The time had arrived to design a website which could be edited and maintained on both Macs and PC's.  The computer based mac program I had used for years was no longer supported so I set about looking for an alternative.  I wanted the new website to look as near to the old one as possible as it had performed so well.  This meant deciding what platform to use, which template and then adapting it quite radically.

Using Wordpress I got very enthusiastic but then realised it would be quite difficult to explain to anyone else how to edit and maintain the site.

Trying Wix, Webydo, Weebly and Jimdo.  I settled with Jimdo.

Using the usual method, try first and then read how to do it, the first few days were a steep learning curve.

On my 70th birthday a group of us walked up Sharrow Hill above Grinton Smelting Mill.  So to celebrate my 86th birthday this was repeated together with Daughter and granddaughter.  I so enjoyed it and felt so grateful I can still  enjoy walking in our beautiful countryside.  There are walks for all abilities and for those with limited mobility many views can be accessed by car.  Do visit if you have not been before, it is magical.

This new website went live on March 1st and is still picking up old leads but they do give the option to proceed.  I have enjoyed designing it using a web builder JIMDO.  My former website was mac based so to future proof I decided I should change to one accessible for editing on all devices.  Comments are welcome as I have seen it so much it is hard to visualise its impact of first time viewing.  See lots of you soon.

The Mahonia bushes are scattered around the grounds and are splendid this year.  The snowdrops have multiplied and are becoming a real feature.  Has anyone any tips on keeping aconites happy ?  Each year I plant more and next Spring they have failed to reappear.  Our soil is alkaline and some plants survive well on the patios by placing gravel and pebbles over the soil.  We do have in the teens of pheasants routing about so maybe they are the culprits.  Wherever the aconites are planted they fail to flourish.  Bluebells, snowdrops and daffodils are no problem

A Lady Bird made with three D printing by one of the grandchildren.  Lets hope there are plenty of real ones in the garden this summer.  Lots of snowdrops bravely poking through the grass, the mahonia bushes are magnificent and lots of colour in the garden.  Very cold few days but we are promised warmer weather soon.  Hope everyone is well

A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO EVERY ONE

Christmas decorations are all stored away and life returns to normal.  For us it is a time to get jobs completed in the cottages.  So far we have swept the chimneys and had hard wired smoke alarms installed.  Everything in sight is on its way to the washing machine and no speck of dust is allowed to settle.  Bookings are looking promising and we are so pleased to see so many regulars revisiting.  The bulbs are poking through the soil thinking that Spring is on its way.  The last two days may have caused them to rethink !  Freezing nights, a sprinkling of snow and then the sun shine during the day has made it great for walking if taking care not to slide about.  

All the leaves have finally blown off the trees but they look just as good on the ground.  Finding how useful the blower is as it chases them about and they end up in the compost bins.  I have found I need to place my photograph to the left of the post so that on the mobile it appears before the writing.  My dilemma now is a new domain name or do I really want to use this site in preference to our existing one.