SNOW!!

I can't help it. I get giddy when it snows. I still can't believe I live somewhere where it does, actually, snow. Granted, the most snow we've seen in England happened the first month we lived here, but the last three years we've seen our fair share of minor snowy days. 

This last winter we had more snow than the last two years, but each time the snow fell it only lasted half a day or so before melting away. The first night in January it snowed I was so giddy! Had I not already been in my PJs, I would have run out and played in it! 

Nighttime snow

Thankfully, it was still there in the morning and lasted until around lunch time. By dinner it was just a slushy mess. 

Another dusting

A few weeks later I got to see what the meteorologists were describing as freezing fog while on the train to volunteer at the York Minster. 

Freezing fog in Knaresburough

And then in early March we were treated to yet another day of snow. I didn't realize it had snowed until I had already dressed for the day and opened the window. I was heading off to London that morning, and talked Bill into driving me just the few blocks to the train station so I could take an earlier train to York… just in case the weather was adversely affecting the train schedules. Thankfully, the trains weren't delayed. Unfortunately, that meant I arrived in York an hour early for my train… and had to wait in the cold, damp train station that much longer. Oh well, I was still going to London, so I was happy! :-) 

Yard dusted in snow

A Winter Spa Getaway

A few of my friends had purchased day spa packages at a Christmas market back in December and found out I could tag along for the same low price they paid. Continuing my tradition of saying yes to as much stuff as possible, I joined them. 

(They didn't have to twist my arm too hard!) 

Swinton Park

The spa was located inside the swanky Swinton Park, just outside of Masham, North Yorkshire. Swinton Park has been both a manor home and a boarding school for children during WWII until it became the fancy-pants hotel - restaurant - spa that it is today. 

Chandelier in the sitting room 

We got to spend an hour in their wet spa, which consisted of a hot tub, sauna, and lounge chairs, before heading off for our facials. After all that, a lovely afternoon tea in their sitting room. 

Afternoon tea for five

The only downside was at the end. There were five of us trying to be quiet and posh in a sitting room that had two other couples trying to have a refined afternoon tea. I'm sorry, but no matter how quiet you are, a party of five is still a party of five.  We didn't get shushed or anything from the staff or other visitors, we just felt very conspicuous and aware that it was so quiet (save us) in the room. Perhaps they should pipe in a little classical music or something to help cut the silence/tension? 

Blurry hallway

All in all, though, it was a lovely time!

Christmas in Yorkshire

Today is the first day of Spring, so I thought it high time I caught up with our Winter shenanigans. Starting with Christmas in Yorkshire! 

We didn't think we'd be here for more than two Christmases, so we didn't ship all of our Christmas decorations to England. Why would we need those?! Our first Christmas here I bought a second-hand Christmas tree, which turned out to be a fairly wise investment for £20. It worked nicely our first year; our second year the kittens chewed through the string of pre-lit lights, so for when Grace destroyed the tree this third year in our care, I didn't even care. The tree has since been boxed up and taken to the tip (dump). If we're here next year, I will buy a new, fake tree and keep my fingers crossed that it will be in re-sellable condition when we prep for our return to the US. 

Grace posing in front of her work of art

This is also the third year I've made a Christmas Cake. Although it's not a difficult cake to make, you have to start it all the way back in October. Once made, you leave it to mature, brushing it periodically with your liquor of choice (I used spiced rum) until the day before you want to dig into it. 

Matured fruit cake, AKA Christmas Cake

 When you're ready to decorate the cake, you first spread warmed apricot jam all over the top, before...

Marzipan'd fruitcake

topping it with a rolled out layer of marzipan. You smooth everything down, and then top that with a rolled out layer of...

Fondant'd fruit cake

fondant. Once the fondant is on, you're pretty much ready to decorate however you'd like. I have accumulated star and tree punch-outs, as well as quite a lot of edible glitters and dyes. As you can see, I went to town. I took the cake to our friend's Christmas Eve open house party, and thankfully, only brought a small portion back home with me. I'm open to ideas for next year's Christmas Cake theme… :-) 

Finished masterpiece

Another thing I have been doing since we arrived in England is making a Christmas pudding. The pudding consists of a lot of the same ingredients as the Christmas cake, only it's steamed in a pudding bowl (similar to a double boiler) for five hours, then wrapped up and set to mature for several months. On the day you eat it, you re-steam it for 2-1/2 hours, then light it on fire with spiced rum. This ensures a good time is had by all! 

Christmas pudding

Christmas pudding