May 18th – I adore this time of year. Every day a new discovery to delight and cheer me.
Today, I noticed the first birds foot trefoil of the year – as kids we called this egg and bacon due to the colour.
A gorgeous yellow flower that loves verges, meadows, lawns, edgelands and anywhere there‘s grass, it’s a delightful, cheery flower that really lets me know summer has started, and will be here, quietly spreading the yellow love all summer long.
Welcome back old pal.
May 18th – I said last week, somewhat stupidly, that the blossom season was passing. That was completely and utterly wrong – it’s still in full swing.
Not with the brassy, brash cherries, apple and other fruit blossoms that entertained for an all too short period a few weeks back, but with the more subtle blossoms of humbler hedgerow soldiers – in this case hawthorn and rowan.
Both smell remarkable. Both creamy white, but very different. And both rarely deemed worthy of a mention, but criminally overlooked as they’re beautiful, especially close up.
May 17th – Again,in the ‘what a difference a few weeks make’ department, the cycleways of generally unremarkable Telford are returning to their leafy, shady but sun dappled summer state.
You would not know here you’re but feet from a motorway, and the colour and Arcadian effect is stunning, and a joy to ride along.
Telford faces much derision, not least from me, But some things it does really, really well. Telford, take a bow.
May 17th – I first noticed this remarkable blossom in the car park just by the cycleway in Telford last week. I have no idea what it is and I think it’s probably some type of ornamental shrub, rather than something commonly wild.
The long white blossoms remind me a little of labernum, or an upside down horse chestnut.
Can any readers help please?
May 16th – The late return was hurried, and I didn’t take many pictures. But the pause for a drink and a few minutes recovery at the new pond in Clayhanger was well worth it.
A few short weeks ago there was little green here, just shades of brown and grey. Not so now, just a lovely peaceful, sun-dappled view over the treetops, accompanied by a soft, fading sunlight and the sounds of wildfowl rubbing along on the pond.
A lovely spot for a rest. I was glad to get home.
May 16th – One thing that was a real surprise on a late return from work was that the lupins on the canal at Clayhanger are in bloom already.
After a really brutal, hard day and a weary, late evening battle home into the wind, finding these beauties next to the towpath was a real spiritual boost.
Sometimes, you just need a little beauty in your life. And something a wonderful shade of purple.
May 15th – I’m a scientific and cultural atheist, as most readers know and I’m a really strong believer in evolution. It’s just the way I am. But even my stoic scientific approach falters sometimes.
Like in the case of coot chicks.
What evolutionary advantage does looking like they really had a moorhen as a father create? And just what made them so ugly that probably even their mums find them a bit grim?
They have cute in shedloads but bless my soul they’re not lookers.
May 14th – At Bentley Bridge, a proud new family – mum and dad and five cute goslings.
The parents hissed at me to be careful, but were tolerant as I greeted and watched the brood they were clearly very proud of. The goslings just acted like I wasn’t there.
A delightful encounter on an urban, industrial Black Country canal bank, and one of the reasons this place is so dear to me.
May 14th – A lovely lunchtime ride into Walsall from work, and I took the canal. The sun was warm, bright and welcoming, the canal alive with wildlife and growth, a green motorway for birds, insects and walkers.
The lilac at Pleck, Sallow at James Bridge and just the air of quiet summer growth was wonderful. A real joy to the heart.
And who did I spot on my return to work in the afternoon? Curled up into a comfy black furry circle, Sam the elderly Kings Hill puss, dozing contentedly in a sun dappled spot, no doubt dreaming of his younger days and soothing his bones in the summer warmth.
It doesn’t get much better than this.
May 13th – Found on the outskirts of Wigginton, a lone cottage, derelict, in the bounds of another, occupied property.
It looks like the remnant of a larger terrace, and also like someone might be planning to, or made a start on renovating it.
It’s some way from the lane, and has a really strong air about it that it might be horrified.
One for the found faces pile, that one.
I do hope this place is one day a home again.
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