Tag: Humphries House

#365daysofbiking On the western skyline

April 10th – I dallied so long in the lanes I caught a great sunset over Sandhills to Ogley Hay.

To the west, beyond the horizon and telltale silhouette of Humphries House, the town I love, largely silent like most of the country right now.

What I’ve realised this last week is twofold, in that human life is separate from the environment, and that nature will always see me through times of the worst stress and madness.

Whatever troubles the world, or bothers me, the seasons wheel keeps rolling on. The clocks still go forward, the light returns, flowers bloom, the days get warmer.

And in the evening, on the western skyline, there will always be that chance of a decent sunset, and somewhere peaceful to watch it from.

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#365daysofbiking Oh so thirsty

February 22nd – Returning from work a little earlier than usual and in daylight, I spotted this splendid calico cat taking a drink from the canal near Humphries House.

One of the best things about spring is the re-emergence of the feline population, usually all cosy indoors in the cold.

I hope I meet this one again – it seems quite a character!

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January 7th – The canal is still chewy, to say the least, particularly after another day’s heavy rain. But the overflow at Clayhanger was flowing well and made a reasonable photo, again in the bike light.

Also, at Catshill Junction, now the leaves are off the scrub, the lights of the new Courtyard development compliment Humphries House well.

Let’s hope there’s some real winter rolling in now…

December 31st – Well, another year gone under the wheels and it’s not been a bad year. My health has been generally improving, and we didn’t have a bad spring and summer. The autumn was spectacular, and just this wet, oh so warm and wet winter has been wearing me down.

This evening, drenched and wind-battered at Catshill Junction, I stopped to reflect.

Despite the webbed feet and permanent patina of mud and wet grit, I feel happy I’ve seen it trough – coming very close to four years of cycling every day, and a few months off five years from when I started this journal.

I didn’t get in as many long rides as I planned, but commuting has been consistent, and I’m still enjoying being part of the environment that surrounds me. And all the way I’ve had you guys along with me.

Happy new year to you all – lets hope for a dry new year. May there always be wind at your back, sun on you face and speed in your wheels.

Here’s to 2016, and the return of the light.

September 10th – I was busy with technical stuff all day and finally got out as darkness fell. I spun up the High Street  into Brownhills, up to Anchor Bridge, and back via Catshill Junction and Silver Street, catching the lights on the canal in all their unexpected splendour.

I love that view. The tower blocks across the old marketplace didn’t work out to badly, either…

August 29th – A late rove around Brownhills and I just missed the sunset, and there are sadly few decent places to catch it in the town without going to Chasewater. I got as far as the Chase Road Bridge, then realised I wasn’t going to make it and looped back to Brownhills. 

It was a gorgeous evening with great skies, and considering how windy the day had been, it was very still.

August 11th – I’ll be perfectly honest, I’m not very well. I’ve been off colour since the weekend and I’ve only got out for short runs; today a quick loop of central Brownhills just to get some fresh air after dark.

Still, it gave me chance to experiment with the Nikon a little more – none of these shots used a tripod, but handheld night mode on the camera. They’re OK but I’m not sure about the indistinct fuzz it makes of lights. 

Need to experiment another day when I’m well I think. Here’s to better days.

January 25th – This had turned into Lloyd Cole’s lost weekend. Little was going right and I’d spent hours trying to battle with technology, and achieved little. 

I escaped in the evening, into a desolate, somnambulant Brownhills, and cruised around the town centre happily lost in my search for a picture.

Sometimes, it’s good just to put the stuff down, get on the bike, start pedalling and stop thinking.

January 8th – Even at the other end of the day, on a dark canal bridge in Brownhills, heading to Tesco to get the weekly shop in, life felt better. The ghostly white they painted most of Humphries House has never really done much for me, but it does look impressive at night.

I’ve reflected today – what’s improved my mood is actually going back to work. That’s also very unusual; but so much didn’t go to plan over the New Year period that I was getting really quite despondent. That’s unusual, but now I’m back in the routine, it all suddenly seems a million miles away.

Life’s odd like that, sometimes.

November 6th – I returned home in light but penetrating drizzle in early evening, and again, hopped the canal for a bit of light relief. Canal cycling at night requires good lights and can be mentally demanding, but I do enjoy it, as much for the chance to spot a fox or two as anything.

At Catshill Junction I thought I’d give the camera a go on the tripod. I’ve not done much night photography with this one yet, and and I’m quite pleased with the results, even though rain was getting on the lens.

Those LED streetlights in Chandlers Keep give a wonderfully ghostly white light.