Rod's Secret Garden

After dropping off some donations to the hospice and cancer charity shops we popped over to Rod's Secret Garden to see Mike syphon the wine and gin mix we made a month ago into small bottles to distribute to those who took part. Had a few sips of the fermented brew which was very tasty and those who tried it seemed very pleased and a little tipsy! Hazel had a tiny sip as she was driving. Wine tends to go straight to her head so very wise move!

Abbeywood Gardens

Pleasant wander around the Abbeywood Gardens which are free to get in at the moment just for November and December. Not really much to see but tons of geese flying over and some sheep, chickens and ducks to talk to. Nice de-caff coffee in the friendly cafe when the weather took a turn for the worst. sat by a roaring log fire on a very comfy leather sofa. Afterwards a quick look round the antique emporiums at Blakemere. No bargains to be had.

40th Anniversary Trip To Marsden

Gosh - time flies when you are having fun! 40 years ago was our first date at a bonfire party in Alsager where Hazel wasa student doing her degree at MMU. Here we are all these years later. Here are the collaged cards we made each other. You can see we are well matched - both nutty as fruitcakes! Shame it rained most of the time. We did find time to go for a nice meal at resturant in Marsden. More sorting to do at Dave and Mo's. Will it ever end? Still tons of magazines and books to find homes for. Found two old digital cameras to play with. Test shots -

Walk to The Woods

Shopping in town then a walk behind the tip down Old Warrington Road. Very Autumnal scenes in the woods and fields. A bit grey but not raining as yet. Storm Celiac still down South.

Tattenhall and Post Office

A ride over to Tattenhall via the scary Corkscrew Lane to visit old chums Simon and Beth. Went for a drive with them to a nearby village to post a parcel and have a little walk. Sat in car and used handy binoculars to spot a wind farm in the far distance. The pillar box outside the post office had a knitted hat with a pheasant on top ( or was it a pigeon?).

Canal Walk With Tone and Pene

Thankfully the weather improved enough after the rain so we could venture out and sample the delights of the Trent & Mersey canal with our old chums Tony and Penelope. They came for lunch and after pudding we tried to shed a few calories by yomping over the nearby park and along the muddy canal path to the Old Stone Cross and back round the houses. I was having trouble trying to get an old VHS player to chew though some old films I'd found at Dave's and Tone wiggled some wires and it started to work which was great considering it had been gathering dust for a few years in the attic!. Now got to try and digitise them.

Sunny Sunday Walk

Early morning stroll over the park. Got growled at by grumpy dog. Luckily it was on a lead. I think he took exception to my new hat! Then to the Co-op for some milk , tonic water, ice cream etc. Exciting eh?

Mr. & Mrs Swan and Family

Nice sunny walk this morning to the fishing ponds and the River Dane to see how the swans were doing. They seemed to be waiting for food to arrive and floated over to see us. Sorry, no food but hopefully it will turn up later. Too muddy to venture far after all the rain. We walked to the cornfield to see it had all been gathered in. Rather late in the year so we imagined it was for animal feed and not for human consumption. Good to get out into the sunshine although it was quite nippy to start with.

Walk To Orchard

Lovely sunny walk to community orchard to show Linda Merriman where we pick our apples and raspberries etc. Surprised to see so many left on the the trees and bushes. Looked at the swans and cornfield. So warm - like August again!

Marsh Flower Gallery

New online gallery of recent work about magazines and book covers HERE.

Northwich, Anderton and Marbury.

This mornings wanderings with Linda Merriman - showing her the delights of Northwich and Anderton Boat Lift etc. Went into town do do some window shopping and popped into one charity shop. Linda bought a coat. I got 5 CD's for 10p each - mostly old blues stuff. Then to Rob's Secret Garden which was closed sadly. Then off to Marbury Garden Centre to look for onions. They didnt have any. Then off to Anderton to have some chips and various beverages. Admired the Victorian structure with a boat going up from the River Weaver to the Trent and Mersey canal. Home now for egg and oatcake and more tea. Off to see Granma and Audrey this afternoon. Phew! It's all GO!

Chester

Nice wander around Chester before meeting up with Linda Merriman who got the bus all the way from deepest Wales with her free bus pass! It took 4 and half hours via Wrexham. Phew! Looked round the Ryan Gander curated "Chester Contemporary" but only could find three artworks craftily hidden around the town.. (This one in the shop window used by Roman soidiers!)We did some shopping earlier- got some herbs and spices and more cake, pastries etc. Linda had bought some too - home made soda bread, flapjacks, honey, apple jelly etc. We won't starve this weekend thats for sure! We may even add an extra few pounds. Linda is getting the house tour and now sitting in the summer house having a chat with Hazel. I'm off to make a nut roast.

Marsden Again

We had intended to stay for 2 or 3 days to sort more stuff and shift boxes of mags etc. but after 5 hours we'd done as much as we could and filled three wheelie bins ( one was already full ) and Hazel had cricked her back so couldnt bend without wincing with pain. So after a cheese and tuna toastie for lunch we packed up the car again and set off home. Took back a stack of postcards for Hazel's Mom to sort through ( she loves postcards and has an impressive collection) and the ones she doesn't keep will go to the charity shop. We have already been though them and picked out a few that caught our eye. We have an impressive collection too and don't really need any more, but who can resist a Kurt Schwitters collage (Tate) or Sir Peter Blake painting etc.

Swans Again

This mornings walk to the postbox and then the fishing ponds to say hello to the swan family hiding in the reeds. They came out after they saw we had some bread crusts to feed them. They were obviously well fed as they pecked at the soggy bread and turned their beaks up! I can't blame them. Not the same as swan pellets or whatever it is they have been getting.

Walk In Marbury Park

This mornings wanderings around Marbury Park and garden centre. Hazel got some pansies for the hanging basket. Nice walk along the lake - laughing at ducks. Pleasant sunny Autumn day - felt a bit overdressed with a scarf. Not too muddy despite all the recnt rain. Saw a white squirrel. The bird hide was packed with twitchers showing off their longest telephoto lenses. We couldn't see much - a few coots in the distance. Back home to discover an idiot van driver parked right in front of our parking space.

Wine Making and Gin Flavouring Workshop

It was fun to see at last the secret gardens of Rod who gave his lovely allotments and sheds to the local community after he died. Transition Northwich have taken it over now and they had a workshop on Saturday morning run by knowledable Mike telling us how to make wines from fruit. Also some sampling of his delicious damson and greengage wine and flavoured gin. We all got a bit tiddly and it became rather an al fresco party! Those jolly ladies who attended got jollier and jollier! It was a hands on workshop so two tubs of fresh wine were started and people were encouraged to get their hands messy , squilshing fruit and sloshing the sugar and water about. What fun! Some nice crackers and cheese for lunch and the promise of some wine in the future when it has brewed.