The June Gap

Gardeners are familiar with the June Gap, that time of the year when the bright flowers and exuberant growth of spring dies down and the mainstream shrubs and perennials of summer have yet to make their mark. At this time the garden looks relatively quiet and green.

Greater Stitchwort

Something similar happens to the hedgerows as well, May is dominated by white: the tiny stars of the greater stitchwort cluster in the long grass, clumps of hawthorn flowers daub the hedgerows and clouds of hogweed and cow parsley hang over the the verges.

Hogweed & Cow Parsley

Hawthorn & Cow Parsley

Now, in mid-June, after a few days of rain followed by hot weather, the flowers have bloomed and blown and the hedgerows are green again.

Back to green again

But there are still gems to be found, wild roses are flowering in the hedges and the humble clover is making an appearance.

Briar Rose

Backlit Clover

We don't usually think of grasses as flowering, but the delicately coloured tufts at the end of grass stalks actually are flowers and they drop pollen into the air with every gust of wind. The pollen grains are very light because they may have to travel miles before they land on a grass of the same species. For the same reason grasses produce vast qantities of pollen and as a side effect make hay fever sufferers lives a misery.

Grasses - 1



Grasses - 2

Many of these grasses have fine, subtle colours of purple and russet which tint fields and meadows. A good place to see this is in the meadow at the side of Menethorpe Beck in Low Hutton, a fine if small example of a classic meadow, with purple grasses, sedges, buttercups and clover.

So 'Mind The Gap Please', there's more in there than meets the eye.


All material © Michelle Stone 2012

Jubilee Group Photograph

We’ve decided to offer two different versions of the Jubilee photograph for sale.



Group Photo - Version A



Group Photo - Version B

I’ve printed two examples of each version in A4 and 10 inch x 15 inch sizes and put them in Herbies shop, but other sizes are available:

Size (inches)	Price
5 x 7.5	30p
6 x 9	50p
A4	£3.00
10 x 15	£5.00

The example photos and the order list is in Herbies shop, please put required quantities and your contact details on the list below, by Sunday 15^th July. I will then order a batch.

All material © Philip Stone 2012

Huttons Ambo Diamond Jubilee Party

Group photo at the War Memorial

The day started with traditional games for the children - a sack race, obstacle course and an egg and spoon race. The weather was kind: sunny with occasional clouds.

At lunch time we loaded our plates from the buffet in the village hall and repaired to tables laid out in the lane in front of the hall. Rain briefly threatened but undaunted, waterproofs and umbrellas were produced and it soon gave up and moved on.

During lunch Andy Dorman & Malton Town Crier  (a former Huttons Ambo resident) announced that commemorative jubilee mugs would be given to the children.

Afterwards we decamped down to the war memorial where the Malton Town Crier read out a proclamation, Murray Naylor proposed a toast to the Queen and your humble editor took the group photograph.

We then returned to the Village Hall where a number of residents made a brave attempt to drink the bar dry, while the more energetic took part in a rounders match between High & Low Hutton. I’m told that Low Hutton won.

A great vote of thanks must go to the Jubilee Committee for their energy and hard work which made the day such a success and will provide happy memories for many years to come, especially for the younger members of the village.

The Jubilee Committee

Murray & Rosa Naylor, Judith Bray, Sue Hide, David Banks, Martine Green, Alison Hewitt,

Sarah Swindells, John Jenyns, Clare Jenyns, Edward Hide, Carol Haigh and Maggie Stone.

And thanks to Sarah Swindells, Ian Aconley, Sarah Mahon and Jenny Johnson for organising the games.

I don't understand this at all

Keen competition in the Sack Race

Intense concentration in the Egg & Spoon Race

Space Hoppers form part of the Obstacle Course

Buffet Lunch in the Village Hall

Not put off by a few spots of rain!

Andy Dorman announces Jubilee Mugs for the children

A happy streetful of party-goers - 1

A happy streetful of party-goers - 2

Cutting the Jubilee cake

Pictures by Murray Naylor:

If you have any photos of the event you would like me to feature here, please get in touch or send me an email.

These and more pictures can be seen as a slideshow here.

Or as an album here.

You will need the password to view the album, this is HuttonsAmboJubilee

PS: If you're not happy with your picture appearing on the website or album, please let me know and I'll take it down.

All material © Philip Stone 2012

A Stroll Down Rake's Lane

A friend of mine says that photography is like golf, ‘a good walk, spoiled’. I suppose if your idea of a good walk is a brisk march through miles of countryside then my favourite evening stroll down Rake Lane won’t interest you, because it won’t take any time at all. But to an idle snapper like myself, puttering along the track looking for photo opportunities in every inch of hedgerow, it makes a very satisfying walk.



Evening Light - Rake Lane

Rake's Lane is officially known as St Andrew's Lane, but I think if you called it St Andrew's Lane in the village you'd just get blank looks, since it's been Rake's Lane since time immemorial (if you know why, please drop me a line).

From Orchard Corner to Rake's Lane proper, the footpath runs along field boundaries and the  hedgerows are filled with hawthorn in bloom and wild roses bursting onto new growth.

A quick turn left and we are on Rake's Lane, heading downhill to Grange Farm. Even this late in May, huge bumblebees drone around a few inches above the ground, disturbing leaves with the down drafts from their wings and the verges are filled with the rustling of birds, rabbits and other small creatures.



Not just a footpath, a bridleway too.

As we drop downhill we come to a fork, the track heads left and sinks steadily below ground level but before the hedgerows close in we are afforded a view to Low Hutton and the Wolds.



