Fleetham Life

13 Jan 2010 16:53
Berni

New Year, New Decade!!

As we enter 2010 it might be good to reflect on the past year, collect our thoughts and then look to the New Year and New Decade!

A few random thoughts on 2009

• On balance it was a difficult year - we are not alone in this!
• Some bizarre weather - a hot sunny early spring and a long winter chill
• We said goodbye to a cat- despite best efforts to keep him here he prefers the open road!
• We said hello to a new dog - Maguire - a handful to say the least!
• We met some lovely students.
• We had some great results - our last student got a band 8 IELTS - cheers all round!

Since my last post Christmas has been and gone and with it one of most prolonged winter chills for many decades!

	This is the site that greeted us on Christmas Eve when we drew back the curtains! It is many years since we had a real white Christmas and there was great excitement (mostly from the two dogs!) It was so bright and completely silent. It was deep, crisp and even and put us in mind of many of our traditional Christmas carols!
Although our 4 daughters were in the house the only people out playing in the snow were myself (Berni) and my husband (David) and the two dogs! The picture was taken from an upstairs bedroom window as the girls looked on. But not before David threw a snowball which shot clean through the open window showering everybody inside with snow (serves them right!)
	This is a scene we have looked out on for the past month. Regular supplies of hay have been brought for the sheep as they can't get to their food under the snow. Each time he arrive the sheep scuttle across the snow to greet him - a lovely sight!! It has been a difficult time for sheep and farmers.

Christmas was a family affair.

The house looks particularly welcoming at Christmas festooned in holly, ivy and other greenery. All the fires are lit and candles burn giving a lovely glow. We try to have a very traditional English Christmas with carols, games and activities as well as all the food associated with the season.

If you come and stay here to learn English in December or early January,you will experience some of this.

	An impromptu performance of the traditional Christmas Mummers play about St. George. The whole performance takes about 10 minutes - no rehearsal necessary, just find your costume assemble and perform!

24 Nov 2009 18:23
Berni

Exit Autumn - Winter Augurs

As winter creeps up and the beautiful colours of autumn have faded we take time to collect our thoughts, reflect on the year and plan for the next!

The last of our visitors have gone with better English skills and, we hope, enjoyable memories of their time here with us.

We have had some stunning autumn colours this year!

Our big garden job is the shrubbery which we hope to have planted up in the next few days - weather permitting. It has been an on-off project for the last 3 years but the end is in sight and next Spring/Summer it should be a joy to behold!

The major village event of the season was the Bonfire Night celebration at the pub. A Halloween lantern competition started the event, followed by a magnificent firework display. Warming soup and hot dogs were served to the spectators and the pub was open for beer and special treats for the children.

Bonfire night (November 5th) is one of the highlights of the Autumn in the UK where friend and neighbour come out on a cold evening to stand around a waring fire, watch a spectacular display of fireworks and eat traditional fair of treacle toffee, gingerbread and parkin.

Christmas now beckons with all that that entails!

If you are interested in taking a Home-Tuition course at Fleetham Lodge contact us giving us the dates you'd like to come and how long you want to stay.

6 Oct 2009 18:25
Berni

The end of Summer

September was a strange month, beginning wet and inclement and ending in a glorious Indian summer!

Sadly the long anticipated duck race had to be cancelled as the river was too high and fast. The decision had to be made in advance of the event and on the day the weather was bright, warm and sunny! Sod's law!!

We watched the harvesting throughout September and the amazing hay and straw bales piling up in the fields. Some looked like huge £1 coins that had been dropped from a giant's pocket, others tall and rectangular, like large stacks of books, teetering sideways. Everything golden.

A typical late summer sight, always heart warming yet a harbinger of the seasons to come. A hint of melancholy at the end of the bright days and light evenings tinges this lovely picture!

The autumn brings with it its own beauty. Everywhere you look in the house you will find tomatoes and peppers ripening in bowls on windowsills or hanging in jewelled necklaces, beautiful colours of bright red, yellow and orange! Baskets of apples cover the tables and onions hang drying. There is also the pungent smell of chutney making mixed with pickling and jams - a truly productive time. Jams will be served up at breakfast and pickles and chutneys offered at lunch - the taste of a wonderful summer!

Our autumn view can be as beautiful as the summer ones! The fires are ready for cold evenings, the kitchen stove is lit for warmth in the early mornings. Our autumn students will see a different side of life in the country but one no less interesting and picturesque

20 Aug 2009 11:14
Berni

August - the summer overblown!

My mother always describes August as being 'overblown' - a good description as the late big blooms come into flower and everything else begins to look as though it needs a haircut!

