Writing Again!

 

It's a very long time since I have written a post for my blog which is very silly of me, as I have been having so many lovely adventures and there is lots to tell you about.  But sometimes, that is the problem - so many things happen that it's hard for a Small Bear to know where to begin!

Polar says I should start with something short and simple, so here is a little post about what we did to celebrate human guardian Grizzly's birthday, back n March.

 

Grizzly loves steam railways so, when Polar saw that the Churnet Valley Railway were doing special trains going to their new station at Leek, she booked tickets for them.  Of course, we all love trains too, so we went with them - it was quite busy in the Bear Bag!  Before the train left the station, Grizzly had the chance for a look in the cab of the loco - and Hanley Bear went up with him.

Then we set off on our journey along the Churnet Valley.  We looked out for the Caldon Canal, as we have been along there on Uppie (our narrowboat, Uplander II) several times and know it well.

 

Soon after we left Kingsley and Froghall station, breakfast was served!

We went right up the line through the Staffordshire Moorlands to Ipstones, then the diesel loco on the back hauled us back down to Leekbrook Junction and then - the first time Polar and Grizzly had been that way - the steam locomotive hauled us into the little station near Leek.

 

The Chrurnet Valley Railway are hoping to build a proper station a little closer to the town one day - this one is on the outskirts, not far from the canal basin and country park.

After that, we had another surprise, as the train travelled a very short distance down the line that used to go all the way to Stoke-on-Trent. 

When we got back to Cheddleton Station, we had a guided tour of the locomotive sheds and the yard, then it was time for the last leg of our journey.  Hanley Bear and Grizzly enjoyed a pint of beer on the way back from there to Kingsley and Froghall!

We had hoped for afternoon tea at Hetty's Tearooms at Froghall Canal Basin when we got back, but they were just closing.  At least Hanley Bear was able to get a photograph with one of those Transport Trust signs that he looks out for.

We are hoping for another Churnet Valley Railway journey soon, but sadly won't be able to get to that part of the canal because there isn't enough water for the locks.  But we have been enjoying some little local canal journeys, and I will tell you about some of those soon.  Or maybe Hanley Bear will, because there have been celebrations for his home city's hundredth birthday and he want to share some of his photos and stories.

Christmas Adventures

After a quiet Christmas at home with Polar and Grizzly, watching Paddington films and reading books, we went to visit Grizzly's grandcubs and their family in Sussex.  As well as watching the younger cub beat Polar at foosball (several times!) and building space Lego, we joined the humans on a couple of very interesting visits.

Endon and I were chosen to visit Leonardslee Gardens to see the winter lights around the grounds.  We had hoped to visit something similar at Trentham Gardens, but had missed our chance, so it was a lovely treat when Grizzly's daughter booked this for everyone.

There were some wonderful illuminated creatures, like this dragonfly and owl, as well as flowers, stars and lights in the trees.

There were even illuminated Bears!

There was a huge illuminated Planet Earth, which looked as if was floating above the lake, and a huge Moon as well.  Both were quite magical and made us think about our special planet and how small and fragile it is compared to the huge Universe it's part of.

My favourite parts of the whole amazing show were the fountains, which changed shape and colour to music, and a huge field of giant flowers that changed colour too, which were Endon Bear's favourites.

   

The following day, Hanley and Huddlesford had a day out.  They went to Nymans, where there was a "Narnia" exhibition.  It was a misty day and the old ruined part of the house looked very spooky! 

The Bears didn't know all of the story, but they thought the moles' home looked very cosy - rather as we imagined Moley's home would look in The Wind in the Willows.

Huddlesford Bear found the gas light in the woods - only it was in one of the rooms.  And Hanley Bear saw the children tumbling out of the wardrobe into Narnia.

Then they sat on some thrones and pretended to be Kings of Narnia!

There was no snow, but it was damp and cold.  Despite that, they told Endon that the grounds had looked very nice as there were dogwood bushes with very bright stems.

When Hanley and Huddlesford got back to Grizzly's Grandcub's house, they sneaked upstairs and checked the backs of all of the wardrobes to see if there was any way out of any of them to another, magical world - but they didn't find anything.

"Never mind," said Hanley.  "I don't think I would like it much in Narnia, as they don't seem to have any oatcakes!"