Tag: flats

#365daysofbiking Worth the wait

Thursday March 18th 2021 – Attentive readers will remember back six weeks or so I noted the camellia I’d found in a neglected front garden in Darlaston. It had loads of flower buds on it and seemed totally unnoticed by the world around it.

I’ve been watching it carefully, and the first large, rich pink flowers are emerging on this stunning, beautiful shrub.

I would guarantee it’s not known care for at least four or five years; yet it’s a stunning, healthy, flower-laden picture of health.

A beautiful splash of colour in an otherwise dull urban environment. Wonderful to witness!

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#365daysofbiking The changing skyline

Thursday December 17th 2020 – Another classic muse for me in winter is the view from Catshill Junction Bridge towards Brownhills, over the wide of the junction to the new flats in the foreground.

When I started this journal, only the tower block to the left was here and the rest was mostly derelict scrub, cleared of a large tower block in 2004.

As the years passed, new housing appeared and the skyline has totally changed – you used to be able to stand here in a feeling of solitude, but not anymore. Humanity is close now: You can smell cooking, cigarettes. Hear chatter, TVs and kids playing.

The skyline has changed, for the better, and I think makes for a more interesting photo. But I do miss the solitude a bit.

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May 23rd – Sam, the elderly puss that puts the king in Kings Hill, Darlaston, has been enjoying the spring.

Clearly in his dotage, I rarely see Sam actually doing anything – but often dozing. I didn’t see him once during the winter, presumably he prefers the indoor warmth of his nearby home, but come the summer and he sleeps around the flats complex where he lives.

Every day I’ve passed for the last week, he’s been asleep in the dappled shade of a tree in the morning, and in the afternoon, enjoying the warmth of the sun-heated wall nearby in the evening cool.

Despite his age and total lack of teeth, he has a fine set of whiskers and a great sheen to his coat and I know that his human loves him very much.

Seeing this lad out and sleeping every spring really makes me happy.

October 4th – This is a great Autumn for fungi – everywhere I look there seem to be great examples of different species, and stuff I haven’t seen before.

This interesting clump of button toadstools is growing on the exposed, fractured roots of the spot where a tree fell near the Tannery flats in Walsall. I think it may be some kind of honey fungus, but I’m really not sure. It’s really colourful and the photo doesn’t do it justice.

I suppose this is the tradeoff for the damp, grey autumn – great toadstools!

July 5th – Returning, I came down the main road, and by the old people’s flats, a familiar grumpy, curled up ball, sleeping in the communal garden: it’s the old gummy cat I featured here a couple of weeks ago.

Always nice to see the old lad, and I particularly like his truculent, just-woken-up air here. Such a lovely old cat. I’m sure we share many common traits in our parallel dotages.

May 2nd – Many of us know the pain of an irritating sibling.

I spotted the charming grey cat near the Tannery flats in Birchills, Walsall. He was inspecting the flower border and very alert to me. Then what I assume to be his brother appeared.

They greeted each other with a nose boop, then grey fellow continued to stare me out, stalk me and generally let me know I was under intense scrutiny – while the brother rubbed his head on him, attempted to wash his tail, and generally didn’t take stuff seriously at all.

Eventually, Mr. Grey walked off in disgust.

A fine pair of cats. Someone loves these two very much.

April 30th – Heading back to Brownhills I crossed Catshill Junction and noted that whilst it was hello spring and green leaves for me, the emergence of foliage meant goodbye daylight for the unfortunate residents of the new flats where Bailey House used to stand.

The failure of the landlords – Walsall Housing Group – and the Canal and River Trust to at least agree a management plan for this scrub is baffling to me. It must adversely affect the residents, and destroys what would be a decent view for them.

Meanwhile, the sculpture placed at Catshill Junction when the towpaths were refurbished in the same scrub is being enveloped once more.

I find it baffling that no plan for this, or better placement of the sculpture, wasn’t worked out by the developers. It’s a genuine and real failure.

February 15th – I see the completion of the conversion of the old church/chapel at Kings Hill, Darlaston is very nearly finished: this has taken years and the workmanship looks stunning.

I’ve been passing this former Methodist chapel and church for a very long time, and it’s previous dereliction caused me sadness – but now it has been made into dwellings, and unlike the usual architectural cut and shut that’s the norm in these cases, the renovation has been astoundingly detailed. 

Stained glass has been repaired, missing lead on the roofs, gables and mansards has been replaced. Stonework and architectural ironwork has been repaired, restored or remade. It’s a work of art.

I don’t know who’s been responsible for this, but they deserve some kind of award, and certainly a lot more attention.

It just goes to show what can be done with old buildings given enough attention, time, money and flexibility in the planning system.

My compliments to all concerned – particularly to the chippy who made those wonderful doors!

January 12th – The renovation and conversion of Kings Hill Methodist Chapel, and sometime St. Thomas’ Church in Kings Hill, Darlaston has been protracted, but very impressive. This is no bodge job and has literally taken years.

When I passed today, the boards were off the windows, the brickwork at the rear had been finished, as had the doors and paving to the front. The stained glass front windows also seem to have been repaired.

I don’t know who’s paid for and planned this job, but it truly is very impressive and I’d be happy to live in such a beautifully converted building.

June 21st – On the way to work, a short drama. In Biirchills, just near the flats, two familiars square off. There is not outright hostility; but much ground-standing and unwavering stance. This was clearly a pair of old adversaries, neither giving ground, butt with a kind of mutual respect.

Sadly, someone appeared and they both scarpered before I could take a close up of the black cat, but they were both lovely; particularly the stocky, older looking ginger cat who seemed like he was half teddy-bear.

I get the feeling this show plays itself out several times a week.