#365daysofbiking Catching the leaves:
October 26th – Heading to Hortonwood from Telford Station on the cycleway, I crossed the motorway bridge to Priorslee and my attention was caught by the sunlight catching the turning leaves.
Motorways are not beautiful but they do have a particular charm, especially in autumn when their embankments, generally undisturbed havens for wildlife, become especially beautiful.
#365daysofbiking Falling in love:
October 24th – It’s hard not to love the Black Country right now. The canals are beautiful, the leaves are turning and there’s a slightly soft quality to the light which is truly gorgeous.
I’m hating the dark nights and mornings as usual, but when you catch the daylight it really is rather lovely.
#365daysofbiking Golden:
October 18th – A lovely still evening, again with a beautiful sky it was a joy to cycle home in. At Stonnall, the last dying light over Sandhills was precious and suffused with gold.
I’d better make the most of it as the clocks go back in a week’s time, and that’ll end my sunset commutes for another year…
#365daysofbiking Optimal:
October 19th – The Japanese parasols are still bursting out a fresh crop every morning outside work on the industrial estate grass verge. They need to do this as these tiny, delicate fungi peak for a couple of hours but decay to nothing within 24.
It was lovely to see that in the October sun, I’d just caught these ones at their most perfect.
A lovely start to the day.
#365daysofbiking Galling:
October 17th – I’ve been casually interested into the decomposition of the robin’s pincushion gall I found in the summer in Darlaston.
This once beautiful red and green hairy, spiny gall – created by a tiny wasp laying it’s DNA corrupting eggs in the rose leaf buds of it’s host – is now decaying fast and I’m interested to see how this ball of plant matter wastes away, and if it shows any evidence of the adult gall wasps escaping to freedom.
I’ll never stop being fascinated by these things.
#365daysofbiking Leaf it out:
October 16th – Time for an important warning to cyclists and motorcyclists alike – watch out for the fallen leaves at the moment. They’re very slippery indeed.
These innocuous piles of autumnal debris gradually get reduced under wheels to a slimy, soapy, wheel-steeling goop which will make you skid and catch you out when you least expect it to. Add to that rainwater, spilled diesel and other slippery stuff and the recipe is for a tumble.
In my experience the councils are pretty good at controlling the problem, but it’s an impossible task.
So watch where you’re riding and be careful out there!
#365daysofbiking Prolific:
October 10th – The fungus is really coming forth now, but it’s interesting to note that while some species are booming, others I’m used to seem scarce this year.
I’ve not seen many glistening ink caps, puffballs, or fly agaric – certainly not in their usual number. I’ve yet to see my favourite Japanese parasols. this is curious, or it might just be me jumping the gun.
Whilst in Telford today I noticed that there are loads of is paxillus involutus, the brown roll-rim, and these tiny, delicate caps I don’t recognise but may be ink caps of some kind. But none of the regulars.
I wonder if this is connected with the hot, dry summer?
#365daysofbiking Some velvet morning:
October 10th – Seasons and situations have a habit of redeeming themselves. This chilly, but sunlit and misty dawn in Mill Green, on the the way to the station, I fell in love with autumn all over again.
Ever year I’m furious with it for stealing my summer, then it goes and does something beautiful to win me over.
I’m so glad I was around to see this.
#365daysofbiking I dream in colour:
October 9th – In Telford for the morning, I had business up on Stafford Park and the hedgerows and trees along the cycleway were absolutely gorgeous.
The blue sky merged with the reds, golds, yellows and the still green and made a beautiful multicolour palette as I cycled past on a lovely warm, sunny autumn morning,
Autumn’s pretty fine once you stop struggling and accept it.
365daysofbiking Ever falls the twilight:
October 6th – I returned to Brownhills in the overcast weather hinterland between night and what passed for day. It was damned grey and inside, I felt that way too. The onset of winter has me by the neck this year and I’m alternately OK with it and then quite down. I somehow feel I let summer slip away – I didn’t, I rode lots and saw lots and it just ended early, but I feel bereft.
From the Silver Street pedestrian bridge, I surveyed one of my classic winter views: Autumn is settling well here now, and the new houses with the nice line along the canal made an interesting match to the colour of the trees before them. There is life here now, lights in the new dwellings, and no longer does it feel desolate to stand here and be confronted with the place I love.
This town is changing, like the season; slowly, imperceptibly if you’re not attuned to it, and I think for the better. Finally, the ghosts of the civic failure here are being exorcised, and there is evidence of a little hope, a little life, a little warmth.
Unlike the season, Brownhills is opening up. Perhaps this grey twilight is better than I thought.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 