The Catkins are here!

 

More signs of Spring here where the Catkins are out.

Catkins are long, slim, often drooping clusters of tiny, wind-pollinated, petal-less flowers found on trees such as hazel, birch, oak, and willow. Appearing in winter and spring, these "lamb’s tails" are actually the male flowers releasing pollen to female flowers. They are crucial for early-season pollination before leaves appear.

They're out!

 

After a long wait and some seriously cold days here, the daffodils are finally out ready for Spring which is not far off at all looking great.

Seeing things come back to life, the resumption of the Dawn Chorus is what I really love.

Baa!

 

Spring has sprung so we start to see spring Lambs out in the fields around here which is lovely.

Spring is near

 While technically it remains Winter, in reality Spring is just three days away and nature doesn't follow academic timetables so it is no accident that the daffodils have started to come out depending a bit on where you live such as these.

Blossoms are out

 Even if the weather is being rather topsy-turvey the blossoms are out here as are needless to say the bees too as one seemed fascinated by my legs yesterday just before midday whilst out in the park during the Easter school hols.

Surrounded by and encroached at the rear by nondescript post WW2 development that's rather out of keeping with it, the sixteenth century cottage still cuts an impressive site.

Coming in

Inland waterways abound in these parts and their users are frequent visitors so often you don't just see them, you engage very much with them even when you're taking the picture as they steer read to get into line for the next lockgate ahead.

Industrialization and encroaching urbanization are challenges in this district as development continues to eat into our green spaces and the needs of people to get away from all of that  receive scant protection but with care you can find spots that keep more of a rural character.
 

Just passing through

 

Springs really is here even if we've had some heavy rain of late with temperatures being high enough to despense with wearing a coat such as on Monday when the sun was quite strong out.

I went out exploring by the canalside where it was quite busy with quite few people about and a lot of narrowboat activity as folks were waiting to go through the various locks, getting into position and turning the handles.

Here the boat is being steered avoiding moored vessles as it makes its way southwards.

Then their were ducks out and about, some in nearby gardens backing on to the canal

It's here

 So after an extra day in the Month, we have entered March and already there are signs of Spring as topsy-turvey the weather has been over the last few months from being unseasonably warm to really quite cold.

Yesterday I saw the Magpies and Blackbirds out and talking of out so were the daffodils having come up from the planted bulbs at a number of locations apart from in some peoples gardens too plus a good many blossoms.

Over yonder fields

We were off exploring over by the nursery late last week, taking advantage of the improved weather coats off where I noticed the saplings planted in the channels.

l also greeted with this pleasant view across the fields with the traditional form buildings in the background and hedgerows intersecting each field fully out.

It proved to be a most enjoyable half day out.

Blossoms are out II

After last weeks excursion into all things Coronation we get back into core territory looking at what I love about this time of year even though it does nothing for my hay fever unfortunately.

The great thing about Spring is everything comes back from its rest suitably refreshed with vibrant colour.

Wild  flowers just pop up anywhere such as with this example along a path I was exploring a few days ago.

They even encroach onto more developed areas such as the fence of a property leading on to a pathway where they help support the local insect population with butterflies being spotted in the last few days hovering about

I did see a squirrel in a tree lined play area between two parts of the estate on Thursday going across the grasslands before scampering up a tree which was fascinating to watch.

Looking after the land

Managing the land on the edge of the canal doesn't always involve the use of hand held tools but of machinery such as tractors.

There are a good deal of dandelions out presently here of which this is a fairly typical group but no signs of daisies or clover growing.
 

Blossoms are out

It's Spring all right, my nose is twitching a bit from hayfever I'm afraid but it's a great time to be out and about here.

Part of the reason for that twitching and sneezing is due to the blossoms that emerging such is this magnificient specimen spotted in our local park looking and smelling so fresh and full of life.

Just looking at a branch worth shows how beautiful they really are although trying to keep the focus fully locked when it was blowing taking these pictures was a challenge as was avoiding the odd bee.

A grazing we will go...

It is most definately Spring, so while I was out I spotted near a stream these four grazing peacefully while trying to find somewhere to steady the camera  given I was using the telephoto section on its zoom lens given the area was fenced off.

Also out were these two fine horses, grazing contentedly on a sunny morning.

Spring is here

 

Weekend was suprisingly warm for time of year with Saturday seeing some 18 degrees out so need for jerseys or coats even as I went about, talking with people while looking at how much of the blossoms had come back and if there was much acitvity by say bees or butterflies as normally I'd expect to see some and indeed about a few weeks back I did see one bee resting on the pavement.

Gardening was a passion of my late grandad and Mum too so we had many in large and not so large pots on the front garden like this example.

Restful views

 

Exploring the lanes is a great opportunity to leave things that may be on your mind behind and so it was a few days ago I took off one morning, well wrapped up coming by these two trees while the sun was out with a large farmhouse immediately in the background.

It was a lovely sight.

Taking a pause

Looking very much towards the link the neighbouring Macclesfield canal a few miles away, the barge is moored up in tranquil setting with blossoms out and beyond them the open fields with the odd duck about seeing it appears to be the duck season!

For me the reflections make this picture giving a more watercolour feel.

Ducks get everywhere

Continuing from where we were last Friday along that section of the canal you will often see Ducks, a good number of them who have been even known to explore the middle of this part of the era by the shops and major road to the consternation of many.

He was caught in the act of preening himself near a grassy bank but didn't wish to face me for some reason or other enjoying the relative peace and quiet.

Thankful dog owners were keeping their on leads and away from them.

This particular duck just would not go near a better backdrop probably because he was half expecting me to feed him from where the reeds were.

At one time bread tended to be used but that's really no good so corn if you honestly have to is a better idea.

At the moment the canal itself looks clear of plastic and aluminum. Let's hope it stays that way.

Just passing through

Rather chilly but bright start to the day that sent my mind hurdling back toward Summer where I loved walking along the local Inland Waterway, taking in the scene and chatting away to people visitors and locals alike.

From around now to September it gets quite popular with a good number of narrow boats passing and mooring.

Although the area has become built up over the years, there remains a peaceful feel I find therapeutic especially along the areas adjoining farmland .

Bursting out

Weekend has been quite warm and sunny as we enter Spring proper which is an ideal time for exploring and learning.

I remarked a short while back about the Daffodils and at least those in the colder bit of this area have come out having been planted several years back by the community to try to diversify some of the short grass patches we have dotted about and provide more interest.

Over near the nursery other things are springing up supporting a good deal of insect life which I had noticed this last few days.

I saw the first honey bees out on Friday in their fawny shade apart from a few bumble bees, one butterfly and a wasp.

A stroll along the cut

Phew it's been a pretty warm few days here.

I went out exploring around the local canal (or 'cut' as we say around here) where it was very busy over the Bank Holiday period where I spied this narrow boat that had travelled down from deepest Lancashire with its colourful decoration.

Lighting is a very funny thing being most changeable and making or breaking a picture.

Here it is working with the scene providing reflections within the canal itself with the slow moving stream flanked by the trees and vegetation in full bloom taken before the light got too harsh along the Trent and Mersey.