Welcome to Old John's blog!

18 Oct 2009 9:40 PM

Yesterday, on Saturday afternoon when everybody was shopping, I went out for my first walk since feeling poorly a couple of weeks ago.  It is surprising how the old leg muscles get out of being used and because I knew that it would not be a good idea to go far, I walked down to the canal.  Some of you will know that I have been to this site several times. 

The site, now a disused canal, has areas where the canal is much higher than the fields that surround it.  Once on the canal, it is surprising how much of the countryside can be seen.  To my left, there were fields as far as the eye could see, and to my right, there were more fields, a roadway, some houses, yet more fields and a view that lead the eye, in the far distance, to woodland and to a high spot that, once you were able to get there, gave marvellous views over a valley. 

This particular valley, as the sun set, was a place frequented use by courting couples that could not find privacy, to talk and make plans for the future, in a house full of well wishing parents and family.  I was once one of the people who went to the site to watch the sun go down and find piece from the incessant enquiries as to when I was going to 'tie the knot.'

I digress, once on the canal toe path, where older people can still remember ‘bargees’ walking at the side of barges (that were once their  homes and places of work ,) I noticed there were lots of red berries on the hawthorns and thought that Fieldfares, from Scandinavian ‘ climbs,’ would soon be here to peck them off the trees.  Their familiar call would soon be there for me to listen to. 

I passed an area, on the canal, that was chocked with 'duck weed' and noted that a pair of Swans were mopping the food up in much the same way as we would vacuum a carpet.  Coots and Moorhens called out, as I passed by, but it was to be a return journey before I was able to get good views of the birds. 

Men were fishing the site but I knew, for there was now a cold feel in the air, they would not be on site for long. 

Once in an area, on the canal, where I was on my own, I took particular note to see if there were any water voles on site but, I am sorry to say, earth moving disturbance, from landscaping, had made the voles move on.  It is not as bad as it sounds for there have been vole sightings seen on a local nature reserve; I helped develop when I was a young man.  The reserve is only about a 20 minute walk from the canal I was now standing on and could be reached by the voles.

Some time ago, before moving on to do other things, I became involved with the re development of the canal and I am pleased to say, when it happens, that the whole of the canal stretch, for a good few miles, will, eventually, be re instated to its former glory. 

Today, there were several ‘dog walkers’ on site and one of the walkers was a local man that grew up in the same area as my wife.  This man went on to say that he could remember barges on the stretch of water we were walking on. 

At one point, on the canal, there is a bridge and I was about to cross the bridge when someone called out my name.  The man and woman walkers were dressed well for the quickly cooling down air.  These people, more friends of my wife and I hope they are friends of mine too; have been looking after puppies, for the blind dog society, for many years.  They do ‘sterling work’ and not only do they look after the puppies; they also collect money for the charity. 

Today, the ‘couple’ were walking a beautiful black Labrador.  They began training the dog, when it was a puppy, but the blind dog society rejected it saying that it was not suitable.  My friends decided to keep the dog and what a beautiful, kind, gentle and fussy animal it was. 

I did not touch the pet for there were signs of the dog having its fur coat shaved off, on its back, and there were signs of the animal having been put to the knife.  In fact, my friends had had the dog to see a ‘vet’ where it was discovered that the poor animal had a tumour on its back.  My friends were distraught, for they had become so attached to their pet, and decided that the only thing was to allow the dog to be operated on.

The operation took place not long ago and to say that the animal had been under the anaesthetic a short while ago, the animal looked fine but, at the moment, only short walks are advisable.

While we were talking and the loving animal responded to their voice patterns, I pointed out that Bullfinch were calling close by and my friends said they had been watching Long Tailed Tits.  I had been listening to Long Tailed Tits but could not see them.

After a time, the dog needed to go back into the warmth and comfort of my friends’ home and I walked on. 
The last time I was on the canal, at the far end of the section I was standing on, landscaping was taking place and, today, the land had all been levelled and on top of the landscaping, in anticipation of the new playing fields being seeded, it looked as though a thin layer of sand had been put down.

Light was now starting to fade so I decided to turn back and head for home and when a reached the area I had earlier met my friends, on the bridge over the canal, a well dressed young lady crossed the path and I stood back so she could walk on, in piece, with her very well behaved German Sheppard dog.  Normally, I would have smiled back at the  young lady, in acknowledgement of her realising that I had stood back to let her get through but, today, I did not think that it was appropriate and let her get well ahead of me before I walked back up and off the canal.

Throughout, the walk was dull and gloomy but the falling leave, all the wonderful bronzed and red leaves, the sights and sounds of the birds and animals and the people I met made my walk very pleasurable.

By for now,

John.   

Add Comment   |   View Comments (2)