Canopied Path



The Grange, Low Hutton and The Wolds

These tracks, worn deep in the land and roofed by oak, ash, elder and hawthorn are known as 'holloways' which derives from an the Anglo Saxon term 'hola weg' - a sunken road. Reputedly none of the holloways in Britain are less than three hundred years old and this track has a feel of ancient mystery about it.



Holloway - 'hola weg'

Deep in the shade the photographer is forced to contemplate details, rather than wide vistas. Ironically the light is often better here in winter when the trees have shed their leaves, than on a fine summer evening.



Elder Details

Eventually we leave the holloway and pass back out into the light and follow the foot path down towards The Grange and The Old School House.



The Old School

Occasionally the unexpected turns up on this stretch of track, once I found an abandoned vacuum cleaner.



Proof that nature does not abhor a vacuum

And that pretty much wraps it up. Just a couple of miles of track but always an absorbing voyage of discovery.

All material © Michelle Stone 2012

Huttons Ambo Diamond Jubilee Party - 4th June 2012

Come along to Huttons Ambo Jubilee Party on Monday 4th June at 11am

The party is open to all residents of the village,
tickets are £5 for adults, free for children.

Programme of events

1100-1200 Fun sports for children of all ages in the field behind the Village Hall

1300-1430 Buffet lunch. If the weather is fine then tables will be set out along the road outside the Village Hall (the road will be closed for the event). If wet, lunch will be inside the Village Hall.

1500 Gather by the war memorial for a toast and “three cheers” for HM The Queen, followed by an informal game of rounders or cricket for anyone interested, weather permitting.

There will be a (cash only) bar in the Village Hall and adult ticket holders are entitle to one free drink.

Please bring your own cutlery and plates and if you would like to bring additional seating, e.g. folding garden chairs, it would be much appreciated.

Music and Memorabilia.

There will be a display of 50’s memorabilia - photographs and newspapers recalling the Coronation photographs – and it is planned to have some 50’s era music

In addition all children (up to primary school leaving age) will receive a commemorative mug.



All material © Philip Stone 2012

St Mark's Flies

St Mark's Flies

Near the end of April and the beginning of May, on those warm sunny days that punctuate spring showers, the country air is filled with large glossy black flies. These ferocious looking creatures drift in the air above the hedgerows, trailing their legs in a most menacing manner but zooming off suddenly if approached. In fact they are completely harmless and simply looking for a mate.

AKA Hawthorn Flies

They are known variously as St Mark’s Flies – because they emerge around St Marks Day (April 25th) – or as Hawthorn Flies because of their predilection to group over hawthorn bushes in hedgerows.

This year (2012) they must have had a hard time of it, for despite fine weather around Easter, the last several weeks have seen rain of almost biblical proportions and they have had few sunny days to fly and breed. Like mayflies, their adult lives are short, they will survive only a couple of weeks and will die soon after mating, however their eggs will hatch into grubs which live in the soil for years, until they emerge again in early May for a few brief days in the sun.

All material © Philip Stone 2012

Huttons Ambo Produce Show 2012 - Final Schedule

Don't forget, the Huttons Ambo Produce Show is on Saturday August 4^th  2012.

You can download the final version of the schedule here as a word document: 2012 Schedule (Word Document)

Entry Form: 2012 Entry Form (Word Document)

You can also view the Judges Comments for the 2011 Show here:  Judges Comments 2011 (Word Document)


All material © Philip Stone 2012

Thai Curry? High Hutton Phonebox!



The Thai House at Malton will
deliver FREE to the High Hutton
Freecycle Centre

Now available, a special delivery service from the Thai House at Malton. 



Place an order for a Thai Curry by 5pm and have it delivered, FREE, to the Telephone Box/Freecycle Centre at High Hutton .

Call 01653 696117 or text Stewart on 07810 537 870 to place your order.

Menus are available in the phone box, here, or on the Thai House/Crosskeys website.

All material © Philip Stone 2012, menus © Thai House at Malton 2012

Produce Show 2012 - Call For Helpers!

This year the Produce Show will be held on Saturday the 4th Of August - and we need new helpers to assist on the day.

If you are interested in helping with the show or just finding out more please call Liz Ellis on 01653 699769.


All material © Philip Stone 2012

Huttons Ambo Produce Show - Final Schedule

Don't forget, the Huttons Ambo Produce Show is on Saturday August 13th  2011.

You can download the final version of the schedule here as a word document: Produce Show Schedule 2011 (Word)
or here as an adobe pdf file: Produce Show Schedule 2011 (PDF)





All material © Philip Stone 2011

A Summer Evening, High Hutton

Just a few pictures from a recent summer evening walk.



Near The Lodge, High Hutton



Cattle in the fields, near the A64, High Hutton



Valley View and The Wolds



All material © Michelle Stone 2011





The 57th Huttons Ambo Flower And Produce Show

The schedule is now available for download here as a Word file: Produce Show Schedule 2011 (Word)
or here as an Adobe pdf file: Produce Show Schedule 2011 (PDF)
In brief:

The 57^th  Huttons Ambo

Flower and Produce Show

Saturday August 13^th  2011

ADMISSION            Adults 30 pence
                                   Children Free

DOORS OPEN                                                                        4:00 pm

ROLL A POUND FOR A BOTTLE OF WHISKY              4:00 – 5:00 pm

BARBECUE                                                                             4:30 pm

PRESENTATIONS of Cups and Trophies                          5:15 pm

RAFFLE DRAW and AUCTION (in aid of Show funds)   5:30 pm

All material © Philip Stone 2011