As planned we saw in the New Year with the dogs at the top of Croft Hill, joining about 20 other people to watch the fireworks exploding into the air below and all around us.
Today was the annual New Year Clay Pigeon Shoot at our friend’s, Richard and Gail’s, farm, but for the first time ever we didn’t actually do any shooting! The farm is quite exposed to the wind, and heavy rain was blowing horizontally across the fields. Any clays released into the air from the trap would have quickly flown to the nearest village, no doubt followed by the pellets of gun-shot as we tried to pepper the clay discs as they briefly appeared in the gun sights, mocking us as we stood immobile in ankle deep mud.
Instead (to my relief – I was still soaked from an earlier dog walk) we skipped straight to the second part of the event – the barbeque, set up in the shelter of a barn.
We even ate in relative comfort – our friends are having a farm house built, and since it has a roof and windows, and temporary lighting, a table was set up for us to enjoy the nibbles and barbequed food.
Richard even christened his fireplace, destined to be occupied by a wood burning stove, but on this occasion it housed a deep tray with a log fire.
It was all quite cosy.
Technically we live in Oaktree House, but sadly the tree had to go.
We now have a thriving Oakstump at the front of the house.
