November 11th – In the quick loop of the common whilst killing time waiting for food, we poured ourselves liquid down the parade.
At night, we often see deer crossing here, this wide, tree-lined road over the common is always beautiful, but never more so than in autumn.
One thing the sodium lights do set off well is autumn leaves.
Gorgeous, and the perfect appetiser for a good curry…
This journal is moving home. Find out more by clicking here
from Tumblr https://ift.tt/2QlAO91
via IFTTT
November 10th – The morning had been sunny and the afternoon grey but clear – a better day for sure than the washout of the previous one. But everything was sodden, and cycling was still…. Challenging.
Wet leaves, mud, huge puddles made the going tough but it was nice to be out.
The rain had washed most of the leaves off the trees at The Parade, meaning the really beautiful period had been transitory, like so many times of beauty this year. Such is life.
My companion went for a low angle and tilted the camera noting that the trees all had a windswept tilt, too -, and although not mine, this shot encapsulates the feeling so well, it would be a crime not to use it.
This journal is moving home. Find out more by clicking here
from Tumblr https://ift.tt/371HqPM
via IFTTT
June 16th – Always nice to meet a hog going about it’s business and this lovely one was near the Fullelove Memorial Shelter at the foot of Brownhills Parade.
Healthy and very large, it was far too busy to pass the time of day and scuffled off into the night and away from my attention.
Uplifting.
March 17th – Coming back to Brownhills down The Parade, the snow started. As it turned out, it was in for the night and we ended up with and unexpectedly heavy fall.
It was bitterly cold, and as nice as the common looked, I wanted to be at home in the warm. I don’t know if it was the particularly biting wind or just my hunger but this cold seemed far more harsh than the -8 degrees we’d had a couple of weeks ago. Since it was nowhere near that cold now, I have no idea why that was.
Come on Winter, you’ve said your piece. Sod off and give spring a chance.
October 15th – And then came a new day, and a restorative, happy ride to Cannock Chase – but before that, a quick call to check out Brownhills Parade, where the avenue of roadside trees is an autumn favourite.
Not quite at their peak, this spot will be a favourite with local photographers for weeks now, and rightly so, it’s a magical, beautiful reminder that the town I live and in and love is actually surprisingly beautiful.
I remember when these trees were planted.
September 24th – Nice to see the refurbished Fullelove Memorial Shelter back in public use at the Parade in Brownhills. Often mistaken for a bus stop, the shelter was erected by Brownhills Urban District Council for the old folks in memory of George Fullelove, the great chorister and choirmaster of Brownhills.
This hexagonal, elegant brick structure has provided a place to shoot the breeze, hide from the rain, or enjoy an illicit fag for generations, yet I bet few know why it’s actually there.
A lovely thing, well restored and congratulations to the Brownhills Local Committee and the Friends of Brownhills Common who achieved it.
August 6th – A better day spent mainly at home getting domestic things done, and resting, which is what I needed more than anything. I left for a ride late on a freshly tuned, clean, unladen bike and had forgotten just how lively and fun my bike is to throw around in such a state. I rocketed around the common and Chasewater and felt better, and liberated. I only had to go a few weeks. And I could get more stuff done. This isn’t all bad.
Talking of getting stuff done, I noted that the Fullelove Memorial Shelter at the bottom of The Parade is being well renovated. Built in memoriam to the great Brownhillian choral singer George Fullelove, I believe the shelter was built after his passing for the elderly to sit and watch the world go by. Over the years I’ve seen much time there, like many a Brownhills lad: sheltering, dossing, socialising or having an illicit fag.
Like most people, until I was older I had no idea of the purpose of this hexagonal, elegant structure as no plaque records it’s purpose, but it is a fitting tribute, and also to Brownhills Local Committee and Doug Birch who have pushed for the renovation.
Thanks. This is a real piece of Brownhills history, your efforts are appreciated.
July 16th – The dying light intensified it’s drama as I headed back wearily to Brownhills. The Parade is always a treat but with so many mature deciduous trees there now, a low sun is a real treat.
It’s not hard to see the beauty in this place. You just need to be receptive to it and find the right light.
October 30th – The Parade, Brownhills, on a grey, overcast and misty Sunday afternoon.
Go on, tell me again that this place is ugly and has nothing to commend it. Just try.
January 31st – I noted as I passed in the afternoon that the conifer plantations on Brownhills Common west of The Parade are being thinned again, as part of the ongoing heathland restoration works. It’s good to see, but I must admit, I’d probably go further here.
The conifers were planted in the postwar period, before we really understood the importance of the heathland habitat here; they have spread rapidly and grow so thickly that little lives beneath them. This harms the biodiversity, and doesn’t provide the best environment for the deer here, who like low cover.
Restoration will take years, but it’s good to see the progress, and the physical scars will soon heal. All the cut wood here is coniferous; deciduous trees are left.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 