Tag: Kings Hill

July 11th – I haven’t seen much of Old Sam, the King of kings Hill lately. He had taken to sleeping on the grass in in the gardens around the old folks flats where he lives, but the gardeners came one day with their mowers and blowers and I only saw him a couple of times after that.

I needn’t have worried. He’s found a shadier spot, just out of my normal sight for the really hot days.

I notice someone had given him a bowl of water, and he was concentrating on washing, and despite my calls and invitations for strokes he studiously ignored me and got on with the important business of fur maintenance.

I adore this crotchety old lad.

June 14th – The King Of Kings Hill is still napping outdoors even though the sun’s gone in. Old Sam continues to enjoy this most temperate of seasons.

But interesting to see the effect the cooler day has on his sleeping position, in a ball, on top of the retaining wall, pointedly and resolutely with his back to the passing world.

Sorry, but I’m a little bit in love with this old chap.

June 5th – The King of Kings Hill is asleep in the sun again, as he usually is.

He watches over his kingdom, never fully asleep, opening one eye if needed.

Meanwhile, less than 10 metres away roadworkers wield a pneumatic drill, an activity that would drive lesser pusses to somewhere quieter. 

Not Sam, he’s the King. The King of Kings Hill. And he will not be disturbed.

May 29th – Sam, the elderly king of Kings Hill is still out in his favourite patch of communal garden nearly everyday.

Following the rains of the day before, the grass was clearly still a bit damp, so this black and withe, toothless old lad was en repose on the garden wall, and watching me carefully.

But only with the one eye.

May 23rd – Sam, the elderly puss that puts the king in Kings Hill, Darlaston, has been enjoying the spring.

Clearly in his dotage, I rarely see Sam actually doing anything – but often dozing. I didn’t see him once during the winter, presumably he prefers the indoor warmth of his nearby home, but come the summer and he sleeps around the flats complex where he lives.

Every day I’ve passed for the last week, he’s been asleep in the dappled shade of a tree in the morning, and in the afternoon, enjoying the warmth of the sun-heated wall nearby in the evening cool.

Despite his age and total lack of teeth, he has a fine set of whiskers and a great sheen to his coat and I know that his human loves him very much.

Seeing this lad out and sleeping every spring really makes me happy.

May 18th – I adore this time of year. Every day a new discovery to delight and cheer me.

Today, I noticed the first birds foot trefoil of the year – as kids we called this egg and bacon due to the colour.

A gorgeous yellow flower that loves verges, meadows, lawns, edgelands and anywhere there‘s grass, it’s a delightful, cheery flower that really lets me know summer has started, and will be here, quietly spreading the yellow love all summer long.

Welcome back old pal.

May 18th – I said last week, somewhat stupidly, that the blossom season was passing. That was completely and utterly wrong – it’s still in full swing.

Not with the brassy, brash cherries, apple and other fruit blossoms that entertained for an all too short period a few weeks back, but with the more subtle blossoms of humbler hedgerow soldiers – in this case hawthorn and rowan.

Both smell remarkable. Both creamy white, but very different. And both rarely deemed worthy of a mention, but criminally overlooked as they’re beautiful, especially close up.

May 14th – A lovely lunchtime ride into Walsall from work, and I took the canal. The sun was warm, bright and welcoming, the canal alive with wildlife and growth, a green motorway for birds, insects and walkers.

The lilac at Pleck, Sallow at James Bridge and just the air of quiet summer growth was wonderful. A real joy to the heart.

And who did I spot on my return to work in the afternoon? Curled up into a comfy black furry circle, Sam the elderly Kings Hill puss, dozing contentedly in a sun dappled spot, no doubt dreaming of his younger days and soothing his bones in the summer warmth.

It doesn’t get much better than this.

May 1st – At the same complex of flats in Kings Hill where I saw old Sam yesterday, today a more… Ambitious young blade. 

I see he fancies corvid for lunch. That’s brave. The magpie clearly knew the cat was there and couldn’t have cared less. A standoff I brought to an end by killing the cat’s cool credibility and saying hello.

He was unamused but genial.