Sunrise on the winter solstice day.

By Wednesday lunchtime I had put up all the Christmas trees and decorations in the cottages and finally put the baubles on mine!  Tuesday was spent mainly on getting cottages ready for the next few days and again a cleaner up to do a couple of cottages.  One cottage in later in the day, they have been before.  The cottage delayed on Sunday was again delayed but will arrive on Wednesday.  By Tuesday evening the area had been issued with a weather warning for snow overnight, up to eight inches depending on how far north the snow came, but luckily for us we had a covering rather than 4-8 inches that many parts of Leicestershire had.  Whilst I was finishing off in the cottages on Wednesday morning Chris was tidying up his study – the first time in a long time!  One cleaner up today and all cottages now ready.  Guests from yesterday finally arrived in the evening but in the afternoon we decided to go to Chatsworth and look at the Christmas decorations.  Guests have said they were good this year and having seen the pictures of the frozen waterfalls we knew this was our last opportunity.  We took one of the other cottages, who are here without a car, and left them to look around the house whilst we walked around the gardens.  I will upload some photos but bearing in mind we were there only a couple of months ago it was a real contrast.  The cascades were frozen as were the waterfalls and despite the cold at least we got an hours walk with the dogs.  By the time we got into the house it was getting dark and perhaps the best time to get the most from the decorations and lights.  The decorations, which this year were on a theme of Russian fairy tales, was better than the last few years.  On the way back we called in at the farm shop.  So apart from the photos to be added I will sign off for a few days.  Thank you for all your cards and emails and keep in touch.  Still have guests to arrive over the next couple of days at our peak district cottages but plan to put the closed sign up on Christmas day and have the day off.  I wont even check the emails!  Don’t forget the farmers like our neighbours who will have to work on Xmas Day and ditto health workers like my sister who will be at work at the hospital.  Have a nice Xmas one and all!!