Tree views

Posted on February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged bund, Day out, lakes, Life, Photo, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Trees, Visit, Walk, Westport lake, wildlife centreLeave a comment

Trees on our walk today. (somehow I seem to have posted the same thing twice so I’m editing this into a new post). Anyway this was at the far end of the big Westport Lake where a large plot of land has had tons of hardcore rubble placed on it I don’t know if its an industrial site or housing, but they have builf a huge bund (piled up slope) hopefully to hide it from the lake. Previously it was a muddy rocky mess adjacent to the nature reserve and the main train line that runs to one side of the reserve. I’m glad these trees have been left to screen off the area.

Today’s amble

Posted on February 12, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Day out, lakes, Photo, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Visit, Walk, Westport lake, wildlife centreLeave a comment

Two lakes, the smaller in front. One is a quarter of a mile to walk round, the other a mile. Its at Westport in Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire. A bit of a haven for water birds. It’s also a reservoir for the Trent and Mersey canal I think. It’s a flooded area of old coal workings or marl pits I think? Sorry not to have better information, I shall have to check. Its run by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. There’s a cafe there and wildlife csntre. The only thing is the local council have bought in car parking charges (it used to be free). Its sad because in this day and age people might be put off coming because of the cost of living crisis.

Missing painting

Posted on November 22, 2022 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, blue crab, Fine Art, Gone, Lost, Missing, Painting, Sister, Visit7 Comments

When we went up to my sisters house last week I looked for the painting I had done her for her birthday. She passed away a few weeks ago and I would like to retrieve this and a painting of a lobster I also did for her. Unfortunately the house is full of things, she was like me, a collector of all sorts of things, and I have no idea where she has put them. I feel like I should ask her family for them back unless they want them themselves. So much to sort out. So sad to not have her in my life anymore.

Random dog

Posted on September 2, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged corgi, Cute, Dog, Fun, Life, Painting idea, Photo, Random, shitzu, VisitLeave a comment

A lovely dog we saw while we were out a couple of weeks ago. It was a mixed breed but I can’t remember exactly what? A shitzu crossed with a corgi? It was small and sweet and friendly. I took a photo as I was thinking I might do a small painting including it. I’m not sure what to do in the background. Why are small fluffy dogs so cute? I think it’s the sweet eyes and nose.

Floating in the sea or sky?

Posted on July 13, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Bovisand, Cornwall, Devon, Floating, Landscape, Life, Photo, Sea, Seaside, ships, Sky, Travel, View, Visit, WaterLeave a comment

It was a grey, overcast day at Bovisand yesterday. The port of Plymouth off to the right of this photo was busy. There is a breakwater to protect the harbour and make the inlet safe as ships and boats travel up to the Tamar and Plym Rivers among others that flow into the sea here. But because of the grey light and indistinct sea surface, some of the ships seemed to be floating in the sky! In the distance is the coast of Cornwall. The Tamar river is on the boundary between England’s two most westerly counties. Warm and welcoming in the summer. It can be cold and wet, blustery and stormy at all times of the year. But a very beautiful place to visit.

Old boathouse Rode Hall

Posted on May 8, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Boat house, Day out, Lake, Landscape, Moss, Rode hall, Staffordshire, View, VisitLeave a comment

Rode Hall View. Walking down from the hall to the lake. At the end of the pathway is this old boathouse. I didn’t get a look inside so I don’t know if there is a boat in there or not. There’s a lot of moss growing on the roof, so it might be quite damp in there. At least there is a life saver ring on the back of it, so if anyone fell in they could be rescued.

Kitchen garden display

Posted on February 25, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged gourds, greenhouse, hothouse, Life, Plants, Rode hall, Staffordshire, Visit, walled kitchen garden2 Comments

In one of the hothouses in the walled kitchen garden at Rode Hall. Yes I have gone on about it but it was an interesting visit. Vegetables were displayed as if they were in a competition. Onions balanced on flower pots, old gourds piled up and drying. Bulbs were sprouting. It must be spring soon!

Framed pastel seascape

Posted on July 20, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Birds, Blue, Fish, Flying, Ocean, pastel drawing, Poem, Poetry, Sea, Sketching, Sky, trip, VisitLeave a comment

I must go down to the sea again

Says the old poem.

And I know why

Beauty and violence

Gentle lapping wavelets

And white horses.

Frantic families

Lost sailors

Storms and waves

So high they reach up, up

To the sky.

Birds skim the surface

Grab fish in their beaks

Puffins and Skewers

Cormorants and Choughs

Ever changing

Sometimes boring

I must go there again.

Seven beech trees

Posted on June 15, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged beech trees, Gardening, Life, living sculpture, seven trees, Tree, Trentham Gardens, Visit4 Comments

Looking up at Seven beech trees entwined at the top. Inner branches trimmed and from the outside looking like a huge tree. Branches with leaves going down to the ground. There is a huge wooden bench inside in the middle.

Joined

Posted on June 14, 2021June 14, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Fun, Gardening, Joined, Life, Plants, Stroll, Time, Trentham Gardens, Visit, WalkingLeave a comment

Another visit to Trentham Gardens today for a gentle stroll after a few too many Gin and Tonics last night. It was far cooler today although the sun did shine. My sunburn kept me warm. We had a meal and enjoyed exploring the show gardens over in a far corner of the site.

I still managed a reasonable 6000 steps although I never really raised me heart rate.

When I looked into joining there were various factors that helped me decide to join. I hope we go frequently enough to make it worthwhile and its pleasant to walk in grounds designed by Capability Brown although urban streets are OK too.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Visit