Across the car park

An early morning shopping trip produced these lovely winter colours in the snow and the unromantic surroundings of a supermarket car park.

New Year

Another new year and as an intent let's try to breathe more new life here with some catching up and positive views. An early morning walk today along the local canal, quiet, frosty with the local birdlife giving a reminder that some things still go on. A bit too cloudy for good dawn pictures but then a boat with some heating appeared after rounding a corner under a bridge.

November colours

A short walk at the weekend along a local canal and 2 pictures:

Love the way the heron and the houses in the background go together so beautifully, and one of those heron legs is actually something in the street behind. This photo was taken < 5 minutes from the local railway station.

Teaser Tuesday - May 15

The rules are:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) 'teaser' sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title and author of the book that you’re getting your 'teaser' from .. that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!

Shelley and Stanley passed a joint between them and we all drank tea and talked and then went out and stood crowded on their tiny balcony to watch the muted sunrise through columns of blown rain. It was a good night.

from Gwendoline Riley's Cold Water our book group book of March, I selected this having been asked for a book of local interest. This book of a worker in a Manchester Northern Quarter bar with an ex-boyfriend in Macclesfield appeared to fit the bill! I was though one of the few who enjoyed the book - a bit dank and dismal but wonderful observations!

Dawn on the way to the station

I'm still doing some early mornings, usually catching the 7:30 train into work and sometimes the dawn is worth a picture!

I seem to have missed out on pictures during the cold spell!

Saying farewell

(catching up!)

Some time ago now we said farewell to Dave Mock the vicar of All Saints and St Barnabas, he's since been inducted as vicar of Christ Church Barnton. This picture is when Chris - one of the church wardens - spoke about the reference she gave him! We now look back to nearly 10 years of his ministry and care of us and look forward to whatever God is leading us to.

A midsummer evening

We were returning from an evening at the Park Tavern watching Moretti's Caro Diario and saw the sunset over the grounds of Christ Church

an end to a restful evening!

Helen Haslam

Rachel and Helen's sister, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

Today's I've been to Helen Haslam's funeral. I knew Helen back in the 70s-80s when her husband Frank was vicar of St Michael's Macclesfield and also in his role on the Scargill council.
It was good to meet the children whom I'd not seen since then and recall the past and where events had led us since. United in memory of a lovely person, collected and yet sparky. Two other photos are here.

Teaser Tuesday - Aug 27

Teaser Tuesday
The rules are:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) 'teaser' sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title and author of the book that you’re getting your 'teaser' from .. that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!

How could I ever have been glad he wasn't here anymore?' Fresh tears flowed as she looked up again at Nell, seeking her understanding, her forgiveness.

Margaret Dickinson's Pauper's Gold - our current BATS (book group) book - based locally in the mills of Macclesfield and Derbyshire in the 1800s. A little predictable but a good read.

View from the Cloud

View from the Cloud, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

New Year's Day and so a walk to get some much needed exercise - this year instead ogf Shutlingsloe we did the gentler Bosley Cloud. I don't think I've walked up Bosley Cloud since the 70's! Muddy and very breezy but good views from not too far from the road and then there was the fox we saw thinking about crossing the road on the way there...
A New Year - looking at last year - 128 - that's the lowest number of posts per year on this blog since 2005 - a lot of the smaller items go on twitter/facebook now but I need to work out a theme for a process of revival here!

in bloom

in bloom, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

The garden is currently in bloom - not my work!

White Nancy

White Nancy, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

..but black against the sunset!
Last night we did a short circular walk in the Rainow area - the disused factory we usually walk through is being demolished and flats being created so part of the walk was avoided. After a drink in the Robin Hood we were heading home when I suddenly noticed this view, so I stopped and took a couple of photos.

Gun Hill

Gun Hill, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

Yesterday was the evening for the Gun Hill walk. Again a lovely sunny evening with views over Leek and as far as the Wrekin. This was a photo from the same walk last year. Other photos from yesterday evening are also, as usual on flickr.

Bridge..and its reflection

Bridge..and its reflection, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

This weeks walk began and ended at the Robin Hood in Buglawton. The light was bright so that the reflection of this bridge in the canal was nearly as clear as the original. We walked along the canal and then looped back along side roads back to the pub. As usual, I've added the evening photos to the end of this flickr set.

Beneath the Edge

Beneath the Edge, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

We got to the Alderley Edge walk this year a little earlier than planned - the leader for Thursday had double booked himself, so instead we walked from the Wiizard around the Edge, crossed the road nearly by the village and returned through the woods on that side. The Wizard serves wonderful chips and has a good wine list! More photos towards the end of this flickr set.

Summer walks

Towards Macc, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

Maybe I should record that the All Saints' Summer walks have begun. On Thursday we had a walk around the Ryles Arms near Sutton. I'm arranging next weeks walk in Wildboarclough and the route has yet to be planned!

Easter morning

DSCF8392, a photo by rajmarshall on Flickr.

No pictures of eggs this morning - though they were there as they were last year. These cats though were next door to the egg ring and as one was fascinated in me and the other couldn't care less, I thought I'd take a picture.

Cloud detail

Cloud detail
Originally uploaded by rajmarshall

The spectacular dawn view from outside our house a few days ago. There's a higher foot bridge just a short distance away but there the view gets obstructed by the local council car-park! If you go to the photo's flick page - you'll see next to it in the photostream some pictures taken from the bridge.

View from the Bridge

Hibel Rd at Sunset - ii
Originally uploaded by rajmarshall

Very close to our house there's a pedestrian bridge over a local small piece of dual carriageway. When I was walking over it this evening I noticed the clouds and dashed home for a camera and took this - and another picture also on flickr. I should have stayed for longer to see the light fade and the moon appear - which is now fairly close to the sun in the sky. Still I rather like this - maybe I should trim it to remove the car lights?

Shutlingsloe New Year's Day 2011

The view from the top
Originally uploaded by rajmarshall

It didn't look a good day for a walk up Shutlingsloe (or indeed anywhere up in the hills at 11am but the rain ceased and the clouds cleared and we had a swift walk up to the top - a traditional walk for All Saints Macclesfield for today. Back for welcome soup and rolls at Carol's!
The complete set of photos can be found here on flickr.
There seemed to be more ice and snow lower down than up on the summit maybe there were more sheltered spots.