a href="http://youtu.be/iDpYBT0XyvA" target="_blank">this</a> or the rather tenuous Trick or Treatiness of <a href="http://youtu.be/aMICD3aMZpw" target="_blank">this</a> (skip the advert).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Halloween and <a href="http://youtu.be/woZphGudwx0" target="_blank">see you next time.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Words and pictures by Pete the Gardener</span></span>NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-46402256595297622112014-10-17T10:00:00.000+01:002014-10-17T10:00:08.153+01:00Conservation with Coops!<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="SpellingError SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Heellooooeeeeee</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">!!</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">At the end of last month’s blog post I committed myself to discussing what we get up to when the front door is closed. Pete’s blog may have talked about us having some glorious weather over the last couple of weeks but oh how things have </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">changed. Winter is definitely upon us! We’ve had wind, rain, storms, flooding... more rain..</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hummm.... "Indian Summer"</span></td></tr>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">and although it's nearly Halloween and it's quite gloomy inside Hill Top at times, I promise this update won’t be </span><span class="SpellingError SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">tooo</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> spooky.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">To my knowledge, the majori</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">ty of historic properties</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> that fall </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">under</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> the National Trust’s care close for one or two days a week </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">during the </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">season</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">and then take one long nap over those chilly winter months. With the houses shut these periods can be a mysterious time for the historic house enthusiasts</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> amongst us.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{0c3f5667-47e2-4d64-aeb8-2e468bb4eae4}{172}" paraid="1582919421" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Many, many, many, </span><span class="SpellingError SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">maaaannyy</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> times (mainly from my own family!) I have been asked what we do during the days we are closed and as we are rapidly (a bit too rapidly for me, I mean, where has the year gone?!) approaching the end of the season I </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">figured that this was the perfect time to share with you a little of what we get up to behind closed doors.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jhV2Ry1tR0E/VD2FKQKl-0I/AAAAAAAABgM/3phj2RKSK-U/s1600/IMAG0591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jhV2Ry1tR0E/VD2FKQKl-0I/AAAAAAAABgM/3phj2RKSK-U/s1600/IMAG0591.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Autumn has officially arrived at Hill Top! :)</span></td></tr>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{0c3f5667-47e2-4d64-aeb8-2e468bb4eae4}{186}" paraid="1542735375" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">My role as a Conservation and Engagement Assistant means a couple of things. The first thing is that I am one of those people you see dotted a</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">bout a property during your visits who are on hand to ask any number of interesting and unusual questions to (between you and me, we absolutely love those!). The second is that I am also one part of a small team who are tasked with helping to look after th</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">e collection, mainly at Hill Top but also over at </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">the</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Beatrix Potter Gallery and Wray Castle.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{0c3f5667-47e2-4d64-aeb8-2e468bb4eae4}{192}" paraid="2119214335" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Before I begin to explain a bit about how we care for B’s special things</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> I think I should perhaps tell you some of the issues we face and a few of the aspects that we have to keep an eye on.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{0c3f5667-47e2-4d64-aeb8-2e468bb4eae4}{207}" paraid="827389803" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">One of the biggest issues is light damage. It’s a gradual thing but it has a cumulative and irreversible effect on objects and collectio</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">ns. </span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{0c3f5667-47e2-4d64-aeb8-2e468bb4eae4}{210}" paraid="462843891" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Check out this wallpaper in Beatrix’s doll’s house. See that darker patch?</span></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-naosL8vBAjE/VD2F7qXG9EI/AAAAAAAABgc/_Mp0iFFrdWU/s1600/IMG_6612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-naosL8vBAjE/VD2F7qXG9EI/AAAAAAAABgc/_Mp0iFFrdWU/s1600/IMG_6612.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Light and dark..</span></td></tr>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{0c3f5667-47e2-4d64-aeb8-2e468bb4eae4}{242}" paraid="219948517" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Got any clues what it could be? Beatrix's Hill Top faces south</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">meaning it gets lots</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">of direct sunlight</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">and</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">the dolls house sits in the path of </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">this light in front of the Treasure Room window. The darker area you see in the photograph is where something, perhaps a picture, had been hung on the wall and over the years</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> the sunlight has faded the surrounding areas leaving the hidden part it's ori</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">ginal colour. This sort of damage </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">is perm</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">ane</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">nt</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{0c3f5667-47e2-4d64-aeb8-2e468bb4eae4}{245}" paraid="150346847" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">This process is pretty common in homes, and I imagine you'll all be checking out your </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">own </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">wallpapered walls now (if you have them)</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">!