The swallows have departed and the house martins are frantically feeding and using the remaining summer time to get ready for their move. Each evening large flocks of geese fly around

The plums, apples and blackberries are ripening and after the good summer we've had this year, there is a faint look of autumn about everything. Hopefully we'll manage a few more weeks of summer!

The Feast 2009 was a great event - one of the best ever said one villager. The day dawned bright and sunny and remained that way all day. The band played, there were many fun events in the arena and people stayed well into the evening to sit, eat, drink and enjoy a very beautiful English summer's day in a very traditional setting.

Our guests enjoyed the day and are planning to return for next year's event. We came home clutching our prizes - first prize in Yorkshire Curd Tart, Chutney and pencil drawing, second prize in hen's eggs, jam and bird made out of natural materials etc.. Even the dog won a rosette!

The final event of summer in the village is the duck race which takes place on the local river and is a fun day of being by and on the water.

English language students at Fleetham Lodge

We still have a handful to arrive and then we will be looking at dates for the autumn and next year.

It may seem that everything we do here at Fleetham Lodge has a social aspect to it. While the social side is very important for our English language study guests we do spend at least 3 hours a day here in serious language study!

Expect to hit the ground running! You will have your English grammar, vocabulary and skills stretched, honed and tested and receive homework too!

The name of the game is total immersion - study hard, socialise hard, make use of every opportunity we provide to use your English and you will see results.

We're waiting for you!

21 Jul 2009 14:58
Berni

Those lazy, hazy days of summer!

A warm summer's day in the countryside is wonderful. The birds sing, the butterflies and bees busy themselves around the flowers. Everywhere are the colours and sounds of nature. Long, leisurely walks, relaxing in the garden and meals outdoors are all part of the delight of summer.

In England! I hear you say - but yes, there are days like this and they are to be relished (today isn't one of them - rain and wind).

We welcome summer long before it arrives we plan barbeques, summer fetes, outdoor concerts and fun days at the beach and then watch the weather forecast avidly!

We British are very good at putting on a brave face even when the rain is pouring down in torrents! We tramp around the fete with umbrellas or rig up plastic sheeting to cover the barbecue - after all it's summer!

Please don't be put off - many events get wonderful weather and we always look forward to these traditional days and outings.

Summer events in Kirkby Fleetham

The Barn Dance The first summer event is often a Barn Dance. Literally a dance held in a barn. A local farmer will donate his barn for the purpose. Hay bales are placed outside for seating, tables are laid with food (especially wonderful puddings!), a small bar is set up and a band hired to play for the traditional 'folk' dances that are danced on these occasions. Students have happily entered into the spirit of these events following the dance instructions (usually the dances feature groups of 8, 12 or even more! Even if you have two left feet - you will enjoy the challenge and fun!

The Woodland walk We are lucky in Kirkby Fleetham to have farmers and land owners who are happy to host village events. As a lot of land is privately owned much of it never seen by anybody except the owners. One such time is the Woodland walk held in the village in early summer. Three walks are available of different lengths and the woods are opened up for an afternoon for everybody to follow the walk at their leisure. The walks lead, inevitably to the pub where you can have a drink or something to eat.

The Feast Held on the second Saturday in August the Feast is the biggest event of the village. This year is the 108th Feast! The main event is the exhibition in the main tent; everything from painting to flower arranging and giant onions to cakes and cocktails. Villagers make, bake, grow and sew and enter their efforts into the competition to be judged by experts in the field. A modest prize is awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each section. Events in the main arena take place and there is music and dancing well into the night!

For more on the Feast

Find out about its history

Come to Fleetham Lodge for a course next August and experience the Feast first hand!

3 Jul 2009 17:45
Berni

10 reasons why you should come to Fleetham Lodge and 10 why you shouldn't

Although we're immensely proud of what we do here at Fleetham Lodge we understand that it may not be for everyone!

To help you decide whether it would be a suitable place for you to come and improve your English here are reasons why you should, and also perhaps why you shouldn't!

Perfect if: 1. You enjoy being in beautiful countryside. 2. You like a quiet, tranquil setting. 3. You like the idea of staying in an old house. 4. You really do want a total immersion experience (there aren't many non English speakers here). 5. You would like to be in a typical English setting.

6. You enjoy country activities - walking, cycling etc. 7. You are interested in exploring Yorkshire and the North of England. 8. You don't mind not having easy access to a town. 9. You want to try something different. 10. You don't mind flying to provincial airports or making the final leg by train.

Maybe not if: 1. You like the hustle and bustle of the city. 2. You need to have shops, clubs and bars to go to. 3. You're turned off by history. 4. You like the comfort of being able to speak your language at times. 5. You really want to be in or near London.

