Tag: bad weather

#365daysofbiking Fruitless endeavours:

December 3rd – Spotted in the rain from the canal at Bentley Bridge: Ripe, delicious-looking eating apples rotting off the branches of the tree that fruited them, which is on a piece of edge land between two factory yards on the far side of the canal, both sites derelict. 

The tree and the ground out stands on appears unreachable to all except maybe those in a canoe or boat.

Which is a shame, as I bet the crop is lovely.

#365daysofbiking Stationary traveller:

November 28th – Birmingham New Street, not long after dawn on a grey, wet, miserable winter morning.

Despite it’s faults, despite it’s awful turd-polishing in the Grand Central fiasco, despite it’s continual propensity to be host to disappointment and frustration, this subterranean station is in my heart and soul, and feels like home.

The lights, the people, even, no – especially the steel horse.

I love this city. I love this place. With all my heart. But often, it feels unrequited.

#365daysofbiking Wet stone:

November 27th – Returning home just as the rain stopped, the streets and buildings of Walsall glistened beautifully in the soft evening light.

Leicester Street always makes for a fine night photo but when wet, even better.

This area is not just the beurocratic heart of Walsall with it’s Town Hall, Council House and Civic Centre, but also the centre of the night-time economy too, with large pubs that seemed quiet tonight. 

And, despite the total absences of any Christmas decorations, it felt rather, dare I say it – Christmassy.

#365daysofbiking Holding on:

November 23nd – It’s been a tough week, I don’t mind admitting. Work has been hard and everything else has been manic. The weather hasn’t been too wonderful either.

But, it’s Friday, and even though the day was grey and overcast, the daisies on the verge outside work were doing their best to be cheerful.

#365daysofbiking Either end:

November 19th – Working late in Redditch, I found myself waiting for the train homewards in a brightly lit, but sparse station, surrounded by the light of the Kingfisher Shopping Centre and bus station. It really is a most odd place at night. It barely feels like a station at all.

At the other end, leaving Blake Street and slogging up the Chester Road in unexpected rain was very hard, grim work.

I was just glad to get home tonight.

#365daysofbiking The last obstacle”

November 8th – Returning from Birmingham that evening, the weather was still grim and I stopped to take a photo of the traffic at the Shire Oak crossroads.

Shire Oak Hill is like a homecoming to me. it’s the last obstacle to sanctuary before a gentle and lovely roll downhill into Brownhills. Light or dark, good weather or bad, cresting this hill is always and absolute joy.

At night, in rain, it’s also a fascinating collage of reflection, light and hard surfaces. It fascinates me. 

#365daysofbiking Little stars:

October 16th – Barley light on a damp, but not raining morning in Darlaston on the verge outside my workplace, the shrooms were rising to shine. 

I’m not sure what the lovely chestnut brown ones are – possibly some strain of inocybe – but their colour was rich and deep and rather wonderful.  

Nearby, the early light caught one parasol, sheltering a second, presumably from the night’s rain.

Sorry, but I really am finding the fungus fascinating this year.

#365daysofbiking Appreciating the damp:

October 15th – The rain of the last few days continued – a steady, irritating, invasive drizzle. It was a horrid wet and cold commute.

But like Friday, it redeemed itself – with fungi.

I found my first tiny, sodden Japanese Parasol of the season on the grass by the canal near the Bridgman Street bridge. This tiny, pleated toadstools don’t last twenty-four hours and there will be no trace of it tomorrow. A real fleeting beauty.

Darlaston’s earthstars were also looking good and apparently thriving in the wet.

I just wish I was…