October 19th – Photography fail. I spun around Brownhills at sunset to get some night images in; fully equipped with tripod, I caught some good shots, or so I thought. It had just rained, and the air and landscape were clear, wet and hard. It was lovely.
Sadly, after taking this picture at Clayhanger, I knocked the camera into program mode and all my other shots were fuzzy rubbish. Must take more care next time.
Still, the sunset was lovely, and the canal as still as a millpond…
October 16th – Autumn is in full swing now. As I cycled down Green Lane from Shelfield to Bullings Heath, the golden hour pre-sunset sunlight caught the hedgerow and set it afire. It was so lovely, I had to stop and take a photo.
Maybe this autumn thing can work out after all…
October 14th – I hopped on to the canal on my way back, and as the sky cleared, dusk fell. It was beautiful, in a quite understated way. I love the canal overflow at Clayhanger Bridge. I adore watching the flow of the water; powerful, noisy, yet soothing. Flowing strongly after a weekend of rain, I listened to it for ages. When you’ve been feeling under it for a while, simple things like listening to the rush whilst watching a decent sunset form can really pick you up.
I cycled homewards lifted.
September 27th – Out at sunset for a spin around town, and the sky was incredible. My grandfather used to call this a ‘mackerel sky’, and if one was observed, it meant ’24hours dry.’ I’m not sure about Grandad’s hypothesis but such skies are thoroughly beautiful. I’m glad I got to enjoy this one tonight.
September 22nd – It’s not been a great weekend, really. I seem to have contracted a cold, which left me feeling hungover on Saturday and just plain horrid today. It was with a sinus-generated migraine that I finally got it together and headed out at dusk. I found the dark soothing, and it made the visual disturbance less apparent. It was very still, and the sunset was gorgeous. Any other weekend I’d have been over the hills and far away, but today, my energy was sapped just doing a small loop on the canal around Clayhanger.
Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.
Setember 5th – Tyseley, about 6:30pm, heading for Darlaston. There was a soft sun, combining with city haze, smog and no wind. The shapes of the city looked gorgeous. I’d forgotten over the summer that it could look like this. I was tired – blitzed, to be honest – but this pulled me up short. I don’t think anyone else noticed.
I love this city. This place. This moment in time. The rooftops, spires, tower blocks, chimneys. It felt like the city was mine. It’s nice when that happens.
August 3rd – I’d been poring over maps most of the day and was tired and bleary when I headed out early evening. I cycled along the canal, and it looked like I was just too late to catch the best of what looked a beautiful sunset. I guess that part of the season is approaching again.
It was still nice though, over Home Farm, where the clouds caught the reflected light from the west; Chasewater’s sunsets are now a bit more tricky due to the wake lines and towers.
Sadly, I blew a puncture on the way back, and without a spare, I walked home dejected and annoyed. Never leave home without your tool kit…
July 6th – back to Brownhills in a scorching, still, languid golden hour. By some trick of the light, the High Street looks busy, and beautiful. The canal rendered gorgeous in the sunset.
I’ve waited a long time for this. Long may it continue.
June 3rd – Escaping from a day of tedious paperwork, I broke out at sunset and tore around Brownhills, letting of steam. The air was still and clear, the light excellent, and the town just sunk slowly, and beutifully into evening.
People will tell you this place is ugly, that it is worthless and is a hole. It’s none of these things. It’s gorgeous at times, and it’s home. This evening, with the air coursing through my shirt and power in my legs, I couldn’t have been anywhere finer.
may 28th – After a dreadful day of travelling – 7 hours of commuting just to get to Telford and back – I came home from a day unusually not on my bike. Hopping out as dusk fell, I shot up the Parade to Chasewater, then back along the canal. After a very wet, miserable day the air had begun to clear, and the rain ceased. The sunset wasn’t great, but after the murk, the crack in the clouds seemed heaven-scent. The Parade looked great with the fresh foliage, but I think we could do with some sun now. I need to feel more of the summer warmth.
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