Goodness where did the last week go? Tuesday the car went in for its service and MOT. Wednesday the front door wouldn't lock so we had to get someone out to sort it. It had been playing up for a while, we'd changed the locks, then the handle but in the end it was the mechanismin at the bottom of the door which is now mended and all is working well. Fingers crossed.
Here are a few photos taken over the last couple of weeks.
1. Bridges and Books in Bakewell
On the last Monday of January we visited the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire. One of our favourite places. There was a huge market in full swing with stalls selling everything you could imagine. No photos as there were too many people around but I did take a photo of two of the bridges over the river Wye. Above the 13th century five arched road bridge.
Above is one of the footbridges which lead from the car park into the town centre. this one has been completely covered in love locks over the last few years. I think there are now concerns about its weight. I wonder if they will eventually be removed?
Whilst we were browsing we found a new book shop. Hawkridge Books sells Antiquarian and Fine books.
It specialises in books on Natural History and Ornithology, but also had lots of local books too.
2. Steps and views in Macclesfield
We visited on Thursday and spent time in the Silk Museum but also had a wander around the town.
The 108 Steps - the sun made it quite difficult for photographs.
We didn't venture down them on this visit but have climbed up them before from the lower part of the town.
3. Signs of Spring at Trentham Gardens.
Moorhens usually scuttle away as you pass by but this one decided that it looked rather good amongst the snowdrops.
Primroses
Hazel Catkins
Witch Hazel
4. Around Home
Bright golden daffoldils in the kitchen window have been cheering for the last few days.
Homemade cheese scones for lunch on Wednesday.
We've ditched the tea bags and returned to loose tea. I must admit it does taste better. The tea bags weren't breaking down very well in the compost. We have both leaf tea and fruit tea now.
5. Wildlife film camera
The badger visited at 2.28 am last Wednesday.
The temperature was recorded at -4 degrees centigrade.
That's my five for Friday this week. We are now preparing for the weekend's predicted storm. Anything that can blow away has been weighted down or put in the greenhouse.
So lovely to see the badger captured on your wildlife camera. I would so much like to go back to Bakewell but sadly it is quite a trek from here - the new bookshop looks and sounds rather good and tempting!!! Your cheese scones look delicious and the daffodils so cheering - I bought a bunch one day last week.
ReplyDeleteThank you, yes Bakewell would be quite a trek for a day trip. I was amazed at the bookshop so many wildlife books and a whole room on birds. Apparently it used to be in Castleton, Derbyshire (not the Yorkshire one) and has moved recently to Bakewell, we spotted it as we went to the Derbyshire Wildlife shop. The scones were delicious, P can est two but I can eat only one so I had one for the day after:)
DeleteCan't imagine things growing, this time of year. -smile-
ReplyDeleteBe safe, during your storm.
We survived our Ice Storm, with power intact. But many, were not so lucky.
⛄ ☃ ⛄
Thank you WoW, yes so many things growing early, it's a bit worrying, doesn't seem natural somehow. Glad you survived the ice stor, and kept power too:)
DeleteBake well looks an interesting place to visit.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely place. Riverside, museum, church and interesting shops all worth a visit, close to Haddon Hall too:)
DeleteI love Bakewell and had an excellent holiday there once. I think I know the bookshop too if it's on the corner near where the buses pull in. Lots of daffodils blooming around here, which seems ridiculously early to me.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite places right from childhood, I remember losing a shoe at the Bakewell show, many years ago - it was found again:) The bookshop is on the main road through Bakewell just down from the bookshop on the corner which is now, as are many, more cafe than bookshop. Apparently the newer bookshop moved recently from Casteton. There are also two other bookshops in town one run by volunteers and one down one of the alley ways:)
DeleteSo many pretty things - the snowdrops, daffodils, catkins, and those stairs. It would be a workout to climb them! I hope Storm Ciara isn't too much of a trouble for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lorrie, the steps are wonderful and take you back to another time. I could imagine them in different centuries. The storm is raging now, wind has blown down bird feeders, toppled dustbins and rain is lashing the windows:)
DeleteA wonderful post I hope you thought about me whilst making your delicious looking cheese scones! That badger certainly knows where the camera is to give it's best smile! You've had some great trips as well. 😊
ReplyDeleteThank you, yes I actually did think of you and smiled as I was making the scones, the badger is a bit of a poser isn't he? Well I assume it's a he. It's lovely that there are so many interesting places not too far away:)
DeleteThose steep steps look quite a climb especially from the bottom to top. I read about the weight of padlocks on bridges a while ago, its a lovely thing to do but not so good if the bridge gets damaged. Daffs are bringing me smiling moments too, the promise of spring.
