No parking against the building

A glorious day for a secluded walk, mostly along the canal towpath which in most places is wide enough to give other people at least 2 metres of separation. The majority of passers-by smiled happily at my self-distancing antics although some gave a baffled frown. 

I was spurred along by today's choice of previously unheard album - "Hedonsim" by Bellowhead, the stand-out song on which is the exuberant New York Girls.

Before setting-out, I read about St Nicholas of Bari by Fra Angelico (1437.) Interesting facts about the subject are that he wasn't officially a Saint, had nothing much to do with Bari and probably didn't actually exist. Despite this, it is another fascinating painting, containing many points of interest. 

One of its scenes reflects a legend that St Nicholas came to the aid of starving sailors by allowing them one hundred measures each of wheat. Famine was a common topic of the mid15th century.  Wheat was the most popular food source and towns and villages practised stockpiling.  However, two successive poor harvests would empty the granaries. There were few ways of importing food quickly but those who managed to do so could make up to 400% profit.