March 8th – It was another wet, blustery afternoon and I had to go to Birmingham for a working lunch then come back to Walsall for a legal meeting.
The rain when I arrived at Walsall was horrendous.
I know it’s still winter, and that the early spring lulled me into false optimism, but I’d quite like an break from the wind and rain if that’s OK please.
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March 7th – Things that happen while you’re not looking.
The darkness is receding fast now – we’re gaining around fifteen minutes more light in the evening now every week, and soon it will be the spring equinox, when the daylight and night time are the same length – 12 hours.
The concept of the equinox fascinates me, and I don’t really know why. But within a fortnight the sunrise and sunset will occur at the same numerical time, but AM and PM.
And after the equinox comes the start of British Summer Time – this year cruelly not until the 31st March.
Still, it’s almost over.
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March 7th – It’s time for the periodic traffic survey in Walsall, and the sheer number of traffic counter units fitted across the borough’s roads is causing some comment on social media.
They aren’t sinister at all: By law local authorities have to take traffic counts for planning and other reasons and like most councils now, the work is deputised to a specialist contractor.
These Metrocount units – that use the familiar, traditional rubber air tube and pressure switch technique are surprisingly sophisticated and the manual for them was found online by The Stymaster – you can read it here.
I crossed at least eight between Brownhills and Darlaston. Just setting them all up and gathering them back must be a mammoth task, let alone analysing the data…
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March 6th – Returning home, I called in at the off licence on the High Street for a treat or two. It had been a long day. Leaving the shop, I nearly trod on this slug, who was clearly travelling somewhere with some intent.
I hate killing anything accidentally, so I photographed it and eased it out of the way with a discarded lolly stick.
I’d had good news, so this wasn’t really a day to pass up the chance to do another creature a good turn…
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March 6th – I had an important hospital appointment in Cannock, a place I rarely go. Cannock Hospital is actually lovely, and a model of the best of the NHS, but Cannock itself, I find a bit otherworldly. It’s nice enough, suffering like all post industrial town centres, with odd, lingering pointers to a more prosperous, or at least busy past.
The brutalist concrete relief mural featuring local industrial icons – pit heads, Caterpillar vehicles, Rugeley Power Station and GEC seems to have been transplanted from an earlier building or situation. It’s almost soviet.
Everyone seems to know of Walsall’s hippo, but who ever dares mention Cannock’s concrete elephant? How did that come to be? There’s a story there.
On this wet, grey and unpleasant day, I found Cannock solemn, but pleasant, and I shall come back – mainly to see if it wears it’s cloak of quiet melancholy on nice days, too.
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March 5th – On the way to work, I took the canal through Bentley Bridge to Walsall. Near the disused Anson Arm at Bentley Bridge, apropos of nothing, four pure white domestic pekin ducks I’ve never seen here before. I assume they’d come down out of the wind for a break.
They have got the cutest backsides of any waterfowl though, I think…
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March 5th – A slightly better day, but the wind was still pretty evil. Crossing Kings Hill Park on a mission to B&Q mid day, I stopped to check out the view of the twin sisters – the two churches the overlook Wednesbury.
It may have been my imagination, but there seemed to be, just about, possibly the tiniest hint of spring in the view.
Whatever the season, it’s always gorgeous.
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March 4th – You need to turn the sound up for this one.
I was returning from work early for me, before it was dark. Passing the new pond in Clayhanger, a couple of swans landed out of sight on the water, then took flight again. The geese, mallards and other waterfowl were clearly not happy about something.
There even seems to be what I think might be an owl shouting to them to keep the noise down!
I love the sounds of birds like this. The only loud birds we heard here as a kid were crows.
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March 4th – Heading to work through Victoria Park in Darlaston on a grey, quite chilly and very windy day, I noticed the weeping willows were coming into leave, and providing a welcome splash of bright green.
The fine weather may have suddenly disappeared, but the early spring continues unabated, thankfully.
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March 3rd – Sunday was a different kettle of fish. Saturday had been occasionally rainy, but had sunny periods and was warm, if a little grey and gusty. Sunday had a wind forged on Satan’s back doorstep and a driving rain that pierced clothes.
A quick run out around Clayhanger Common late afternoon to catch the dying of the day was in order. It was, to put it mildly, hell. I was glad to get home as a short, sharp but destructive storm arrived.
Some days were not made for riding a bike…
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BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 