April 6th – More blossom, and there will be lots more to come as this seems like a good year. I think this is some kin of ornamental cherry, spotted by the canal in Darlaston Green.
The flowers are fascinating, and almost look like they’re made out of tissue paper. They are the most wonderful deep pink.
Travelling to work these last couple of weeks has been a much brighter experience when the route is line with beauty like this.
April 3rd – Another job I thought would be well and truly over by now that wasn’t is the demolition of the former Boat pun in Darlaston Green. Derelict, burnt out and plagued by antisocial behaviour, it was measure for it’s coffin years ago, and last week when I saw demolition crew here I thought it would be only hours to go before the landmark was lost – but this is clearly a thoughtful, reclamation demolition where the material removed are salvaged for resale, and for a while at least, this sad husk of a building remains.
A sad but fascinating sight.
April 3rd – Running an errand from work into Walsall mid day, I decided to avoid the traffic and take the canal, as the resurfacing of the towpath would surely be finished – sadly, it wasn’t quite, and there’s still some plant and workmen putting the hours in around the rear of James Bridge cemetery, but mostly it’s now tarmac all the way through with a coating of tar and chip.
At the moment, there’s lots of loose grit on top so take care – it’s skinny and hard going in places, but will improve once settled and swept.
A decent job executed well. I just didn’t really see the need, but hey-ho…
March 30th – The wolfish, windy days continue, but at least it was warm and sunny. After battling the wind from work into Tipton, I returned with it thankfully behind me. Crossing the Black Country Route near Moxley, I noticed the hint of spring in this favourite view of the church.
Just a hint of green. Soft sunlight, A blue sky. This’ll do.
March 29th – Along the cycleways and towpaths of the Black Country, despite the wet but warm morning, life is springing forth. Everywhere, some seasonal starting gun has been fired and leaves and blossom are appearing everywhere – and it’s wonderful.
There is little better on a grey spring morning that seeing the new green life, and the promise of a verdant, beautiful – and hopefully dry – summer.
March 28th – And not far away, another sight to gladden the heart: nascent cherry blossom, just waiting for a sunny day to encourage the buds to expand into beautiful pink flowers.
It may not have been very springlike today, but signs of the season were all around.
The daylight is back, the trees are coming into leaf and yes, I’ve survived the darkness once more.
March 27th – Over in Kings Hill Park in Darlaston, there is a gorgeous p[atch of spring flowers that have been planted near the old chapel. All sorts of varied plants seem to be included and it really is rather delicate and beautiful.
Kings Hill Park – like many of Walsall’s green spaces – is a true joy to the heart in springtime, and I commend people who love this season to get out there and enjoy sights like this while they last.
March 27th – Over at Bentley Bridge, near Darlaston Green, mixed feelings as the former Boat Inn pub is cleared for demolition.
Derelict for years, long-time site of a car wash, the building had been long since targeted by arsonists, flytippers and ne’er do wells. The Boat had outlived it’s useful life, and the last beer was supped here years ago. But it’s very sad to see a pub lost, and in an industrial area with loads of vacant land already, it’s hard to see what, if anything, might replace this building.
March 23rd – A mystery that’s been puzzling me for a long time has been solved.
This time of year, I always note floating roots in the canal, often sprouting foliage. I had thought they were the way reedmace spreads, but discovered this was incorrect last year, so they remained a mystery.
Thanks to someone I work with (thanks, Dagmar) I now know these are the way a water plant spreads, but not rushes or reeds, but water lilies.
These roots are water lily rhizomes, from which the clumps of the delightful summer flowers spout. I never realised that under the water, they were linked in clumps.
Isn’t nature wonderful?
March 21st – I noticed this lad hopping about the yard at work, looking for scraps of food and collecting nesting materials. I don’t see many sparrows at work, so I took a photo of him.
He likes this old cable drum so I’ve made it an impromptu feeding station – I only had a bit of stale fruitcake to put out today, but I’ll bring some seed and stuff tomorrow.
I like to see the birds in factory yards and around industrial estates, it’s a reminder that even in the most harsh of environments, nature is around us, doing it’s thing.
Just like Mr. Sparrow here.
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