Tag: seasons

July 1st – Half the year gone already. Where on earth did that go?

I was unwell after eating something I shouldn’t (Life with IBS often means interrogating people who cook for you about what ingredients they use, but sometimes, you feel embarrassed and eat anyway). The pumpkin seeds in a casserole from a friend the night before were really causing me hell, and I didn’t get out until early evening.

I met family at a country pub in Longdon for a lazy, louche, sunny Sunday evening social, riding there and back. The countryside is showing well at the moment with ripening crops and the greens going dark and maturing.

I particularly liked the lithe, stripy puss I saw in Hammerwich. – he was definitely the neighbourhood watch!

June 14th – On the way to work on a warm but windy and wolfish Thursday, I stopped to look back down the canal I’d just ridden along. It’s so green and verdant now, sow beautifully limpid and peaceful. Hard to imagine that a few short weeks ago this was barren and grey, and soon enough it will return to the dormant, winter state.

Bless the summer, bless the green, bless the weather.

June 1st – A grey day, largely but very humid. Storms were expected that never arrived, and the air of humid frustration was pervasive throughout the day.

Another blossom is out now, to add to the list – elderflower. So this weekend I shall be out with the sack, collecting some for a relative to make wine and cordial. Not too many though, as we need to remember the black-crimson fruit that will be used to make excellent wine in autumn.

A nice find on an unremarkable, draining day.

May 29th – The season is moving along so quickly now. All along the canals of Walsall the waterlilies are bursting into bloom. These large-leaved water plants spread from floating rhizomes in the spring, and have the most gorgeous yellow flowers that bugs seem to love.

There is a later strain that have white or pink, more ornate blooms. that won’t be far behind.

We never had this kind of beauty on the canals when I was a child. I still find it amazing.

May 22nd – It’s always great to see the flag irises out along the canal banks for another season – such dramatic, beautiful yellow flowers that add real colour to urban and rural landscapes alike.

Only one snag: They really aggravate my hay fever. Looks like I’ll be sneezing my way along the canals for a wile then… but a price so worth paying.

May 21st – Passing through James Bridge, the feral rose by the canalside is blooming beautifully again. We’re accelerating into summer at a rate of knots now, nature has caught up in the good weather so quickly. Every single day there’s a new plant in bloom, a new discovery.

Such a wonderful time.

May 9th – Between the Black Cock and Clayhanger Bridges, not far from the new pond, an apple tree on the canal embankment is in bloom.

If smells absolutely beautiful and is a veritable riot of flowers.

I love how the dominant colour is pure white, but look closely and the buds and petal fringes are pink.

One of the most lovely sights of the season.

May 3rd – On the way to work on a sunny morning, the canal in central Walsall was beautiful.

All the weeks and months of riding in the rain, cold and dark, dreaming of rides like this.

Yet again, another winter is survived and the warmer, longer days are here: Nature is greening, the weather is good and the light is upon us.

Always worth the wait.

May 2nd – Further up the canal, at the new pond in Clayhanger, the pear blossom is very strong and fulsome this year – since we’re now hopefully too late for a frost, we might have a decent crop this year.

The canal itself is beautiful at the moment in shades of bright green – with the rare glimpse of blue sky and such gorgeous blossom it’s possible to convince yourself that this morning had to be the last of the bad weather and summer might finally be coming…

April 30th – Another sign of spring in the air is the re-emergence of the urban and urbane cat population. Indolent and mainly indoors during the cold months, characters you haven’t seen for months miraculously reappear in spring, owning their neighbourhoods like they were never gone at all.

I was particularly pleased to meet this venerable old gentleman in Kings Hill, taking the air. I now know his name is Sam and he’s the companion of an elderly lady who lives nearby. Sam himself is getting on, has no teeth and is generally a stern but authoritative figure, even when asleep on the grass around the flats where he lives.

I usually spot him inactive and dozing in summer, usually in some well-chosen, sun-dappled spot where he can curl up and dream of his kittenhood, and feel the warmth ease his old bones. Very rarely do I see him as I did today, up, about and alert.

Yet again, a lovely old lad enjoys one more spring. Welcome back, Sam.