Hedgerow Jottings: The Return of Boris

Captain Carl painting already

Morning Campers

'Tis proper smiley weather this week, everyone is getting a good old dose of vitamin D and that translates into happy faces along the towpath. I exchanged good natured chit chat with anyone foolish enough to catch my eye, anything to give my window washing arm a rest!

We're still lurking in Alrewas, taking advantage of the lovely weather to catch up with family and friends before we ditch the car and actually do some boating. There's no hurry, we're quite content to potter around this pretty village, enjoying the spring flowers in the gardens and the magnificence of the magnolias and camellias, which are decorating the thatched cottages in the old part of the village. Most years, the delicate flowers make a brief appearance before the frost nips them or the wind rips their petals into confetti but this year the weather has been kinder and the vivid blue sky completes the picture.

A blackbird hopped along the towpath as I sat on the bench by the bridge, I was waiting for Tricky to finish sniffing a patch of grass and get about her business. This can take some time but I don't like to hurry her - I read somewhere that dogs get so much enjoyment from sniffing that it's almost cruel to drag them away. That person has never stood on the towpath at 2'o'clock in the morning, with a frosty rime settling on their slippers, while their dog sniffs along the grass looking for a message from the spaniel that passed this way yesterday. Tricky doesn't even like other dogs! Mrs Blackbird was tugging at a big, fat juicy worm and I watched the battle with interest, she kept a beady eye on me but didn't let go of her prize until Tricky wandered over to see if there was anything for her.

Thursday was the best day of the week so we made arrangements to meet up with our friends Jan and Keith at Staunton Harold Visitors Centre. On this sunny day, the Hall and lake were looking particularly splendid so we lingered on the bridge to watch the swans lining up below. They fixed us with a regal stare, too proud to beg for scraps. We visited the Ferrers Centre and sat in the sunny courtyard with scones and coffee, watching the world go by. My attention was drawn to a couple tucking into a very generous portion of Ploughmans Lunch (him) and Mackerel Salad (her). They ate with such gusto that I couldn't help but stare. They didn't let their chewing and chomping inhibit the conversation though and I wondered how they didn't spray each other with crumbs. His voice boomed and echoed around the courtyard and I felt sorry for the pair of permed and crimplened ladies who were in the seat right next to them. They gave him dagger glances, which he ignored, then he struck up a smoke and they weren't happy about that either but were far too polite to complain.

We had a browse in the craft shops dotted around the courtyard, art and jewellery, patchwork and gifts, there was lots to see. We marvelled at the complicated clockwork models in the 'Model Shop' and watched the proprietor working on the mechanism of a giant pink pig. He was removing the outer pink fur skin to get at the mechanism, which looked slightly macabre. I wanted to ask him about the pig and how it ended up in his workshop but he wasn't in a chatty mood so I won't ever know what the pink pig did when it was working. Answers on a postcard if you'd like to take a guess. (Wink emoji)

Coffee and Scones in the Courtyard

Did you all remember to put your clocks forward? Today has seemed like the longest Sunday ever as we got up early and by dinner time it was still only five past nine. Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating slightly but I'm sure I can't be the only one to feel discombobulated (love that word) by the clocks suddenly leaping forward. British Summer Time has brought a chilly breeze in with it today but the sun is shining on our solar panels so all's right with the world. There is a chicken roasting in the oven, a nice bottle of brown ale and two straws for me and the Captain to share later and maybe an episode or two of our favourite DVD - Early Doors. As I type that sentence I'm wondering if perhaps you'll think us boring and all I can say is, give me boring any day. I sometimes think wistfully of the days when I was young and I could still walk in stiletto heels but that soon passes as I wiggle my slippered toes in front of the stove. Now that I am officially 'Old', I find that I have much more freedom to enjoy life - the children are grown, the alarm clock is switched off and we have a sufficiency of everything that we need with some left over to share.

That's about it from me for this week, we're shipshape at last and ready for the off with so much to look forward to. I'm especially looking forward to hearing the dawn chorus again from a quiet mooring in the depths of the countryside. Then, there's the sweet scent of the bluebells and the glorious blue wash they bring to a wooded cutting. The longer, lighter evenings declare that Spring is officially sprung and I'm already on the look out for the first ducklings – another delight that never ceases to captivate me. Finally, it's been an absolute age since I last saw a Kingfisher – will I ever manage to get one in my camera sights? Catch up with us next week for another glimpse into life aboard the Lady Aberlour.

Love as Always
from
The Floating Chandlers.

PS Boris the Cratch Spider made an unexpected return visit and accidentally fell down the front of my tee shirt as I was rolling up the cover. Needless to say, the screams registered at about 10 on the Richter Scale!

PPS Did you know that a group of moorhens is called a Plump? Thanks Mel for that little titbit.