December 30th – I had to go up to Walsall Wood all day. The weather – in complete contrast to the day before – was dreadful. More heavy rains and high winds, as if we haven’t endured enough.
I finally got down to it and called in where I had to after darkness fell. When I arrived, the rain had been soft and drizzly, but when I emerged, it was heavy and harsh once more.
Glistening in electric light, it did at least look beautiful.
December 27th – A cruise around Brownhills in the dark of a damp but moonlit night was odd. It didn’t feel like Sunday, in what must be considered the perineum of the year, this netherworld between Christmas and the return of normality at the turn of the new year. It felt like nowhere – there were no people about, the factories and homes were quiet. Only the pubs showed life, and the open, but deserted takeaways on the High Street.
This time of the year can either be really enjoyable, or purgatory. It’s never middling.
December 27th – Ogley Hay’s Church of St. James is gorgeous at night, but I’m not fond of it in daylight. A perfectly competent design, I find it dull and overly geometric; but at night it comes alive.
I particularly like the way the lights illuminate the skeletal trees.
December 24th – Back on the bike in Brownhills, I had to pop up to Walsall Wood on an errand at tea time. I stopped on Anchor Bridge to try and capture the lights on the new flats there – not brilliant, but it conveys the frenetic last-minute traffic and bright lights.
A little bit of electric night in Brownhills.
December 23rd – After a long weary haul up Shire Oak Hill with a heavy saddlebag full of goodies, I paused at the top to take a picture of the reborn again Shire Oak pub. Refurbished extensively, it’s a different pub to the one that closed here in late summer. Lots of work has been done in and outside. There’s a new, sage-green paint job. I love the exterior lighting.
Most of all, it looks warm, welcoming and busy – it’s good to see a local pub saved for once.
December 23rd – Christmas starts here for me, really – as I finished work today. It’s been a long haul, this Autumn. After a good Indian summer, it all went horridly wrong and it seems to have blown and rained they rest of the way here.
I sped from work on very quiet streets, in a chill, but not cold night air. I had an errand to run to Lichfield, and on my way back, paused on the motorway bridge at Summerhill to try a long exposure like the one I failed at in Pelsall earlier in the week. This time, it worked.
This is a 30 second exposure; note orion clearly visible in the sky. I’m pleased with this, and it feels sort of Christmassy.
Merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful new year to all my readers and friends.
December 22nd – Crawling back up Shire Oak Hill, into a headwind and driving rain. The traffic is very odd this week, as it’s quiet, but has frantic bursts as people return from shopping or whatever. The driving is a tad odd. This week is sort of a netherworld, almost a holiday but not quite; it’s like Britain just has a skeleton crew on.
And still this rain. You know what I want for Christmas? Some keen frosts, some snow and a bloody fine dry spring.
December 22nd – At least now, we’ve had the Solstice and the shortest day – it’s all coasting to spring now, whatever the weather, we still wander gently but surely into the light. My darkness is retreating.
Holding back the darkness in its own way is this Christmassy cottage near Springhill, between Lynn and Sandhills. I had to nip to Stonnall on my way home again, and the rain had made for yet another commuting battle. But seeing the white lights twinkling, and the thoughtful execution made me smile.
A light in the darkness. Merry Christmas!
December 21st – I took the cycleway from Walsall to Pelsall, and crossing the Vicarage Road bridge, I tried a bit of long exposure photography. Sadly, I wasn’t patient and this 15 second exposure wasn’t long enough.
Ah well, better luck next time…
December 21st – Walsall’s Gala Baths, wedged in-between the Council House, library and the ‘civic quarter’ on Tower Street seem very popular; featuring a good size swimming pool with and additional brine pool and gym. It was clearly busy when I passed mid-vining, and it makes for an interesting night photograph with the curious lighting.
It’s due a refurbishment soon, to bring the early 60s building up to modern standards. A fine thing indeed, of which Walsall can be proud.
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