DIARY & LINKS
Spring has sprung - or has it? As I write we are at Criannan for a short pre-Easter break, but the weather is dreadful - wet, cold and windy, with periods of sleet and snow. The daffodils are out and the crocuses and snowdrops just "going over" but the fresh beauty of what is normally a gorgeous spring garden still eludes us! We hope for balmier days ahead and for the soil to really warm up. My dear Mum, whose last home this was, was a keen gardener and she had an old poker (kept in the greenhouse) which she would thrust into the earth and then hold it against her cheek to check out the warmth of the soil. When all suggestion of chill was gone from the soil it was time to plant! She was never wrong - but I fear she would be waiting a long time this year for that moment to arrive!
The pots and containers are now all planted with my customary blue and yellow spring flowers and their cheerful colours certainly brighten things up but we need sun to make them glow - here's hoping!
Wooler has suffered from the worst winter since 1963 and there was snow on the ground continually from mid-December until well into March. The Cheviots are still snow capped now!
Surely we deserve a great summer!
We had a much better year with the fruit trees in 2009. Another bumper crop of Victorias resulted in some excellent jam and chutney. The new Lord Lambourne apple tree is establishing slowly , producing more mature apples, and we have pruned it hard to encourage further growth. The very old apple tree in the corner of the orchard lawn is still fruiting well and while the apples are too sour to eat they make good chutney. We hope to train the Lord Lambourne as an espalier along the hedge once it grown big enough.
The property is looking very good with its newly refurbished greenhouse, garage door and frame, and recently constructed, smartly painted bin store. We are expecting our faithful handyman Tom any day now to repair the chimneys, which suffered during the intensely cold winter weather, losing some chunks of rendering and damage to the brickwork.
Criannan continues to be Green!
The recycling bin, issued last year, is going very well and we have significantly reduced our household waste. We have two composters which help to reduce our waste garden and household matter even further. There is a re-cycling box in the utility room with clear instructions as to what can be recycled. Hopefully this makes sorting and storing re-cyclables neater and easier to save many trips to the bin. There is also a container near the sink for compostable waste with similar instructions. We hope guests will make every effort to support our aim to be greener!
New businesses in Wooler
Wooler now boasts an Indian restaurant ( see Visitors folder) and a lovely re-sited and refurbished Art Gallery. Both are well worth a visit. The Indian also does tasty take-away meals. Our local restaurant Milan was recently visited by A.A Gill, the well known (and rather acerbic) restaurant critic, who gave it a wonderful write-up and - amazingly - 4 stars! Hurrah for Wooler - we managed to win him over!
USEFUL LINKS
The Alnwick Garden | www.alnwickgarden.co.uk
The Fenton Centre | www.fentoncentre.com
Berwick Walls | www.berwick.org.uk
Lindisfarne | www.lindisfarne.org.uk
Holy Island Crossing Times | www.northumberlandlife.org/
Tankerville Arms | www.tankervillehotel.co.uk
Barter Books | www.barterbooks.co.uk
Wooler Community Website | www.wooler.org.uk
Wooler Golf Club | www.woolergolf.co.uk
G&S Organics | www.gandsorganics.com
Accomodation for walkers| www.bestwalks.com |
