#365daysofbiking Pink light:
September 27th – Coming home in the almost dark again, the light over Clayhanger Bridge and the canal was very pink, and very beautiful.
It’s a constant source of amazement to me that the onset of the night can be so damned beautiful.
#365daysofbiking – Not dead yet:
September 23rd – I said the other day that there were not many flowers about at the moment, and I hold my hands up: I wasn’t looking hard enough.
Coming into a second flush of flowering now, the dead nettles on Clayhanger Common are having one last yahoo before winter.
Absolutely gorgeous as only they could be. Such a cheering sight.
#365daysofbiking Ample shroom:
September 21st – The fungi are appearing thick and fast now, with the damper, cooler weather as is normal for autumn. Spotted near Clayhanger when homeward bound, this shaggy ink cap was a decent, large specimen and had there been more than one, might have been decent eating.
Used to see loads of these when I was a kid, but in recent years they appear to be rarer, which is a shame. They’re nice lightly fried.
#365daysofbiking Portal:
September 18th – Still surviving and developing is the fascinating green tunnel over the desire-path behind the canal overflow at Clayhanger. Now completely overgrown and just the right size for an adult to squeeze through, it’s a fascinating product of what I suspect is a regular dog walking route.
I hope this continues to be used – it’s such a lovely, happenstance thing
#365daysofbiking A bitter pear:
September 17th – The pear tree in Clayhanger has had a good season, against my expectations.
I had thought the crop this year would be poor due to the dry summer and ravenous birds, but it’s been heavy and the fruit are large and softer than the usual small, bitter offerings. And mercifully free of bird-pecks.
But oh my goodness they’re sharp!
A lovely thing to see.
#365daysofbiking Night comes in:
September 14th – The golden hour continued into dusk, and pottering down the canal by the Clayhanger overflow the sunset was stark, harsh and beautiful.
I love this view, it’s one of my favourite local views and I’ll never tire of it.At the end of a long, tiring week it was a great pick-me-up.
#365daysofbiking Headache grey:
September 8th – My hopes for an Indian summer were looking a bit forlorn as I sneaked out in the evening for a circuit of Clayhanger and Brownhills, looping back around Chasewater. It was grey, wet and cold with alternate heavy showers and periods of light drizzle, but none when it wasn’t raining at all.
The green was trying to shine through, but fighting a losing battle under the headache-great sky, reflected off the canal and wet town.
Apart from the odd car, I don’t think I saw a single soul about. A hard, wet ride that I was glad to return from.
#365daysofbiking Foxed:
September 6th – Spotted late on a grey afternoon, just on the canal near Clayhanger.
A fox trots purposefully, but unconcerned down the canal towpath, nearly on a mission but not in the slightest bit bothered he might be seen.
#365daysofbiking Spirit of the water
August 30th – Returning home at sunset after a long day I noticed that Autumn is now encroaching. The evenings feel chilly and damp, although not yet cold; the greenery has the beginnings of the season’s golden jacket and things just look duller.
Still it was beautiful, and nice to see the canal so full after the leak in the summer.
August 23rd – I don’t know what it is in the season, but the acorns this year are prolific and absolutely huge. With the dry summer I’d have expected the opposite, but they are absolutely huge.
The fecundity of the crop is, however, being affected by the large amount of knopper galls, that from from acorns attacked by the knopper wasp. Also a peculiar seasonal phenomenon, they are very,. very red this year, whereas it’s usually just tinges of colour.
Wonder why?
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 