The series of winter storms over Christmas, continuing into the New Year, meant that like many other streams and rivers the Severn has had several bouts of flooding.
Here a pair of swans feed in water which is flowing over what is normally a stretch of the riverside footpath in the Quarry Park at Shrewsbury.
The day before I made this visit to Perton, someone had reported thirty-odd goosanders on the fishing pools at Pool Hall. So I decided to try somewhere more accessible nearby where they sometimes show up in winter.
When I got there, the lake was very quiet: a few gulls, some mallards and a handfull of Canadas, all in lower numbers than usual. I thought I was going to miss out on goosanders entirely.
Finally, when I’d walked all round the lake and was just about to go, one female flew in. She’s just about recognisable in these distant shots taken on a mobile.
There’s a row of gingko trees planted along the side of the Compton Road opposite the former Eye Hospital. All but one of these trees is male, so flowers in the spring but no fruit in the autumn.
Just the one female tree, near the middle of the row. When I passed, most of the fruit had fallen from the tree, so these shots show some on the ground, among the fallen leaves.
The larger of the two lakes at Perton, the island in the middle still with a few leaves left on the trees when these pictures were taken in late November.
The supposed remains of all three of the Kings / Magi / wise men are the most treasured relics in Cologne Cathedral. The relics themselves are in a massive gold chest, studded with precious gems, all behind stout iron bat the back of the main altar.
The cathedral treasury has more rich ornamentation with depictions of the adoration.
Epiphany, assigned as the date of the visit of the supposed Three Kings (or the Magi) to the baby Jesus. Referenced in this year’s Christmas decorations of a Shrewsbury herbalist.
Presumably they didn’t want to find any herb with “gold” in the name. Around the time of the switch from BC to AD, cinnamon was an extreme luxury spice, perhaps getting on for literally worth its weight in gold.
Elaborate low relief carvings in the rich wood panelling of the great hall in the medieval Guildhall, Coventry.
Squirrel contemplating a Christmas tree, weathervane. This was on the cathedral / imperial chapel at Aachen.
Morris and Co., Shrewsbury, with a distinctive and striking set of Christmas decoration for their building by the Severn at Welsh Bridge. Some of the night-time shots were taken with a camera phone, and don’t do the bears justice.
Misericord, lion with face rather defaced. Now on display at the Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry.
Doorknocker if the form of a demonic face. Not, in my opinion, as threatening as the famous one on the main door at Durham Cathedral. This one is from the cathedral (Dom) at Trier, Germany, and is still scary enough to ward off any malicious spirits associated with the turn of the year.
This intricate example of a blacksmith’s art showing a blacksmith at work was at the back of Cologne Cathedral.