Happy when it rains...

Today's forecast was sunshine and showers but 'Barny' was convinced it was going to rain. After doing a few engine checks and topping up with diesel and water we left a gang of four squirrels munching away at all the food left out for the birds on the mooring. We followed 'Benjamin' going north for a weekend trip up to Lancaster. In parts, the water in the canal was discoloured by the muddy top water leaching off the bare maize fields. Two kingfishers were spotted along the way adding a bit of bright colour to a dull day. Now all the hedges and sedges have had their radical winter pruning and the canal banks look quite different at this time of year. A few trees have succumbed to the strong winds a few weeks ago and lie across the muddy towpath in places. It stayed dry for most of the sail and a couple of hours saw us mooring up on the seldom empty towpath moorings near to the Waterwitch public house and a 5 minute walk into the town...and then the rains came!

Previous blog post title inspired by ....Bombay Bicycle Club - MED : 2 points
Soft croaky lyrics with a catchy guitar lick...

Always like this...

It's a typical dark, wet winter evening every night these days and as the short days end the fields seem to be getting wetter and muddier up to the mooring - wellies are a requirement. The sheep don't seem to mind, these are hardy horned swaledale ewes with a couple of tups and getting on with the mowing. The swans were hungry tonight and the 3 of them were hanging about in the pouring rain rattling their beaks on the steel hull asking to be fed.
Inside it's a constant 19C and cosy and these days the doors and the hatch remain closed as much as possible retaining the heat while outside it's still mild for the time of year, even through the long winter nights. The BMC engine ticks along for an hour or so in the evening just to keep the battery banks topped up with power and in turn heats the water in the cylinder. With a few extra logs on to get some flames in the fire it's another cosy night on board while we patiently wait for the days to get longer.....this is the way for all liveaboards at this time of year, this leaves nothing else to do but enjoy a sailors swashbuckling adventure with Jack Sparrow on the telly....

Previous blog post title inspired by ....Counting Crows - MED : 2 points
Great poignant lyrics from a great lead singer.

Round Here...

The week was devoid of incident and by the weekend the weather had improved to give a beautiful warm sunny Saturday, along with it came a flurry of feathery action around the bird table. The usual robins, blue tits, nut-hatches and water-hens came but then a group of long-tail tits arrived, a blackbird appeared then a woodpecker drilled a few holes into the new fat ball before finally a very shy kingfisher landed briefly to pick up a bit of bread....always a special moment when one puts in an appearance around here.....
With the nicer weather came a few boats with little old Brindley going north and the Owl and the Pussycat and New Venture giving a friendly wave as they headed south. It was also the perfect day for a trip up to the water point so half an hour later the tank was full to the brim and we were back on the mooring. The US has been having some extreme snowy weather so maybe it's due to blow over this way soon. Just in case, the coal stocks and wood basket are filled up.

Previous blog post title inspired by ....Kings of Leon - MED : 2 points
First track on their great first album when they were all hairy!

Red Morning Light...

The sky was pink at first light as the day got started, silhouetting the leafless overhanging tree on the mooring. The wild birds, led by the noisy robin, were also arriving pleased to find that the feeders had been replenished with some new winter grub. It didn't take long for the two water hens to be up sticking their beaks in and joining the table of food. The hungry squirrel was the next to arrive, making all the feathered friends a bit edgy, he sits quite comfortably unperturbed and gorges himself.....greedy get!
Also,  the sheep have arrived back in the field. These are new girls from last year and are brought in as lawn mowers to get the grass down and keep it trimmed on both fields along the moorings on the farmers side throughout the year. Last year we had some tired, older ladies that didn't really have the teeth to mow all day and the grass got away on them. These new lasses look younger and stronger and look like they are getting stuck into the job quite happily...




Previous blog post title inspired by ....Feeder - MED : 2 points

Comfort in sound...

Water is literally all around and when it's calm and still you become blissfully unaware of the closeness of it. Only when the gods become angry does it rise to the forefront and remind you of its presence, then you definitely become aurally aware. It can arrive gently as tiny droplets like thousands of pin pricks landing in flurries on the steel roof above or as the rain droplets get bigger they can ping endlessly and quite noisily. Now and again you hear a higher pitched metallic 'ping' as it bounces off on one of the brass mushrooms that act as air vents -  still after a while you get used to the sounds and find it quite therapeutic .Then as the wind strengthens, small waves are formed which ripple across the canal and eventually lap musically against the hollow hull. With this symphony and the occasional creak or groan from the wood it's alt part of the rich tapestry of sound that boaters drift off to sleep to as they float on the cut through the darkest nights......

Previous blog post title inspired by ....Ian McNabb - HARD : 3 points

Fire inside my soul...

Wet,windy weary weather greeted the New Year this morning and only inspires me to chuck a big seasoned log on the fire, turn on the tunes and reflect over the previous year. There really isn't much to do anyway at this time of year as it's after the winter when it's possible to return to a few jobs but now it's just a matter of monitoring the coal and keeping the log basket topped up. The fire is a great little Tor Gem multi fuel stove and once lit will stay in all the time throughout the winter. During the day a constant supply of hardwood logs are burnt and then a scuttle of excel coal will keep the Eco-fan spinning all through the night keeping the inside an average constant cosy temperature of about 20 degrees C, with that it can do what it wants out there.....

Beech wood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year,
Chestnut's only good they say
If for long 'tis laid away;
Birch and fir logs burn too fast,
Blaze up bright and do not last.
It is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,
E'en the very flames are cold;
Poplar makes a bitter smoke
Fills your eyes and makes you choke;
Apple wood will scent your room
With an incense like perfume;
Oak and maple if dry and old
Keep away the winters cold:
But Ash wood wet or Ash wood dry
A king shall warm his slippers by!

Previous blog post title inspired by ....Counting Crows - HARD : 3 points