Young breakfast guests

This morning there were five young goldfinches on the feeders. The older goldfinches feed there frequently, but don't stay still for very long. These youngsters sat for several minutes watching me watching them.

We've had family groups of guests too. Some have booked the whole place and then had a meal altogether here. Last week we had three generations of a French family staying.

In between looking after all our guests I have managed a few nights away in fascinating Edinburgh and a day in London, including lunch at Jamie's Fifteen.

Wirral Golf Classic

I notice there is a competition in Golf Monthly to win a place in the Wirral Golf Classic in September. I only have one room left for that week, so if anybody would like B & B overlooking the Royal Liverpool Golf Course..book soon. We've got the Army Strokeplay Championships here this week so breakfasts have been early and all guests out on the course by 7.30am. Other guests have also arrived - wrens have taken over the nest in our front porch which is usually inhabited by swallows. They've done a bit of maintenance on their new home, including blocking up most of the opening so there is just a tiny wren-sized entrance now. I hope they and their family will be very happy at Number Fifteen!

Garden visitors

We've had some interesting visitors to the garden over the last week or so. The goldfinches now come every day and we have feeders for them in both the front and back gardens. Then a couple of ducks came to explore the garden. Finally room changing slowed down this morning as I watched what I think was a female sparrowhawk, sitting in the tree for 20 minutes or so. The weather has been wonderful again so I've taken full advantage of the opportunities to walk on the beach. Others have reported lots of natterjack toads to be seen but personally I haven't spotted one yet this year. If you've been watching Candy Cabs you'll have seen plenty of shots of this part of the Wirral, particularly the seafronts of Hoylake and West Kirby.

Cycling in the sun

The weather has been gorgeous for the last week so it has encouraged me to walk and cycle. I've dusted the bike down after the winter and have been out on it a few times. Yesterday's ride was great - I went down the old cinder path to West Kirby, did my shopping, put it in my basket and cycled back. The cinder path has been resurfaced and has a cycle lane. This then links up with the Wirral Way cycle route, so once I build up some stamina(!) I can cycle to Hooton and back...

European Land Yacht Championship

In September 2011 this is once again being held in Hoylake. I've just had a booking enquiry from a competitor. One of the great things of being a B & B owner is that you suddenly become interested in things that have passed you by for 50 years, or things you didn't know existed (like the guy who has the fab job of delivering chocolate to certain holes during golf competitions, by remote control truck!). The Land Yacht Championship coincides with the Wirral Golf Classic, so we are in for a busy time. If you are thinking of coming to either I recommend that you book your accommodation early, wherever you choose to stay.

Bird watching

This beautiful pheasant has become a frequent visitor to our garden. He enjoys clearing up the bird food from under the feeder. We've had small flocks of goldfinch coming to feed every morning too. I'll try and get a photo but mornings tend to be busy in a B & B! One Sunday a couple of weeks ago we went to a high tide birdwatch at Parkgate, just a few miles away from here. There were lots of birds to see including several short-eared owls. We sometimes see them flying over the golf course in the spring so I must keep an eye out for them over the next few weeks.

Wirral Circular Trail

The Wirral Circular Trail passes in front of Number Fifteen. We did this walk last weekend and added in a circuit of the lake in West Kirby too. It is a gorgeous walk at any time of year, with interest added by the changing tides, light, weather and wildlife. There was much going on at the lake too, with sailing, windsurfing and people enjoying a walk in the sunshine. Just occasionally it is hard to remember it is February!

"Wildlife Wonderland"

The Wirral was on Countryfile on Sunday night and they filmed so close to Number Fifteen. Matt Baker described this area as a "Wildlife Wonderland" with 120,000 waders and wildfowl visiting during winter. He took a boat over to Hilbre Island (the rest of us have to walk!), where, as well as the birds, you can see seals both on the sandbank and swimming around the island. My photo shows the island as seen from the end of my road.

New breakfast facilities

As you can see from the photo we've extended our breakfast facilities and menus for 2011 and already a good number of birds have dropped by to feed. We look forward to welcoming guests old and new during 2011.

Happy Christmas

Having worked in Hoylake for over 13 years I know that it is unusual for us to get much snow here. However we've now had significant snow for three years on the run. Once again this weekend guests' plans had to be adapted because of the weather. I hope our Christmas and New Year guests who are all coming to the area to visit family and friends are able to make it. This afternoon is going to be my next round of Christmas baking - time to make the mince pies and a cranberry and orange cake. The rooms are decorated for Christmas and each of the bedrooms has their own little tree. I'd like to wish all Number Fifteen's guests a Happy Christmas and a special hello to those of you who have spent your Christmas here with us over the past couple of years. I look forward to hearing your news and welcoming you back to Number Fifteen before too long.

The "Green"?

