Today the living room floor is being sanded
After over 50 years, the panga panga floor of the living room has been sanded down, smoothed, and looks completely different before being sealed.
Settle has its very own Christmas website.
Settlemas.co.uk is a site dedicated to the Settle area's Christmas activities that run from 29 November until 5 January. Wish I had known about it sooner. There really is always something going on.
3 January 2026, a beautiful cold day
2026 has started very cold, the pond has frozen and the ground is hard. The result, however, is beautiful clear skies and views during the daytime and at dusk.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Every year Christmas is in Settle is special. The owners of the local independent shops and the volunteers at town's three charity shops make a huge effort to make the shop windows festive and attractive.
The kitchen is coming along
Photograph taken in early November. The Shaker style kitchen is coming along, providing double sink, gas hob, electric ovens, extraction unit, dishwasher.
Today we had the long cotoneaster hedge trimmed.
A 25m cotoneaster hedge runs across the bottom of the garden in front of the property, providing privacy and shelter. Over 50 years old, it had become very overgrown so it was time to give it a trim. So, that's we did today. Now it looks a lot tidier and boxier.
How many Settle Flowerpots have you spotted?
Just in a week into the Settle Flowerpot festival and they springing up everywhere. Both businesses and private individuals are getting very creative and making Settle look really fun. Here are some more I spotted.
Settle Flowerpot Festival is here!
The 2025 Settle Flowerpot Festival is here! On a beautiful day I took the opportunity to take photographs of just a few of this year's flowerpot characters.
When's the Settle Flowerpot Festival?
Not to be missed is the annual is this year's Flowerpot Festival where locals create characters from Flowerpots. According the festival's website you'll 'be amazed, amused, astounded & astonished by the quirky flowerpot displays decorating the town'. And you will!
North Yorkshire ranked 2nd best county in Britain
In March, the Telegraph published its guide to the best and worst counties in Britain. The methodology was complex based on 41 criteria across 4 main categories: Natural Wonders, History and Culture, Luxuries, and Peace and Quiet. And North Yorkshire ranked 2nd out of all 48 counties.