</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{0c3f5667-47e2-4d64-aeb8-2e468bb4eae4}{252}" paraid="781622952" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Another big (but small)</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> issue we face is p</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">ests and periodically, we monitor our carefully laid sticky traps to keep an eye on which species we unwittingly house and how many of each we have – the ideal is none or a very small number!</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{1}" paraid="1905607583" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Oddly, it isn't the massive, humongous, scary looking ones that </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">you should be concerned about but the teeny tiny 'I almost cannot even see it' ones.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FpQuPSEdIrM/VD2JvHN4veI/AAAAAAAABhI/Gegon0vxCiw/s1600/IMAG0292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FpQuPSEdIrM/VD2JvHN4veI/AAAAAAAABhI/Gegon0vxCiw/s1600/IMAG0292.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pesty pests!</span></td></tr>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{14}" paraid="226841505" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">T</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">here is</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> n</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">o need to fear the long legged things! (I hope that's what people think when they see me!) However, a little critter such as a woodworm beetle can destroy a whole r</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">ange of objects as they graze their way through lots of damp and delicious wood. Yum!</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{24}" paraid="1377040225" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">On a daily basis physical damage through general wear and</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">tear is a big problem for our collection</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">. Although we can keep tabs on </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">our objects</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> through the season</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">, it's really through our closed periods that we are able to assess the condition that objects are really in.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{26}" paraid="1459877992" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{31}" paraid="1764013300" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">How convenient, this lead</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">s</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> us nicely on to what we get up to on 'Friday closed days' (the title isn't very snappy I admit!).</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jbs8Eb3DXoI/VD2FAyF_FBI/AAAAAAAABgE/Yqh7irn_kig/s1600/IMAG0666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jbs8Eb3DXoI/VD2FAyF_FBI/AAAAAAAABgE/Yqh7irn_kig/s1600/IMAG0666.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{47}" paraid="603118631" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Friday's...the</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">y're funny days, full of jobs, tasks, lists and a few </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">un</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">expected surprises. And although it can look quite quiet from the outside, on the inside it's busy </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="SpellingError SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">busy</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{51}" paraid="1303740919" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">These days are like mini winter cleans where we methodically and meticulously remove objects from</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> where they have been sitting through the week and give them (and the surface they were on) a thorough dust.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{59}" paraid="213017188" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Each object and surface is different and unique</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">,</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> so as well as having to be</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> handled carefully they also have many different cleaning requirem</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">ents.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{62}" paraid="96783394" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">I have almost forgotten, there are also a number of tools we can use to keep the property in good health. Pony hair brushes, lint free dusters and a hoover are all the main staples of the daily routine but over winter we bring out a few more things.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u-CyPw4wflo/VD2Gr5k21vI/AAAAAAAABgs/AaJsqK0-Kpk/s1600/IMG_6626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u-CyPw4wflo/VD2Gr5k21vI/AAAAAAAABgs/AaJsqK0-Kpk/s1600/IMG_6626.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{72}" paraid="689556067" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy chatting to our lovely visitors but I love our closed days when we can get going on some behind the scenes work.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{76}" paraid="59911243" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">The house is full of interesting bits and pieces (as I am sure you've seen through my posts) that w</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">e may not always see but it is at these times that I usually come across them and begin to whittle down what I want to use and include in my monthly post.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{81}" paraid="938883025" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">"Hello There!!"</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{83}" paraid="1772710716" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{87}" paraid="1432572574" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">I was a little stuck on who to include in this section this month but then I spotte</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">d him!</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yEqWEp_gSGE/VD2G6TZYomI/AAAAAAAABg8/PdZnKQBJ9t4/s1600/IMG_6620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yEqWEp_gSGE/VD2G6TZYomI/AAAAAAAABg8/PdZnKQBJ9t4/s1600/IMG_6620.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh hey, I didn't see you there!</span></td></tr>
