March 26th – However, it’s a glorious spring, the rain seems to have stopped and nature at least seems to be behaving normally.
On Clayhanger Common, small yellow flowers have appeared- my favourites; the cowslip.
These tiny primroses bring me such joy. Seeing the first of these is such good news.
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February 24th – And nature, she kept trying thought out the end of my journey.
Outside the place I was supposed to be an hour previously, this single yellow solitary soldier was the first of it’s cohort to wake from spring on the bank opposite the bike shed.
I felt proud and pleased for it, it’s comrades still in bud.
It made me much, much happier.
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February 18th – on my way through Pleck, I spotted this clump of daffodils, a welcome addition to my currently grey and grim commute.
I note daffodils are gradually emerging in parks, hedgerows and gardens, and not just the traditional early patches I’m familiar with – they seem a bit early this year but I’m not sure if they really are.
Whatever they are, they are most welcome. Spring is definitely here when these beautiful characters appear.
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October 30th – In Darlaston on a dull day, Victoria Park was doing it’s best to spread a little colour on the day.
That tree really is gorgeous. It would be even better in the sun…
Ah well, maybe tomorrow.
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August 27th – Oh gosh, a local celebrity. On the half-shell.
This yellow belly slider turtle has been living in the canal for years – I’ve seen a few of them in my time; there was one at Chasewater for years and several on the Black Country canals.
They are all discarded pets that are now illegal; they are normally southern US residents but survive fine in our climate, but won’t breed.
I’ve had fleeting glimpses of this one before near Clayhanger, but today, I caught it enjoying the sun at the edge of the canal.
It’s large, healthy, and apparently content. And boy, can it move fast: One whiff of danger and it retreated back to the water at top speed.
A fascinating curiosity.
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August 5th – Birdsfoot Trefoil is a staple throughout summer from the earliest of the season until autumn. It dapples lawns, verges and meadows with yellow and red patches, and is one of my favourite flowers.
Not many folk though realise how this plant got it\’s unusual name – it’s because the seed pods look like a bird’s feet.
This gorgeous flower is so very ubiquitous that it’s one of the few wildflowers I love that I’ve never bothered to collect the seed of and spread.
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July 18th – A flower which I’m convinced has had me puzzling before is St. john’s Wort. This tidy, bushy shrub is planted ornamentally on a lot of industrial estates, and I never identify with it as being British – it seems exotic.
Also when people talk about wort I always think off plants like ragwort, or sticky wort.
Having caught the morning’s showers the whole bush glistened and shimmered. A coating of raindrops can only ever add to a plant’s appeal, after all…
Thanks to everyone on Facebook who helped me identify this one.
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July 17th – Near Jockey Meadows on the way home, I stopped to take a call on the phone, and whilst mooching around on handsfree, I noticed this 10 spot ladybird in the adjacent hedge.
It appears to be native and not a an invasive harlequin, and yes, 10 spot ladybirds often have 12 spots apparently! There’s a similar yellowish harlequin but the pattern is markedly different and there’s no tell-tale dimple on the rear of the wing cases on this one.
I guess I must have done but I don’t recall seeing one this yellow before. A rather charming and endearing find – and the client who called me had no idea what I was doing.
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June 9th – A decent enough day following the heavy rain of the day before – I had stuff to do at home so just nipped out on errands.
Another beautiful sign of the season slipping by is the waterlilies are blooming on the canals – not my favourite white ones yet, but the yellow are coming on a treat.
We just need some warm weather now…
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May 29th – Always nice to see the flowering of the beautifully yellow flag irises that grow in abundance alongside the local canals and wetlands.
Sadly, they really, really trigger my hay fever like nothing else.
So for the next few weeks every canalside ride will be punctuated by sneezing – but in such a good cause.
Such lovely blooms.
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