6. You like shopping and the city lights and noise. 7. You think the North of England might be too staid or deserted. 8. You need easy access to shops and nightlife. 9. Places like London still have too much to offer you. 10. You can only imagine flying to Heathrow or Gatwick and don't want any extra journeys.

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23 Jun 2009 17:35
Berni

June is busting out all over!

Just like the song, everything is going crazy!

We have had several of those amazing summer days that you find in well known English stories like Brideshead Revisited, or Enid Blyton's Famous Five where the warm days go on forever, the birds sing, the bees hum and everybody seems blissfully happy!

It is lovely to sit out late into the evening, listen to the sparkle of the fountain and, if you're lucky, the owl gently hooting. Lots of interesting, yet relaxed conversation is to be had as we sit watching for the first stars to appear.

During the day we walk or cycle into the village or around the local lanes taking in the scenery and enjoying the birds and the sheep and cows in the fields.

For those who like the countryside and want to 'get away from it all' for their English language study - Fleetham Lodge is perfect! There are no distractions and lesson breaks can be a short stroll in the garden to the pond where you can sit and watch the dragon flies and swallows skim the surface of the water while the fish dart here and there while you contemplate your irregular verbs or practise your pronunciation!

For the more energetic, take a bike and go off around the local villages or have a game of tennis on our court.

Come for a week, come for a fortnight come for a long weekend! We are always happy to see you and share our Yorkshire life with you!   We're sure you will find something unique here.

26 May 2009 00:00
Berni

Discovering the meadow!

Having got a new puppy we have to take him out regularly during his house training. We are fortunate to have a small paddock adjoining the garden which is perfect for this.

There is a pond in the paddock which has been very neglected over the past few years. It was created as a Koi pond by the previous owners and apart from adding some fish we have largely left it alone. To our delight it has become a great home for wild life. Seeing it now several times a day has brought its wonders to us and we have started to do some work to clear debris and keep it a great wildlife home.

We have stripped back the waterfall to clear it of excess weed and rubble. We hope to have it restored and up and running very soon.

The pond itself is teeming with tadpoles which we are watching develop day by day. We also have (once we cleared some of the weed) lots of small fish and at least one newt. Insects abound and at the moment dragon flies and swallows skim the surface of the water.

Our final discovery was the abundance of wildflowers. We had always intended to create a wildflower meadow at the top of the paddock but it seems to have created itself!

Patches of blue, yellow and white abound and we have buttercups, speedwell, cowslips, daisies, cuckoo flowers, ground ivy and many more. No poppies alas, as yet!

This month has been such a voyage of discovery in our garden and we fully intend to maintain it as a place to relax and enjoy the tranquil environment for all our student guests!

29 Apr 2009 00:00
Berni

Spring has truly sprung!

The blossom is out, the leaves have bright green foliage and flowers begin to bloom. Everywhere there is activity!

We've just removed a very large jackdaw nest from the chimney during our spring clean and the swallows and house martins have arrived and are busy preparing their nests. We've seen a hopeful heron on the pond and the bats swoop around at dusk. It is wonderful to see all these 'old friends' return!

Easter was wonderful with bright sunshine and warm enough to sit outside. Our visitors enjoyed a traditional Sunday lunch on Easter Sunday, a traditional tea too and we organised an Easter egg hunt around the garden.

The kitchen garden is beginning to take shape with seedlings coming through and a greenhouse full of things to be planted out soon. There should be plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables for our summer students to enjoy. Now all we need is for the weather to continue!

So we've cycling, walking, golf and pony trekking activities planned for our summer courses. If you like something a little less active we can offer photography. Whichever course you choose you can be certain that you'll get plenty of English practice, good food, wonderful country air and excellent company.

What are you waiting for!

31 Mar 2009 00:00
Berni

In like a lion out like a lamb

This is a phrase often used to describe the month of March and this year it has had a ring of truth to it.

After an unusually cold and frosty winter we are now being treated to the most beautiful spring weather!

Sun, flowers, warm breezes and now longer evenings. It lifts spirits and makes you feel truly alive! It is really good to be in England when conditions are like this (after all we get more than our fair share of rain).

This all brings work and we are busy planting onions and potatoes in the kitchen garden and sowing seed for summer vegetables. I expect Easter will be a busy time in the garden

Talking of busy, the hens have got to work and we are getting a regular supply of eggs every day.

We sat out and ate lunch today - the first of many such occasions I hope!

Our Home Tuition students due after Easter can experience the sight of new born lambs bounding across the fields - they are everywhere and it enhances a country walk to see them! We've also got a pair of swans on the pond behind the house. To see them fly over the garden is a real joy.