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I don't know why I've not really taken much notice of him before, I mean, being from Wales you would think I could sense a sheep at 50 paces! <span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R-GGmgMvTKA/VD2F8ryiAjI/AAAAAAAABgk/ecSFDUQ1pJ8/s1600/IMG_6615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R-GGmgMvTKA/VD2F8ryiAjI/AAAAAAAABgk/ecSFDUQ1pJ8/s1600/IMG_6615.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Baa...</span></td></tr>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{108}" paraid="1514995458" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">He is a little Staffordshire porcelain </span><span class="SpellingError SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">sheepy</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> with a hollow tree trunk, painted fleece and fac</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">e all tinted in appropriate colours. From what I've read he dates from about 1835. </span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{110}" paraid="846314238" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{113}" paraid="1888863145" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">I thought he was quite sweet but on closer inspection I spotted his face and the expression upon it and I don't think 'sweet' really covers it... </span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span> </div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--lutbLJDMdA/VD2Gr5Uvy_I/AAAAAAAABgw/WYDuCyZCKpc/s1600/IMG_6616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--lutbLJDMdA/VD2Gr5Uvy_I/AAAAAAAABgw/WYDuCyZCKpc/s1600/IMG_6616.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nailed the model pose. A natural in front of the camera!</span></td></tr>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{127}" paraid="994089575" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">I can't quite dec</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">ide what to make of it. It's quizzical, happy but also a tad judgmental I feel.. I don't know what he is trying to express with that look but if he goes missing one day you'll know where to come. I've not long moved house and I think he would go rather wel</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">l in my lounge! (Not really, but one can dream </span><span class="SpellingError SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">haha</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">.) </span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{140}" paraid="258467313" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">I really enjoy my job, it's so varied and on a regular basis I</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> encounter so many different tasks</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">. A few </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">of these include </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">winding the beautiful clocks</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> and</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">carefully brushing </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">dust off</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> delicate</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> plate</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">s</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">. Not forgetting those</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> hard to reach areas </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">which r</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">e</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">quire</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> me to</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">get</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> on </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">my</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> tummy to wiggle under the be</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">d!</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{148}" paraid="640519183" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Not forgetting those more unglamorous jobs, bins.. toilets.. you get the picture.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{159}" paraid="1677453672" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Generally we try to focus on one room each week </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">and give it a more</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">in depth clean which means we take the objects off surfaces to clean off the dust (and believe it or not some dead fly juice as was found on ceramics in the kitchen recently), dust the surface itself and place it all back. This rotation </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">also gives us a fantastic opportunity to check for any new damage or problems that aren't always visible on a quick morning clean.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{163}" paraid="166930262" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">It is this 'getting up close and personal' aspect of the job which is one thing I love which I hope comes across in my regula</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">r posts :)</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{166}" paraid="2016579194" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">It's not always straightforward, Friday is the only day we close so as you can imagine all the tasks and odd jobs are often squeezed into that day, so it can be pretty busy and a little hectic but no less enjoyable.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{178}" paraid="1834650923" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">So if this is how we roll on</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> Fridays, what is our winter clean like? To be honest it's much the same, we still clean Beatrix's beautiful belongings but instead of putting them back some get taken down and</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">are</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">give</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">n</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> a little rest before the beginning of next season. </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="SpellingError SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Oooh</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> we also have those</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> little extras, carefully cleaning the slate floor in the kitchen with a barely damp cloth.