Rain, rain and flooding

Today was another day when East Harptree became world news.  A sustained cloudburst after a period of rain caused a few houses to be flooded today, I was out helping our neighbour (from whom we get our very free range breakfast eggs) who, in spite of six inches of flooding in their house, have refused to move out while everything dries.  East Harptree not only got on the ITN local news and Channel 4 news but we have just had an email from a regular guest from Swizerland who had seen it on the British news there. The world really is a small place these days. Glad to say that although both lakes overflowed, the roof didn't leak, the yurt and treehouse stayed snug and that all is well here.

see some pictures here: http://ruralchris.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/mayday/

Spring is in the air - along with snow and hail

I thought that January was so warm that all our spring bulbs were going to appear together and all be over before their proper time. However the icy blast delivered in late January and early February has corrected that. The large and spreading patches of crocus are all coming out now and look spectacular in the sunshine.

The treehouse is proving to be the romantic spot for proposals. It has just notched up another one last weekend. Congratulations!

Still a month to go before the Yurt goes back up. I have just been checking the base and preparing myself - why do I expect it to be raining just as I need to put the canvas back on?

First six months of the treehouse

Well, the first half year of operation has passed with our guests being wowed by the treehouse and the Yurt. The Yurt has long been put away for the winter but we were still having guests in November. We added a hot water bottle and then an electric blanket to ensure everyone stayed snug and warm. The only problem during the year was with squirrels! One day whilst we were away they ate our rubber gas connectors emptying the spare gas cylinders so the gas ran out. We had the gas back on within 12 hours but it was a worry. The gas pipes now have armour plating so unless the squirrels use weapons we should be alright. I cannot quite believe how booked up we are getting for 2012 now - the first half of the year is almost full in the treehouse.

The papers

We seem to have attracted quite a bit of attention in the papers over the last month or so. Starting with The Guardian Then the yurt was in The Telegraph.


Then the treehouse was in the cool camping guide one Saturday in the Times, but to see that you have to be a Times subscriber I believe.


We have also had major articles about the treehouse in the Western Daily Press and the Bristol Evening Post. Not to mention a radio slot on BBC Somerset.
Just recently the treehouse experience has had a proper review in The Guardian

All the comment seems to be positive, with the exception of a chess player who noticed that the photographer had set the pieces incorrectly on the board!

All this has had an impact so book early!

Linda's luscious lemon cake

Everybody has been asking for the 'secret' recipe to Linda's lovely lemon cake that she gives to our guests on arrival. She even puts one in the Treehouse and Yurt for guests to enjoy during their stay. Yum Yum. So here we go:

Into a bowl put 6oz sieved self raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 6oz caster sugar flavoured with vanilla, 4oz butter, 4 tbsp milk, 2 large free- range eggs (there is nothing nicer).

Whisk for 2 mins, tip into a lined 8" baking tin and cook for 40 mins on 180oC in a fan oven.

Take out of the oven, allow to cool in the tin and when just warm tip over the juice of 2 lemons mixed with 3oz of vanilla flavoured caster sugar.

Enjoy!

If anyone has any other cake recipes they think we should try, post it under this !

Harptree Court wins an Award

Linda and Charles are very excited to have won the Bed and Breakfast/Guest Accommodation of the Year Award at The Bristol Tourism and Hospitality Awards last night. Just as well that there were no acceptance speeches though - our list of people to thank might have gone on for hours.

Racing to the finish

It has been about 3 weeks since my last post, not so much because there is so little progress but because there has been so much!
Once the base was completed the sides went on.



The roof was put on



The cladding went on the outside and the roof was tiled.

To match the exterior work the plumbing first fix is in, the electrical work nears completion and today the insulation was blown into the cavities in the walls, floors and the roof!