Tag: verdant

#365daysofbiking The promise of green

 

March 1st – Today was sunny, periodically, and when the sone shone (even though it tried to snow a couple of times) it was warm on my back and face. It didn’t rain, well not much anyway.

But what did happen was I found in the hedgerows of Home Farm at Ogley Hay fresh, bright green hawthorn leaves.

Yes, the hedgerows are starting to green up. This is excellent news.

Perhaps spring isn’t cancelled after all.

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#365daysofbiking Park life

June 14th – A dry commute to work (but sadly, not back) was a novelty. It was grey, and I never felt quite safe from the threatening skies but the blessed absence of rain was nice.

Victoria Park in Darlaston looks lush and green as one would expect in such a wet season. The mystic bridge I stood on to take photos from, however, was slippery with algae and lethal, so take care!

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August 14th – A tiring, very long day, but despite my weekend gloom (sometimes the IBS gets you like that) the weather is still very dry and warm – although not the sun-drenched heatwave of a couple of weeks ago, it’s still warm enough to ride with just a tee shirt and hopefully catch a little warmth on the skin.

The weekend’s small amount of rain clearly hasn’t been wasted: things suddenly look green anew – the canal at Clayhanger Bridge was as limpid and peaceful as ever, but the surrounding vegetation is greening up again. It looks… Fresher. Grass is sprouting again, and optimistic, opportunistic weeds and wildflowers are shooting up on the edgelands.

Looks like summer isn’t over after all…

May 17th – Again,in the ‘what a difference a few weeks make’ department, the cycleways of generally unremarkable Telford are returning to their leafy, shady but sun dappled summer state.

You would not know here you’re but feet from a motorway, and the colour and Arcadian effect is stunning, and a joy to ride along.

Telford faces much derision, not least from me, But some things it does really, really well. Telford, take a bow.

May 12th – And talking of spring and summer colour, nestling in green nowhere, as Vivian Stanshall put it. Just tens of feet form factory yards, a cycle train on a short bit of old railway in Brownhills between Engine Lane and the old Cement Works, or Slough Bridge.

One of those moments where you stop, look and catch your breath it’s so gorgeous.

Even though I felt like shit, I was happy and honoured to see this.

April 22nd – A rare break in the clouds saw the sun shine as I came up from the canal at Bentley Bridge on my way back from an errand at lunchtime. To left and right here, out of shot are massive scrapyards, yet running like a green vein through the centre, the canal; peaceful, tranquil, verdant.

I love the Black Country and this scene typifies the way it’s canals exist as magical green natural corridors through great sprawls of urban life.

Wonderful.

January 16th – After yesterday’s tree trapped through a post and rail fence, I was on the lookout for more similarly entrapped flora. Again, in Telford, I spotted this sapling consuming a mesh fence. It’s really quite impressive. 

Elsewhere, on the same cycleway, I noted that the moss thinks spring has come. I know nothing about moss whatsoever, but this one is beautiful close up, vivid green and very fresh. 

I hope any cold snap doesn’t ruin it.