Tag: home farm

April 9th – A short spin from Brownhills to Newtown and back was under the most peculiar spring weather – bright sunshine but with a dark and very threatening sky, To catch it’s glory I came back from Newtown along the canal to Brownhills, and was fascinated by the eastern skies.

This place is beautiful. Never let anyone tell you different. Even when the weather is poor.

January 17th – We had snow. Not much, maybe half an inch, and it was very, very wet. It was enough though, to be beautiful, and so I headed out into it as soon as I could. The light was pretty poor though, and the photography didn’t work out so well, but it was a nice experience apart from the endless mud.

Still, it’s better than the endless rain, and seeing the gorse flowers in the snow was lovely.

October 31st – It was an unseasonably warm, sunny Halloween, and I headed to Lichfield mid afternoon on an errand. I wasn’t prepared for the beauty of the still falling leaves; whilst my favourite tree at Home Farm is now sadly and ominously naked, there was plenty of colour on the canal and in Lichfield itself.

Festival gardens are beautiful right now, as is Stowe Pool. So much to see, such a wonderful season this has been. I shall remember this Indian Summer for a long time.

September 27th – I caught a classic, sunny and misty autumn morning just as the mist was burning off. I had to nip to Burntwood on an errand and I took the canal to Chasewater. It was magical and gorgeous.

The spiderwebs on the gorse were captivating and there also seems to be a burgeoning crop of puffballs this year. 

Could this be the last good weekend of the year, or are there more to come?

August 22nd – A day of unexpected jobs and delayed activity, I finally got out at dusk and span on an errand to Burntwood, so naturally, despite the oncoming storm, I headed up through Chasewater.

The skies were dramatic, but I failed to capture them well, and whilst there were flashes of lightning and the odd rumble of thunder, despite riding back in steady, warm, refreshing rain, the foreboding, brooding skies failed to deliver.

But it was actually a lovely ride.

July 5th – An odd day involving a fair few errands. I set out early afternoon, hoping to miss the rain. I didn’t.

I had to nip to Chasetown, and as ever, the High Street looked great, but the sky, even when sunny, was threatening and grey. I was caught out both on the outward journey, and on my return. 

It was warm enough though, and bare legs dry quickly. Let’s hope next weekend is a little more temperate.

June 5th – The track around Shire Oak Hill trough Home Farm and Lime Kilns is, sadly, a private road. It would make a great route around the hill for cyclists and the weary wanting to avoid serious hills getting back to Brownhills from Lichfield and the east. 

Sadly, it’s not to be and this lovely avenue of trees must only be observed from the Lichfield Road at Sandhills.

In summer and autumn, it’s gorgeous.

April 28th – I returned gingerly, saddlebag laden with Dhansak, poppadoms and naan, up the Lichfield Road from Sandhills. That view across the fields of home Farm at sunset always makes me catch my breath; Ogley Hay, at it’s centre the 1850 parish Church of St James, in a view that’s changed little in a century.

Beautiful.

March 21st – Despite the cold, spring is well underway now, and nothing will stop it. The early crops are emerald green, the blackthorn is in blossom, the swans are doing the nesting thing, and the local amphibians have been spawning in the small pool at Shire Oak Park.

Soon, the clocks will be forward and the darkness will be behind me for another year. Winter wasn’t too bad this year… And now, the promise of a new season.

This’ll do.