November 27th – A snatched, quick photo taken just after dawn in Jockey Meadows, between Shelfield and Walsall Wood. A pair of grey partridges, fluffed up in the cold, and sheltering from the wind in a tracker tire-rut.
It’s been years since I noticed partridges up here. Good to see them on a Monday morning.
November 10th – A long day, but passing Jockey Meadows in the morning showed me how lovely even the edgelands of the area can be; wedged in between Walsall Wood and Shelfield, the site of scientific special interest that is the Meadows can be scrubby and untidy, and not quite one thing nor the other, but today it was gorgeous in the colours of autumn, with leaves falling gently in Green Lane and long winter shadows.
Just what you need to set you up for a day at work…
September 22nd – It was a long day. From Cradley, I had to drive to Derbyshire and back, and by the time I rode home at unset, I was tired and irritable and not feeling well. It seemed I had it with a cold.
Riding down Green Lane from Walsall, the sunlight caught the turning leaves and made them precious. Not too far from home, sunlight after a grim day, and the promise of good food, a brew and the comfort of family.
The lane and light called me on.
September 21st – As I neared Brownhills, a beautiful violet-red sunset formed over Jockey Meadows and Clayhanger.
The sky and low cloud mad the whole thing etereal and ghostly, and the dying light made all rosy and soft.
I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.
August 31st – Returning home wearily as the light died, there was a very nice, purple-tinted sunset over Walsall, but I couldn’t find a good view of it without seriously going out of my way, which I was way too tired to do. Thankfully though, it gathered well and looked even better over the fields from Jockey Meadows out to the north over Grange Farm.
Thankfully, that’ll be the last late day until next week and I can chill out and catch up with things a bit… and hopefully get some better photos!
August 9th – The day ended much better than it started. Still feeling sad, but the rain had stopped, the sun had come out and all around me things were trying to make me smile.
The chocolate lab enjoying the wind flapping his ears in traffic in Walsall town centre; the kitten dozing on the bins in The Butts; the coos actually came to see me at Jockey Meadows and a chance encounter with normally snooty eyebrow cat at Catshill Junction all made me feel a bit better.
When stuff’s bad and life feels grim, sometimes the best thing to do is keep riding and enjoy the small things life shows you.
August 8th – I passed the Jockey Meadows coos in poor light and soft rain as I cycled home. They were near mostly near the gate having a project meeting and I felt sad for them in the wet, although that was utterly daft, as they don’t appear to care about, or even notice the weather.
They are doing a good job and the meadow is visible freer of scrub and tall grass now, and I guess soon the lads will move on.
Although one must always treat cattle with respect, I do love these gentle, inquisitive and sociable animals.
July 27th – After a good couple of weeks trying to catch them at the gate, the Jockey Meadows coos were finally not too busy to meet me this evening.
They’ve been released here much later than usual this year, and the meadow is clearly full of tasty stuff as whilst I’ve seen the odd bovine rump above the scrub, they’ve not been loafing much hear the road at all, and have seemed very busy in their work: that of maintaining the meadow by eating the fast growing plants, churning the soil and improving it’s fertility.
I love cows and tonight, they seemed to be convening a union meeting. There are more of them this year, I counted 12 I think, whereas they normally number around 8. It was notable, however, that whilst I was interesting enough to stare at quizzically, I wasn’t interesting enough to expend any effort in walking over to investigate.
It’s good to see these lads back and I look forward to meting them again soon…
June 19th – Spotted in appallingly bad light way off near the back of the bean field at Jockey Meadows, I noted this small herd of red dear, three females and two of this year’s fawns. I was pleased to see them as I haven’t seen deer up here recently.
They were skittish, and probably displaced by the recent arrival of the cows. But they looked healthy and content and it’s good to see the little ones thriving.
Still can’t get over the fact that I see these magnificent beasts on my way to and from work. How lucky we are to have this on our doorsteps.
July 14th – Well, they’re definitely here at Jockey Meadows at last, my friends the coos; but the lads were far too busy eating to go look at the cyclist calling them from the gate.
It looks like we’ve got seven as usual, probably Dexters as they’ll eat just about anything.
Oh well, perhaps when they’ve settled in they’ll say hi…
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