September 26th – The indian summer continues in all it’s glorious warmth. Out in Redditch today, I noticed commuters once again in summer clothes and everything seemed a might more relaxed than in the previous couple of weeks. This is surely the last gasp of summer for this year, and the quality of light at eveningtide as I passed through Little Aston was incredible. Here at the entrance to the private hospital, the low sun made for a haunting, golden scene.
September 6th – As I returned home that evening, I realised the winds must have been worse than I thought. On the Little Aston Road, near the Spire Hospital, I noticed this wind-slain silver birch. Thankfully, the ride home was much more pleasant, dry and enjoyable than the one in the other direction.
September 2nd – one of the joys of Autumn, once I’ve got over the shock and low mood created by the end of summer, are cyclamen. To me, these autumn flowering plants are the last gasp of floral joy. I’m not sure if they’re native or not, but delicate shades of purple, blue, cream and pink will dot the hedgerows, verges and churchyards for the next few weeks. Beautiful, delicate little flowers. This is the first I’ve spotted this year, growing in the hedgerow at Forge Lane, Little Aston.
July 19th – After a terrible, lost day, it was a joy to come home through the countryside of Little Aston and Lower Stonnall. It’s funny how on some days, you see lots of other cyclists, and on others, none at all. This was one such day. This cheery chap bid me a hearty ‘hello!’ as I cruised down the hill at the end of Forge Lane. Surprising, really, given the hill he was winching himself up…
June 15th – I’ve still yet to catch the linesmen in action, but work to install the new overhead lines over Mill Green continues apace. I’m not clear here if the cables in this shot are being pulled through to the ground drum or the other way around. Up near the pylon hanger, there seems to be the remnants of something attached to the lines, which is possibly the scars of a pair of Stockbridge dampers, so I think these are old lines being wound to the ground. This work continues to captivate me.
June 3rd – The day was birthed in light, banded shrouds of very shallow mist. The temptation to stop and just take pictures for hours wasn’t compatible with my need to get to work. I did manage a few atmospheric shots around Mill Green, however, which are posted over on my main blog.
Mornings like this are what cycling is about.
June 2nd – engineers continue to replace the overhead lines across south Staffordshire. At Forge Lane, Little Aston, they were preparing to fit the pulleys I’d seen last week at Stockfields. This work fascinates and astounds me, and it’s even more mysterious to me this time, for I’ve yet to see a team actually at work. Stuff just changes between journeys, like a hidden army is at work.
June 1st – As the week matured, the weather, and the early mornings got better and better. The wind died and the sun came out. It was still grey today, but the meadow before Little Aston church was green and smelt sweet with pollen. Stopping by at 6:15am, with little traffic, I could hear beebuzz and birdsong. I didn’t want to go to work…
May 3rd – Morning commute to Sutton, 8:35am, as bad a piece of driving as I’ve seen in a week or so. She looked at me, made eye contact, then paused, before pulling out. Fortunately I had my wits about me and was alert enough to slam the brakes on. I was quite close to collision, there.
April 19th – Another early start. Here at Bosses, between Lower Stonnall and Little Aston, the early mist was still present. Thin, softening the light, beautiful. For the second day running I wished I could just ride instead of going to work.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 