Warm

Warm sunshine accompanied our walk this morning.  We were joined by our friend Kay for a longer walk around the parkland, Mapperley Village and Reservoir before returning via Shipley Hill.

As it seemed to be my call this morning where and how far we walked, it turned out to be a 6 mile stroll around the countryside, taking in some of the walk I took on Friday.  It also turned out to be a good chin-wag with Kay and Malcolm met some old work colleagues from his days in the Bank.  Not a bad way to spend the last day of being 43 years old as tomorrow I shall turn 44.  Where on earth did the years go?  

Red

More hedgerow fruits this morning.  The Hawthorn bushes are laden with ripening berries - actually not berries, but 'pomes' containing a single seed.

Maybe it's a sign of a bad winter ahead (maybe not), but there seems to be a glut of them this year.

They certainly look good in the sunshine, glowing a brilliant scarlet against the foliage.  Beautiful!

Solo

A gorgeous day for a walk today.  The few clouds made the sunshine a little hazy but it was warm and beautiful.  Unfortunately, I was a solitary walker this morning as Malcolm had an appointment with the doctor (more of which, later).  So, I set off around Shipley Hill and decided to walk around the bottom of the hill today rather than going up and over.  The views are quite good even from lower down the hill.  Here, looking towards the village of Mapperley.

Carrying on around the hill took me through the woodland and out onto the path down towards the village itself.  The village once played it's part in keeping the 'riff-raff' away from the Shipley Hall and in the next picture, the two old gate-house lodges can still be seen shining white in the sunshine.  There once was a gate across the road between the two lodges ensuring no-one got through who shouldn't.

Returning home through the village and along Slack Lane, I crossed the farmland towards one of the crossings of the old Nutbrook Canal.  At this point there was once a lock gate, but now there is just a rickety bridge and a - rapidly drying - ditch full of Reedmace, Water Forget-me-not and Water Mint.

There is still just enough water to keep these wetland plants growing.

Back home to find Malcolm had got home before me.  Following his visit to the doctor with a painful shoulder, he has been diagnosed as having something with a long name, had the first of three steroid injections (ouch!) and been told to rest his arm completely for three days.  Poor old soul!  As proof, he even has a small plaster covering the injection hole....

Ouch, Ouch, ooohh and ouch again!

Dry

The forecast for today was to be wet, at least in the afternoon, but as yet, there is no sign of any rain.  This has been the pattern this summer.  We have had rain forecast many times, only for none to arrive.  Even when it has rained, there has been so little of it, it has barely dampened the ground.  Normally, we would be complaining about too much rain, but things around these parts seem to be getting rather serious.  Nowhere is this more evident than at Straw's Bridge or 'Swan Lake' as it is known locally. Ordinarily this lake has water up to the edges, but right now, there is a good 8ft of 'beach' around the edges.

There are some very large Koi in the lake somewhere, but we have not seen them for some months now.  No doubt they have retreated to the deeper parts in the middle of the lake as their world shrinks around them.  The other consequence of so little water is the proliferation of algae around the margins.  Thick, green and slimy, the algae and the stagnant water have started to smell now too.  The surrounding wetland, so important for wildlife, has suffered too as it is no longer 'wet' land.  The paths have started to crack and even the tarmac surface on the trail footpaths is splitting as the ground dries and shrinks around it.  If things don't change soon, goodness knows what will happen.

Lets just hope for rain.  Maybe I'll send Malcolm out to do a rain dance in the back garden and see if that will help!

Hip

Better weather today meant that a walk was in order.  So, off we set for Shipley Lake and a complete circumnavigation if it.

The hedgerows are filling with fruits just now.  I have mentioned the Blackberries and Lords-and-Ladies, but there are also many others.  Pyracantha, Blackthorn (Sloes), Rowan, Snowberry, Buckthorn, Cotoneaster and Honeysuckle are joined by thousands of Ripening Rose Hips.  Plenty for the birds and small mammals to feast on.... as well as us in the case of the Blackberries!

Stuck in!

Fists things first....... A Happy Birthday to my Mum.  73 today!

We had high hopes of getting a walk this morning, but with drizzle falling and a strong, cool breeze blowing, we're stuck in for the moment.  So, here are some pics from earlier walks.  Firstly the Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis).  This one, growing along the old railway lines of West Hallam colliery.

Also known as Gypsy Rose, Blue Button and Lady’s Pincushion, they are a great favourite with the butterflies. The scientific name 'Knautia' is derived from the seventeenth century botanist Dr. Knaut and the common name 'Scabious' comes from it's once being thought of a cure for scabies, a blood purifier and treatment for eczema and other skin diseases.
Secondly, the Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

I have mentioned the ancient uses of this plant for treating the wounds of injured soldiers, but it was also used for treating nose bleeds.  Conversely, it was once thought to be the harbinger of death in Wales.  It was thought that if this plant was brought into the house, death would follow!

Arum

Earlier in the year, I mentioned the large numbers of Lords-and-Ladies (Arum maculatum) plants which seemed to have sprung up around the area.  well, now that the flowers of these woodland beauties have long-since gone, the spikes of bright red berries are showing through in the gloom of the woodland floor.

The berries are extremely poisonous, but that didn't stop the likes of Culpepper using it in various ways as herbal remedies.  He referred to it as Wake-Robin and said that the leaves could be used .. 'either fresh and green, or dried, being eaten and taken, is a most present and sure remedy for poison and the plague'.  He went on... 'A spoonful taken at a time healeth the itch; and an ounce or more, taken at a time for some days together, doth help the rupture; the leaves, either green or dry, or the juice of them, doth cleanse all manner of rotten and filthy ulcers, in what part of the body soever, and healeth the stinking sores in the nose, called polypus'. 

 As for the berries, he says... 'the juice of the berries boiled in oil of roses, or beaten into powder mixed with the oil, and dropped into the ears, easeth pains in them: the berries or the roots, beaten with hot ox-dung and applied, ease the pains of the gout: the leaves and roots boiled in wine with a little oil, and applied to the piles, or the falling down of the fundament, ease them, and so doth sitting over the hot fumes thereof'.  I think if I had any problem with my ears - or for that matter - with my 'fundament falling down', I should think twice before settling for these treatments!