The mere and we claim a first ever sighting.

We're still at Ellesmere, I had to go and see the quack as my dose of man flu' has left me deaf, sounds daft but the catarrh has gone into my ears. As usual at the doctors, only got to see the nurse and she just said," Catarrh can last up to six weeks, you'll have to live with it", no point telling her it had lasted that long already, she wasn't listening, or perhaps she has catarrh?
So we went for a walk out to the mere,

on a bright winter's day it really did look picturesque, if decidedly nippy.
The snowdrops are out in full force now

and the black headed gulls are starting to regain their summer dark head.

These are all signs of spring on its way and now the met. office says we are going to freeze our nether regions off. We're iced in already but after the last couple of winters it has lost its novelty value.
We are claiming a first sighting, something we weren't expecting to see for months yet. While by the mere a white pick-up went past, what was emblazoned on the side? "Canal &Rivers Trust", and the new logo. Of course the camera was hanging on my belt so no picture, but it looks like C.A.R.T. has arrived, somewhat premature I would have thought.

Ellesmere church is perched up on it's own little knoll, so as you walk past you are about on a level with the contents of the graveyard, spooky.

 How's that for a collection of roof lines and chimneys?
Back at the wharf

 the old warehouse is in an advanced state of dereliction but the crane is in fine fettle. There is also a new sculpture, part of a "Sculpture trail". Now I know I'm a total philistine but to me

this looks as though it was left by the biggest dog in the world.

If you want a vertical sculpture how about this? The water point had dripped all night just to create it.

My favourite picture of the day.

Watch this space................