November 2nd – At the far end of the day, it was wet, dark and challenging on the way back. Just having fitted new brake pads, the back end is a little jumpy on the commuting bike, and the greasy, drizzly roads made for an interesting trip home. Approaching the junction of Gravelly Lane and Mill Lane at Lower Stonnall, the lights of the house on the junction looked homely and inviting, and I liked the way they glistened off the wet tarmac. In case you’re wondering, the orange glow is light pollution from the street lamps of Birmingham and the Black Country – because there’s so little natural light tonight it was clearly visible.

July 19th – These two lady cyclists also bid me a pleasant greeting as they passed me whilst I was taking a photo of this handsome, ivy-draped cottage on the junction of Footherley Lane and Gravelly Lane, Lower Stonnall. I’ve always loved this house. I like the way it oversees the junction, and how beautiful it looks after dark, the light from it’s windows like a beacon on many a winters night. Quite what the cyclists thought I was up to, I have no idea.

May 1st – This house, on the corner of Hollyhill Lane and Footherley Lane near Shenstone has always captivated me. I love the gables and chimneys, and the general air of rural seclusion it conveys. When I was a kid, one would often see a real fire in the hearth on winter days through the french windows at the front. It always looked so warm and cosy.