October 10th – I came home drained, and tired. But at least it was dry, and the wind seemed to be behind me. I pushed through Walsall as the sun was setting, and caught this lovely skyline in The Butts. Great chimeys, and excellent queen pots.
Looking to my right, I noticed the Arabic (or possibly Urdu) script high on the gable end of the house close by. I like that a lot. Curious.
October 5th – I returned to Brownhills from Pelsall over Ryders Mere and the old rail line. Dropping onto the canal just by the Pelsall Road, I notices two fresh pieces of street art by Voms on the inside parapets of the old rail bridge.
They’re competent, and well-excuted; I like them a lot. An interesting thing.
September 25th – I spotted this by change in Butlers Passage, Walsall. A dark, dingy alleyway, it’s not a pleasant place, and I normally scoot the bike through here to get on the road home if I’ve been in the town centre.
Today, I happened to glance left, and there was a beautifully executed partial stencil of Snow White apparently drinking coffee with a lad in a baseball hat.
I guess it’s a visual joke based on the Italian cafe a few yards to the right.
It’s beautifully executed, and seems to be by the same hand as the now erased ‘Class War’ stencil that was nearby until very recently. The art is confident yet cursory, and beautifully thought out.
A wonderful thing that brought a real smile to my face. My compliments to the artist.
September 18th – From the Indian, back to the Indian summer. Darlaston, in and around Victoria Park. The leaves are turning and falling, and the park as clean and perfect as usual. Surrounded by beautiful houses, I will not cease banging on about this jewel of a place until everyone gets it.
I was intrigued by the scarlet berries on the holly-like evergreen; copious and beautiful, they seem to be holly, but the leaves don’t look much like holly leaves; more like a cross between laurel and holly. A curious thing.
Anyone know what it is?
September 11th – In Darlaston Green, a sight to bring joy to the coldest, hardest heart – a single, 7 foot tall sunflower, growing right in front of a living room window. I imagine it to have been planted by a child under adult supervision – possibly a grandparent.
You can’t fail to adore this.
September 8th – I was in Droitwich for a meeting. I quite like the place, and it’s a nice train journey, especially on a sunny day like this. I noticed the canal as I rode up the Salwarpe Road. I believe it’s only been reopened in the last few years, and is probably worth exploring one of these days.
What a lovely view.
August 28th – Although summer is drawing to a close, some peculiar reminders remain. I don’t think I’ve ever known the canal waterlilies last as long as they have this year – white and yellow are still widely in bloom. They’re usually over by now.
Like the herons I’m so fond of, they’re an indicator of a clean waterway, and something I find beautiful and special, as you’d never see anything like this when I was a kid.
Stay as long as you like…
August 19th – This is Victoria Park in Darlaston, once a railway line.
This is in the centre of a heavily urbanised, industrial area in the Black Country. It is a green oasis in a sea of roads, buildings, traffic and noise. It is clean, well maintained and a credit to the town.
This is why I love this place.
August 4th – He was fishing in the canal from the gardens at the back of Barrow Close in Walsall Wood. He is absolutely gorgeous, and I think I’m in love. He has to be a pedigree.
Look at the length of that tail! A fine cat whose staff should be very proud.
August 4th – I ought to know what this is; I can’t remember and the book is in elsewhere. The nettle-ish leaves have me confused. It’s a lovely shade of purple and one single instance (that I’ve found) is in bloom by the canal at Birchills.
Susan, help!
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 