A tribute to Tippy

Those of you who look in on Bobs blog will know of our sad loss. My wonderful dog Tippy has been so ill we have had to have her put to sleep. It could not have happened at a worse time whilst I was away at the Keswick Convention. A few weeks ago we took her to the vet as she didn't want to eat much and the vet put her on a rich diet of chicken and white fish, rice, eggs and her favorite rice pudding. It seemed to work for a while but she began to refuse the food more than eat any. On the Sunday morning before I left for Keswick I took all three dogs for their morning walk and this was to be Tips last not that we knew it. Robert was not well with a bad cold and chest so had the day off work on the Monday. Later that day he was aware tippy had not been about much and found her unable to walk. On the Tuesday they went to the vet and she kept her there and did some tests which the next day showed her to be quite ill with little hope of her getting over it. She was 15years old and by now was very thin but remarkably up until now could still round up Tommy when we played ball. I wanted to come home, Robert wasn't well enough to come for me, I was getting over my operation. Poor Robert and our daughter Fallon I think were very brave although Fallon could not stop crying I don't know how she drove the car. Robert took his blanket in the hope she would be able to recognise the smell and he wrapped her up in it. He then drove to his mum's and dad's were his dad had dug a grave in the small field in their garden where my dog Tara from 20 years ago is also berried. Mum and dad loved her I think as much as us and dad has made a little cross with her name on and found an old tennis ball. And mum says she can see her from the kitchen window. My heart is breaking as I write this and every time I do things. Walking the other two dog, feed time, bed time, in the way when I'm cooking, just her not being here.

One of the hardest is when I come home from work, I can barley put my bag down and have to take them all out side in the field out side our house, scampi just wanders Tom plays ball and Tip rounds Tom up. From an early age tip learnt how to catch the ball and bring it back. If I through the ball a certain way and shouted twister she would jump up twist round in the air catch the ball and bring it back. When I had have enough I would say three more and on the third catch she would head for the door drop the ball and go indoors. Then when we got Tom she never played ball again unless I took her out on her own. When tom plays she watched his every move and rounded him up with the occasional nip on the bottom.

Having a good sniff




It was a family affair when we set off to get a dog mum and dad came too. Fallon had wanted a dog for a long time, but quite rightly when we lived in Scotland we were all out all day and its not fair on a dog to be shut in all day. When we moved to the farm it was time and a working dog such as a boarder collie to help with sheep was ideal. A farmers dog had puppies and after looking at all the puppies mum noticed one that came up to Fallon. She had a white chest and paws and a white tip on her tail, that's where her name comes from. Also there is a famous dog called tip with a memorial at the derwent dam. When we got her home we were going to be like proper farmers and make her sleep outside. Robert sawed the coal shed door in half and we were going to have it as her kennel, I think she stayed there two nights!! In spring she would share her dog basket with the odd lamb was obsessed with sheep, hated to be on the lead, how she balanced on the front of the quad ill never know, didn't really like cows. She could jump any wall, hay stack and at lambing time when the sheep were in the yard she would run round the house so fast she wore out the grass in the garden with two tracks one going one way and one coming back.

Tippy's mate Scampi she must wonder where she is.

This is one of the earliest photo's we have off tippy. Its in the front garden of the farm we used to have. Up until the last four years or so before digital photo's most of the photo's of tip are of printout type.

Tippy's chair

This is one of my favorites photo's of tip. We are holiday in Scotland and she is keeping a watchful eye on Tommy who is playing ball on the beach. For the first years of tips life we always took a holiday to the very north of Scotland in May after our lambing was done. But one year Fallon and Robert had gone for a walk staying over night in a bothy and I took tip to the beach, but on my return to the car two men with guns threatened to shoot her if she threatened their sheep which were allowed to wander on the sand dunes. I tried to tell them she was our working sheep dog and would never hurt their sheep she was a good girl but they would hear none of it. We would not take the risk so the next year we reluctantly left her with mum and dad and didn't we know about it. When we came home she just ignored us it got so bad we thought she was ill and took her to the vet. She wasn't ill and soon got over it and was back to her happy self.

She was like lightning. In winter she would get so dirty I would cut all her fur from her tail and legs as she would pebble dash every cupboard door with the whoosh of her tail, she looked terrible but it was all grown again buy spring.

She loved to sit in the tractor had a sleep when Robert came in for lunch.

Rub my tummy or wriggling to scratch her back. She would lay on the sofa legs in the air, I would rub her legs and feet and tell her "oh stinky feet" and she would look all embarrassed.

When we moved to this house I was worried tip would miss the farm and farm life she was retiring but as always she adapted quickly and seemed to enjoy a quieter life.

Tippy loved to eat the raw beans we grew.

Still looking good at 12years old.

It didn't have to be a ball.

15 lovely Christmases. we always made a big fuss the dogs opening their presents.

Looking ready to get that ball.

Looking at granddad asking for a piece of chocolate cake. Tip was always a fussy eater so to make her eat her dinner there was a promise of a chocolate digestive biscuit. She did this twice a day for her whole life and of course tom and scampi do too. It is advised that dogs should not have chocolate and I'm not saying you should but tip seamed to be ok with it. She only ever stole food once. She loved mince pies, it was near Christmas and I was baking loads of them and she pinched some raw ones and was sick. She never took anything again I think she was so ashamed

The snow never bothered her and in the early days would come and sit by the fire when it was cold. But somewhere in her life when she was staying with mum and dad she would wonder into the fields where they lived and dad thinks the game keeper took a shot and with her great hearing it frightened her. After that she would never sit by the open fire as the wood would crackle so spent her resting time in her chair in the kitchen where the fire was behind glass doors. Then later would use the spare bedroom. When we moved to this house the fire in the sitting room has glass doors so we had the pleaser of her company again.