The bats will be out in the evenings soon and maybe we'll hear an owl.

When it gets dark around 7.30 the clear skies at present are expansive with bright twinkling stars.

And this is just the beginning!

24 Feb 2009 00:00
Berni

Signs of Spring

Economic renewal may be a long way off but the renewal of spring is beginning!

We are very excited about our 2009 English courses here at Fleetham.

We have added lots of activities such as cycling, walking, pony trekking etc. to make the leisure time of our students more focused and to get them out and about in the community so that they can use their English in a real situation and with real, live English speakers!

We've chosen some beautiful places and have some great ides so what are you waiting for! Sign up now!

Find out more

Last night saw the annual village pancake race

The races cater for all ages from 5 to 50 and many easter eggs were won. Everyone turns up frying pan and pancake at the ready and runs the short distance in front of the village hall while tossing their pancake! It's a far cry from the Mardi-Gras carnivals of Brazil but the sentiment is the same!!

Hot soup and hot dogs are served and it's another must-do event in the Kirkby Fleetham calendar.

The village Panto

Talking about must-do events the Panto was held two weeks ago to great applause a couple of weeks ago. This is a great tradition in the UK (usually at Christmas) and Kirkby Fleetham's version of Aladdin had all the ingredients - corny jokes, banter between audience and actors, men dressed as women, women dressed as men. The event was a great spectacle with lots of sound and colour.

A panto is an integral part of a course at Fleetham Lodge! Remember to bring your throat lozenges!

20 Jan 2009 00:00
Berni

Happy New Year 2009!

A new year with new challenges!

There are new and exciting things in the pipeline for 2009.

We will be offering some country-themed courses in 2009. Look at the calendar on the Fleetham lodge page for dates and further details. Cycling and walking trips, golf and fishing, horse riding and other country pursuits. We'll weave them around the courses so that after a hard week of grammar and vocabulary study you can take a bicycle or put on a pair of walking boots and head off into the dales.

There will be lots of photo and drawing opportunities for the artistic.

So what happens when you come on a course here at Fleetham Lodge?

• We meet you at whatever airport or station you arrive at and drive you back to the house.
• We'll probably have a cup of tea when we get back and a little tour of the house and garden
• Then you can unpack, unwind and relax
• all meals are taken leisurely, including breakfast
• we study for 3 hours in the morning with a short coffee break
• some afternoons are spent on a visit
• on others you may want to study, go for a walk, take the local bus into town, play tennis, watch TV or surf the internet.
• sometimes there may be lessons in the afternoon or early evenings
• other people may come round in the evening to eat and chat so there will always be opportunities to practise

Above all we encourage you to use your English as much as possible and be totally immersed!

9 Dec 2008 00:00
Berni

Christmas is coming!

And the Goose is getting fat! (an old nursery rhyme)

The weather has been very cold with the biggest snow fall seen in years last week!

All the autumn guests are gone and we are now looking forward to the Christmas break. There won't be any students over Christmas but even those studying with us in December and early January can catch something of the Christmas traditions.

Drinks of hot wine or hot chocolate served with traditional mince pies and christmas cake are very welcome after a winter's walk or a hard morning of study.

The house looks transformed with trees and lights. All the fires are lit and there's a welcoming glow everywhere.

We will be relaxing and gathering our strength to meet the challenges of 2009. We anticipate our 2009 students; who will they be, what will they need. Whoever they are and whatever they need we will welcome them with open arms and it will be an unforgettable experience!

Maybe it will be you?

18 Nov 2008 00:00
Berni

Autumn draws to a close

Autumn is a more mellow time in many respects.

The hectic activity of the summer is over and the glowing colours of Autumn (almost gone now) give a warm feeling. The nights come in early urging us to sit by the fire and enjoy semi-hibernation.

Our guests in the Autumn can enjoy brisk, colourful walks in the afternoons and then back to the fireside for afternoon tea. Meals are hearty and very English - what we sometimes call 'comfort food'. Hotpots and casseroles.

Our summer students enjoyed a selection of local visits as well as some intense language practice. At one point we were a group of French, Spanish, Italian and British all enjoying wonderful conversation about politics, art, and food; exchanging ideas and experiences.

Taking a break!

Everybody certainly had lots of speaking practice. Now the trick is to keep it going!

5 Aug 2008 00:00
Berni

Summer almost over!

A cricket match on the village green. A typical sight (and sound) of the countryside in the UK. Afternoon tea is traditionally served.

We have just said goodbye to our first sets of summer visitors and are preparing to received the next.

