January 7th – Signs of life, and death. In Victoria Park, Darlaston, growing on an old tree stump, fresh golden pholiota. Glistening and dense, these slimy caps will dry out as they age into darker, flatter fungi.
A very unexpected splash of bright colour on an otherwise dull commute.
November 24th – A gorgeous, frosty winter morning. I had a call locally before riding on to work, so when I passed through Walsall on the canal, the autumnal colours that were still hanging on looked gorgeous.
I’d love more days like these. Refreshing, beautiful, quiet – in recent years, there haven’t been enough. I’d also like some decent snow this year.
I hope the weather gods are kind to me…
October 2nd – I sotted these remarkable willows turning for the leaf-fall on an ordinary, unremarkable industrial estate. They’re almost luminous. They’re stunning.
Never seen anything like this before. Beautiful.
September 16th – We’re in a real Indian summer at the moment – back to cycling around without a coat, with the sleeves rolled up. The sun has been shining, and the soft, mist-suffused light – particularly in the afternoons – has been a joy to the soul.
Autumn isn’t far away, though; the trees are turning, and when the sun goes down, there’s a distinctive nip in the air my chest and bones recognise only too well.
Here on the Lichfield Road at Walsall, the atmosphere and colour were gorgeous. I love how the trees are sculpted on the underside by the double decker busses that regularly pass under their boughs.
This has been a great season, and a good year.
April 19th – I was fiddling with a mechanical fault all day. I love my bikes, but the gears can be perplexing when not quite right. I spun out late to Chasewater, and unexpectedly bumped into a good friend while I was there, which brightened me up no end. On the way, I noticed the oilseed rape at Hammerwich was looking gorgeous. Still not quite peaked, it’s a lovely colour nonetheless, and I love how the tractor trails in the crop highlight the landscape contours.
As long as I live I’ll always love this changing, fascinating landscape.
December 11th – In the midst of an industrial Darlaston winter day, flowers. Outside the derelict, doomed Kings Hill Methodist Church, a beautiful rose grows from the scrub, bringing welcome colour on a grey day. The building is thought to have been sold to a developer, and may be under threat of demolition, which would be a shame.
Not 10 metres away, flowers of more permanence – metal poppies complete the detail on beautiful new railings, erected as part of the refurbishment of Kings Hill Park. They are gorgeous. The designer should be very proud.
Brightness can be found even on the dullest days.
December 2nd – Still unwell, I had important stuff to attend to in Leicester, so off I went. Headachy, still with an upset stomach, the going was hard, and I didn’t take photos today except in the one place there that never, ever disappoints: South Wigston station. Everywhere else is shades of grey, black, ochre and slate; here there are crimson rose hips, orange cotoneasters and some dainty yellow flowers I couldn’t identify. Such a lovely bit of colour on a murky, overcast, grey day. And all growing from a small parcel of wasteland. A wonder to behold.
November 24th – I enjoyed today’s ride more than I was expecting to. When I left home, it was cold and the air was murky. For some reason, the chill didn’t seem to get to me today – I just wrapped up warm and went for it. The leaves are beautiful now – this is the kind of scene I always expect in late October, but doesn’t seem to happen until later. I shot around Hilton, Wall Butts, Chesterfield, Shenstone, Weeford and Hints. From there, I dropped onto the canal at Hopwas and returned via Whittington and Wall. Between Weeford and Hints, I cycled Dog Lane, a green lane I try to ride at least once a year. The colours were great, and had this been a sunny afternoon, would have been stunning.
If you get chance this week, go for a walk in your nearest countryside, before the next big winds. It’s gorgeous.
November 18th – I came out of work, and just caught the tail end of an incredible sunset over Tyseley station. I hurried caught these shots in the four or five minutes before my train arrived. It ws gorgeous, and I was glad I caught it.
November 18th – I left for work a little early today, I took the backlanes for a change. Despite the grey, overcast weather, they were beautiful in late autumn colours. A good wind now, and these trees will be stripped of their last leaves.It really is gorgeous out there at the moment.
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