Having fun with scampi.

This is the last photo I have of her 3 weeks ago.

Walks would always take a long time with tip as she wanted to smell everything.

This was the last big walk I took her on, I was worried but she made it and enjoyed it.
This is just a small word on the life of a wonderful pet and best friend. She gave us so much joy and happiness. She can never be replaced she was one of a kind and I will miss her dearly. I began to think it was best that I was not here apart from not being with Robert and Fallon to comfort them, but coming home to an empty house (Fallon had taken scampi away to visit my sister) was awful. If dogs go to heaven I hope she is rounding up sheep, catching balls, laying with her feet in the air on a comfy sofa, and eating rice pudding and chocolate biscuits. I love you Tippy. xxxxxxxxx

Summer gardening

With me going away for a week and feeling stronger after my operation Friday was a day in the garden. Mostly dead heading cutting down finished perennials with the hope that they will give me a second bloom. I heard on the radio a expert!! a Chelsea winner say that there wasn't much to do in the garden in summer well her garden must be pretty boring. My garden is a riot of colour, flowers that need dead heading every day. Then if you grow fresh produce, fruit, veg and salad there is something to pick every day. The pine tree drops its cones and needles, herbs need to be kept under control, climbing plants need tying in, grass to cut and if a dry spell watering. Even my small garden needs attention every day.

A few potted plants

A good example of not controlling my passion flower, it growing into the two hanging baskets its reached the roof and coming into my bedroom.

My Friend Kathy brought me a variety of plants this is a lovely Dalia.

I think the day lilies are early this year. The Sambuca in the background has been fantastic.

My chocolate cosmos, I must remember to bring it inside this winter.

Today I have been to The Tatton flower show and have taken lots of photo's so there will be plenty to show when I get back from my holiday.

Time on my hands?

For the first time for many years I find myself with time on my hands. The reason for this is because I am recovering after having an operation. I'm not a very good patient and sitting still is not a thing I'm very good at. I was over due for this opp as its never the right time. First Christmas, Valentines day then mothering Sunday. When there is only two people in a busy shop its hard to get time off and with they way things are at present you have to take on the work when its there. The surgeons secretary was very patient and we managed to find a suitable date. And how things have moved on. Robert's mum was in hospital for a week and off work for weeks. I was out next day key hole surgery, dissoluble stitches, only need three weeks of work and don't even need to see anybody for a check up. The one thing I believe is vital is no driving for two weeks and having been driven home the feeling you have is really strange.
There is a plus side to this time off. Its been a few years since I have been able to go to the Keswick convention in the Lake district. A gathering of approx 5thousand Christians from all denomination with inspirational speakers from all over the world, great worship and fellowship. (all we need is good weather it can rain in the lakes). My Friend Jenny has gone for many years with her family and there is room for me, no need to drive, cook and will no doubt be well looked after, how lucky am I.

Scampi cant understand why I'm not taking her for a long walk but I think Tips glad, these days she is glad just to walk round the outside of the house she is getting very frail.

Scampi is just the right size my beautiful Hannah to control. Here they sitting on the butter cross in the village.

Flower festival at Youlgrave

When we visited Youlgrave a few weeks ago the local church had a flower festival on with the theme from the hymn all things bright and beautiful, below are just a few of the arrangements. A lot of the people who take part in the flower festivals are people who attend local flower clubs in villages and towns usually meeting once a month. I go to my local club in Doncaster and there is always something new, different and exciting to experience.

The sun set in the morning, a modern contemporary arrangement
A winter scene.

Purple headed mountain

The summer sun

Youlgrave well dressing

A few weeks ago my friends and I had a trip to Derbyshire and in the morning we went to Youlgrave to see the well dressings. This is a annual event dating back from the pagan tradition, giving thanks for the purity of water which was drawn from the wells. This dates back from the time of the black death. Its believed it originated from the village of Tissington Derbyshire 1349. Only a few villages took part in the early days until 1840 when to commemorate the benefactor of the Duke of Devenshire who at his own expense supplied water to all. Youlgrave was later supplied with water from a hill some distance away with the arrival of piped water and so the tradition was adapted to taps not only wells.

Its hard to believe this is all made from tiny flower petals it is so incredibly neat. If I can remember it represents earth, wind, fire and water.

Wooden frames are constructed in clay mixed with water and salt, a designed is sketched on paper and traced onto the clay. Very often there is a religious theme and the picture is predominantly made from flower petals, mosses, beans, seed and cones but in later years some use more modern materials.




This well depicts Adam and Eve and although not clear the outer panels stand forward from the inner panel giving it a 3D look.

This vibrant well is to commemorate the football 2010 world cup


Youlgrave, a village in Derbyshire the peak district lying on the river Bradford south of Bakewell. The name Youlgrave derives from "yellow grove" the oared mined being yellow in colour, historicaly "Giolgrove".

A close up of some of the petals and texture's used in the green man, great thought and patience must have been used with the limited colour pallet used for this design.

This was a great well of Mosses being found in the river. The side panels were so delicately designed with scenes from the time and place.

This was the girl guides well celebrating 100 years of guiding

This last but not least well was designed by the children from the local school. Each child designed a picture and one was chosen. Then the mums transfer the design to the clay frame.

Hannah Franklin

On the 1st July our church had the great pleasure of an evening with Hannah Franklin www.reverbnation.com/hannanfranklin She was so amazing, not only a truly magnificent voice but her word was inspirational. Her songs mostly reflected women of the Bible and before she sang her song gave a small insight the the person in the song. She spoke of her life so far and her beautiful sister who sadly died last year. Everybody was moved and many including me were brought to tears. After the concert she did not rush off but stayed to minister to people and was so at ease. Her new album 'You are the song' is available and I loved them all but 'His Love' I think is my favorite.