Returning

 

Today, a short while after this entry has been published, I shall be returning no doubt emptying my suitcase with stuff ready for the wash and other bits and bobs after a quick clean such as my camera going back to where they are stored carefully.

Across the week I'll be unpacking the things that matter from that, the memories made, the things I did and my feelings about it and posting them here because that's one of the three things this blog has been about from day one and the original Tumblr  when I had that.

Breaking out

 

Well guess what will be happening this week?

It's the first time in yonks I've been able to go away exploring with friends on foot so I've washed and packed my stuff including the uniform I wear doing this, all neatly ironed and folded ready to face the great outdoors.

Just being together although we'll be keeping to some protocols to keep ourselves safe from this virus we've struggled with given we will be in shared accommodation with individual rooms rather than say tents.

It's time to get engaged with what this boy is all about all over again. 

An education in the outdoors

To be in the outdoors doesn't require that you are involved in Scouting in one form or another and here we have the Third Year (aka Year Nine) at a UK secondary school out on a walk in the woods.

Personally I can recall going for walks at school in the forests with proper hiking boots and thick woolen socks on as well as just going into a park or along country lanes outside of the classroom academic study because it was about developing the whole you as a rounded individual.

The boy second left is correctly dressed because his short sleeve shirt and shorts will allow air to circulate and provide good exposure to the vitamin D properties of natural sunlight while looking tidy which as he's representing his school is important

Tracksuits are fine for keeping warm in for P.e. and Games but really aren't good for this and to be honest I don't feel a blazer is necessary and I add I absolutely detested long trousers not least because in the summer I was way too hot.

Personally I feel schools would do better to spend more time outside of the classroom working with natural wonder and creativity to deliver the normal curriculum.

Working together

Working together, looping the rope around, you use your knot tying skills worked on previously to fasten it together securely, something that may prove itself to be vital later on in life.
Another example of real preparation for life.

From Canalside to on the canal view

 Been rather a warm week here being mindful about then and how long to go out in.

While out one day watching many species of butterflies and fighting of what seemed like an army of biting things, along the canal I observed a good number of craft going through the locks, some leaving their overnight moorings.

This was a well observed scene shot in very contrasty conditions against the light that required a tiny amount of tweaking as the narrowboat came through the manually operated lock immediately behind it.

Note the reflection in the water too.

Canalside view

After Friday's excursion we return to nearer to home with a canal cottage, one built for employees of the canal operators in traditional, locally sourced brick.

It has kept a number of the original features such as the wooden framed windows and doors plus the gate.

I have remarked about modern developments and much of that which is present here goes to the early part of this century with agreements (covenants) controlling the use any ground that goes to the canals edge while two narrow boats head towards Middlewich and Runcorn.

A little local history

 This area is blessed with history, both within ones own County and in the neighbouring one.

It isn't long from here before you enter the town of Sandbach, just inside Cheshire which has a high proportion of historic buildings where in the City Region much was obliterated by the Industrial Revolution and replaced with two and three story brick built structures.

This is The Common, not be confused with the Scotch Common a short walk into the centre that has many public houses going back to the Seventeenth Century, tudor buildings and the Saxon Crosses that were painstakingly repaired after being deliberately smashed by the Puritans who believed they were false idols.

Locals hid the bits and it reminds us of the dangers of such ideological purism and fundamentalism.

This area was strongly pro Cromwell during the English Civil War in that blood stained period in our history.

Staying at the hall

Here we appear to be on visit to the grounds of a old hall surrounded by a large filed with woods to back and side.

Looking closely, this must be their base as their are tents to the left of the building, which might well be a dart board and some inflatable object too.

Actually old halls were and remain a passion of mine having visited a good many in my (original) youth with their period features, sometimes creaky floors and tales of landowners  and famous people in history who stayed there, shaping events.

We are very fortunate in this region to have a good many from the Tudor right through to the late Georgian period within reasonable distance, all well maintained by various bodies including the National Trust.

Equal opportunities

Scouting is for all boys regardless of social class, religion if any or colour who are prepared to uphold the Scout Oath and Law as it applies to the section they wish to join and follow the rules.

There are people usually of left-wing political stance who tend to criticize scouting for being "too middle class" "too white" or "militaristic".

Anyone whose been involved knows working class boys have and still form a large part of the scouting family especially in the urban centres and that the uniform together with the rules is more for a sense of belonging and keeping good order is which is desirable in itself in society.

While all backgrounds and ethnicities are respected, such differences are not elevated above what every boy has in common each being expected to earn their badges  on their own merits with the support of the local pack leaders.

Modern day scouting is very much inclusive from the leadership to the children and young people in it.

The natural state

You can almost smell it with it being how it has, needing to really brush and scrap my shoes having been out in the last few days inbetween the showers.

Indeed I've hung my blue jacket inside out to try to deal with trapped moist air on the sleeve lining because while it's warm, you seriously couldn't entertain the idea going out without a waterproof jacket as you'd get soaked in a downpour in no time.

Fingers crossed in two and bit weeks time I'll be away to get back to more of this, exploring with support for hours woodlands and fields, no doubt getting mud where you wouldn't think it would apart from on my legs and that.

I just love it.

More flowers and things

The weekend was pretty much a wet one being dull, hardly suited at all for being out, just getting a bit of exercise in with a rain proof jacket on but still ending up with wet legs and front of shorts.

This is an interesting section of a garden locally that has much colour that I noticed the other day.

We did have some great meadowland but that got mowed over unfortunately although this section did manage to escape although the ground was soft when I took this picture.

My Sunflowers are just coming to the end of their natural life.

Summit

A proud group of scouts have made their way up the mountain, tired no doubt for all the physical effort required to have made it this far.

They stand and sit looking out at the beautiful scene they have by their own efforts have got themselves to enjoying it.

They can indeed stand tall holding their heads up high for they have shown the true spirit of Scouting.

Walls and Flowers

 Today's as it's a bit dull I'm looking at Walls,we all live near them and flora 

This is the wall of a impost impressive property with an extensive garden but this isn't just aesthetically pleasing, it also helps the insect population, not least the bee who can be spotted towards the very bottom of the picture.

This is just growing by the wall of my garden, it certainly wasn't planted.

I suspect its seeds from a nearby garden got scattered and having landed, it started to germinate in situ and as far as I'm concerned it can stay there.

This was planted by a neighbour adding much colour to the street scene and usually attracts much bee life. Presently the Bumble Bees are out in force around here

Finally something that was planted that unlike some hasn't gone off the boil but is in full bloom with a lovely smell.