What a busy few weeks we've had with one thing and another:-

The garden was transformed a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my milestone birthday. Up went the gazebo, out came all the garden furniture (with extras bought in at the last moment), up went the makeshift bar with a great selection of beers, wines and spirits and out came the sun to shine all afternoon.

With the help of our local trusted butcher, Sean Ashworth, and our local chef and friend, Paul Roberts, we were able to entertain 50+ guests to a wonderful hog roast. It was cooked to perfection and tasted divine. Tom made a great barman and bbq cook (he seemed to be on the go every time I looked at him!!) As those of you who are familiar with Tom's evening soirees will know, it just wasn't a party without one of his curries and a pan of Lancashire tatty ash. It was a truly wonderful day, excellent fun from start to finish and the children had a great time frollicking in the river.

On to food of another kind.....enough that the slugs make a meal of our meal but now we have another visitor, a mink!!!! At first I couldn’t believe my eyes, so much activity in the pond on the patio, strange I thought, the shabunkins and goldfish are not usually so frisky. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw the mink frolicking around the pond. The cheeky little beggar saw me and just looked up, obviously it wasn’t let me spoil its fun and then I realised why. He was catching my darned fish for his supper!!!! I raced inside to get the camera but I’m afraid the one picture I did take hasn’t done him justice. Whilst I am quite miffed his dinner consisted of our pond fish he really was a lovely specimen; so black and sleek with real dark eyes. When he’d had his fill he jumped out of the pond and made a quick exit. We haven’t seen him since but, now that he’s located a good food source, wonder if he’ll be back. Who would have thought minks in Rossendale. Apparently though, local folk whilst fishing in Rossendale have seen a fair few mink around.

All the walks have now been finalised for the 2008 Walking Festival organised by Rural Rossendale. For full details of all the walks visit http://www.ruralrossendale.co.uk/walking_festival.asp As a member of the Rural Rossendale group I will be taking part in the Sarsparilla Stroll, a circular route departing from The East Lancashire Railway station, Rawtenstall, skirting the fringes of Oakenhead Wood to the Panopticon Halo and back to Rawtenstall via Cribden Hillside stopping off for a glass of Sarsaparilla at Fitzpatricks Temperance Bar, the only original temperance bar left in the UK, for a forward taste take a look at http://www.fitzpatricks1890.co.uk/index.php?page=home and then the Soup Loop, walking a circular route departing from Peersclough Farm, Lumb; taking in part of the Irwell Sculpture Trail, The Rossendale Way and the Pennine Bridleway. Ending at Peersclough Farm for a delicious bowl of home-made soup. We are expecting a good turn out to what should be an even better turnout than last year.

I do believe that we have an avid reader of the blog over in America, yes Brian, I mean you!!!! Brian and Sue should be visiting us again in the autumn (sorry, Brian I just cannot get used to ‘the fall’), hopefully round the same time as the walking festival when they will be able to see a lot more of our lovely Pennine Lancashire countryside.