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{185}" paraid="331440726" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">I'm conscious that this doesn't sound all that enjoyable but I promise you that it is! Well, at least to me. I do hope that I've managed to give you a little insigh</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">t into what happens when the lights are off (...who am I kidding, there are no lights, it's just that dark). I understand it can be frustrating when you're looking for something to do </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">on</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> those not so nice winter days but I can promise we're not resting on</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> our laurels, but working hard to prepare the house for another great season :)</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX95483516" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{191}" paraid="1207291208" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">The doors may soon be closing but never fear this blog will continue, next month I'll be back! Hopefully with a few more objects which I will have searched out during the firs</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">t stages of our winter clean :)</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{199}" paraid="387804480" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Until then, that's me over and </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">out</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">for another month. Have a wonderful Halloween with lots of spooky fun!</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
</div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
</div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{204}" paraid="1201683871" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Ta </span><span class="SpellingError SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">ta</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"> for now,</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;"></span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Calibri,Sans-Serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
</div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX95483516" paraeid="{807f0a27-0a93-4bb8-b48d-a1bc0072ef17}{209}" paraid="1938835545" style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: "Segoe UI",Tahoma,Verdana,"Sans-Serif"; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="TextRun SCX95483516" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;" xml:lang="EN-GB"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX95483516" style="background-color: inherit;">Words and pictures by Natalie :)</span></span><span class="EOP SCX95483516" style="font-family: Times New Roman,Serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div>
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NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-58152294064976954112014-09-26T11:12:00.001+01:002014-09-26T11:37:29.828+01:00Heatwave!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my last blog post I rather gloomily predicted that summer was over and that the September heatwave some had predicted wouldn't appear. Well I was wrong, it did! For the first three weeks of September the Lake District has basked in warm dry weather and even on my annual fortnight in the Outer Hebrides we saw lots of sunshine and only half a day of rain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The term 'Indian Summer' which I have bandied about in previous posts thinking it meant a warm and sunny September is actually much more specific than that. A true Indian Summer happens between the end of September and mid-November but only after the first damaging frost of Autumn which is known as a 'Squaw Winter' (but only if it's followed by an Indian Summer). Yes, the Indian bit doesn't refer to the sub-continent of India but to North American Indians and a little research discovers that nobody really knows why!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyhow, this week the papers were predicting more warm weather for the rest of September and well into October, I live in hope!</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nRbmWbo6mbI/VCUwP_ahvKI/AAAAAAAABfU/zLjitVzrdmY/s1600/DSCF2605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nRbmWbo6mbI/VCUwP_ahvKI/AAAAAAAABfU/zLjitVzrdmY/s1600/DSCF2605.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the garden the warm weather has prolonged the season somewhat. The soapwort and pot marigolds I wrote about last month are still flowering happily and the runner beans are still cropping with no early frost to kill them off. It's been a bumper year for Autumn fruiting raspberries and even the tomatoes in my greenhouse at home have decided to ripen!</span><br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wPo6Mcpz1dw/VCUvCaLg8OI/AAAAAAAABfI/r8o_FF8mr9U/s1600/DSCF2601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wPo6Mcpz1dw/VCUvCaLg8OI/AAAAAAAABfI/r8o_FF8mr9U/s1600/DSCF2601.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Autumn raspberries</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd be lying if I said that the garden was full of flower at this time of year and, to be honest, like many of the Hill Top staff, it's looking just a little tired. But there are still flowers to be found. The Michaelmas Daisies, true to their name, are in full bloom and according to this old verse they should flower until the feast of St Simon and St Jude on October 28th. I don't think ours will last that long though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The Michaelmas Daisies, among dede weeds, <br style="background-color: white;" />Bloom for St Michael's valorous deeds.<br />And seems the last of flowers that stood,<br />Till the feast of St. Simon and St. Jude.</i></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qCsz8gxbAdo/VCUoA7VZCfI/AAAAAAAABeg/677KR912ih0/s1600/DSCF2580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qCsz8gxbAdo/VCUoA7VZCfI/AAAAAAAABeg/677KR912ih0/s1600/DSCF2580.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michaelmas Daisies</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also flowering at this time of year is <i>Schizostylis coccinea, </i>the Kaffir Lily or Crimson Flag Lily. It originates in South Africa but is quite hardy at Hill Top and carries on flowering until the first really hard frosts of winter. Unfortunately the flowers always seem to face south (perhaps they are pining for South Africa), and having planted them on the 'wrong' side of the path they face away from our visitors. I'll move some to the other side of the path this winter!