March 15th – Spring is in residence at Kings Hill Park, Darlaston.

The sun rises not long after six am, and sets not long after 6pm.

We are approaching the spring equinox.

Whatever the weather doom-mogers are saying, the light is here. There flowers are arriving. Spring is taking to her throne.

Welcome back, your majesty – it’s been a long winter.

February 19th – In Walsall Wood, the spring flowers on the grass in front of St. Johns Close are showing well. A range of beautiful daffodils and yellow crocuses form a cheery carpet on this greyest of dull days.

Interestingly, the purple crocuses – normally here in profusion – seem to have suffered a crop failure this year. Maybe they’re late to what is a very early party.

Curious.

March 6th – Bloody hell Bob, not crocuses again!

Yes, crocuses. After the months of riding in dark, damp and cold, the brightness of the first spring flowers to me is magical, enchanting, life-affirming and beautiful. Like a hot shower after a long sleep, it’s awakening and you could enjoy it forever.

These are in Walsall Wood High Street, and remain, as every year I see them, a credit to those who planted them.

Thank you.

March 13th – So, having got the new camera and charged it up, I tried it out on the way home. I need more time with it, as many settings I’m used to have moved – but I was quite pleased, really. The flowers in Walsall Wood are a credit to the people who planted them, and are really worth a trip to see. The sunset over Walsall Wood, Bullings Heath and Clayhanger Common was great tonight, in all its misty glory.

The lone red deer hind was a surprise as I rode around the new pond at Clayhanger – I almost missed her; she was nervous and high-tailed it away almost as soon as I spotted her. I think they get in the osiers and scrub on the marsh on the far side of the pool, safe there from human contact.

I see the canal boat moorings are still busy at Silver Street, and it’s nice to see the woodsmoke drifting from the chimneys as you pass by. 

Not a bad first sample, really. 

February 24th – Headed home mid afternoon after an early start, I did what I usually do at such times and came though Aldridge to avoid the mania of the school run traffic. Zipping along the canal, just by the overflow in Aldridge, a tiny clump of four beautiful purple crocuses. They were the only ones I could see, and stood quite alone. I wondered how these harbingers of spring came to be here; but it doesn’t matter how, just that they were. And I saw them, and their existance made me happy indeed.