October 3rd – I set out for work a little early on a murky, misty, wet autumn morning, and realised as I sped down the Chester Road that it was oddly photogenic. I decided to take a diversion and spun up to Shenstone, and grabbed some pictures as the season began to turn the leaves.
It worked rather well, I thought. It’s unseasonably warm right now, but I’ve got the feeling we’re on the verge of some really dramatic colours. I think this one could be worth keeping an eye on…
September 17th – A spin around Chasewater in the rain. The park was pretty deserted just after lunch. I span round, the drizzle persistent but relatively warm. The cows on the north heath were trying to find shelter in the woods, and looked thoroughly cheesed off. Meanwhile, further down the heath to the north shore, workers were cutting the scrub and burning the waste, resulting in the lake being covered in a low layer of sweet-smelling smoke.
As I returned down the causeway, I noticed the crews of kids in rowing boats, out from the Outdoor Education Centre.
Life doesn’t stop at Chasewater when the summer goes; it just gets a bit more challenging.
September 15th – I headed out late morning hoping to get back before the weather closed in. I misjudged, and as I was pottering over The Swag the rain started. The marsh was great, and deserted, but almost everything was horrid shades of headache grey, the only colour being a curious orange flower growing in the brook. I headed back to Clayhanger and round the new pool, which still looks remarkably verdant for the time of year.
It felt wintry, and I felt down. There’s months of this to come and I don’t feel ready for it at all.
September 14th – The big sky. I went out mid afternoon, in a fruitless search for a sandwich. All the Chasewater cafes have stopped serving butties after 2pm, which was sad, but I enjoyed a blast around a windy Chasewater none the less. All the time, I felt under ever-present threat from a sky that was clearly enjoying the drama. Thankfully, the rain held off. The wind, however, was something atrocious. Autumn is here to stay now…
September 13th – A grim commute in both directions. The wind and rain had arrived and seemed set to be in for the weekend. I’d suffered a thoroughly enervating week, and had had quite enough. Train delays and overcrowding made for a tough journey home, and I was glad to be coming back along the quiet lanes between Shenstone and Stonnall with a following wind.
The green, the fresh air and smell of the rain cheered me, but it was oh so hard. It’s a long time since I was this glad of a weekend.
September 9th – I got soaked again on the way to work this morning, less that 12 hours after getting similarly wet the night before. I’ve certainly not had much luck with the showers this last few days, and there’s now a permanent rainbow over my boots. The rain on the rowans and other shrubbery beside the cycleway at Telford looked nice, though.
Here’s hoping for a drier week…
August 5th – It seems the harvest had started just before the rains came over the weekend. These fields near Stonnall were still full of wheat on Thursday, and are now no more than neat rows of cut straw, with crows looking for food in the gleanings. I noticed other fields had been cut at Springhill and Summerhill too.
And so the season ticks on. It doesn’t seem long since there were deep snowdrifts here..
August 2nd – The destructive power of storm water left it’s mark on Main Street, Stonnall. When we had the heavy rains, this storm drain blew it’s lid and ruptured the tarmac of the road. It’s been re-rolled flat now, but some remarkable damage was done in the downpours of the previous Saturday. Ultimately, I suspect, these drains will have to have their access chambers rebuilt due to the water damage.
It must have been a sight to see when it happened.
July 31st – The promised rains came, but during my commutes, they were patchy and drizzly. It was an odd day; I lost something in the morning, and found it in the afternoon on the station platform, still where I dropped it. I sweated in waterproofs. I saw the aftermath of quite a serious road accident. Sometimes, you’re glad to get home in one piece.
The rain was nice; refreshing, warm, not driven by the wind, just gentle, cleansing. I caught the waterlogged backlanes of Stonnall, and looked for the raindrops on willow herb and brambles.
Not all rain is bad.
July 27th – I headed out to Burntwood to the supermarket to get some shopping in. I deliberately waited until the rain started, and cycling in it was joyous; warm, soothing, but cool and refreshing, I rejoiced in the rain running down my face and legs. Everything smelt gorgeous, and I’d forgotten how loud rain can be.
It’s not often you’re glad of rain, but I was today.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 