365daysofbiking Noble jacket:
October 5th – Darlaston is probably at it’s very best in autumn. An indisputably industrial, highly urbanised Black Country town with a huge amount of greenery, it wears the multi-coloured noble jacket of autumn beautifully.
In Victoria Park, looking towards the Mystic Bridge, autumn is just starting to paint the trees in shades of yellow, gold and orange.
The sadness of the summer’s loss is now passing, and I’m quite enjoying the change in the scenery.
#365daysofbiking Stars on earth:
October 4th – Returning early this year, on a patch of edgeland on the industrial estate in Darlaston near where I work, one of the most remarkable fungi I’ve ever seen: an earthstar.
Just a couple at the moment, but one is deformed: but these bizarre organisms, when in their prime are stunning. A buff-coloured puffball emerges as it’s casing unfurls in almost petal-like sections around it, forming a star.
They look like they’re made of modelling clay or ceramic. They are absolutely astounding to see.
I adore fungi. It’s so unlike anything else.
#365daysofbiking Going down:
September 26th – Crossing Cathshill Junction and heading up to Anchor Bridge, I caught it on the cusp of day and night, and realised that soon, I would be doing this once more in darkness.
I don’t know where summer went this year; it seems barely days since I was riding the roaches, eating ice-cream at Blithfield or riding in short sleeves around North Warwickshire.
Time passes so fast these days. It was a good summer – I doubt I’ll ever see one with such consistently fine weather again.
#365daysofbiking Light and shade
August 29th – I passed through Kings Hill Park twice during the morning – once on my way to work, when it was dull and overcast, and once at lunchtime, when the sun was out.
The appearance of the twin sisters – the Catholic and C of E churches at Wednesbury differed markedly, and not just because they were taken from either end to he park.
The sun shows the gathering autumn, and the brightness of the verdigris on the one church roof. I like the way it picks out the coin tiles and clock face, even though the clock is currently stuck resolutely at one o’clock.
I never tire of this view. I hope the timepiece is fixed soon – few things speak more eloquently of urban decay than a stopped public clock.
I must say, the Canon G1X really does show it’s chops when pushed.
August 16th – Thankfully New Street is a rare delight these days, but on this grey and wet Thursday morning I wallowed in the damp brutalism of the concrete and metal, and the sounds of the people and traffic.
I spend many years now passing through this place, waiting or anticipating. It’s by turns grim, ugly, wonderful, fascinating and homely.
A real love-hate relationship.
August 13th – A brighter day when the morning got going and I found myself visiting Telford feeling better, even if my stomach was still uncomfortable.
The footbridge project is progressing well but there still seems to be an awful lot to do: No discernible structural assembly of the lifts yet, and the access point on the west side seems miles off completion yet, although in the way these things generally do, it’ll probably come together very quickly in the end.
Interesting to note the main span mainly constructed now, and it’ll be lifted in one piece onto the piers. I’d be interested to see if that ripples the roof skin.
At the station end – which this construction is already dwarfing – there are to large, green service cabinets in position by the steps. Perhaps it’s me, but they look really, really incongruous.
This gets more and more fascinating every time I visit.
August 9th – The herons are still ubiquitous on the local canals and it’s not hard to see why; the numbers of fish these quiet, urban waterways are host to now is quite amazing – you see shoals of them surfacing and for the comedically shabby, grey expert fishers these must be good times indeed.
This one who seemed fairly elderly was clearly annoyed at me disturbing the catch of the day, and continually flew away, only to land 20 yards further up the towpath and have to move again as I pressed onward to work.
I’ll never understand why herons do that.
August 8th – Unusually, I was in Redditch visiting a supplier and despite the (currently rare) overcast day, I was reminded of what gorgeous, surprising corners the new town has.
Redditch gets a lot of stick – much of it deserved – for dull planning and generally being a product of postwar urban design; but where it works – Lick the respectfully preserved Church Green or the gorgeous Arrow Valley Country Park, with the time hamlet of Ipsley preserved within – it’s rather wonderful.
I actually like this place a lot. There, I said it.
August 7th – Also showing a good, plump and juicy crop this year are the blackberries, so profuse at the moment, everywhere I go they’re so ripe they’re falling off the brambles. I see plenty of folks picking them, but there are just so many.
If you’re a crumble fan, get out there. These wonderful fruits are fee and so sweet and tasty this year.
August 7th – One of the surprises of the summer for me has been the surprisingly bountiful harvest of many berries, nuts and fruits: I would have thought that the dry spell would have meant fruit was more sparse.
Elderberries are a case in point. I think the fruit may eventually be smaller, but there is a huge quantity ripening in the warm sun. These are all in Victoria Park, Darlaston where the bushes are absolutely laden.
Going to be a good year for home wine-makers aI think.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 