Happy New year!
On the train coming back up from Dorset today, the guard had the following announcement.
"Just remember ladies and gentlemen, it's the first Wednesday of the year".
"And it's either a new chapter or the same old story".
"We write the book. The choice is ours".
I loved that, and sent it to Charlie who is back down in Dorset. What's your book going to be this year... the same old story or a new chapter?
But of course, this is the blog, so the nicest thing of all is that it's the same old story. Here was the church, just before the Christmas carol service.
Here we are in bed the next morning. I was definitely with Sibyl this holiday. 
Sunshine streaming in, Charlie's beautiful decorations this year. 
We were outside at any rare glimpse of sunshine.
Charlie's tree excelled itself also. 
The house candlelit for our party, on the Friday before Christmas. 
The table before everyone arrived...
And afterwards. 
The church with its beautiful decorations. 
And Christmas lunch for two of us, at the Parsonage. 
On Boxing Day, we had clear sunshine on our walk. 
The chickens had found a ray of sun, to keep warm. 
Later that day it was the village duck race, an annual event. 
This is a doomed place to get trapped. 
All the ducks are safely gathered in. 
Bertie ensuring nothing got lost!!
The next day we went to Bettiscombe for tea with Jasper.... And the most extraordinary sunset. 
Walking the next day. Here's Charlotte's hopper, feeding the cattle. This is how flipping muddy it is this year, madness. 
The mud suits some of us very well. 
The first snowdrop....
Signs of life are all around. 
Charlie's greenhouse is a very nice place to be. 
We had a wonderful New Year's Eve with Bridie, Will and Brandon, but photos can't quite be posted. On New Year's Day we went to Chettle, to the brilliant annual boat race, led by the famous Commodore of the Chettle Yacht club. 
The stream is a winter borne, drying completely in the summer, but fast flowing in a winter like this one. 
It was a brilliant race. 
Won by the Cheeky Panda. Bridie and I then had to judge the boats by design, a wonderful task. 
The next day is Charlie's birthday. Unwrapping presents in bed that morning. 
More walks. 
And to Lyme Regis for fish and chips - not on the beach today. Storm Henk was rolling in. 
For the first time ever, we went to the Lyme Museum, filled with treasures, absolutely brilliant. Change nothing! 
That, incidentally, was a good New Year's resolution that I came up with a few years ago, and stuck to for a long time - do a new thing, anything new, every week. Of course, it gets harder as time goes on, but I think it's one to revive. Whether your story is turning a new chapter or not, I hope that 2024 will be a good one for you, and for those you love.
26 comments
Thank you Ben for these beautiful posts that take me from worldly thoughts to what is true and lovely. God bless you and Charlie! ❤️
Happy New Year Ben, Charlie and precious pets from Indianapolis
Margaret
I look forward to your Christmas pictures every year, and this year’s tree did not disappoint! It’s all so lovely. I tried to get bulbs forced for Christmas, but they only got halfway there. I lack Charlie’s timing and talent. I guess I’ll have blooming bulbs for my parent’s anniversary, instead. I will totally imitate the red paper chains and pyramid of clementines next year. Thank you for sharing, and for all of the beautiful posts in what was, for me, a difficult year. Off to write a new story…love from Boston!
Thank you as always for sharing, love the life quote and the news year tip. Happy 2024 to you both.
All the best to you this new year. So grateful for your posts and photos.
Thank you for the beautiful pictures. Happy New Year! Sunshine, mud, more sunshine and mud, then sunsets and mud! Hurray! jd
Delighted to see Charlie was bold enough to have real candles on your Christmas Tree, we always had very negative comments from risk adverse family members! Happy New Year to you both. DC
Always adore your photographs :-)
Fabulous set of beautiful pictures. May I ask, what fabric are your bedroom curtains?
What a lovely vlog. Your home was decorated beautifully this year and just loved all of the table settings with food and those gorgeous candles everywhere. And love seeing each Christmas your lovely Church, how beautiful the tree was in the church. Nice to see your dogs again enjoying their walks in water and mud, they quite enjoy themselves. Charlies’ greenhouse plants look lovely and cannot believe plants are starting to come up in the garden and it is just January. Beautiful photos and I so enjoy all of them. Happy Birthday to Charlie. Happy New Year for 2024 for a very prosperous and healthy year. I too try each day to do something either new or that makes me feel positive and alive, no matter how small. All the best, looking forward to your next vlog.
Happy New Year to you and Charlie and the dogs too from California. I love your photos and reading about your interesting life. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.
Thank you, from Amsterdam, for the beautiful photo’s. Wish you a happy and healthy New Year
Thank you Ben. Happy New Year to you both.
What an absolutely charmed life you live……. thank you for sharing with us. As a huge fan of Thomas Hardy, I’m sure he would approve. Happy New Year from Carmel-by-the-Sea, California!
BIG LOVE to all of you – Ben, Charlie, Mavis, Enid, and Sybil forever❣️ for bringing us such
constant joy – always, all ways❤️🍀🌟
Happy New Year from Canada. So look forward to reading your blog and all the fabulous photos. Thank you
You know what I always love most about your posts? You and Charlie are so very down to earth….just living a life as normal people….nothing pretentious…just life.
Jo
Have a very happy new year both of you and thank you so much for your wonderful pictures!
Happy new year Ben &Charlie
🥂
A cheering message for this new year!
Thanks for this quietly thoughtful entry into 2024.
So lovely as always. Thank you. Happy new year!
Happy New Year Ben and Charlie l love your blog it always lifts my spirit just at the right time thank you I love to see Dorset and your furry family.
Thank you Ben and Charlie for cheering up the day. You always come up with a comment which makes me feel that life is definitely worth living !
Thank you for the pick-me-up!-
And a belated Happy Birthday to Charlie!
This" impossibly" gorgeous country life makes me want to move back to England. But then only if I could also have those dogs ! …