</span><br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7G6VxP3ARB4/VCU_Av5nyqI/AAAAAAAABfk/mVcBpTLmbFQ/s1600/DSCF2582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7G6VxP3ARB4/VCU_Av5nyqI/AAAAAAAABfk/mVcBpTLmbFQ/s1600/DSCF2582.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Schizostylis</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As well as flowers, the autumn colours are just beginning to show including the Crimson Glory Vine (<i>Vitis cognetiae) </i>which grows on the back wall of the Tower Bank Arms which borders Hill Top garden.</span><br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rrZF_tsar_o/VCUqP4aUtjI/AAAAAAAABe4/jnRy_axz-7c/s1600/DSCF2589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rrZF_tsar_o/VCUqP4aUtjI/AAAAAAAABe4/jnRy_axz-7c/s1600/DSCF2589.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crimson Glory Vine</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a great thing for covering an ugly wall but beware, it grows up to twenty feet in a year and would completely engulf the pub if not pruned hard back to a framework of main branches every winter. Sadly ours never produces any grapes, but it more than makes up for it with a brilliant display of colour in late September and October.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are other little gems to be seen in the garden such as these seed heads of <i>Campanula latifolia </i>which I deliberately didn't cut back after they had finished flowering to provide seeds for birds and just to look pretty.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M0f1FFSVZso/VCVAwCGi99I/AAAAAAAABfs/_uXvd5wiRgc/s1600/DSCF2599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M0f1FFSVZso/VCVAwCGi99I/AAAAAAAABfs/_uXvd5wiRgc/s1600/DSCF2599.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Campanula seed heads</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For my musical link this time I could have gone for 'Summer's Almost Gone' by The Doors (too depressing) or 'Indian Summer' by Stereophonics (too awful) but I've decided to go with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE2fnYpwrng" target="_blank">this</a>, sorry about the advert at the start but enjoy the dancing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See you in the Autumn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Words and pictures by Pete the Gardener</span></span>NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-330630140949221044.post-30183864830292108042014-09-05T18:28:00.001+01:002014-09-05T18:28:54.148+01:00The Hill Top 5<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
From Tony Blackburn to Fearne Cotton,
whatever age bracket you fall into I am sure that you remember
listening to one music countdown or another, therefore I am sure the
format of this month's 'Behind the Scenes' blog should be fairly
familiar - No need to panic just yet, Pete. I'm not going to include
any musical links in my post.<span style="color: #92d050;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Instead of counting down musical
entries I am going to count down the top 5 items that the public and
our lovely visitors ask about on a daily and weekly basis.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The ones that you will read about are
all contenders for the top spot but only one can win the coveted
position. Are we ready? Here we go!<br /><br />At 5 is a firm favourite.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It's the bittern! This fellow has taken
up an elevated position and stands upon the aptly named 'Bittern
Bureau' – a coincidence? I think not!
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
He is often mistaken for a heron but
this guess isn't too far off, both are after all, wading birds. It's
widely accepted that Beatrix had a passion for natural history so I
don't think it's too odd that she had this little chap at Hill Top.
Where she got it from however or from whom, well, that is another
matter entirely.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vmUNfyFPg_E/VAnuqf8UsJI/AAAAAAAABd4/fhuj3lcWpZo/s1600/IMG_6608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vmUNfyFPg_E/VAnuqf8UsJI/AAAAAAAABd4/fhuj3lcWpZo/s1600/IMG_6608.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">What lovely long legs you have...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Holding strong at 4 are the set of 5
oil paintings that are hung in the New Room, painted by Bertram
Potter (Beatrix's younger and rather talented brother) <span style="color: black;">which
were given to</span> her as gifts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
From looking at them I bet you can
guess what the comment we receive most often is, “Oh my gosh!
Aren't they dark!” And yes, they are pretty dark, and to be honest
they aren't my most favourite things in the house ('Crikey' you're
thinking, one thing she doesn't want to take home!) B must have
liked them and perhaps even had a
little pride in the fact that her little brother had such a love for
art. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
If I had to choose the<span style="color: #92d050;"> </span>one <span style="color: black;">that</span>
I liked the best, it would have to be this one entitled 'Scene in a
Pine Forest with a Stream' – err... catchy title, eh?!
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dLPJzkhT7lI/VAnumqA-C3I/AAAAAAAABdw/D4Sox_h6Rqk/s1600/IMG_6606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dLPJzkhT7lI/VAnumqA-C3I/AAAAAAAABdw/D4Sox_h6Rqk/s1600/IMG_6606.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Just look at the size of these whoppers!</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Totally overshadowed by Beatrix,
Bertram wasn't a terribly famous artist and these aren't his best
work. Like Beatrix, he had an immaculate eye for detail, something I
hope you'll take my word for.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Number 3 on our countdown is something
that I haven't been asked much about this season although I'm sure
<span style="color: black;">that</span> my colleagues might have had a
different experience and disagree with me.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Here they are, essentially pieces of
wood held onto the underneath of a beam with a bracket.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9JqI_yyTVZ0/VAntdrZTaxI/AAAAAAAABdU/xxA0xlPUIxQ/s1600/IMG_6601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9JqI_yyTVZ0/VAntdrZTaxI/AAAAAAAABdU/xxA0xlPUIxQ/s1600/IMG_6601.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tDF0GMc_9wk/VAnuZL9hvdI/AAAAAAAABdo/6-rsaTQC1Rk/s1600/IMG_6602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tDF0GMc_9wk/VAnuZL9hvdI/AAAAAAAABdo/6-rsaTQC1Rk/s1600/IMG_6602.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Just hanging around</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
