July 2nd – Passing through Leomonsley in Lichfield later in the evening, I note it’s holiday time for the Australian snails who currently have a bit of a beach party going on.
I won’t make any bones about this: The Lichfeldian ‘A-Snailian’ cult is bonkers, childish, utter nonsense and totally, totally brilliant. People regularly take diversions in their routes to see what the snails are up to.
Find out more here – Facebook (sorry).
I love it to bits.
May 4th – On the way back, I had to pop to Stonnall, and it looked fairly clear so I had a quick go at Lichfield Cathedral from Shire Oak Quarry gates, a favourite muse of mine.
Not too bad for a handheld shot I don’t think. Nice to see the trees around the Old Ladies of the Vale greening up so nicely at last.
April 22nd – The late Lichfeldian touring cyclist and acquaintance Maurice Purser used to tell me you could see 7 spires/towers and/or churches from Pipe Hill. Maurice, who enjoyed such puzzles, had me scouring for months with binoculars in the mid-80s. What actually solved it for me was not careful scrutiny of the city skyline from high up here past Mickle Hills, but a map.
Maurice liked riddles especially if they were a bit misleading. At some point I looked at a map, and noticed that Aldershawe, the country house visible 90 degrees sunwise from this view had a private chapel. So whilst the riddle was correct, it was a bit cunning.
These days, Aldershawe is divided into smaller dwellings and you can’t see any of it from here for trees.
With a decent zoom on a reasonable day though, Lichfield’s churches, spires and rooftops still come alive, and a middle aged cyclist remembers this view as a young lad, with a leathery, weathered older gent telling tall tales of derring-do.
Wherever you are Maurice, may it be hawthorn free, the wind at your back, the sun on your face, and speed in your wheels. And a good cafe stop.
March 17th – Coming back from Lichfield, tired after a hard week, I stopped on the motorway bridge at Summerhill and tried long exposure photography again.
I finally got just what I wanted. and the experiment of setting the camera on the ground looking down the hill towards Sandhills worked better than I could have imagined.
That’s taken a while, but I’m happy with that.
March 17th – I popped into Lichfield to do some shopping on the way home, and in the failing light, noticed the field of lambs and their mothers on the bypass near Waitrose.
Healthy, happy sheep and their new offspring graze, play and doze contentedly. These guys really do have cute in shedloads, and really are worth stopping to see.
After a really grim, groggy week, seeing this fresh life enjoying being alive was a tonic to the heart and soul.
March 12th – Perhaps unwisely, I continued on a ride I’d done many times – Down through Stonnall, Shenstone Woodend, Canwell, then to Hints, Hopwas and Whittington via the canal; from there back over Common Barn and the heath to Weeford and back home via Shenstone. It’s a short ride. I know it like the back of my hand.
I struggled and fought.
At Shenstone on the way home, it felt like I’d never reach home. When I did get there, I was in bed well before midnight.
All this was a shame, as spring was showing the way; lambs were in the fields, the weeping willows were coming into leaf and daffodils marked every verge, hedgerow and garden. It really was beautiful.
Shame I felt so rotten.
February 5th – A day that started horribly murky and then picked up, and towards the late afternoon as I headed to Lichfield for shopping, the sun came out and once again spring insinuated itself in the flowers, the colour, the families enjoying the light and in a terrific sunset.
So lovely to see the world reawakening for another year.
January 28th – A wet, dripping Lichfield was beautiful in the late afternoon and dusk, though. Surprisingly cold but glistening, I always love this city in the rain.
It’ll be nice to see some leaves on the trees of Beacon Street again, though. Hurry up, spring!
January 28th – A day with curious light and dark. It was alternately fairly bright then rained heavily. I set out mid-afternoon on an errand in Lichfield and got caught by the rain, and also a hail-squall which was interesting if somewhat unpleasant.
Avoiding the traffic, I headed through Hammerwich, and looked back to Brownhills. The roads were muddy goop, and the riding could have been better but the skies were wonderfully dramatic.
December 27th – Passing through Leomansley in Lichfield, in a hurry, I did a double take, and had to stop to record the Lichfeldian cervine genetic engineering project’s latest results.
I also learned from the ever informative, cardigan bedraped LichfieldLore that this is the home of the wonderful and witty A-Snalian thing. If you look closely, I’m being watched over the wall.
I’m told this is the second set of deer and penguins, the first being lost in the storm on Friday. That must mean there are others now roaming free.
Be afraid, kids, be very afraid.
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