#365daysofbiking Flower power

Wedesday March 17th 2021 – On the cycleway near Stafford Park in Telford, the blackthorn is heavily in blossom, and it’s beautiful. The first of the major blossom shows, it’s only beaten here by the odd ornamental cherry that would have come into flower a month ago.

Blackthorn – the once sought after sloe, beloved of home brewers – is interesting as it flowers before coming fully into leaf (much of the greenery here is an interleaved hawthorn).

Lovely on a dull, chilly morning.

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#365daysofbiking Going nuts

Saturday January 23rd 2021 – There was cold weather coming in, with the possibility of snow. I could feel it in the afternoon air as I nipped up to Walsall Wood.

The hazel katkins were having none of it, though: They were coming out and although sparse, were a very welcome splash of light green in a grey winter landscape.

These blooms are the male flowers of the tree, the female ones are tiny. Hopefully the nut crop will not be too sparse this season, despite the thinness of the number of katkins on display…

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#365daysofbiking In our nature

May 16th – Oh, the flowers. Maybe it was the wet, grey winter. Maybe it’s the horrible, ongoing pandemic. But something made me notice the sheer diversity of blossom, garden and wildflowers.

From rhododendron to cornflower, from horse chestnut to roses, the colour and variety is endlessly fascinating – and most are alive with bugs and beebuzz.

I must point out here that I have never before this year noticed how beautiful and multicoloured horse chestnut blossom is. Old pal Linda ‘Mad old baggage’ Mason pointed it out to me, so I took a look. She was right. It’s absolutely stunning. Worth enlarging those photos.

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#365daysofbiking – May bee

April 28th – Almost bang on schedule, the may blossom – Hawthorn – is coming out along the lanes, towpaths and hedges of the area.

This outwardly white blossom which was bad luck according to my grandmother if brought into the house, is actually quite colourful if you look at the small flowers closely.

It’s one of those that is really beautiful, but few ever look at closely. A boost for bugs and bees too, who adore the blossom.

It never looks better then when bejewelled with rain and catching the light.

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#365daysofbiking In the pink

April 23rd – It’s appropriate for St. George’s day I guess that apple blossom is now out. For all th frilliness and glamour of the ornamental cherries, you really can’t beat traditional apple blossom. Pink and white, it’s a gorgeous spectacle, and very British.

It smells rather nice too.

It’s in hedgerows all over, but this lovely specimen is on the canal between Clayhanger Bridge and the Black Cock.

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#365daysofbiking Peared down

April 14th – On the way to work on a sunny morning, I passed the new pond at Clayhanger on the canal. I noticed that the pear tree there is currently in blossom.

Pear blossom is subtly different to apple, which comes a bit later and has pink tinges, and to cherry, which is generally smaller, denser and more uniform.

The white flowers against the blue sky again made for a brilliant contrast, and improved my mood no end.

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#365daysofbiking Solace in an unusual time

April 12th – And of course, the flowers continued to captivate me. Magnolia, various blossom, primroses, forget me nots, pieris (is that a flower? Don’t know) and green alkanet all entertained and gave me solace in this most unusual of rides.

You can stick the coronavirus where the sun really doesn’t shine but I can handle countryside to myself like this for as long as possible, please!

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#365daysofbiking Renewal

April 12th – Easter Sunday was so quiet as I slipped out on a changeable afternoon. Mindful of the exercise only diktat, I figured a ride around the backlanes to Little Hay and back would be acceptable.

I was shocked to note very few people about at all. I pretty much had the lanes to myself – and how beautiful they were.

The blossom, green shoots and beautiful skies made for a refreshing, rejuvenating ride that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I really do feel like I’m beginning to get that old spark back.

It’s been gone awhile, washed away in the rains of the winter, I think…

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#365daysofbiking Into white

April 8th – And as I predicted, within twenty four hours that same cherry was absolutely perfect.  The clumps of flowers were huge, and stunning against a spring azure sky.

This blossom will be short lived and soon fall like snow, but oh my heart sings for that one sunny morning when I could just stand beneath and drift off, into white.

Things might be OK, after all.

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#365daysofbiking All that I needed

April 7th – I think my mood is improving a little. It really sank leading up to, and over the weekend, but the realisation that life and spring continue are helping me adapt to new norms.

This beautiful cherry blossom is coming on strong now, and this one tree is always so gorgeous. This can never be wrong.

Soon this will be an absolute riot of flowers.

The sun and blossom are all I needed to feel better, I think.

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