Tag: ginger

May 18th – I spotted him sat on the decking on the canal bank by Barrow Close, Walsall Wood. The marmalade cat’s attention was so fixed, I couldn’t possibly distract him.

I hope he caught whatever it was. Not seen this chap before – that looks like a fine stripes tail there!

January 6th – Then there was this fellow. Just look at the unbridled smugness.This is a cat whose self-belief defies his probable hatred of water.

Perched casually on a tree trunk sticking out of the canal bank in Pleck, puss is about 2-3 feet over the water. If he fell off, he’d be very wet and there’s no easy escape; but this cat is unconcerned. 

He just sat there, looking pleased with himself. 

August 31st – Couldn’t stay in on August Bank Holiday Monday, even though it was grey and wet. My irritation was compounded by setting out without some important supplies, so called in to the shops at Stonnall. 

This ginger puss has been lurking around the shops here for a few weeks. I noticed a shopkeeper feeding it, and it also seems fond of sitting outside the Indian restaurant and the chip shop. It looks too clean and in too good a condition to be stray, so I suspect it’s a local opportunist.

Whatever the domestic status, it’s a lovely, friendly, affectionate puss who welcomes all passing, and on this wet day seemed happy to hold court under the shelter of the shop canopies.

March 28th – Another type of life entirely, and one for the cat lovers out there. I don’t know who he is, but this large, affectionate and charming ginger lad was sat on a canalside fence near Pelsall Road. He said hello, let me fuss him, and tried to lick the camera.

A gorgeous cat whom I sure someone loves lots. I certainly fell for him!

December 20th – I came back up through Longdon and Farewell as I always do. It was a chilly day with a crisp wind but the sun was lovely, and the views over the village of Upper Longdon were gorgeous. Good to see the renovation of the old Windmill coming on now, too.

Nearby at Red Hill, the houses clinging to the hill are still beautiful, but stopping to photograph them I noticed I had an audience – one large, disapproving cat and a pair of prize pigs. 

A great ride. Really enjoyable.

October 16th – I’ve come to the conclusion there’s another swan family moved down here, probably from Aldridge. Nipping back into Walsall Wood on an errand, I spotted five cygnets and mum; they don’t seem as advanced in development as the Catshill brood, which are really quite white now, and these seem cheekier, and more unruly. 

Looking for food along the embankment at the back of Barrow Close, they were watched by a distinctly unamused bystander, a large, grumpy-looking marmalade cat.

There’s a story there, I’m sure.

June 22nd – I spotted this young marmalade cat in Coulter Lane, Burntwood, at sundown. It had caught a bird, and was acting shifty. I took the photos hurriedly, as puss wasn’t happy with me getting near his trophy, which appears to be a housemartin.

I love cats, but all I could think when I saw this was ‘Bastard!’

As he disappeared under the gate to what I assume to be his house, I heard his owners shouting at him. It must be awful bringing your boss a quality gift and then being admonished for it…

February 9th – I’d seen the little dog at Waitrose before – tethered to the trolley rail, he waits patiently and forlornly for his master. He’s a gorgeous little dog, but he does look so very sad. I could have taken him home.

The cat, on the other hand, clearly found me nothing more that a curiosity. Sat on a shed roof in Wall, he was surveying the comings and goings in the road below, and seemed a bit peeved that I’d spotted him. I think we met a couple of weeks before in the churchyard. He’s a lovely friendly boy.

There’s more than a hint of the Cheshire cat about the marmalade fellow, I think…