February 18th – One of the more grinding, miserable effects of the tremendously wet year so far has been the constant sea of mud that accompanies any off-road ride: From towpaths to cycleways, every journey is accompanied by damp and filth and the unpleasant, dogged drag through goop.
When things finally dry out a bit it will be so lovely.
But that feels a long way away right now.
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February 18th – on my way through Pleck, I spotted this clump of daffodils, a welcome addition to my currently grey and grim commute.
I note daffodils are gradually emerging in parks, hedgerows and gardens, and not just the traditional early patches I’m familiar with – they seem a bit early this year but I’m not sure if they really are.
Whatever they are, they are most welcome. Spring is definitely here when these beautiful characters appear.
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February 17th -The storm bought huge amounts of rain to an already saturated environment. The canal overflow at Silver Street had flooded the lower meadow already.
The overflow at Clayhanger Bridge’s overflow – which goes into the same drain – was no less fierce.
Mesmerising to watch, but frightening when you think of the sheer volume we’ve had.
Let’s have a dry spell soon!
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February 17th – The day after one of the worst rainstorms I can remember, I was in Telford.
The trains I needed mercifully had not been terribly badly affected.
It was still windy and damp, and rather chilly – so I was surprised to spot this blossom by the cycleway through Stafford Park.
I was initially confused, then remembered some odd species of cherry blossom early, before the leaves come on.
An early but wonderfully unexpected beauty.
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February 16th – A truly dreadful day which saw a huge amount of rain and high winds. Overnight, lots of local roads flooded and there was much damage.
I ventured out after dark, and noted that the lower meadow at Clayhanger Common was doing it’s usual job. It had flooded, storing the water from the canal and local drains that would previously have swamped the village.
Instead, the landscape forms a lake that slowly and safely drains, keeping Clayhanger dry.
The noise and spectacle of this rushing water is a sight to see, but a remarkable bit of landscape engineering.
I do hope the weather will improve soon.
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February 15th – There were a number of trees brought down by the ongoing storm at Chasewater.
Thankfully rangers are quick to remove them.
Sad to see, but a reminder of just how grim the weather is, and how unsound the root of a conifer generally is…
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February 15th – Another weekend, another storm, this time the more mundanely named Dennis.
Dennis was a sod though, bringing heavy rain and high wind.
Slipping out on a foul afternoon to get shopping I hit the saturated towpath to Burntwood. An attempt to plough has been made at Home Farm, Sandhills and seemingly abandoned due to muddiness.
The wind howled and rain sang on the surface of the water.
The only bright spot was the Millfield Commemorative Stones – over 130 of them – that had been driven over by a Canal and River Trust contractor – have been lovingly recovered, washed and placed back in position by local man Micheal Newton Turner, who saw my blog post on the matter.
I sent him an Amazon voucher to thank him for his hard, selfless work.
Brightness in unexpected places is always a joy.
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February 14th – I haven’t been to Birmingham much this winter, and the first time passing though overground since Christmas in daylight made me stop in surprise at a building growing in the Colmore Row business area.
This office block has grown on the site of John Madin’s now demolished brutalist gem 103 Colmore Row: The former Birmingham Natwest Tower.
103 had passed its time and it is right, I guess that it has gone and change is happening. But I do miss it, it was a startlingly beautiful bit of brutalist design – a priapic monument to mammon.
The building replacing it is so far unknown to me: But it seems huge. In my head 103 fitted perfectly, in a forest of towers, but it clearly never was so, and the rising of a replacement is somehow shocking in size and imposition.
This is what change looks like. I’ll be interested to see this develop.
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February 14th – Having missed a train at Blake Street station, I took refuge from the cold in the waiting room.
It’s perfectly neat, tidy and cleaned well: But it’s noticeable a visitor from outside is being allowed to come in from the cold.
I loved how this ivy frond which looked healthy and seemed to be growing well has worked in through the window frame and climbed down the electric cable.
The tenacity of plants is fantastic.
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February 13th – And on the canal further on, the usual characters are regrouping for the spring rituals. Soon, shady aggressive beggars like this lad will be building nests and chasing off any unwelcome visitors.
For now he was grumpy with me because I had no food.
He glared and honked at me from the water, his contempt at my lack of largesse painfully clear.
To swans, I will always be a disappointment.
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