Tag: IFTTT

#365daysofbiking A spreading fire…


September 4th – The firethorn berries seem late this year.

Curiously bright and profuse, pyrocanthus is a relative of the crab apple, and is a favourite in urban borders for the striking colours of the berries – from yellow to bright, vivid red.

Beloved by songbirds, they bring a welcome splash of colour to town centre planters, industrial estates, edgelands and gardens all through late summer and early autumn.

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#365daysofbiking Beaming!

September 3rd – Hornbeam trees are fascinating. Often mistaken (particularly by me) for beech, the leaves are perfectly ridged and beautiful, but the seeds, in long drop chains a bit like sycamore, are fascinating.

They’re ripening now and will soon be dappling the cycleways, pavements and industrial estate backways with golden brown mast.

Autumn’s colours may be more muted, but they’re still gorgeous.

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#365daysofbiking Oh, balls!


September 3rd – Good to see the fungus starting to kick off for the autumn, I adore the mycology.

These earth balls have appeared on Clayhanger Common, and although not prime specimens, they’re the start of a season of wonders of the fungi world that’ll fascinate me for weeks if not months.

These will grow, then ripen until ready, whence they’ll burst upon contact with some passing animal, spreading their spores for another season – and the cycle will continue.

One great thing about the autumn for sure.

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#365daysofbiking Sugar me

September 2nd – Another product of wayside roses that’s beautiful but dare I say it, a little more mundane: The sugar-laden rosehips.

Rosehips are loved by jam, syrup and wine makers and, of course, many birds who devour the energy laden confections to fatten up for winter – and thankfully there seems to be a good crop this year.

They are beautiful colours, too…

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#365daysofbiking Interdependence


September 2nd – The Darlaston Robins Pincushion Galls are looking really amazing right now – the one on the main ‘trunk’ (stalk? Branch?) of the wild rose is the largest I’ve ever seen, and still growing – now the size of a tennis ball, but elongated. On the outer leaves, the one that clearly misfired across multiple leaf nodes is causing odd, isolated patches of gall growth on leaves and twigs that look almost tumourous in nature.

This is an absolutely fascinating thing and I make no apologies for regularly featuring it. This is part of the wasp gall’s lifecycle and it’s absolutely stunning that such a tiny insect should co-opt and corrupt the growth of a plant to create such a host for its larva.

Amazing stuff.

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#365daysofbiking These streets

September 1st – Hopping off the canal at Anchor Bridge before heading back into town, the sunset was plain in a cloud free sky but beautiful all the same. Looking up past Knaves Court, this part of High Street has been greatly changed in recent years, but is still broad and open and looks terrific with a good sunset.

This is my town, these are my streets and I never feel a greater sense of belonging than when it looks gorgeous in a good sunset.

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#365daysofbiking Hot pink

September 1st – Autumn is on my heels now, and slipping out after a day’s bike maintenance for a test ride, I found myself in the most beautiful pink-suffused twilight.

Heading up the canal that snakes its way between Catshill and Sandhills, I admired my favourite tree at Home Farm – now showing hints of getting on it’s autumn jacket – and the plains of stubble to Stonnall, the harvest now in.

It was peaceful, warm and pleasant, with just a hint of cold air. We are in the odd interregnum between seasons, that saddest crossover between a summer passed and an Autumn to come.

But with a crescent moon and tranquility like this to enjoy, it’s not so melancholy.

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#365daysofbiking Sunset mellow


August 31st – Nipping up to Walsall Wood that evening to see a friend, I passed the pithead sculpture, which always looks dramatic with a good dusk sky behind it.

A structure I’ve never been fond of, it can look fantastic in the right kind of light.

I’m concerned to see the metal flag has sheared off, presumably from repeated wind-flexing. Good job nobody was under it when it dropped. That would have been sharp.

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#365daysofbiking A better taste

August 31st – I have no idea who this character is, but I’ve seen him a lot over the years. A large but nimble cat who always seems vaguely irritated to be observed, he seems to like the canalside scrub between the gardens of Lindon Drive and Silver Street, where only the anglers seem to get.

On a warm, sunny morning he was oh so thirsty, and no water tastes as good as fresh canal water…

A lovely lad clearly very irritated to be photographed!

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#365daysofbiking Changing places

August 30th – I headed into Brownhills to pick up a takeaway on the way home.

Riding up Pier Street from the canal, I realised how changed this area was. With the new housing on the former market site, this now feels way less desolate at night and actually looks quite warm and cosy.

The design of these homes is pleasant and care was clearly taken with line and materials to extend the line of the street.

I like this very much – and more people living in the centre of town can only be good for the place.

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