The Green

The summer holidays are almost within sniffing distance, and we are so excited about all the adventures ahead. Beach days, river days, farm days, and those wonderful days where you wake up with no real plan and simply see where the day takes you. The long summer evenings seem to stretch on forever – you really can fit three winter days into one glorious summer day! The children are beyond excited, and I’ve decided that this year I’m determined to have just as much fun as they do. Summer is...

If you've stayed with us before, you'll probably remember the two little jars of honey in your welcome basket. They're one of those small touches that we love, but after catching up with Chris from Westfields Honey in Fadmoor, I was reminded just how special they really are. Chris has been keeping bees for more than 65 years and told us that this is one of the toughest periods he can remember. A very wet winter meant bees couldn't get out and forage properly, and beekeepers across the country...

One of my favourite jobs at the cottage comes around just once a year – replacing all the dried flower arrangements. I'd love to have fresh flowers throughout the cottage all year round, but that's not always practical in a holiday cottage. Instead, I have a wonderful friend who dries flowers for me, and every year she creates the most beautiful arrangements. This weekend it was time to swap them all over, and what a lovely afternoon it was. Standing in the garden with the sun shining,...