August 25th – A bad time with the IBS at the moment, but I got out late in the afternoon on what was a very pleasant day to the Historic Narrowboat Club heritage gathering at Alvecote, on the far side of Tamworth.
There were a huge number of old working boats on display, with their proud owners ready to tell you all about them – and these fine characters and their wonderful dogs made for a great couple of hours.
A very English thing on a lovely Saturday.
August 24th – At Chester Road near the Stonnall turning, just before Castlehill, change is afoot. The old quarry with the hardstanding, idle since the 50s after it’s use as a concrete block manufacturing works is now undergoing groundworks for the construction of a new care home.
There have been a number of planning applications for this site over recent times, and permission for a fairly large elderly person’s care facility was granted last year and will involve extensive modifications to the road to mitigate the driveway.
It’ll be interesting to watch this progress.
August 24th – I nipped to Stonnall on my way home, and the view from Shire Oak was a gorgeous as ever when I passed: I’ll never tire of that view of the Ladies of the Vale over the quarry and rolling countryside to Wall.
On my return to Brownhills, dusk was falling, and the new flats at Anchor Bridge glowed well as the dying sunlight caught the damp tarmac.
August 23rd – On the way home, a real treat to compensate for the persistentt wind and rain – a vivd, beautiful rainbow.
I caught it over Shelfield and Jockey Meadows. It was perfect, and I revelled in it for 15 minutes, steadily getting wet.
A beautiful thing I was lucky to witness.
August 23rd – I don’t know what it is in the season, but the acorns this year are prolific and absolutely huge. With the dry summer I’d have expected the opposite, but they are absolutely huge.
The fecundity of the crop is, however, being affected by the large amount of knopper galls, that from from acorns attacked by the knopper wasp. Also a peculiar seasonal phenomenon, they are very,. very red this year, whereas it’s usually just tinges of colour.
Wonder why?
August 22nd – Also doing well this year seems to be the alder trees who are fruiting heavily with the catkins profuse.
This hardy, wetland loving tree grows well near the local canals and although not a stunner, is pleasing all year round.
August 22nd – Despite the cooler weather and repeated inexplicable attacks by a hedge cutter, the honeysuckle at the southern flank of the Black Cock Bridge embankment continues to flower, fruit and thrive.
Every time I pass this beautifully scented shrub it makes me happy.
August 21st – My late commute homeward bound collided with the start of the golden hour, a sign that the nights are closing in now, although I was unusually late, so no need to panic yet, I guess.
Passing the trees on the edge of Grange Farm near the Black Cock Bridge, the golden light fell through the edge land and was magical.
After a dull, damp, uninspiring start to the day, a welcome dose of sunshine.
August 20th – The coos of Jockey Meadows have clearly been here again. But there is no sign of them now.
I’ve been wondering if they’d be here this summer, as the meadow is lush and full of stuff they’d love to eat – but up to now, no sign of them.
But the feeding troughs are out, the grass is trampled down. But where are they?
I love to see them. I hope they come back soon.
August 20th – One of the sad but beautiful signs of a closing summer is toadflax, otherwise known as butter and eggs. This beautiful plant, in shades of yellow, white and orange will be common now in hedges and on towpath fringes until October.
It’;s a lovely thing but it does make me sad for a season passed.
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