Tag: IFTTT

#365daysofbiking Scum

May 2nd – There are many reasons why the local canals develop an organic, natural scum throughout the year. From pollens to seeds, from tree-mast to algae, all kinds of unpleasant looking but natural detritus develops and dissipates throughout the seasons.

Due to the early spring warmth and extended spring, at the moment there’s a very heavy scum  on much of the local canal, but particularly in the wind-traps around Walsall Wood and Clayhanger. At he moment it’s mostly appearing to be a combination of reedmace detritus, algae, sallow seeds, disintegrated hazel, alder and birch catkins and hawthorn blossom petals. I’ve never seen a scum so heavy at this time of year.

Given time and sun it should dissipate and fade away. but for the moment, it’s quite ugly but perfectly natural.

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#365daysofbiking Only sleeping

May 1st – Horses are curious beasts.  Just off the McLean Way at Goscote, home to many a tethered horse, I saw this one fast asleep on it’s side.

Horses often sleep lying on their sides like this, and it’s perfectly normal – however, it’s something that unless you’re around the animals a fair bit, you don’t realise. Sometimes people not knowing think the animal has died. In the vast majority of instances, it’s just a horse, sleeping, like this one.

Lying there, I watched it for a while, until it grunted in it’s slumber and farted loudly. Bless it.

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#365daysofbiking Fluffed up

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May 1st – On the McLean Way early in the morning for a change (the old South Staffordshire Railway route from Brownhills to Walsall) I noted at Ryders Hayes that the sallow  seeds were ripe and drifting on the breeze coating everything with fine white downy fluff.

Sallow isn’t the only member of the willow family to do this, nor is it the only species of tree, but it’s always fun to see, if a bit challenging to the airways to cycle through!

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#365daysofbiking Green, not blue

April 30th – Green alkinet is a misleadingly named plant – it has pretty, tiny blue flowers and is a member of the forget-me-not family. It’s largely a garden escapee and grows like wildfire if not challenged.

At the moment, it’s spreading a subtle blue haze to match the bluebells at roadsides, hedgerows and edge lands, like here on Shire Oak Hill at Sandhills.

There are so many lovely flowers to share at the moment. A fantastic time of year.

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#365daysofbiking Saved by the bell

April 30th – It’s nice to see a good showing of bluebells this year. The slightly earlier, brassier Spanish varies are copious, as are the more delicate, darker native variety here.

Right now, hedgerows, woodlands, verges and ditches are alive with shades of purple and blue and it’s rather gorgeous.

L adore spring, and I love bluebells particularly.

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#365daysofbiking Something of the night

April 29th – At the end of the Kings Hill Park avenue, watching from a private driveway just in the terrace off Old Park Road behind the pub, this wonderful, watchful dark brown floof.

I don’t think I’ve met this distinguished and undaunted puss before, but it’s a beautiful cat with something of the night about them.

I she keep an eye out for this one in future…

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#365daysofbiking Verdant

April 29th – Kings Hill Park is looking lovely right now, with all the lovely trees in fresh green leaf; from the majestic avenue to the western hedge, everything looks just perfect for spring.

And looking on, also from a new throne of green, the twin sisters of Church Hill in Wednesbury, who always look their best in spring and high summer.

So glad that warmth and colour is returning at last.

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#365daysofbiking Held to ramson

April 28th – At Pipe Hill, between Wall and Burntwood it’s nice to see the wild garlic inn bloom again.

I really love this beautiful, edible plant – sometimes known as ramsons it tastes and can be used just like a little more subtle normal garlic, and it’s scent hangs heavy around woodland, hedgerows and damp ground far and wide.

One of the most popular posts on this journal featured the glade of wild garlic that grows by the River Arrow in Redditch with over 18,000 reactions since it was posted in 2011.

It seems I’m not the only one who likes wild garlic!

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#365daysofbiking Hello ladies

April 28th – A day marred by a bad stomach so I busied myself with other things and headed out late in the afternoon for a circuit of Chasewater, Burntwood, Wall and Stonnall.

At Chasewater, it seems the small group of deer who have been hanging around the spillway heath at Anglesey Basin are still there.

The fece doesn’t trouble them, they just hop over as required.

Odd too see people walking past without stopping – deer used to be a spectacle here but it seems now they’re as familiar as the cattle on the north shore.

I still can’t quite believe they’re here.

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#365daysofbiking Driving rain

April 27th – An absolutely awful day’s weather made riding a duty, not a pleasure. I held back and held back, hoping for the heavy winds and driving rain to abate – but they didn’t. I slipped out to the takeaway late.

Compounding the misery of rain in a fierce headwind, I realised I left the camera at home. But I discovered something I wasn’t really aware of: The phone does surprisingly good night shots.

A somnambulant and dripping wet Pier Street looks almost comforting and bright; but it it really was unpleasant.

Here\s hoping for better weather to come.

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