Day 49 and 50: Beeston.

Hello family, friends and followers.

Were you hit hard by Storm Hannah?
The wind overnight on Friday night was really strong, followed by heavy rain, but we were safely moored up away from trees.
Saturday morning dawned and the rain was still falling and the wind was still blowing a hooley. Having lit the saloon on Friday evening, we woke to a toastie boat, even though the back cabin stove was out. Because we sleep in our back cabin, we do not like the stove going all night, unless it is absolutely freezing our noses off. Up and about just after 8am, I laid on breakfast and then got on with sorting the saloon stove out. Due to the weather it was a day for staying in and baking. I got on and made some muffins, followed by cooking a chicken casserole with dumplings. On days like this, we all need comfort food and dumplings is one of my all time favourite comfort foods, chocolate being the other one, but with no chocolate on board, the dumplings would have to suffice.
The rest of my day was taken up by making coffee, washing up, crocheting and finishing Sleeper's Castle by Barbara Erskine. Such a great read. I will be looking out for more books by her. The Lady of Hay has been recommended by a friend, so I will see if I can get that one. I am now about to start reading Once in a lifetime by Cathy Kelly, so I will let you know how that goes.
There has been very little boat movement today. I have only seen two boats go past us, one on tickover the other one on a mission it seemed.

Sunday dawned and what a difference a day makes. The sun was shining hooray. After getting up at 8am, having breakfast and sorting out the boat chores, we headed out to go and see the Beeston Heritage Centre, which was open for free as part of the BBC Radio Nottingham's Big Day Out.

A lovely place right by the lock at Beeston. The centre is well laid out.

In the well kept garden they even have their own Bees.

We had a nose around their shop and treated ourselves to a cup of tea in their cafe.
After a nice hour or so, we went home to the boat, where I cooked us a curry for lunch.

After lunch, we set off again and this time we walked around the Attenborough Nature Reserve. We walked over 8 miles and saw some wonderful wildlife, including watching Sand Martins going in and out of their nests, which are man made on the side of a hide. Sadly I did not get any photographs, because the windows of the hide were locked up whilst the birds are nesting.

I photographed this Great Crested Grebe, which had just come up from a dive.

We stopped and watched for ages a Heron fishing and were treated to seeing it catch a small Perch. Heron's are incredibly patient standing in cold water all that time to catch their food.
The reserve is an amazing place and well worth the visit. We did go there 6 years ago, but did not do the whole thing, so this time we made sure we walked the whole place.
Back home, it is feet up time and relax.

Pop back soon. xxx