September 28th – Although not as dramatic, the following sunrise was also beautiful as I rode through Mill Green. I love the shape and drama of pylons and radio masts at any time, but against a good sky they always look fabulous,

It was a good ride into a challenging wind, which is developing an all too familiar chill at the moment.

The year really is closing in fast now. 

September 13th – One benefit of the shortening days is the comment colliding with sunrise and sunset. As I left for work early in the morning, the sky was so beautiful I decided to take the long way to work and travelled down through Stonewall and Mill Green just to catch it.

I wasn’t disappointed. 

There are some benefits to the closing summer, after all.

February 25th – Passing through Mill Green on the way to Sutton early. The sun was up, but there was an ethereal mist and a cold, frosty feel to the countryside.

A beautiful start to the day – I’m full of cold, and should really have stayed home today, but if I had, I’d have missed this. And that would have been a tragedy.

January 28th – After the recent warm, damp weather, a quiet wind, and cold and clear sunrise as I headed down through Mill Green, I’ve been very lucky with sunrises in the last few months, and it’s good to se them.

A beautiful sunrise holds wonderful promise for the day ahead; it makes you happy inside, and in these generally wet and grey days, a bit of beauty is so very welcome.

December 18th – Heading off to Birmingham early again, I shot through Mill Green late, but I couldn’t resist photographing that gorgeous sunrise. The past couple of days have shown the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets – and arriving at the station too late for the train, it gave me chance for a better go at the view of Hill Hook I took from the train yesterday.

The weather of late has been awful, but sights like this make the misery of cycling in such wet weather totally worth it.

October 22nd – A great dawn in fine weather with a much appreciated tail wind was a real joy to ride in, and a marked difference from the day before when I got soaked in persistent, heavy rain.

At Mill Grren, I stopped to watch the sun rise over Hill Hook and towards Tamworth. A massive, red-smeared sky opened out minute by minute, and was truly captivating.

Mornings like this make me much more comfortable with autumn, for sure.

October 20th – Passing through Mill Green at dawn the countryside was magical. Very slightly misty, with high cloud, nonetheless the top of Sutton transmission mast was obscured.

Usually, I’m running too late to take pictures in the morning, but I see some beautiful sights. Now winter is coming I must allow extra time so I can share more of these wonderful views here.

July 31st – Early morning, just after dawn, Mill Green in Aldridge. By heavens, it was cold; very cold for a summer morning. But it was sunny, and over this ripening field of oilseed rape, the sun passed and rendered it golden.

Interestingly wide field-margin, too – that’s got to be good for wildlife.

July 30th – Passing through leafy, upmarket Mill Green on the way to work, I noted that the large abandoned house on the corner of Forge Lane looks to have reached the end of the line. Abandoned for years, I never found out how a very large, modern family home on the outskirts of Little Aston comes to fall derelict, and I now doubt I ever will, but the property was for sale for ages and was finally procured by developers a year ago.

Since then the surrounding scrub has been cleared, and a small bungalow built in the back garden. In the last couple of days, a large excavator has appeared which I suspect may demolish the house.

It’s nice to see something being developed on such an abandoned site, but one does wonder what happened.

A mystery.