Woodpeckers with her purchase

As you may have noticed Helena, aka Woodpeckers, has been busy recently with jigsaw puzzles. She had spotted some of her favourite types and styles for sale on Ebay Preloved UK. It turned out, rather fortunately, that the seller lives across the valley from here, and Helena arranged for us to go and pick up her next batch this morning.

It entailed a drive a little way up the valley to Thrupp, where we turned off the main road onto Ham Mill Lane, which leads to a foot crossing over the railway line, on the far side of a series of bridges over the river, the mill leet and the canal. I hovered by the beside the old abandoned lock next to the bridge while Helena went to meet the seller. Their house was sited on a thirty yard wide piece of land between the canal and the railway.

I enjoyed strolling along the canal towpath for a short distance to take pictures of the reeds, the flooded towpath, the old bowed brick bridge, the water cascade dropping over a waterfall which has replaced the lock gates, the gulls and coots prowling about the remnants of water in the canal, and the fisherman setting out his stand for the day.

I could hear Helena talking at length but got into position to catch her walking down to the bridge with her booty. Sadly I managed to cut off her feet. I have a feeling she will be asking me for help as usual, and I may have to succumb one day. Wish us luck!