Stepping Off

So in that vein – I was thinking about how to market Smoky Jo’s – our food smoking courses, and I decided that if we were going to spend money on marketing it would have to be on something we enjoyed.

Since owning and running the Old  Smokehouse at Brougham Hall (sadly not there anymore!) we have enjoyed doing the ‘County Shows’.  So I thought that as we hadn’t been to a show for a while we ought to take a stand and advertise Smoky Jo’s.

So that is what we did.  We went down to the Cheshire Show this week, and had a stand in the food hall. 

Smoky George at the Cheshire Show

We had great fun - stayed in a Travel Lodge – cheap and cheerful.  We went out for a curry on the first night- big treat! – and had a picnic on the second evening consisting of lots of lovely goodies picked up from the food hall that day.  Lovely!

We met some great people – many who booked courses with us and lots more who I hope will book with us in the future .  Lets face it – what better present to give someone who loves their food for Xmas or birthday than a Food Smoking Course with Smoky Jo’s.

So get out there and have fun – and even when it is work – make sure your new life is fun, fun, fun!

After last weeks fishing I realised how it is all to easy too become complacent.  Here we are talking about having a good work/life balance - and we do, but I realised that I have slipped back into that ‘pottering’ mode when you potter around the house doing chores and forget to table in time for play.

So yesterday we booked a ‘play day’ and went riding at the Cumbria Heavy Horse centre.  It was wonderful – fantastic weather, great scenery and a thoroughly enjoyable two hours riding on the fells between the coast and Coniston.

I was lucky enough to be given a full Clydesdale to ride – called Hamish.  He is nicknamed Eeyore as he has a rather soulful look but he was lovely – a real gentleman and a pleasure to ride.

Hamish and me!

Here we are after a long ride in the heat of the day both looking  a little warm!  Hamish of course had a hose down.  Me? – Well we went off to the beach for a picnic and a splash in the sea – and it was wonderfully warm.

Then we took the scenic route home via Coniston and Ambleside and stopped for an ice cream.  What a great day – these days should be enjoyed more often.   Note to self!

We had a great night at Bessy Beck.  There was a group of local business women gathered for an evening of fun and fishing.  Ian and Shelley who run Bessy Beck gave expert tuition in casting a fly to those of us who had done little or no fishing.  Everyone was really enthusiastic and even when the rain came they fished on.

At the end of the night the heaviest catch of fish won – and that was ME – 3 fish weighing in at 4.4 kg!  Very exciting but I do feel  it was a little unfair – as both Georgina and I have fished before but it was all taken in good spirits.  Next year they are going to set us a handicap!

We finished off the evening with a wonderful selection of baguettes, coffee and home made cake – what could be better.  The baguettes were delicious – filled with smoked trout, smoked trout pate and smoked pheasant with apple chutney- all smoked by Shelley in her Bradley smoker – and the pheasant was out of this world.

The evening did make us realise that even though we are living this wonderful quiet life with a good work/life balance we still don’t always find time to do the things we love doing – like having a days fishing.  We vowed to do more!

One of the great benefits of downshifting and leading a quiet and simple life is the time and space to keep chickens.

We inherited a rooster and a number of chickens with the house and have been addicted to them ever since. We now have a rooster – Andy and 7 hens – all named and all very much pets.  They are -

• Mrs Noah – the Matriarch who is in charge of the hen ark
• Hettie – the cheeky and best loved little brown hen
• Precious – Hettie’s daughter – and don’t you just know it!
• Gloria – born on the ‘Gorious 12th’ (August)
• Madame La Pom – She hatched from a blue egg – given to us by  a neighbour and has a fluffy ‘pom-pom’ head
• Cornflake – A Buff Orpington and Branflake’s best friend. Stately, beautiful and as thick as poo!
• Branflake – A Buff Orpington and Cornflake’s best friend – and like Cornflake in every way.

Peep-Po!

We haven’t been all that successful with our breeding programme.  In 2007 we didn’t hatch any chicks at all.  In 2008 we hatched 5 chicks and they were all roosters. 

This year Madame La Pom was sitting on 6 eggs and hatched one chick – Puffin – who is now 3 weeks old and doing well. Branflake has been sitting on 6 eggs (has broken two) and was 3 days overdue when one chick hatched – yesterday.  Named ‘Burley’ it looks to be doing well and I am so hoping she will hatch another couple – but one is better than nothing.  Finally we have Mrs Noah sitting on 6 eggs and she should hatch around the 23/24th.  Cant wait.

Hettie with Precious and Gloria

Here is hoping that they are not all roosters again.

Thanks everyone who emailed or phoned about our 8 minutes of stardom!  Particularly those people who knew us years ago and managed to recognise us after all this time!  We were really pleased with the piece the ’This Morning’ team produced – it was a good reflection of how we live our lives and had some helpful snippits in there too. 

Here we are on the TV again – this time on ITV’s ‘This Morning’ with Phil and Fern!

We are a little bit anxious – but I hope it will make good viewing and show how our lives have changed so much for the better.  With a little bit of courage and a bit of ‘throwing caution to the wind’ we have created a really interesting and fulfilling life full of variety and based on quality of life rather than working 75 hours a week to earn lots of money.

Do I sound smug?  Well OK, I might do – but I make no apology for it – I think we have a great life and I am proud of it – and it is out there for anyone to do when the time is right for them.

All helped of course as we are experiencing the most glorious weather.  Blue skies, warm sun and no wind (rare for those of us living on top of the fells in Cumbria) and of course the most amazing views.

 The view we wake up to every morning!