So then, rain for a change?

Farming news;  

David watched this going on, brought back memories of long days, the weather fighting you every inch of the way and machinery breakdowns.  

Oh the joys of farming.

This chappie is ploughing in the old maize stubble.  Rain was due so he was making hay while the sun almost shined.

But he did say "Lovely soil"

My absolute favourite birds, grey wagtail.  I don't see these at home.

This lovely looking little river cruiser was a delight to see.  I did google it thinking it just might have been one of the Little Ships of Dunkirk HERE  but to look it up is complicated and I don't think so.  But you can give it a whirl.

Anyway it looked fabulous, someone has worked very hard rubbing down and varnishing.

I do love this lamp on The Star Pub in Stone.

Here is David and here are most attractive boxes all the way along.  I did my part in dead heading as we passed.

 

So that's the rest of the news that should have been added yesterday.

Pretty early the next morning, we set off very quietly so as not to disturb the neighbours....  There had been a boat go past in the late evening coming down one lock but that wasn't really the reason for the early start, yep more rain due by lunchtime.

We crept away and passed two boats whom were also on deck gathering ropes ....  Its hard to look sympathetic when this happens, but two days in a row...?

The majority of the Stoke Locks were in our favour and we met some nice people coming down.  But the rain arrived early and we got a good old fashioned soaking.  It was cold too.  We had a 3pm tunnel booking so I thought when we got there two hours early,  time would permit a hot shower but no the chap called us through tagging onto the coattails of two other boats on the 1pm slot.

Why book?

Well since that terrible accident some years ago when a helm died, I wouldn't leave David alone on deck in the Harecastle Tunnel, so I sat with him for the 45 mins.  The air being blown into the far end on the tunnel was fierce and arctic when you are damp.   David made a great turn onto the Macclesfield Canal.  I was so cold my hands had stopped working.... we moored up (Or he did) at the first clear spot which was just over the top of the Trent and Mersey Canal underneath the aqueduct we were moored on.

This is one of the Stone locks, I was slightly perturbed at the corroding metal, immediately after I took this a train went over, I waved at the driver and he waved back. 

It was bucketing now early again.  I had a nice chat with the CART chap who was relaying this "Dead Hedge", if you haven't already guessed, its made up of twigs, sticks, leaves and wood.  He had removed a metal ladder, some tin cans and a couple of plastic carrier bags.  They rot down in situ providing homes shelter and food for our much depleted insect life.

Its working well as the bottom was already rotting down.  CART work together with a local college, teaching practical skills such as these flower raised beds and tidying up the locks. 

You can tell we're in the north as he hadn't even got his coat on.   

The camera went away after this photo.

 

Supper of the rest of the Farm Shop goodies was quickly taken after the hot showers.