Tag: Darlaston

#365daysofbiking Respect your elders

May 30th – Also blossoming now is the delightful and humble elder, a shrub beloved of winemakers for hundreds of years. It grows in woods, hedgerows, on wasteland and anywhere it can. Here in Harlaston it’s thriving at the back of Victoria Park.

The tiny, beautiful white flowers have a gorgeous scent and can be used to make wine or champagne: the berries they make way for – deep red, almost black – make a heavy, heady wine that’s almost legendary.

This gives the winemaker a tasty dilemma: White and floral or red and strong?

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#365daysofbiking Yellow peril

May 29th – Always nice to see the flowering of the beautifully yellow flag irises that grow in abundance alongside the local canals and wetlands.

Sadly, they really, really trigger my hay fever like nothing else.

So for the next few weeks every canalside ride will be punctuated by sneezing – but in such a good cause.

Such lovely blooms.

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#365daysofbiking Urban wonders


May 17th – More wildflowers today: Clover, ox-eye daisies and and one I can’t identify with lovely small delicate white flowers.

Again, all of these examples are on a quiet, otherwise anonymous industrial estate, populating the grass verges.

The wonder of nature.

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#365daysofbiking Contrasts

May 15th – Continuing the wildflower theme, there’s a riot of colour on the less-frequently mown verges ate the moment: Daisies, vetch, trefoil, buttercups, and on this one outside where I work, every tiny, absolutely tiny bright red poppies.

Look closely and there are colours from white to dark blue, yellow to red.

My favourite time of year. Everything is growing and clamouring for attention. I just wish they didn’t mow the grass so often!

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#365daysofbiking Wayside stars

May 13th – Every day now there are new wildflowers to be found on verges, towpaths, wasteland and in hedgerows. Devil’s paintbrushes – Hawkweed – caught my eye this morning, as did birdsfoot trefoil and the beautiful, perfect seeding dandelions.

And all these on an unremarkable Darlaston industrial estate.

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#365daysofbiking A rose between two thorns

May 7th – Further up the canal at Bentley Bridge near Darlaston Green, another sign of spring: The roses are flowering on the edge of the canal – rather poetically between scrapyards either side of the canal, between which the green vein of the canal ambles, being beautiful.

The roses smell gorgeous and are a true joy to the heart in such grey times.

I don’t know where the warmth and sun are hiding but we could do with them back. But in the meantime, this is a wonderful burst of brightness for sure.

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#365daysofbiking Verdant

April 29th – Kings Hill Park is looking lovely right now, with all the lovely trees in fresh green leaf; from the majestic avenue to the western hedge, everything looks just perfect for spring.

And looking on, also from a new throne of green, the twin sisters of Church Hill in Wednesbury, who always look their best in spring and high summer.

So glad that warmth and colour is returning at last.

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#365daysofbiking Tree cheers

April 16th – Captured in the early morning soft sun, a tree in blossom just off Station Street in Darlaston near Victoria Park.

This is good twitter pal Naseerah Faulkner’s favourite tree, and I took the picture just for her.

Have a good day, yow!

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#365daysofbiking Long live the King!

April 15th – At the end of February, I was sure I would never see this fine gentleman again, for it seemed the flat where Sam, the elderly, toothless and thoroughly grumpy Kings Hill Park cat lived had been vacated.

I was heartbroken, and wished him well in this post.

I needn’t have worried. I spotted the old grump a couple of weeks ago in the bay window of the flat BELOW the one being refurbished, snoozing as one would expect. I obviously couldn’t take a picture, but was so relieved this venerable old lad was not gone – after all, his sleeping habits last summer entertained me on many a day and I’d become, well, somewhat attached to him.

I finally found him today in the roadside garden of the flats complex where he lives. He’s thinner, but his coat has a beautiful gloss and his wonky eyes were bright and keen. His whiskers were immaculate and Sam clearly is reclaiming his place as monarch of the Kings Hill summer.

I think he might have remembered me, or perhaps not. But I’m glad though that this old cat can sleep, hopefully undisturbed – through another warm, peaceful summer dreaming of his kittenhood and youthful exploits.

A fine lad whose return I am very glad to see.

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#365daysofbiking Full time mum

April 15th – Always nice to spot the first mallard chicks of the season and these today were spotted near Bently Bridge in Darlaston.

Clearly new hatchlings, these energetic and busy little ducklings followed mum as she puttered in the reeds. There seemed to be 12 in total, but it was difficult to keep count with several stragglers!

You know it’s spring when the ducklings arrive…

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