January 15th – one would tend to think that fungi don’t really grow over the winter, but a few species like the cold, wet weather. Here at Hammerwich the turkey tail fungus is growing well on a rolling, windfallen log.
Initially quite dull, when studied closely you can see how this delicate fungus got its name.
January 15th – First really cold day of the year, with the lightest, cutest dusting of snow that sat on the landscape like icing sugar. Not yet having fitted the ice tyres, I let some air out and rode the heaviest bike I have. It was gorgeous; the temperature didn’t get above freezing all day, and I got cold and hungry, but it was worth being out in. It was good to be off work but it was also good to be out in the glass-hard, clear day. Stonnall, Wall and Hammerwich positively glowed in the cold winter sunshine.
I’ve needed this for so long.
January 13th – Now, this is winter at last. Riding homeward at 6pm, the air temperature according to the ride computer was -2.4 degrees C. It felt it too.
That morning had shown a light, wet dusting of snow, and it half-heartedly snowed during the late evening, too.
I’d like a bit of snow, or some good hard frosts.Come on then, weather… show us what you’re made of.
January 13th – I was grumbling uphill in Bradford Street, Walsall, and a piece of fresh graffiti art caught my eye. In light of the recent grumbles I’ve been having about the weather, it seemed like a message from fate.
In the last couple of days I had a message from a good friend and reader of this journal ‘Stop moaning about the rain!’
I shall try, promise. There’s always hope, after all.
January 13th – And there you go, it can’t even manage 24 hours dry at the moment. Another soaking on the way home – and it was cold too, with the temperature hovering just above zero degrees.
I stopped to adjust my scarf at Maybrook Road and took two quick shots. They look wet, cold and desolate and that’s just how it was.
January 13th – A better day, at least: the sun was out as I cycled through Victoria Park in Darlaston and under the Mystic Bridge. It was still very wet, though and I was running late against a headwind. But the light was nice, and I felt better.
One of the things about cycling nearly everywhere you go is the massive connection you have with the outdoors and the weather. Periods of continued poor conditions can get to feel like a personal attack, and that’s how I’ve been feeling just lately.
There has to be a break in this soon, for a few days at least.
January 12th – this was around 3:30pm, during the rains. I was soaked, and cold. Every single light was red and the traffic was doing the mad things it always does when we have rain.
I keep saying I think I’m developing webbed feet. Shelve that. At the moment I’m considering a coat of Cuprinol to stave off wet rot…
January 12th – A better day health and mood-wise, but not in terms of the weather. I had to go to Droitwich, and got wet on the way. On my return, it was sunny in Worcestershire and Birmingham; as I got to Walsall near 3pm, the sky blackened and dusk seemed to fall early.
The sky was incredible, seen here at Station Street in Walsall, just as the rain started.. The following downpour? Not so much.
January 11th – Another reason I wasn’t feeling too chipper was I’d forgotten my camera, but felt like I might have lost it. I hadn’t, thankfully, just in the general cloud of roughness that morning I’d left it behind.
Returning to Shenstone tired, I chanced my hand at a couple of night shots of my beloved station, and have been genuinely surprised at how decent the phone camera is in low light.
A bit grainy, but I don’t think it did too bad. Surprising.
January 11th – I had to go to a meeting in Leicester, and for some reason felt very low for most of the day. My health wasn’t great and I felt grim and lacklustre.
Only one thing for it – comfort food on the way back. I called in a a favourite asian snack shop, and bought the most wonderful dhokla, patra and five small, crunchy samosas. The whole lot was less than £3 and came with various sauces.
They tasted wonderful and got me home feeling better. Sometimes, you just need a bit of soul food.
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