October 4th – I have no idea what his name was, but this young golden retriever was happily jumping in to Chasewater to retrieve the ball continually tossed back by his mistress.
He has such a lovely, good natured retriever grin, and his joy is tangible. Clearly a lovely dog to own.
September 27th – On the canal near Newtown, Brownhills, waterside pets. That wonderful dog… possibly a husky, whom I’m told is female, lying imperiously in the weak sun. Such a gorgeous, lupine creature. Her owners must be very proud.
Not far away, on an abandoned fishing peg, possibly the world’s smuggest cat. What a splendid fellow.
I can’t help wondering if the cat teases the dog…
August 31st – I rode out via Canwell and Middleton to Middleton Hall for a cup of tea and cake, all the while in steady rain. I nipped down to Bodymoor Heath, onto the canal and up to Fazeley Junction. Back along the old A5 to Weeford, then home via Shenstone.
It was warm enough, and there wasn’t much in the way of wind. The roads were quiet and the riding fast; but it was very, very grey and very, very wet. The countryside dripped silently little droplets of grey summer sadness.
As ever on grey days, there was fun and beauty to be found; the architecture of the canals – not just the bold redbrick house, but the small lock-keeper’s hut with the chimney for a stove (how cosy must that have been in winter?); the Kingsbury lock flight and greenery of the canalside reed bed. Fungus is growing well in the damp, and those polypores were huge.
Middleton Hall was as stunning as ever.
I just loved the hound tied up outside the cafe. He had an endearing way of looking at you with his head to one side. He was muddy and wet and had clearly been having lots of fun.
The red and orange spiny, furry growth on the rose stem that looks like a ball of thread? That’s a robins pincushion or Diplolepis rosea – a gall formed, like the oak galls by a wasp.
I asked a few weeks ago why only the oak is bothered by wasp galls; it’s not only the oak, but mostly. Lime trees, conifers and roses suffer too. Here, a wasp lays 60 or so eggs in a tiny, developing leaf bud, surrounded in a chemical which causes the plant to mutate and grow this furry aberration, which is internally quite solid with cavities for the larva to hatch and feed.
Nature is quite horrific in it’s fascination sometimes. Find out more about this curious parasite here.
August 1st – Also spotted in Aldridge, this loyal old dog waiting for his master outside a cafe. He was peaceful, and just lay there contentedly, secure in the knowledge that the boss would be back soon.
Such patience in those sad old eyes.
June 1st – Nearby on Clayhanger Common, beautiful, fragrant hot pink dog roses, looking scruffily beautiful in the rain.
On days like this, you take the beauty where and when you find it. And these are a delight.
May 14th – On Clayhanger Common, in very poor light and heavy rain, a group of six red deer – a stag and six hinds. In fine fettle, still moulting out, they walked towards me cautiously until spooked by a dog (which I cursed royally).
I am seeing the deer three or four times a week at the moment. I’ve never seen so many here. It’s astounding that such beasts live here in such apparent peace. I love them to bits.
December 20th – Today, today was great. I had a Christmas errand to run near Rugeley, and heard there was a farmer’s market on. I’ve never really had a good look around the town, and I have to say I was impressed. This former mining community serves a very wide area, and so maintains a good selection of shops, a couple of indoor markets, and the produce market itself was brilliant.
I’d not realised how good the architecture was in the town centre, either; I must go back when it’s quieter and have a good mooch around.
The huge inflatable Father Christmas by the sports club is brilliant, too, and can be seen from a long distance.
I returned with all manner of Christmas treats.
That wee dog in the indoor market stole my heart – such big, sad eyes!
December 6th – Out in daylight for the first time in a while, and the afternoon was hard and cold. Over to Burntwood for some shopping, I hammered it up the canal in a harsh but golden hour before dusk. The huge black and white smug cat was a gem at the back of Milfield School, and that dog… I could just take it home. Gorgeous.
Returning over Chasewater,I was snagged by the moon rising over the motorway – I’d forgotten the night-time beauty of the distant windy sweep of cars as they passed.
November 25th – Further on, near Bentley Bridge, a narrowboat passed me going a fair lick. Unusually, it was decorated in an eye-catching indian style, replete with Ganesha motif fretted into the hatch door. Equipped with a canoe, this looked like a home as well as a boat; it had that well loved but well used air that comes with such craft.
I love boater dogs. These two are clearly great mates, and I love the way the hound is wrapped, like his boss, against the cold.
A lovely sight.
November 10th – A lunchtime at Chasewater on a beautiful late autumn day – the sun was warm on my back and the riding easy but boggy after the last two days of rains. The north heath was as gorgeous as ever, and the level does seem to be rising now the valves are closed and the creek is flowing well.
The Westie waiting outside the cafe was a dear little thing.
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