An Autumn Visit to Larch Cottage

Larch Cottage is just under an hour's drive from Roeburnscar . It is a plant nursery like no other--designed in a Roman/Italinate style it has a wonderful cafe and Art Barn, fantastic statues and gargoyles, and the plants are good too.

Deer

This cheeky deer knows it's in friendly territory...you are almost always going to see deer in our woods if you are a quiet walker.

Deer in the field next to the house

Zanzibar Kangas

The red kanga in the flat sitting room says: "You don't have love then you forget what life has done for you"

The blue kanga in the flat bedroom says : " Be grateful for opportunity but don't feel sorry it's not there"

View towards Ingleborough

For more links about Ingleborough and Ingleton go to Backsbottom blog. During the summer Maiden Bridge Studio is open to visitors. It is set amongst beautiful scenery like below and the studios are converted stone outbuildings---well worth a visit and only 10 minutes from Roeburnscar unless you get lost amongst meandering tiny roads which are prevalent in this part of Lancashire .

A Trip to the Seaside

 There are wonderful walks near Roeburnscar around Morecambe Bay--just make sure you avoid the dangerous quicksands . After heading towards Carnforth, go towards Warton then Silverdale. There's
Wolf House Gallery  and the cafe next door for tasty food. Also Leighton Moss , a great RSPB reserve is in this area.

Silverdale and Arnside

Surrounded by Woodland

Now the summer really is making it's presence known -the view when approaching the house

Bluebell Time

Bluebells near the old track below farmhouse

Wood next to river on way to Roeburnscar

It's a good year for bluebells--the late spring has meant the trees gave a dappled shade which they like instead of deep shadow. The smell of ramsons pervade everywhere-a lovely garlic smell  .

Louise's Artwork

Louise's latest photos of the trees, garden and flowers lend an Impressionistic look around the house 

The meadow adjoining the house

The pond in the garden looks like a Monet!

Looking up towards a silver birch

Winter View

Looking towards Ingleborough--snow banking up to stone walls going down to Wray meant that in April we were driving through tunnels of snow!

Bees

 As I am an ardent fan of insects I have signed the petition urging Owen Patterson the agriculture minister, to support the ban on insecticides which are killing our bees. At present he is planning to vote against. Here is a link sign the petition

Before and After

It's hard to get a picture of the house when the trees are full of leaves--we can just about see the house from the meadow see below otherwise we can only photo from the river

View from the river wearing good wellies--solar panels on right

View from one of the meadows

The cottage just after the flood in1967----spot the difference!!!

Winter snow

                         I spoke too soon-the recent blizzards in March have covered the woodland

Hawthorn and her flock

Woodland walk towards R'Scar

Field towards R'Scar

Country Life Photo

A photo of the original Country Life magazine article circa 1945 showing a view of the verandah

And how it looks now from the right

Louise's Art Work

Hanging on the bedroom wall of "Buzzard" are 2 prints by Louise a neighbour and artist. She sells her beautiful cards in the tearooms a short walk from the cottage.

Here are some of her other paintings......the first is the drive to Roeburnscar Cottage

The Old Lady

The Old Lady has gone: she's been leaning towards 45 degrees for many years but the last big gale a few weeks ago brought her down. She is now lying across the river and no-one heard her fall. What a graceful Lady! Here she is  viewed  from the verandah of the house before her descent:

Here is a view of the empty space  where she used to stand
looking from the verandah of the house.

Here is the Old Lady to the left lying  across the river on one beautiful sunny day in February.













Looking towards the house from the lovely snowdrop walk which Rod's father planted many years ago:  now it really feels like spring is here.

Freya Horsley's Painting

Perhaps not the best result from my attempts  to show Freya Horsley's painting "Loss" hanging in the flat sitting room but the sunlight coming in through the windows is scarce . This painting was displayed at a wonderful gallery in Helmsley called Saltbox well worth a visit if you are in North Yorkshire.

Artwork

A friend Nick Andrews has replaced the dated bed heads, in the new extension "Buzzard" , with these beautiful pieces of matching sycamore from our own timber. Also replaced are those in the "Owl" bedroom see below:

 The bedroom "Owl" above has 2 windows : one looks out to the orchard and stables and the other looks onto the porch between the flat and house. Before the flat was built to provide living accommodation for the young couple looking after Rod's mother it looked out to the garden. We thought the porch wall looked boring until Eller was inspired to paint arches and flowers inspired by
 Larch Cottage Nurseries near Penrith.