The Lockmasters Cottage
Lots of Locks
The Hilton Hotel
I love the cobbles
Mooring Basin for Narrow Boats
May
At last Spring has returned adding colour to our gardens and hedgerows. Because of the long hard winter weather, the bulbs unfortunately where delayed and gave a rather poor showing this year, usually the hedgerows are full of daffodils but not this year many have been lacking their yellow tops. Happily most of the Cherry Trees are now in bloom after a late start and everywhere's looking more like Spring is here. I got busy in the garden, cut the lawns, pruned the Hydrangeas and Camellia and generally cleared away the debris that had accumulated over the winter months. Trimmed bushes that where untidy, but had help to top the Leylandi Trees before they got beyond reach, they grow very fast but are an excellent wind break and screen. Kept busy outside all the weekend as the weather was warm and sunny, but did too much and spent a couple of days resting a severe backache, but looking out on the garden now, it was worth it.
The March Winds this year again, have been very fierce, it seems every year they get stronger and it can be frightening as they do cause a great deal of damage. I lost some of my fences but thankful nothing major needed repairs. It felt good to get back into my usual routine after my trip, a little jet lagged for a few days but soon back to normal. I had a wonderful time in Bridgetown so different to the fast pacing Perth City. There was time to relax with the family, which is why I like to go. Since coming home its been catch up with my family and friends, lunches, suppers and birthdays the usual whirlwind, of eating to much.
Read some of my poems at an Open Mic Poetry Evening in the local library and really enjoyed myself as it has been ages since I read out loud . The evening was very well attended and the response was excellent, we heard a range of poems from a dozen talented local poets, it was good.
Now that the weather appears to have settled I decided to take some real exercise and went with the WI Walking Group on a tour of the Manchester Canal system that has been restored over the last decade and has seen warehouses along its path turned into luxury apartment's, offices, Wine Bars and Restaurants. I was amazed at the transformation and glad to see gardens and community areas dotted through out the tour.
The Manchester Ship Canal brought wealth and industry to Manchester in the late 19th century.It is 36 miles long starting in the Liverpool Estuary, we walked along the City Canals which joined on to others in the northwest. It was very interesting, a demanding walk, but I did it !!
The Manchester Ship Canal's History
After saying the weather was improving look what happened the day after the walk. Hailstones!.
Hailstones
