Tag: rain

July 23rd – I returned in steady rain, from the old cement works bridge down the canal to the heart of Brownhills. This part, near Pelsall Road with the old South Staffordshire Railway Railway bridge in the background – one of only two listed buildings in Brownhills – looks particularly beautiful, especially on a grey, rain sodden afternoon.

Beauty lies where you find it…

July 22nd – The rain was insistent, but warm and pleasant, too. I took the long way home from the supermarket via Stonnall and enjoyed the cool, damp petrichor scented air, and it’s gilding effect on the flowers and foliage.

At Lower Stonnall, the willowherb, glistening with fresh crystal raindrops, was fascinating and beautiful. 

June 22nd – More cats, sorry, but I just loved these pair, again in the cat metropolis of Scarborough Road, Pleck. There had been light drizzle, and the air was cooling but this pair of lazybones were in the same garden, asleep and totally oblivious.

I particularly like how the black one has fallen asleep while having a wash. 

Oh, for the life of a cat…

June 6th – I had a remarkable journey home, assisted by a big west wind, that blew me back in 45 minutes at an astonishing average of 16mph. I was also remarkable dry, catching only the briefest edge of a squall at Shelfield.

The remarkably local rainfall was illustrated well as I came down Green Lane, where everything was sodden, but the sky was clearing.

A remarkably luck commute – in total contrast to the morning. 
You win some, you lose some…

June 6th – A truly awful morning commute with 30mph headwinds and driving rain made for a squally, wolfish day; but in the afternoon the constant rain broke to showers, and I went about getting some stuff done in the Black Country. Returning home from Tipton, I headed for Wednesbury from Ocker Hill and caught my favourite twin sisters – the churches that crown Church Hill in Wednesbury – is sunlight but with threatening skies.

I love this place. Even in bad weather. It’s where my heart is.

May 29th – A dreadful day, and an awful ride.

Being bank holiday, I wanted to get out, and checking the forecast, convinced myself that the heavy showers predicted wouldn’t come to much. I needed some bits for the bike, so decided to ride into Birmingham along the Stockland Green/Brookvale route and on to the canal, then ride back.

The rain started as I left home and didn’t stop. I spent 45 minutes waiting for a break in the rain in a subway under the m6 at Witton. I was soaked to the skin, my feet were wet and I was miserable.

Arriving in Birmingham the rain eased off a little, I got what I came for and had a coffee and something to eat. I decided to get the train back to Shenstone as the rain was coming on again.

It’s a long time since I’ve seen such a bank holiday washout. I really felt for anyone who’d organised an event. A wet, soaking and sodden afternoon.

May 17th – Nice to see, even on a rainy, grey morning, that meadow flowers are now showing strongly on the verges and edge lands of industrial estate, urban roads, tracks, towpaths and trails.

Welcome back for another season to buttercups, clover and bird’s foot trefoil, which serve to brighten even the most overlooked piece of grass.

Everywhere you look at the moment, beauty is bursting to the fore in a myriad of different flowers, leaves and blossoms.

A wonderful time of year.

May 15th – A wet, horrible morning commute with the wind against me. The only brightnesses I found in the gathering dark were these dog roses and some ox-eye daisies. 

No matter how bad the weather, summer flowers are a guaranteed pick-you-up that will leave you smiling. And is it me, or do wild roses always look best with a covering of raindrops?