February on the Chesterfield Canal

It was lovely to escape to the country today for a short walk down the Chesterfield Canal.
I fell in love with this house quite a few years ago and it recently went under the hammer. 

Forrest Middle Top Lock (Charlie's Lock)

As you can see work has started and the brick is now exposed.  The house is suffering badly from subsidence and I imagine it will cost a fortune to renovate.

This field reminded me of France especially with the red brick building in the distance.

56 - Forrest Middle Bottom Lock

It was extremely cold but we were well wrapped up.

Creeping Ivy on a tree trunk

There were no snowdrops, much to my disappointment but there were lots of fir cones. There was even a tiny little wren collecting bits of grass perhaps to make his new nest.

The colours glowed prettily through the woods.
This walk marks the start of Spring for us.  I can't wait to take more photos as the seasons unfold and the landscape changes.

That Friday Feeling

Ah Friday evening.  Don't you just love that feeling when you walk out of work and know that that's it until Monday.  Wonderful. 
Steve's watching cricket and as I have had to listen the my male work colleagues drowning on about it all week I thought I would take this opportunity to pop upstairs with a cold glass of fizzy wine and have a nice long chat to you all.

You will remember me telling you about our recent return to the Chesterfield canal and these lilies were growing on the canal that day.  Don't they look lovely?  I assume they are some kind of wild variety but I don't know for sure, I just thought how natural they looked and how pretty.
I am always taken by surprise at how many different things there are to see in an area which is man made to some extent.  Nature always seems to find a way of thriving in the most unlikely surroundings.  The greenery just softens the hard lines in such a wonderful way.
I noticed today on my drive to Retford how golden the fields are looking with the ripening corn and wheat.  No doubt it will all be gathered shortly and then the landscape will take on a whole new look.

I can't wait for the blackberries to be ready to pick.  We missed them last year, don't ask me how.  Their season just seemed to pass us by so I am determined not to do the same again.  I love making pies and jam and anything else I can think of.  I wouldn't mind having a try at making wine from scratch too.  I remember my Mum making blackberry wine one year.  It was delicious.
OK well the cricket will soon be over and I have reserved my seat for Gardeners World so I had better be getting on.
Have a smashing weekend.  Best wishes Paula x