So far the weather has been kind and everybody has had a good experience.

The summer is a good time to visit as, weather permitting, it is possible to sit outside, study outside and generally relax outdoors which is always beneficial.

So far we've managed some enjoyable walks, some have ventured on bicycles and the crowning event was an open air performance of Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing' by the lake of a local 'Great House' Kiplin Hall. The evening was warm, the picnic delicious, the play beautifully rendered and to top it all a flock of geese flew over us all in the middle of everything!

There are many wonderful places to visit locally and we have plans for our August students to go to York, Durham, the wonderful Bowes Museum.

Some of the greatest ruined Abbeys can be found in Yorkshire (Riveaulx, Jervaulx, Easby, and many more). There are great houses too and castles galore!

We can also offer the seaside with some very beautiful fishing villages (and a Dracula connection to boot!)

The annual Kirkby Fleetham Feast is this weekend although we have no guests to take this year. We will, however, be baking, making, digging and arranging our entries for the competition!

All the activities we add to the actual teaching give our guests an insight into life in the English countryside and added opportunities to really practice their language skills.

22 Apr 2008 00:00
Berni

New Arrivals!!

Spring is finally here!!

As well as all the colour of spring flowers, we have four new members of the household.

Hermione, Hortense and Helga. Where's Henrietta? Laying eggs we hope!!

As we prepare Fleetham Lodge to receive summer visitors we have added 4 important members. These are the chickens: Henrietta, Hermione, Helga and Hortense. They will have an important job to do, providing eggs for our visitors' breakfast!!

With so many worries about food miles, additives and healthy eating, it is reassuring to know that food on the Fleetham Lodge table is sourced as locally and as freshly as possible. Students can even have a go at collecting their own breakfast eggs!!

Attention to detail is a byword at Fleetham in all aspects of the course and stay. We take great care over your assessment (usually done electronically before you arrive) to make sure that we have all the right books and materials ready to start on day one. This means that you can 'hit the ground running' and make full use of all your time here.

A display of Spring flowers around the door.

We are certain your stay will be enjoyable - but we can't say that it will be 'easy' we will give you lots to do and help you to maximise every opportunity from simply watching the tv to meeting and discussing in the local pub!!

2 Oct 2007 00:00
Berni

Entry for 2 Oct 2007

Autumn sets in.

Nights getting longer ('the nights are drawing in' is a very common phrase heard at this time of year), the cows have been moved from the fields and the hay bails stored for the winter. The little housemartins who were, it seems like only days ago, busying around their homes have now vanished.

Summer is over (not that this year's was anything to 'write home about!') There's a mellowness about September and an optimism too.

In the village preparations for things such as Harvest Festival are afoot. The children bring 'offerings' of produce to a church service, special hymns are sung and a thanksgiving said for the bounties of the fields. We are a farming community so such things have great significance.

Harvest Time

And what of Fleetham Lodge? It's time to get chimneys swept ready for the winter fires which are always cheery and give a wonderful ambience. Also time to bring in our own harvest from the kitchen garden and store onions, apples, pears and potatoes, make chutneys and jams. Freeze beans and make soups for winter warmth.

Students staying in these months can sit in the warm kitchen, rest by the fire and eat warm comforting food. There are bracing country walks, trips to the inviting local pubs and always a possibility for a game of tennis before the weather gets too cold.

A traditional afternoon tea is always welcome!!

26 Sep 2007 00:00
Berni

Entry for 15 Aug 2007

It's raining again! It has not been the best of summers. Luckily the weather was good for the village Feast last weekend!

The Feast is a good place to begin this blog.

It takes place every year the weekend before August 15th.A great tent is erected on the village green and the whole village turns into a sort of arena.

This year the morning dawned bright and sunny. There was much activity at Fleetham Lodge preparing all the exhibits for the show tent where the main competition takes place. Fruit,veg, cakes and jams and pickles can all be entered. The children's section consists of art works, decorated sandwiches, animals made out of recycled materials and a host of other things. There is always great excitement.

Once everything is in place we leave the tent and the judges arrive to make their choices.

1o'clock sees the dog show. Our little terrier Duffy was entered and won second prize in the dog-owner look-alike where Imogen dressed up to look like him.

The tent opened at 2.00 and the whole family to a man had won 2 or 3 prizes (1st, 2nd or 3rd). The greatest coup was to have won the Victoria Sponge entry (a cake) and the chutney 1st prize (a tomato relish).

The day continued with exhibitions, some very funny displays, games, races and ,of course, the very British 'cream tea' after which we returned home, changed and returned to the tent for live music and dancing into the night.

All very traditional and great fun!!