This was the view of the "green" out of the lounge window yesterday afternoon. We don't get much snow in Hoylake, but we have had a sprinkling this weekend. Wirral's Year of Food is coming to an end with a Christmas Food Fayre next weekend in Port Sunlight. Claire Lara, this year's winner of Masterchef - The Professionals, is one of several local chefs demonstrating on the Christmas Hamper Stage. We still have availability if you fancy making a weekend of it.

Winter Sunrise

One of the nice things about getting up early to cook breakfasts is that I see things that those still with their curtains (or even eyes) closed may miss. We get the most amazing winter sunrises over the golf course and on this occasion I had my camera handy. The view is always different, whether it is the light, the golfers or the wildlife and our guests seem to love it.

Bonfire night

I love living in Hoylake. There always seems to be something going on. This weekend we've had the bonfire and fireworks on the beach, followed by "Sparks in the Park" on Sunday. Market Street now has fabulous banners hanging from the lampposts with some great photos of the events and attractions of the area. And yesterday morning I saw something I though was wonderful....a group of 30 or so cycling along the promenade at 8am. Not the local cycling club this time, but a group of Mums, Dads and kids cycling to school in convoy. What a cool way to get to school!

Pumpkin Soup

This week's flower arranging task was such fun. The lantern-like stems are physallis, also known as cape gooseberries I think. They look stunning. And even better, once the arrangement was made I used the remaining flesh of the pumpkin to make soup. Waste not want not!

Sunny October

September was a very busy month here, right to the end. So, at the beginning of October, we took some time off and went for a lovely sunny week in Portugal. An unexpected bonus was coming back from holiday to some still-warm October weather and the sight of people swimming in the sea at the end of our road. We're almost fully booked through till the end of October. This weekend we have wedding guests, hence the heart-shaped flower arrangement. I've decided flowers and food are both very hard for an amateur to photograph well, so you'll have to believe me that the arrangement looks good on the bookcase and that Nigella's rocky road bars are being consumed at a rate that suggest the guests like them!

Yet more food!

Last weekend I had a day out at the Ludlow Food Festival. The sun shone, the place was buzzing and, importantly, there was lots of lovely food to sample both in the Festival site and around the town. Back at the B and B we've been busy with international guests. The Wirral Golf Classic is on and over the week we'll have had American, Dutch and Swedish golfers here, along with some more local guests too. As ever the chocolate brownies seem to have gone down well. I've also been making breakfast dishes from the local fruit, damson compote and spiced plums.

Bank Holiday Weekend

As predicted it was a busy time. We were full here with golfers for the competition plus there was a lot going on in the area. On Sunday we went to the Wirral Food and Drink Festival at Claremont Farm. I thoroughly enjoyed the three cookery demonstrations we saw, including one by Aiden Byrne (Britain's youngest Michelin starred chef, who now has a restaurant in the Wirral). The place was buzzing with lots of great food stalls, local restaurants cooking al fresco, and people eating lunch in the large teepees or sitting on hay bales listening to live music in the sun. I'd happily have gone back for the second day on the Monday as there was lots more to see, but it was Lifeboat Day here in Hoylake which is always a big event. The weather was glorious and large numbers of people came to visit the lifeboat and watch the amazing aerial displays.

High Tides

It has continued to be a busy summer here and we've welcomed lots of guests, some of them newcomers but also many who have stayed here previously. Next weekend we have the Open Scratch Mixed Foursomes, plus Lifeboat Day in Hoylake and the Wirral Food and Drink Festival. I am full with guests of course but I hope to get the opportunity to visit the Festival and also to see some of the aerial displays over the beach here. Talking of the beach - we had some very high tides a week or so ago. I had to chuckle when I passed one of the Hoylake bars, Tides, to see they had a big sign outside saying "Hire Tides".

Wirral wildlife

Over the last few weeks we've been watching the development of a family of pheasants who live out on the golf course. On a couple of occasions the parents and three little balls of fluff were seen at breakfast time. Mum stayed on one side of the path that runs behind our house, Dad on the other, and the babies scuttled between the two. Makes a change from watching the golf whilst you eat! I saw the babies with their Mum again today and they are now small pheasants and wonderfully camouflaged. It has been a good week for wildlife..we were walking along the beach one evening and spotted a natterjack toad. Then our longer walk this week was to Hilbre Island where there were plenty of seals to watch, both on the sandbank and swimming close to the shore. If you look carefully at the photo you may spot the pheasant..I have an equally challenging one of the natterjack toad!

Wirral walks

Gosh, over a month since I last posted. You can probably guess that it has been a busy one at Number Fifteen with a wide variety of guests, including competitors for the Brabazon Trophy. I've managed a few other things inbetween beds and breakfasts, including a walk down the beach to check on the natterjack tadpoles. When I last went to look they had become tiny toads. That was an easy walk on a beautiful sunny day. This week's walk was rather longer - we took the train to Hamilton Square in Birkenhead and walked back along the River Mersey, via New Brighton, and along the coastal path to Number Fifteen. Slightly stiff legs after the 12 mile walk, but I've recovered now.