June 7th – A lovely, chance find whilst riding through Victoria Park, Darlaston. Part of this urban oasis, right in the centre of Darlaston, has been left to wild and apparently spread with wildflower seeds. Just as I rode past it, I spotted a small purple flower that demanded closer study. I wasn’t disappointed.
A lovely orchid growing right there. What a glorious, pretty and wonderful thing!
So good to see after so many years of these important flowers being so rare…
November 28th – Although Victoria Park in Darlaston is beautiful any time of year, in winter it comes into it’s own.
Low sun, long shadows and morning quiet make for a beautiful oasis in the midst of humming industry.
A lovely short stop for a think on a bright, chilly morning commute.
November 16th – Not sure what this large fungus actually is, but it was handsome and glistening with collected dew and rainwater as I passed through Victoria Park in Darlaston in the early morning.
To my sadness, the fungi haven’t been terribly prolific this year – some did explode into life late, like the fly agaric, but this year I’ve hardly seen any puffballs, very few shaggy ink caps and the brackets seem well down too.
I do hope the unusually dry autumn hasn’t scuppered chances of seeing rosy earthstars at Clayhanger again…
October 31st – A beautiful day in Darlaston and on the canals of Walsall, with sun shining through a light mist, suffusing all with a soft golden light.
As I’ve noted, Darlaston wears autumn well, and Victoria Park, the mystic bridge and canals were all lovely today.
A welcome pick me up after yesterdays dull greyness.
October 27th – Spotted in Victoria Park, Darlaston, this field mushroom. All on its own, it’s mates had either been picked, or not turned up – but this was a splendid specimen, and quite rare so far this year due to the dry autumn we appear to be having.
It’s a strange autumn when you can’t find enough wild mushrooms for a senescent omelette!
October 24th – All of a sudden, Autumn has exploded into vibrant colour, and the Black Country, from Darlaston’s quiet majesty to the postwar estate roads of Tipton wear the season’s overcoat beautifully.
There was little wind, and in the stillness, leaves tumbled freely and carpeted footpaths, towpaths and roads. I hate the darkness autumn brings, but it is beautiful out there right now.
Get out and enjoy it if you can.
February 15th – Spotted by the bridge in Victoria Park, Darlaston: the sadness of things. This huge teddy must have been very much loved once. Sodden with rain and looking dejected, he’s been moving around the park for a week or two. He looked particularly miserable today, he wasn’t even in the sun where he could dry out.
Few things are more melancholy than an abandoned toy.
February 9th – Sad to note that at the south end of Victoria Park in Darlaston, beyond the railway bridge, flytippers have been at work. What is normally an fairly clean marshy area beloved of birds and bugs, a quantity of tyres have been dumped, clearly thrown down the embankment from the car-park above.
Only the lowest of the low do this. Scum.
January 20th – A beautiful, cold winter day – exactly the kind I’ve been hankering after. As I rode to work the light was beautifully soft and lit Darlaston up, but it was still hovering around freezing, which gave the air a keen nip.
The swans on the canal at Pleck seemed annoyed by ice that wasn’t easy to break by swimming, but wouldn’t sustain their weight if stood on. Darlsarton’s parks – Victoria and Kings Hill – were as beautiful as ever and I see work on the old church at Kings Hill is ongoing.
A wonderful day to be on a bike, just enjoying the ride.
January 13th – A better day, at least: the sun was out as I cycled through Victoria Park in Darlaston and under the Mystic Bridge. It was still very wet, though and I was running late against a headwind. But the light was nice, and I felt better.
One of the things about cycling nearly everywhere you go is the massive connection you have with the outdoors and the weather. Periods of continued poor conditions can get to feel like a personal attack, and that’s how I’ve been feeling just lately.
There has to be a break in this soon, for a few days at least.
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