March 28th – And not far away, another sight to gladden the heart: nascent cherry blossom, just waiting for a sunny day to encourage the buds to expand into beautiful pink flowers.
It may not have been very springlike today, but signs of the season were all around.
The daylight is back, the trees are coming into leaf and yes, I’ve survived the darkness once more.
March 28th – On a grey, misty and cold morning running through Wednesbury on an errand, what better pick-me-up than this embankment of daffodils?
I was cold, and not feeling the love at all, but these reversed my gloom. Daffodils are such lovely flowers and I adore the way they transform even mundane industrial estates like this.
March 23rd – I headed home in a dreadful headwind, needing to call at the supermarket. I hit the canal, and went to Sainsbury’s at Reedswood. It was a genuinely wonderful evening, but oh so cold.
The weather can be deceptive this time of year: it looks like it should be warm, but my hands and face were freezing, and it took me ages to battle home.
The sun’s great, now can we turn the heating up a notch and the wind down a bit, please?
March 22nd – A terrible photo snatched in the dark: but spring is here – THIS IS NOT A TEST.
The first spot of my favourite flowers, cowslips on the side of the canal towpath at Clayhanger.
I adore these charming little yellow flowers. Their appearance for me confirms the end of winter and the brightness of a new spring. After the rain and misery of the day’s riding, areal pick-me-up in a dark, wet ride home.
March 22nd – A rainy, horrid day: I found myself at New Street waiting for a delayed train mid-morning, in a frankly foul mood. Nothing was moving and I felt stuck. As I looked out from the end of the platform, I spotted this train driver, heading to his post in the rain, and felt an instant sympathy.
Rainy day commutes are horrid.
March 20th – With the start of my beloved British Summer Time less than a week away now (not that I’m counting the days at all) it was strange to get as far as Brownhills on a normal time commute and it still be pretty much light.
The morning commute had been awful – driving rain and a headwind – but the late afternoon had been sunny, if much colder than the previous day.
Hopping onto the canal at the Black Cock Bridge the towpaths were sodden, but I enjoyed the ride.
Stopping to photograph the view from Catshill Junction before my return to Brownhills, apart from the huge expanses of standing water, you’d not have known that most of the day had been so intemperate.
March 5th – Chasewater was a blessed relief, but a mud bath. The North Heath was so wet, I was surprised to see the red deer browsing it over by the railway, seemingly unconcerned that they must have been paddling in the water.
There was a well-dispersed herd of maybe 14 adults, peaceful and in good health. It’s been a while since our paths crossed, so it was a nice reward to see them on such a grim, unpleasant afternoon.
I noted with some amusement that there’s a deer run developing around the fence by the Nine-Foot Pool – I wonder if they’re using the canal bridge on the far side to avoid the toll road?
March 3rd – A bad day when it barely stopped raining all day.
I had to be in Birmingham early, and took short rides in the morning and early evening. The weather was foul, and my mood little better.
Thankfully, good news, a mind at rest and the company of a very good friend helped no end.
Some days make you glad they’re over.
February 27th – Another wolfish day, but with a softer wind. A horrid morning commute – into a headwind with driving rain – was not a great start to the week, and through the day, the yin and yang of rain and shine battled across the sky, even resulting in one point at a fall of snow.
I had to go to Lichfield on an errand and I successfully dodged the rain, returning fortuitously in a gorgeous semi-golden hour through the backlanes of Wall.
The fields are emerald green now, with fresh crops growing well; the sky was pleasingly azure between the clouds, even at gone 5pm and spring does seem to be ready to assume her throne.
Not a bad end to a day that didn’t start with a great deal of promise…
February 26th – Another blustery, wet day and although I had plans, I shelved them and had to be content with a spin around Chasewater. That wasn’t so bad, as I was weary and hadn’t scoped the place out for a while. I checked out the recent dam works, which contrary to local conspiracy theory seemed to make sense, and also noted that the dam road is now closed, which is something that should have been done long ago – only the residents and rangers have business down there and hopefully the locked gate will prevent further outbreaks of fly tipping and ASB.
I had a snack at the cafe, then arced around the lake over a very wet and muddy north heath – I was looking for deer, but saw little wildlife except the burgeoning grebe population and a very depressed looking kestrel on his usual pylon perch.
Looking for something – anything – to make the ride better, I remembered the cemetery and St Anne’s Church, just over the bypass, as surely the crocuses must be in bloom. I wasn’t disappointed.
I commend visiting this cemetery in the next week or so to any locals – my photos don’t do this veritable carpet of blooms justice and it’s thoroughly captivating.
I left sometime later in a punishing, rain-soaked headwind, a much happier man.
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