March 19th – A late ride out to Chasewater, feeling a bit low. Cheered, however, to see the Newtown One, the Papillon of Brownhills, was still evading the attentions of both her mistress and Brer Fox.
Go home, Mrs. Muscovy… there’s free food, other ducks and a warm roost in safety. And the drakes who chased you off are now in the freezer!
March 13th – Always nice to see the deer; this large herd were between Norton Bog and Cuckoo bank, and didn’t seem much bothered by me al all, eventually being scared off by a the noise of a siren on the nearby main road.
It was quite misty so the photos aren’t as clear as I’d like.
They look healthy and content.
March 11th – The Newtown One. Like the Scarlett Pimpernell, they seek her here, they seek her there. Always within snatching distance, but always evading the grasp.
This bird has a safe roost, free food and company back home. But she appears to prefer contemplating silently life’s complexities at the canal side.
The saga continues…
March 9th – Coming back to Brownhills on the wettest and greyest of evenings, I stopped to take a call at the top of Clayhanger Lane on Lindon Road. The traffic was terrible, it was cold and the rain was penetrating.
It seems a world away from the warmth of a few weeks ago.
Hopefully, spring won’t be far away – and we can at least, hope for warmer rain…
Have to say, if the road surface gets any worse on Lindon Road they’ll have to give up sweeping it and plough it instead.
March 6th – Feeling better, I headed for the Chase for the first time in ages. It was very cold, and when I set out, the wind was against me as I rode to Chasewater.
On the way, I passed the escapee Mrs. Muscovy, the Newtown One, still defying all attempts to return her to the flock.
March 5th – I spotted this young cat on the opposite side of the canal near Catshill Junction. He stared at me contemptuously for a while, then, feigning disinterest, went and stroked his nose on an overhanging bramble for a bit.
A lovely chap. Hope he’s a regular…
February 28th – A duck. On the run.
Mrs. Muscovy, we nearly caught you. So close. Your mum needs you home before Mr. Fox comes calling.
February 27th – A grey, murky day with little merit, which was OK really as I was so unwell I could barely make it out until late afternoon. I potter in the usual canal loop from Pier Street up to Wharf Lane and back down the Parade. I barely saw a soul. It was very cold, and the light terrible.
I’m so unused to typical February weather this year, when it happens, it’s an unpleasant shock…
February 20th – A foul, grey and wet day hemmed me in and I only left the house to get some shopping in. While out, I looped up the canal and back to town; it was dark, desolate and windy and I found the experience particularly joyless.
I did find cheer, however, in the bike on the back of the narrowboat moored at Siler Street, which seemed made to measure to fit in place, and for the waterside grotto at the back of the houses on Lindon Drive which seemed like the ideal place to chill out on a more temperate evening.
A lot of thought has clearly gone into that little sanctuary.
February 7th – On my return, I cycled back down the canal into Brownhills. My favourite tree near Home Farm at Sandhills is handsome even when bare, and it doesn’t seem long now until I see it in leaf once more – but there seems to be a lot of bad weather to go through yet before those warm, sunny spring days return.
On the towpaths, the mud has to be seen to be believed, and at Anchor Bridge in particular, the rotting leaf litter her has made a slimy, hazardous goop which is hard and unpleasant to ride through – until things dry out a bit, take care!
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 