July 2nd – A ride out to Brockton, Milford and Tixall marred by mechanical problems, a headwind and tiredness, but a good trip all the same. Tixall is as beautifully incongruous as I remember, and the Chase was as gorgeous.
The waterfowl of Chasewater were also on good form as I passed through. I’m wondering just how much the swan numbers can increase to – gorgeous birds, but so many of them now. Interesting to watch.
June 25th – Out late after a busy day working at home. It was a pleasant evening as I spun up to Chasewater along the canal from Ogley Junction.
I must say, that view of Hammerwich over the Warrenhouse still stuns me after all these years – and with the grass high in the meadow like a gently rippling sea, it’s even more beautiful.
Another lovely thing (though perhaps not if you grow veg!) is the burgeoning rabbit population along the canal and around Chasewater Dam. As you ride on a quiet afternoon, bunnies scuttle for cover from the towpath, nearby scrubs and gardens. They look healthy, and seem to be doing well, which is good news after myxomatosis wiped out the warren at the Chase Road Bridge a few years ago.
A nice afternoon’s bimble.
May 30th – I wasn’t well today. The long ride of the day before had maybe taken a toll, but I didn’t sleep well, and suffered a migraine in the morning. The day was a bit wolfish, too, with a strengthening wind, so I confined myself to a trip to Chasewater and back over the common and canals mid-afternoon.
I haven’t been this way for ages, and I’m sad, as it was absolutely beautiful; Brownhills wears it’s spring jacket beautifully, and the buttercup meadows on the farmland to the rear of the old Rising Sun pub have to be seen to be believed; but also at The Slough, the hawthorn blossom is beautiful.
I still felt damned ropey, but at least I felt better about myself.
May 12th – In total contrast to the rest of the week, a beautiful, warm but breeze day and very enjoyable riding indeed. As I set out early, bird were making the most of the early light, and the world seemed to be gently drying.
Arriving at work, my attention was snagged by the flowerbeds on the industrial estate. I love how tulips look like they have some kind of arachnid inside them.
A gorgeous day, which was wonderfully restorative after an awful few days.
April 20th – As the weather had cleared, I stopped to snap a familiar view – from Shire Oak to Lichfield and beyond. Burton, Swadlincote and the disused cooling towers of Willington were in sunlight. In the foreground, the Old Ladies of the vale looked constant and imperious.
I shall never tire of this view.
April 27th – When I left home just after dawn there was a heavy frost; I left Darlaston later in the morning for Telford in bright sunshine, which really highlighted the blossom on roadside trees. Mainly cherry, but some apple and plum, too. Absolutely beautiful.
Sadly though, this doesn’t bode well for a bumper fruit crop like last year; a frost on the blossom now will damage it and reduce the fruit yield.
With such beautiful blooms, hope the weather and sunshine pick up soon.
April; 20th – In Wednesbury, cherry blossom against an azure blue sky, one of the finest sights of spring, and a very long time coming this year, it seems.
I adore the sight of the thousands upon thousands of pink-white flowers, the confetti of their falling petals on the breeze and the sweet scent as one passes by.
So nice to have the sun back. Let’s hope it warms cup a bit soon.
April 5th – A bad day for commuting, really; soaked with a headwind on the way to work, and shot blasted by hail and caught in a short, sharp shower on the way home. But at least by then, the wind was behind me.
The rain on my return was broken by periods of bright sunshine which although directly warm on the back, couldn’t counter the strong, bitter wind; but we did get a rainbow. Almost Imperceptible to the northeast, but stronger over the darker cloud to the southeast it was beautiful – and a good while since I saw one.
Talk about four seasons in one day…
March 31st – A fast run out late afternoon to test some adjustments, and for the second time in a week my gaze fell upon my favourite tree, the singular horse chestnut at Home Farm, Sandhills. Those who read this journal regularly will know well that I gauge the seasons by this tree. It’s such a classic, perfect conker tree with the iconic outline; I treasure it.
On a brighter day than awful Tuesday, with the spring sun picking out the greening fields and hedgerow, could that be a smattering of green on the tree? I do hope so.
March 10th – It had been a really grey, overcast, dull day – but briefly and tentatively, as I neared Brownhills the sun came out. Just for a short while. So I headed to Chasewater to catch it, and to check out the water level, which I’d heard was now overflowing as a result of the previous day’s rain.
What I found was life-asserting and beautiful; a mackerel sky over a soft, still reservoir, where the guys from the Wakeboard facility were setting up again for a new season. The swans, rather than being alarmed, seemed to be investigating the activity with interest.
The whole scene was suffused by a soft, slightly misty light. Utterly wonderful.
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