Friday, December 16, 2016

Five on Friday

Can you believe that it is Friday again?  Where has that time gone? We've spent it shopping, queueing in the post office, cleaning, visiting friends and relatives and delivering presents to go under trees. We also managed a couple of walks down the towpath of the local Trent and Mersey canal and at Ilam.  I'll maybe write a post about Ilam later but this week's Five on Friday reflects our walk by the canal.

1.  Winter Trees

Dark, sculptural 
and so beautiful at this time of year.

The third one full of pigeons (rock doves rather than wood pigeons)



2.  Geese on and round Westport Lake, lots of geese but this one was my favourite!


3.  Old Man's Beard growing in the hedgerows along the canal towpath 

A few weeks ago we had a crossword clue for 'another name for wild clematis' the answer to which turned out to be Old Man's Beard.  According to references it is also known as Traveller's Joy.  In France it is known as the beggar's or rascal's herb.  There was quite a lot of it growing in the hedges, opposite the Middleport Pottery, which separate the canal from the allotments.  We got chatting to a man walking along there who said that the allotments were on the former site of Port Vale football club before it moved to its present site.

4.   Old Factory Buildings from the canal towpath

Lovely old buildings, icons of the city's industrial past


 5.  Displays in the factory shop

I always love the displays in the shop and seeing what new patterns and designs they have.

Click on the link below to find others joining in with Five on Friday.  Thanks to Amy at Love Made my Home for hosting us.

http://lovemademyhome.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Five%20on%20Friday
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40 comments:

  1. Coastal Ripples16 December 2016 at 09:41

    A lovely walk Rosie. I love walking along canal tow paths and finding evidence of the past. That shop window looks inviting. Hope the rest of your Christmas organisation goes well this week ahead. B x

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    1. Rosie16 December 2016 at 15:30

      I find industrial landscapes fascinating. There were some wonderful things in the shop. It was a good job we were walking so we couldn't carry anything:)

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  2. The History Anorak16 December 2016 at 11:31

    Gorgeous canal side walk. I love the traveller's joy.

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    1. Rosie16 December 2016 at 15:31

      It is lovely isn't it? Thee was loads of it too:)

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  3. Ragged Robin16 December 2016 at 11:54

    A lovely canal walk with so much of interest to see. Great photo of the lovely Old Man's Beard. Its been hectic here too - I just don't know where the days go especially at this time of year with Christmas on the approach! Have a lovely weekend :)

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    1. Rosie16 December 2016 at 15:33

      I think it takes twice as long to achieve anything at this time of year with queues on the roads and in the shops. We're nearly there but not quite yet. Have a lovely weekend:)

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  4. mamasmercantile16 December 2016 at 13:38

    A beautiful stroll along the canal. I also enjoyed the shop display the blue and white looked stunning. Hope your preparations continue well.

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    1. Rosie16 December 2016 at 15:35

      The blue and white pottery is lovely isn't it? It looked lovely with the orange bows:)

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  5. Snap16 December 2016 at 13:56

    What a wonderful walk! The factory shop would be a dangerous place for me ... a lot of wish list making! Ha! Have a Merry Merry Merry!

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    1. Rosie16 December 2016 at 15:36

      I was glad we'd walked to the shop so we couldn't carry anything. I could have spent a few pennies there:)

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  6. Sharon16 December 2016 at 13:58

    A lovely walk. I love the Old Man's Beard. What a wonderful name and it looks so fluffy.

    Happy Five on Friday

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    1. Rosie16 December 2016 at 15:37

      It does look quite attractive in the hedgerows at the moment and is very fluffy too:)

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  7. Mac n' Janet16 December 2016 at 15:34

    Never heard of Old Man's Beard, but then I didn't know there was wild clematis.

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    1. Rosie17 December 2016 at 18:08

      It is lovely isn't it? There was such a lot of it too:)

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  8. Serenata16 December 2016 at 15:35

    Lovely to see the photographs of your walk. Old Man's Beard always makes me cringe as it is such a pest in NZ where I grew up.

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    1. Rosie17 December 2016 at 18:09

      Sorry you didn't enjoy the Old Man's Beard I guess if youve struggled with it in your garden you wouldn't like it:)

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  9. Crimson Kettle16 December 2016 at 16:20

    There's something particularly beautiful about canal walks, all the reflections and views. A great five Rosie. 🙂

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    1. Rosie17 December 2016 at 18:09

      The reflections are wonderful and you never know what you are going to see along the canal:)

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  10. Deb16 December 2016 at 16:35

    Hi Rosie: I just discovered your blog through Snap and am now following along from Ontario, Canada where the cold winds blow. We are being hit with a frigid few days at -26C but enjoying the sun. Nice to meet you and "Merry Christmas." Deb

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    1. Rosie17 December 2016 at 18:10

      Hi Deb, welcome to my blog. I'll pop along and visit yours later. Merry Christmas to you too:)

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  11. At Rivercrest Cottage16 December 2016 at 17:17

    Just wanted to say I stopped by and enjoyed the visit. The tree photo is so lovely, it would make a beautiful Winter picture for the wall.

