November 11th – I wasn’t well following the procedure I’d had in the week, as I’d neglected my medication, so I took a short spin out for some air after dark.
It was a good chance to try long exposure photography, and the results weren’t too bad. But my heart wasn’t in it: I was cold, tired, fed up, and returned home with a heavy heart.
November 5th – Returning via Longdon and Burntwood, the moon, rising through a cloud of firework night fug, was a lovely orange colour while still low. From a fence-post in Cold Well, it didn’t make a bad image. Apparently it was a super moon or something, but every moon seems special these days, and I hanker for the days when we just had a normal moon that was just as beautiful but few noticed.
Crossing the M6 Toll at Brownhills this time, I was interested in the way the lights caught the smog, but the photos didn’t turn out so well. The change to LED lights on the toll road has certainly made it more ethereal at night.
October 28th – A busy day, and I returned at dusk through Chasewater – where the deer were still loafing on the Rugby pitch and seem to have taken up permanent residence. This is remarkable, and not 20 yards away, the clubhouse was as active and noisy ars a busy social club can be, and the deer clearly weren’t bothered at all. The ability of red deer to integrate seamlessly into urbanity is astonishing.
The sunset on the canal, returning to Brownhills, was also beautiful, but dramatic, and the wind was biting. It was good to be near home.
October 26th – Another horrible, snatched image, but it shows a place I don’t go so much these days because it’s undergoing change which makes it hostile to cycling.
The Shire Oak Crossroads is an important junction in south Brownhills, with a landmark pub and atop a large hill. Carring to major routes, the traffic lights here have always been busy and daunting, and the junction is currently being remodelled, and is replete with barriers, closed footpaths and added, surprise potholes.
While it’s so unpredictable, it’s best avoided on a bike, particularly at night, as many drivers take wide corners or get confused with positioning.
Hopefully it’ll all work out better in the end.
October 26th – A snatched picture from a darkness errand to Stonnall on my way home – what smashing halloween pumpkins!
Sadly, one seems to have been split by the heat from the nightlight inside, but they were clearly well made – the large one is particularly excellent.
I’m not huge on halloween, to be honest, but I do love the inventiveness of it, particularly the carved gourds.
I spotted these near Sandhills and they genuinely made me smile!
October 22nd – A very decent, dark sunset descended on Brownhills. The day was still very windy, an rather wolfish so not really great for riding, really. But I can live with clear skies, a little sun and strong wind.
Sunsets like this, now hovering around 6pm before the end of British Summer Time next weekend, remind me that winter will soon be upon us.
October 21st – Following the winds of the last few weeks, my favourite tree at Home Farm, Sandhills is now bare for winter, which I find profoundly sad.
There’s hope though, in the gloom. Greening up beautifully in a sheet of emerald green are new winter crops sprouting well which will provide some colour in the dark months.
Despite the gloom, life marches on.
October 17th – Well, if the day before had gone unexpectedly pink, the sunset when a gorgeous purple over Brownhills.
Rolling down the hill happy after seeing the deer, I was greeted by the most gorgeous sky. Unusually, I ducked off the High Street at Anchor Bridge, and on to the canal to catch it better.
Within the space of ten minutes, it had gone.
I was very pleased to have caught this. We’re having a great sunset season this year!
October 17th – My deer magnet hasn’t been great lately, so returning from a Birmingham train at Sandhils, I was surprised and pleased to note this pair browsing the healthy-looking winter crop at Home Farm, Sandhills.
Terrible long range images in very poor light, nonetheless they amused and pleased me, rightening an otherwise dull commute.
Of course, the farmer won’t be so pleased, these animals – breeding well and expanding in numbers rapidly – are beginning to cause appreciable dame to crops and fences.
October 16th – With the sun more or less returned to normal and a ferocious tailwind, I hammered back to Brownhills late afternoon for an appointment. Watching me from the far side of the canal near Silver Street, a familiar character who clearly doesn’t care for my sort much, but that’s a huge bruiser of a cat. A real character.
At the old market place by the Pier Street Bridge, I’m happy to see the housing development is using forward with footings already in for the first houses.
It’ll be so nice to see this place inhabited and alive again.
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