Yes, yes, yes, yes! Autumn, my favourite season of the year has arrived at last. September is also my favourite month as there are fewer expectations foisted upon nature by us mere mortals. From now until spring the weather is simply accepted for what it brings and the weathermen can now take comfort in not pandering to the BBQ or music festival idyll or the frailties of townfolk. September is just magical as the chill of Autumn bites the unwary riser before the sun has risen sufficiently to warm the air. Skies are bluer, the sun brighter and natures palette sharper as the days shorten. Those of us fortunate enough to be able to 'lay the grate' really appreciate one of only the three real needs in life, warmth, the other two being food and shelter, instead of wasting natures valuable resources on the ignorance of blind-faith in the use of unregulated timer settings, unmetered water taps, endless waste disposal and the reliance on the 'on' switch. Oh how I wish those who don't know, don't care and don't want to, had a wake up a call for all our sakes! But hey! I've hankered after the simple life for years and fortunate enough to have had the mind to go out and live it. That reminds me, time to top up the log pile! Enjoy the months ahead - they really are the best. It'll soon be May again for those who live life short, existing alongside the few who live life long within the boundaries of natures conscience.
1st Sep 2011, 12:07
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29th Aug 2011, 17:01
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29th Aug 2011, 16:59
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Photo:
1. Being piped aboard.
2. Duty free anyone?
3. Lock attire.
4. Strutting their stuff
5. Yum-yum!
On Monday afternoon we moored below the village of Pitstone to visit our friend Brenda on Tuesday who then reported for duty Wednesday morning suitably 'uniformed' to help crew the boat for the day. Well, until we reached a suitable watering hole for lunch. Brenda has become a great friend since we first met back in May and has been more than generous in keeping us provided with fresh fruit and veg from her garden and eggs from her 'chickuns' (sic). We've also enjoyed her company immensely when she has joined us for some great roast lunches and 'puddins' aboard 'wilvir'.
27th Aug 2011, 18:06
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Photo:
1. (l-r) Me, Virginia and Bill.
2. Match winner.
3. A great afternoon.
I went along to Tring Anglers Junior Match and BBQ at Wilstone last weekend where I bumped into our namesakes Bill and Virginia Rushmer who write for 'Angler's Mail Weekly'.
27th Aug 2011, 15:09
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Photo:
1. Carp School (l-r) Me, George and Charlie.
2. Gunner, Jude, Ginny and of course 'wilvir'.
3. 'Skipper' Charlie.
We left the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal on Monday to continue our journey north with the emotion of 'goodbyes' between new found friends bringing a lump to our throats.
Charlie, a young angler we met during our stay, breathlessly arrived at the boat to join us for the run up the locks, accompanied by his older brother George and mum Claire who were picking him up when we got to Marsworth. Charlie and George accompanied by their friend Alex had spent a couple of days the previous week fishing with me and Neil learning the art of catching the two extremes of the same family, Gudgeon and Carp. We also met Charlie and George's parents, Mark and Claire along with Claire's mum. At the end of their second visit to the boat, Mark left Ginny and me speechless when they gave us flowers, chocolates and two bottles of wine in appreciation for what we'd done for them. Great people and three boys to be proud of.
Before we left, Sally, who along with her partner Ray own the land and stables adjoining the canal between Puttenham Locks, very kindly dropped by with a parting gift of a dozen duck eggs.
Neil and Jude, who live in Wilstone, met us on the way back up from turning the boat below Redhouse lock to help us lock-up to Marsworth Junction where, after a quick lunch beside the boat together with Charlie and Claire, we said our goodbyes and turned north.
We'll not be passing this way again for a couple of years now.
27th Aug 2011, 12:07
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This little oasis is sadly blighted by the scourge of littering and so-called anglers who not only fish amongst the litter but unashamedly add to it when they leave. It saddens me to admit to being an angler sometimes.
This beautiful stretch of the Aylesbury canal is often frequented by anglers fishing for carp. How do I know? Simply through finding empty boillie and Chum mixer bags, after the contents has been used for bait, left stuffed into the hedgerow. Shame on them.
It's not only bears that s**t in the woods these days either going by the growing tendency to leave faeces (DNA) and soiled toilet paper lying adjacent to footpaths for all to see, without the slightest attempt to hide or bury it. The human race is fast becoming the vermin of the world.
18th Aug 2011, 19:31
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18th Aug 2011, 09:48
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