September 17th – Unusually, I had to visit a supplier in Wolverhampton late in the afternoon. With a strong wind blowing from the west, it was a fun, easy ride home along the canal, which I picked up near Horseley Fields on the Ring Road.
I notice 540 Degrees, the cat-loving street artist whose work I’ve spotted before has been to Wolverhampton. I know I shouldn’t, but I do like his work.
September 15th – I had to visit Tipton of a hot, humid and hazy afternoon. The traffic was intense and the atmosphere oppressive and thick, but glancing over the canal bridge near Owen Street, the canal looked beautiful in the soft sunshine, and near a disused arm bridge, two young lads were fishing in a scene that couldn’t have changed much for decades.
The Black Country has a knack of showing its beauty when you least expect.
September 12th – The Autumn fruits are starting to come with abundance now, and few are more welcome than the bright reds and oranges of the rosehips. Where there were beautiful wayside flowers a few months ago, there are now gorgeous, shiny berries providing a feast for wildlife and a splash of welcome colour in the hedgerow.
The diversity of shapes and colours of these little-appreciated fruits is interesting, too.
Always a nice compensation for the ending of summer.
September 11th – A better day for the weather, and a better day for riding, although I was tired and lacked energy. I rode out to Lichfield, then Fradley Junction for tea and a snack. From there to Alrewas on the canal, then back through Whitemore Haye and Sittles.
A relatively short ride by recent standards, but the scenery was great, as was the sunset. Maybe autumn isn’t upon us just yet…
September 10th – A grey, wet and miserable day saw me slipping out late on errands. Having left my camera behind, I had to rely on my phone – but it wasn’t a particularly photogenic day. Crossing the Pier Street Bridge I noticed boats moored at the canal side, the smell of woodsmoke, and the stillness of the water.
It really does feel like autumn’s in now.
September 9th – A ride into Birmingham mid-afternoon along the canal was enjoyable, but the wind a little harsh. Despite the dullness of the day there was plenty to see, but as usual in darkest industrial Birmingham, the wildlife stole the show: this time, herons.
I clearly caught the one in Smethwick napping; perching on one foot with everything tucked in, he watched me grumpily as I took his picture, whilst the one in Ladywood was far more active, but just as suspicious of the human on the bike.
I love to see the herons, almost unthinkable a few short years ago that they’d be in such urban environments.
September 8th – Terrible photos, but something fascinating – a piece of bread on the canal in Walsall, thrown for the birds. Uneaten, the water around is rippling and bubbling almost as if it were boiling.
Turns out the fish were having a feast.
Fascinating and unusual to watch.
September 6th – The breath of autumn on my shoulder, as the song says. Cycling along the canal in Place on a beautiful, sunny day, it’s hard not to notice the subtly changing colours, the slight chill in the air, and the first few fallen leaves.
Technically we’re still in summer, but Autumn is now limbering up. I find this time of year so hard.
Ah well, nothing to do but ride on…
September 4th – A short run out on a day that didn’t go well and on which I felt groggy and ill with a bad stomach, with the exertions of the previous days taking their toll.
So just a spin on an errand to Walsall Wood, but I did finally get to meet the Chandler’s Keep eyebrow cat, who was sat on the bridge embankment and came to say hello.
I was also interested in the dozing grey and white tabby in a canal garden in Walsall Wood. He looked very inscrutable.
Any day in which you see cats at leisure is a good day.
August 29th – Not a fan of August Bank Holiday. The day off is nice, but it always feels like I should make more of it than I do, this Monday always feels like summer’s last breath, from here on autumn, cold, dark etc.
Of course, it’s rarely that – we will have more warm and fine weather before the darkness returns but I find this milestone sombre and sad.
It also reminds me of all the plans I had for the summer that never got done.
Today I was tired, having trouble with my hips, and recovering; so I stayed home, and did jobs on the bike and enjoyed the company of family. A short dusk spin up to Chasewater and back along the canal was enjoyable on a freshly tuned, fast bike, and painkillers had shown my aches the door.
It hadn’t been a bad day. The weather was good. Much needed jobs were done. And there are still fine, warm days to come,
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