Canalside Sculptures

This fine horse sculpture stands on the canal side near Nantwich Marina.  It is one of 6 sculptures that were commissioned to celebrate the restoration of the Nantwich Embankment.  They are set out along the side of the towpath, south from the marina, to the other side of the town.

1. Cliperty Clop, Cliperty Clop

2. The Dog Laps Up The Water With His Tongue

3. He Bears His Heavy Load Nobly

4. There Was A Boat Tied Up By A Rope

5. Day By Day, Water Swishing And Splashing

6. The Fishes In The Water Go Flip Flop

The horse sculpture, which is my personal favourite, is by John Merrill.  It is close to the aqueduct that bridges the A534, Chester Road.  From the marina, it is north, where the bridge over the canal allows you to cross from the Marina Basin.

It does not take long to walk along the canal towpath to see all of the sculptures.  Nantwich is also a good shopping town with lots of interesting small shops.

Google Map

Going home disappointed

 Redferns Cottages Museum of Uttoxerter Life is situated on Carter Street in the Town of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.  I would like to present the museum favourably in this blog, but when we arrived to visit on Tuesday 14th Feb at 1.20pm during the advertised half term events, the museum was closed and in darkness. We had been intending to visit for some time, but on this occasion were unable to gain access.  Perhaps next time we shall ring on 01889 567 176 to see if they are open as advertised. 

Post Script

The museum responded rapidly to my E-mail and I was informed that as they are run exclusively by volunteers, they are very reliant on individuals to open the museum on time.  This is an instance when this did not happen, but I am assured that this is unusual.  We look forward to returning some time in the near future.

Dripping Tap

 Following the freeze last night, in the warmth from the house, the garden tap started to leak at the washer.  It had clearly been dripping all night and the water was freezing where it splashed to the ground.  A series of little stalagmites had formed, the like of which I had not witnessed in this way before.

Brambling

This afternoon Rosie saw what she thought was chaffinch, an unusual visitor to our garden. Shortly afterwards I spotted this bird from the landing window and grabbed my camera. The picture was through double glazing and with a 200mm lens fitted, not my ideal choice.

It is a brambling - not seen in our garden before now.  Shortly afterwards we notices a pair of them in our tamarisk tree, then three, then four.  They had stopped by to take advantage of the garden feeders.  Rosie grabbed the binoculars that sit in the conservatory to get a better look whilst I wished I had a bigger lens on the camera and an open window.

Bramblings are a Scandinavian species that will over-winter in the UK.  Most winters there will be about a million of them in Britain at their peak visit.  This is the first time I have seen one.

White at Night

 Today the forecast said snow by noon.  At 2pm the first flurries were seen and by 10pm this was the result.  The low wall at the edge of the garden is 12 inches high, as are the step treads.

 The photographs are taken from inside the conservatory using flash on a general aperture setting at slow shutter speed.  Outside, the temperature was well below zero (-3°C) and there was little evidence of wildlife, except for a few cat paw prints to the cat flap.

It looks like a cold night and a snowy one too.  I feel a lay-in coming on........!

Snapping Birds

As we walked around the lakeside at Trentham Gardens, the light was good enough to snap some of the local birds at a good distance.

Graylag goose - seen in small numbers by the lake side throughout the year.  They raised quite a few young last year.

Mute Swan juvenile - one of last years cygnets is now adult size and may well soon be in adult plumage by the end of the year.

Coot - always seen at the lakeside, these are fully resident on the lake.

Black headed Gull - here in its winter plumage.  At its next moult it will show the black head throughout the summer.  These birds also seem to be resident all year now.

Coal Tit - never far away from the feeders at the lakeside cafe or the bird hide.

Grey Squirrel - OK not a bird, but quite ubiquitous throughout the woods, and quite tolerant of humans.

Fossil A Day

For many years I have collected an assortment of fossil specimens, many of which I have used for teaching purposes.  This collection is now sitting idle since I retired from teaching, so I thought I would review its contents, mainly for my amusement.

I have started a new blog "A Fossil A Day" to amble through this collection in a random fashion.  The idea is to show one specimen as a photograph, and follow it with a brief comment, I propose to do this for a year at this stage, or until I run out of fossils.