Saturday 21 September 2013

Saturday Snapshot: Getting Back into My Stride

Lakeside view:  Tamworth's Borrowpit Lake is fringed by
bushes and trees, and provides a home for water birds.
For some reason the walking has gone a bit to pot over the summer, and I’m not really sure why – partly, I think, because there were several days when I didn’t go out because I thought it might thunder. I know, that’s sad. I’m sad. Anyway, I got out of the habit of taking a regular walk, but I have been busy in the garden over the summer, which is good exercise, and I did a lot of walking on our various trips.
The Snowdome has a ski slope with real snow, a pool and a
gym. From this angle it doesn't look too bad, but it;s a
hideous building, which dominates the landscape.
However, I decided I must get back into walking again, because it makes me feel so much better, mentally and physically. So on Tuesday morning I donned a jumper (it was jolly cold outside), and my wonderful walking boots (I still love them, and the pink laces) and set off to see what’s been happening in the Big Wide World. And I'm posting some photos for Saturday Snapshot to show you where I went - including some shots of Tamworth's modern buildings (which I tend to avoid), alongside photos of nice things! The town may not be very big, but it's very built up, and I really value our little 'wild' areas and parks. 
These vivid yellow flowers added a welcome splash
of colour to the day.
Anyway, I went down the road, under the Arches (which I've written about here), into the Castle Pleasure Grounds, across the the Snowdome car park, round the edge of Borrowpit  Lake, over the River Anker, alongside the drainage channel and over the road to Ventura Park (our out-of-town shopping area). 
This is the Holiday Inn which, like the Snowdome doesn't
look too bad here, but from the other side it's vile,
and the photos don't show how big  the buildings are.
It was very grey, and bitterly cold, but there were flocks of ducks and geese on the water, and the two mallard crosses, which are much bigger and darker than the others, are still there. Back in the summer I was pleased to see they had young - I had wondered if they would breed, because sometimes hybrids don't, but this week there was no sign of the youngsters. I know they would be well grown by now, but their colouring was so distinctive they would be quite unmissable if they were around.
Part of our out-of-town shopping area. This was very early
in the morning - by 10am the car park is always packed, and
vehicles are circling round, hooting, and fighting for a space.
Grey squirrels were scampering about, and there were plenty of birds (but I could only recognise pigeons and magpies!). And there were still masses of wildflowers blooming in the grass, along the river bank, in the car park, and in the Castle Grounds. I spotted a drift of pale purple balsam growing on the very edge of the River Anker. I think this is Himalayan Balsam, which can grow quite tall, and is very invasive, but it might be another variety. At any rate, it looked pretty. But flowering season is coming to an end. The leaves on some trees were just beginning to change colour, and there were lots of berries on the trees, some of them still green or orange, rather than the bright red they become later in the season.
From the front I think this flower looks like an
open mouth! Is it Himalayan Balsam?
Over by the shops I had to indulge in a spot of retail therapy – just to keep warm you understand! I was sooooooo cold I couldn’t move my fingers! It was FREEZING, and it’s only September, so I hope this is not a foretaste of what’s to come. In any case, I need to find my gloves, which I stashed away in a safe place at the end of winter, but it’s such a safe place I can’t remember where it is!
In another couple of weeks these berries will be a glorious red.
What’s that you say? What did I buy? I bought a pretty notebook and matching file to keep things in, because I got an old printer working with my new laptop, and went mad printing off crochet patterns, and maps and information about the local nature reserves! And I got some some vitamin pills  and Echinacea tablets, in the hopes they will help ward off winter colds, and some loose tea, because I love the ritual of making tea in a pretty china pot. 
I love the pretty design on this notebook and file.
By the time I’d warmed enough to venture outside again, it was raining, but it was so nice to be out walking in the fresh air that I really didn’t mind, and I made my way back through the Castle Grounds and up the road to home. (Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda, at West Metro Mummy - click to follow the links to other participants.)
The Castle is the most beautiful building in
Tamworth.

28 comments:

  1. I don't always like modern building either. I did enjoy your flowers and berries though, it's lovely to see such things out on a walk.

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    1. Thank you. I wanted to show people that where I live isn't all pretty - but fortunately there are lots of beautiful spots, like the lake, the river, the canal and the nature reserves.

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  2. Good for you for walking again! I wish I had such a pretty place to walk (despite the modern buildings). I mostly see cornfields when I go for a walk - not a castle!

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    1. You have to drive out to the villages here to see cornfields! It would make a nice change, but I do love the Castle.

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  3. THanks for sharing such a wonderful walk. Love your boots! That notebook/file sure looks unique and full of life. ;)

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    1. Thanks Arti! I adore stationery - I buy pretty notebooks, and folders, and fancy paper, then they are so lovely I hate to use them!

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  4. Oh, you are such an inspiration! I have not been walking like I should. I blame the heat...and the ugliness of the flat surroundings. Cities are not fun places to walk, IMO, at least not "flat" cities, with not hills or vales. But those are excuses. We can find something of beauty anywhere. Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.

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    1. I've been trying to inspire myself Laurel-Rain - I get times when I just feel fed-up, then I sit, and sit, and sit, and nothing gets done. Like you, I think there are patches of beauty everywhere, but we have to go out and find them.

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  5. Replies
    1. Thank you Peggy Ann. I'm glad you enjoyed them.

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  6. Gorgeous photos. THANKS.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Saturday Snapshot

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    1. I'm always pleased when people enjoy posts Elizabeth.

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  7. What a grand adventure, ad I know of what you speak with the walking. We've had such up and down weather that it's not been a pleasure walking, but you are right, you do feel better.

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    1. I think it's worth making the effort to go walking, even in bad weather (but not thunder and lightning!) because it is such an uplifting experience.

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  8. Walking, like gardening, is theraputic and I try to do both as much as possible. No matter how cold it gets it seems there's always some critter scampering around. And love the design on the notebook, very pretty.

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    1. You are quite right Leslie, and I'm trying to do more gardening at the moment as well, which will be good for me (hopefully) and make the place look better. And you are right about the creatures as well - last winter the cabal froze, and the ducks were still there, skidding around on the ice!

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  9. Me too on walking outside.

    I have to go the gym to use the treadmill.

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  10. I don't think I could cope with a treadmill.I'd rather be outside, looking at the sky, and the plants and birds and insects. We moan about the weather in the UK, but it's rarely too hot ot too cold to go out.

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  11. I love the photos of the plants and the one of the castle. Such a lovely walk!

    Anne's Snapshot Saturday

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    1. Thank you Anne - those are the kind of pictures I enjoy taking but, as I said earlier, I wanted to show of the 'downside' of the town!

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  12. No cold weather excuses for not walking for me. Too mosquito-y...does that count?

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    1. Definitely can't walk in that case - you'd get bitten to pieces!

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  13. Sounds like it was a good walking route, despite the chill an drizzle! Keep on walking!

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    1. It's quite pleasant for walking Susan - plenty of interest to look at, and there'salways something to see.

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  14. Sounds like a pleasant walk. I like your photos. Especially the one of the castle. And I like your list of poets in the margin. Those are some of my favorite poets.

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    1. That's kind of you Elizabeth - I love our town's cast;e, and I take photos from all sorts of angles, in all sorts of weather. It always looks different - even the stones it's built from vary in different liughs.

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  15. Beautiful photos and I enjoyed the tour feeling you gave.

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    1. Thank you for the comment Carol - I'm so pleased you enjoyed the post.

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