March 9th – A gorgeous, sun soaked early spring commute, a little bit into the wind, but no less gorgeous for that. I rode fast through the backstreets of walsall, enjoying the sun on my face, and for some reason today at 7am, all I could smell in Darlaston was bacon cooking.
I spotted these gorgeous primroses, just dying to be noticed in Kings Hill Park. They almost glow in the sunshine.
March 8th – Another somewhat unusual sign of more clement weather was spotted in SHelfield this morning. Going just on the edge of a front garden on the A461, glistening ink cap toadstools.
Not seen any since last autumn – things must be improving.
Seems the warmth is waking everything up!
March 7th – I noticed on the way to work that another spring achievement had been unlocked – the hawthorn hedges are sprouting beautiful, bright green leaves, that smell fresh and look gorgeous.
I always welcome the spring greening and any step towards it, and seeing these fresh leaves this morning was a welcome and happy surprise.
I know we’re not out of the winter yet – after all we had some of the heaviest snows for years in April 2013 – but it feels like the cold and dark is ending now. Whatever happens now will surely only be a transient to something much better.
March 6th – Spotted in great Bridge, in an alleyway just off the high street, these two likely characters, although only a handful of yards apart, studiously ignoring each other.
I love how now the weather is warming up, the flaneurs of the summer are starting to awaken from their cosy spots indoors, yawn, stretch and take the outside air now that the sap is rising.
When the cats are out, you know summer isn’t far away.
March 4th – A much better day, when it felt spring had arrived. It was the day of the annual Erdington Cycle Jumble, so a chance to rummage some tat, bag a bargain, scoff bacon rolls and talk to old faces. Following, I rode the canals of Birmingham, down through Brookvale, Witton Lakes, Aston, up over the Hockley Flyover to Soho for lunch, back along the canal to Small Heath, then via the Cole Valley and Plants Brook back to Sutton Park and home.
I was particularly intrigued by the wonderful Jonathan Meades immortalised in stencil underneath Spaghetti Junction.
It was a great ride with periods of lovely sunshine, spring flowers and only one heavy downpour.
And the cats, particularly the monocular marmalade munchkin in Erdington, were great, as ever.
A restorative and lovely ride.
February 28th – in the swamp at the end of Victoria Park in Darlaston, just past the old railway bridge on the way to Kings Hill, a surprise today in the rain: The blackthorn is flowering.
Always the earliest tree blossom, it’s a lovely sight and on this wet, miserable day I was so pleased to see it.
Interesting too to see the blackthorn bush with an alder growing intertwined around it.
February 26th – Another blustery, wet day and although I had plans, I shelved them and had to be content with a spin around Chasewater. That wasn’t so bad, as I was weary and hadn’t scoped the place out for a while. I checked out the recent dam works, which contrary to local conspiracy theory seemed to make sense, and also noted that the dam road is now closed, which is something that should have been done long ago – only the residents and rangers have business down there and hopefully the locked gate will prevent further outbreaks of fly tipping and ASB.
I had a snack at the cafe, then arced around the lake over a very wet and muddy north heath – I was looking for deer, but saw little wildlife except the burgeoning grebe population and a very depressed looking kestrel on his usual pylon perch.
Looking for something – anything – to make the ride better, I remembered the cemetery and St Anne’s Church, just over the bypass, as surely the crocuses must be in bloom. I wasn’t disappointed.
I commend visiting this cemetery in the next week or so to any locals – my photos don’t do this veritable carpet of blooms justice and it’s thoroughly captivating.
I left sometime later in a punishing, rain-soaked headwind, a much happier man.
February 22nd – It was a grim, wet morning commute and I wasn’t in the best of moods. I decided to cheer myself up by calling into Kings Hill Part to check on the progress of the miniature daffodils and other spring flowers.
I wasn’t disappointed, and spotted with raindrops, they looked fresh, vital and beautiful.
I left in a considerably better frame of mind.
February 19th – There were other stars, too though. The cats are waking up in the warm weather, and I saw several, including the two canalside kitties at Brierley Hill and the great dog and cat partnership at Bumble Hole. That pair’s facial expressions were absolutely priceless. I think they are big mates, but the cat clearly tries to hide it.
February 19th – It was a warm day with an insistent wind and occasional sunny periods – but a fine day for a ride. I covered 63 miles, the first big ride of the year, and the towpaths were much easier going than I thought, apart from a couple of rough patches at Stourton and west of Wolverhampton.
The canals showed themselves beautifully, and the sound of church bells and sight of daffodils, snowdrops and other spring flowers gladdened the heart.
Of course, the architecture stole the show – the viaducts, aqueducts, bridges, locks and associated houses are gorgeous.
The Black Country is wonderful and I’ll always love it.
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