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    1. Rosie17 December 2016 at 18:11

      Glad you enjoyed the photos thanks for stopping by:)

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  12. eclectichomelife16 December 2016 at 18:07

    Thank you for taking us on your canal walk. Love the traveller's rest. It's incredible that we are in December and it is so mild, we've hardly had any frost here in Oxfordshire this winter.

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    1. Rosie17 December 2016 at 18:11

      Not much frost here either though I've been feeling the cold over the last couple of days for some reason. Glad you enjoyed the walk:)

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  13. Simone16 December 2016 at 21:30

    A lovely five around the canal Rosie. That goose has such unusual markings. Old Man's Beard looks like Father Christmas came unstuck in the hedgerow! Have a great weekend. x

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    1. Rosie17 December 2016 at 18:13

      I think the goose is a cross between the white ones that we see on the lake and the Greylags which visit. It is lovely isn't it?:)

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  14. Louise16 December 2016 at 21:40

    Another lovely collection! I'm very glad it's Friday again, especially this particular Friday in which I finished school after a busy few weeks!

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    1. Rosie17 December 2016 at 18:14

      Hope you have a lovely festive break from school, Louise. Have a great weekend:)

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  15. Lorrie16 December 2016 at 22:17

    Such a lovely place to walk. I'm coveting the Burleigh ware from the shop. I've not found anywhere in Canada that stocks it and I'm saving my pennies to order some from the UK.

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    1. Rosie17 December 2016 at 18:15

      There are some gorgeous things in both the seconds shop and the best ware shop. So many lovely things to see with wonderful shapes and patterns:)

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  16. Gracie Saylor18 December 2016 at 04:37

    Thanks so much for this interesting post, Rosie...places I have never seen and you introduced me to Old Man's Beard/Wild Clematis, as well as the source of beautiful pottery along the canal and lovely birds!

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    1. Rosie18 December 2016 at 09:53

      Thank you, Gracie. I'm glad you enjoyed the post:)

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  17. Amy at love made my home18 December 2016 at 10:05

    Lovely to go out and about for a wintery explore with you. I hope that your Christmas preparations are going well and you haven't had to spend too long in a queue at the post office. Happy Christmas!

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    1. Rosie18 December 2016 at 11:51

      Happy Christmas to you too! Queues were out of the door and it is quite a large unit too. There are always queues there and what does astound me is that they are closing the place down and moving the PO into a shop - I can't see them coping with the queues, it seems such a shame:)

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  18. Wendy18 December 2016 at 14:41

    I didn't know about the name O'd Man's Beard. I do love discovering the different names for flowers and plants. The winter trees are looking very bare now, all the autumn colour has gone. But they do, as you say, have a new stark beauty.

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    1. Rosie18 December 2016 at 18:27

      The autumn colour lasted a long time this year but there is something wonderful about winter trees:)

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  19. Bee Lady19 December 2016 at 12:58

    Lovely canal walk. I've never heard of Old Man's Beard. I have heard of clematis though and it's very particular here in the US in Indiana. We have ice on our winter trees right now. We are having record breaking cold weather. I live in an industrial town where most of the factories have closed down. The buildings are either being turned into apartments or restaurants, or being torn down. I sure wish some industry would come back to us. Great five on Friday post. Have a Merry Christmas!

    Cindy

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    1. Rosie20 December 2016 at 11:32

      Much of the industry has finished here too. Coal and steel are gone and just a few potteries still fly the flag for British made but most is made in China now. It sounds very cold where you are whilst here it is unseasonably mild. Thank you for visiting and Happy Christmas to you too:)

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  20. Candytuft Corner19 December 2016 at 22:26

    There is something very restful about walking along a canal. I think that it is a combination of the peace and tranquility of being away from traffic and being closer to nature. This is a lovely five on Friday. Marie x

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    1. Rosie20 December 2016 at 11:34

      Thanks, Marie. Glad you enjoyed the post. I love walking along the towpaths but I have noticed more bikes hurtling along recently and they expect you to hear them coming from behind it seems a warning bell on a bike is a thing of the past:)

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