ReplyDeleteI hope your garden is ok in the nasty storm that's been raging. The scones looks tasty. Lovely badger pictures you captured.
Thank you Julie. When we first visited we parked at the bottom of the town and walked up the steps this time we parked at the top. I know the bridge in Paris where love locks are placed has been having trouble with overloading. We tried to weigh down things that may blow around in the garden and also put things in the empty green house - it will soon be time to get it ready for spring and tomatoes. Daffs are always cheeering:)
DeleteSuch a lovely post Rosie especially on today's horrible stormy day! There is a lot of love on the footbridge! I think I would like to visit Bakewell one day and try an authentic Bakewell tart rather than the Mr Kipling variety. I think I might give loose tea a go again. I don't even know why I switched to teabags all those years ago. Great to see a badger on your wildlife camera. I bet you get loads of enjoyment from it Rosie. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Simone, it was a horrid day wasn't it? We stayed at home all day we usually stay home weekend anyway and go out and about in the week. There are Bakewell Trts and Bakewell puddings and several shops that sell them the pudding is the oldest recipe. There is something satisfying about having a pot of tea, we have separate tea pots and Paul drinks only fruit tea, I have ordinary tea. The camera has been enhoyable,it's great knowing what creatures come into the garden. When the weather is better we may set it up nearer the pond:)
DeleteWOW, that first photo is really impressive with the bird in it. YOu did very well getting that. The bridges with the love locks is very interesting. Will be interesting to see what they do about the weight. The flowers are so pretty, I'm so tired of our no flower season...and the snow. Come on Spring, only 39 days google says. The scones look wonderful and are making me hungry. Please pop round for a visit.
ReplyDeleteSandy's Space
Hello Sandy, thanks for visiting and I will pop along to visit you. I didn't know I'd caught the gull it must have flown into my photo at just the right time,there were loads of the wheeling around. Let's hope the weather will get better soon for all of us. There is something comforting about warm scones on a cold, windy day:)
DeleteLovely post Rosie, with lots of images to remind me of UK. The steps reminded me of the one at Whitby, which I've climbed many a time & only once got 199 as I counted (giggle). I know that a lot of the flowers above are really coming into their own at the end of winter, but it seems quite Springlike. Weird weather here & my garden can't seem to remember what season it is with odd Magnolia flowers & the scented white jasmine flowering again since Spring. Have a good week & take care.
ReplyDeleteThank you Susan. Yes, I thought of Whitby too. I think I've climbed them a couple of times, I remember the smoke house not far from the bottom and the church at the top. I saw an article the other day that there are fears that the churchyard is starting to collapse because of erosion on the cliff edges, I hope something can be done about it. I think flowers and birds are confused this year. The scented white jasmine sounds lovely:)
DeleteWe've had some good weather lately so it was difficult to know what to expect when we heard that high winds were on the way at the weekend. Storm Ciara brought the heavy rain and strong wind, but we must be quite sheltered even though we live half way up a hill as things didn't turn out too badly. Flooding once more in some northern villages must be very miserable with cleaning up again. Lovely photos of your days out. Nice that you found a new bookshop in Bakewell that sells books that would be of interest to nature and local history lovers. Wishing you a good week.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda. Glad you have had good weather today, it snowed here but is now sunny. It's good you are in a sheltered spot. I feel for all those villages, I saw Hebden Bridge and Todmorden on the news this morning. We hadn't seen the bookshop before, it seems it was formerly in Castleton. I do remember a bookshop there a few years ago on the main street, I think it is a cafe now:)
DeleteI think I have only every passed through Bakewell, the draw of the bookshop is strong though! I remember they took the locks down from the bridge in Paris because of the weight, but melted them all down, I hope if they ever did take them down there they would display them elsewhere - lots of memories for people. The scones look yummy, I'm a big fan of cheese based snacks :D
ReplyDeleteThank you Pam, I think I prefere cheese scones to fruity ones. Bakewell has much to offer if ever you get the chance to visit. I knew there was something about the bridge in Paris but I didn't know the locks had been melted down. Perhaps in Bakewell they could be displayed in an empty shop window or perhaps people who live more locally and placed a lock on the bridge could collect them and take them home:)
DeleteLovely snapshots from your week :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Louise:)
DeleteThe badger is formidable, and I like those stairs.
ReplyDeleteI was on a bridge on the weekend I hadn't been on for some months. It appears since then the bike locks had been removed, because there were very few of them.
Thank you William, he is a handsome fellow. I can't think when this thing about locks on bridges started but I expect many have had to be removed:)
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