August 30th – I noticed this poster a few days ago, and it’s been bothering me ever since. I think it’s one of the worst advertising banners I’ve ever seen. I’m assuming that the company concerned, the builders Cameron, are trying to tell me that if I buy one of their new build houses in Rushall, I can save tens of thousands of pounds. What they’re actually telling me is I can’t save anything. I think it’s bloody awful, am I alone in this? Is it only me that is annoyed about stuff of this nature?

August 30th – An odd day. I only had one thing to do – go and meet someone in Tyseley, Birmingham. I set off for the 9:20 train from Shenstone, but a fallen tree at Erdington stopped all services. So my easy day turned into a cycle your of Birmingham. I raced into the city through Sutton, Wylde Green and Erdington, hopped on the canal under Spaghetti Junction, pausing only to photograph the oddest, most scary scaffold tower setup I’d ever seen (Yes, that is on a raft, held on with a ratchet strap, no, I don’t know why either). I continued to Tyseley through the city centre on the canal, passing Camp Hill and the most unpleasantly surfaced canal footbridges I’ve ever experienced. On the way back, I called in at stops in Greets Green and Darlaston. I was knackered, frankly…

August 29th – The honeysuckle I noted growing wild alongside the road near the Black Cock Bridge, in Walsall Wood is still in bloom, as it is in many places I’ve noted it. Just another symbol of the weird season, flowers seem to be almost everlasting at the moment. I notice the same bush has also grown handsome, deep crimson berries, which must be good for the birds, but not humans as they’re poisonous. A pleasant reminder of the joys of summer, even if we didm’t get one…

August 29th – In complete contrast to the day before, I travelled to Darlaston in a rainstorm. Wet and miserable, I slid through the streets of Walsall. Fed up of the traffic, at Bridgman Street, I dropped onto the canal towpath for peace and quiet. Near Bentley Bridge, I suddenly noticed these flowers growing in the reed-beds at the side of the water. They instantly cheered me up. I have no idea (as usual!) what they are, but their dainty blooms were just the tonic on a damp and chilly journey to work.

August 28th – When I returned back that afternoon, it was overcast, and also in Scarborough Road, I noticed this derelict cottage. Fitting well into the Walsall Heritage project, this building has been decaying on the corner of St, John’s Road for years. It’s an interesting building, again with excellent, original chimney pots. I do hope someone can find a use for it once more, before it’s forever lost.

28th August – It was bright and sunny, in complete contrast to the day before. I commuted to Darlaston, which has been far too irregular of late – I love the journey and the place, and miss it when I’m not there. On the way, I travelled down one of my favourite Walsall residential streets – Scarborough Road. Consisting mainly of inter-war council houses, this wide, tree-lined street is a testament to a more socially concerned time. There’s always someone here who waves as you pass; a pensioner stood in their garden, school kids or folk just pottering about their business. I always feel comfortable here.

August 27th – Still, there’s always nature to surprise you. This carpet of fringed water lilies has suddenly materialised near the canal aqueduct at Newtown, Brownhills. I’ve not seen this type of lily growing here before, and wonder if it’s a domestic escapee. Whatever the provenance, these flowers were delightful even in the rain, and they did lift my grim mood.

August 27th – I bloody hate summer bank holiday. To me, perhaps wrongly, it represents the end of summer. Last break until Christmas, from now, the nights draw in in earnest, the weather closes in and the warm days and sunshine once again become hazy memories. Except this year, we didn’t have much summer, either, and I felt doubly cheated.

I had to skip over to Burntwood at teatime. Driving rain, and a biting headwind. Some times, people ask me why I do this: today, deprived of summer and battling the elements, I was asking the question of myself…

August 26th – The same ride, and my deer magnet was clearly functioning well. Late afternoon, four red deer on the north heath of Chasewater, two adult hinds and their two young fawns. These are the first of this year’s youngsters I’ve seen and they look fit and heathy. For the time of year, their coats, too, were in surprisingly good condition. 
I still can’t quite believe these animals roam free here; they always leave me in awe. We’d never have imagined as kids that seeing such fine creatures in Brownhills would be remotely possible.