One rather hilarious suggestion I've
received for their use is for exercise, namely pull ups! Can you
imagine B doing them? I won't tell you what other bits of
furniture <span style="color: black;">that</span><span style="color: red;">
</span>people have suggested could be used as workout equipment but
there have been a fair few.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So what are these things? In fact, the
truth is far less amusing but no less interesting. They are shelf
supports and in another life they would have held up planks of wood. Upon these you would have been able to store things, or perhaps you would have out food up there to cool after
cooking. We like to joke that we keep our choccy biscuits up there
away from potential critters! <br /><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I'm going to take a small
intermission at this point to introduce this month's..</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
“Hello there!”<br />There is a poodle in the Sitting Room cabinet who is so. Weird. I'm sorry to
say it but I think it is, I don't even know why I like it (but I do :) )... And he's
rude, look at this, he's turned his back to us.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--AKCz9Smpg0/VAnxglAmzZI/AAAAAAAABeQ/Fa9bpZlulhw/s1600/IMAG0207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--AKCz9Smpg0/VAnxglAmzZI/AAAAAAAABeQ/Fa9bpZlulhw/s1600/IMAG0207.jpg" height="320" width="179" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Does my bum look big like this?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
To be fair it's not totally his fault,
he spins around in the cabinet because of the vibrations from the
floor caused by all our visitors feet.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
He is made of porcelain, is in the
style of Chamberlain of Worcester and dates back to the early 19<sup>th</sup>
Century.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
He's just one of the doggy ornaments, figures and pictures
in Hill Top. B had several dogs herself throughout her lifetime,
perhaps they came second to her beloved rabbits? See how many you can
spot on your next visit to Hill Top!<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Back on with the chart!
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Climbing high at 2 are the plates on
the kitchen wall.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UECedTRjyfQ/VAntc2CzJHI/AAAAAAAABdQ/7OGkr15Un3g/s1600/IMG_6585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UECedTRjyfQ/VAntc2CzJHI/AAAAAAAABdQ/7OGkr15Un3g/s1600/IMG_6585.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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How similar the subject matter is to Beatrix's. In
spite of the similarities, they were not painted by her but her
father Rupert Potter – it seems art was a family affair.
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By all accounts he was quite the
talented amateur artist and had a great enthusiasm for art and
photography. I like to think that B got some of her natural talent
from him as well as her love for painting animals, although there is
no denying that her work is much finer.</div>
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These pretty plates have been transfer
printed and given to Beatrix as presents during her childhood,
hanging on her wall in Bolton Gardens, her childhood home, it is no
wonder that they have a special place in her first and favourite Lake
District home.</div>
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Soo.. before we find out what the most
asked about object at Hill Top is, here are numbers 5 – 2.</div>
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At 5, it's the long legged Bittern.
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At 4 are the enormous paintings in the
New Room.
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3's just hanging around, it's the shelf
supports.</div>
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2 are Rupert's plates that have pride
of place on the kitchen wall.</div>
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On today's countdown the number one
spot goes to.. (drum roll please)</div>
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The clockwork roasting jack!</div>
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Hanging next to the range this
beautiful brass object gets a lot of attention on any given day at
Hill Top. This interesting machine rotates the meat roasting from
it's hook and aims to cook it evenly <span style="color: black;">on all
sides by rotating clockwise and then anticlockwise and so on.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uZkTXrdencc/VAnwOrWK3oI/AAAAAAAABeA/mXVDF7zkUog/s1600/IMG_6590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uZkTXrdencc/VAnwOrWK3oI/AAAAAAAABeA/mXVDF7zkUog/s1600/IMG_6590.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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I've heard it called a bottle jack, I
don't know how true this is as my dad hasn't heard of it before (and
he is the go to man when talking antiques!) but it's said the name
comes from it's shape – like a wine bottle.</div>
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Unlike many people, I originally
thought that it's hook was for cheese (don't ask me why I thought
this, to this day I still don't know what was going through my mind)
but my friend and colleague, Jane, pointed out that this was
ludicrous resulting in a little light teasing every so often.
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Unfortunately we don't have the key so
we do not know how it runs or if it even still turns.
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In spite of this, I think it's totally
gorgeous and would have it in a second!
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Wow, what a range of objects in our
countdown and this week's blog.
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You never know, the top 5 might move
around a little bit by next year, it's all up to you, our visitors :)</div>
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As always I hope you have enjoyed
reading this broadcast, come back next month for more 'Behind the
Scenes' action where I will be talking about what we actually do when
we are closed on a Friday and over winter :)</div>
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Ta ta for now</div>
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Words and pictures by Natalie :)<br />(With
a little antique advice from my Dad)</div>
NT South Lakes Houses Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02404432788659282101noreply@blogger.com