June 24th – The wildflowers have peaked now – as summer draws on, only the old familiars will really remain as the more showy specimens fade. One of my favourite long lasting flowers – up there with birds foot trefoil – is this vetch, an electric blue/violet delight. It’s growing in abundance on Clayhanger Common and near the Pier Street Bridge in Brownhills, and is really rather splendid.
It always seems alive with bugs, too, so it serves a useful purpose to boot.
June 24th – Hatherton House, one of the older, more dignified buildings of Walsall, situated on Hatherton Street. That was until it was converted into a nursery, and some arsehatted moron decided to do this to it.
I have nothing further to add.
June 23rd – Long, hard day at work on a gorgeous summer day; I only caught the beginning and end. The sky was a lovely blue this evening, and as I passed Little Aston church, I stopped to take a few shots over the meadow. That’s a remarkable spire on a very nice, underrated church.
Even better on a languid summer evening…
June 22nd – I spotted this young marmalade cat in Coulter Lane, Burntwood, at sundown. It had caught a bird, and was acting shifty. I took the photos hurriedly, as puss wasn’t happy with me getting near his trophy, which appears to be a housemartin.
I love cats, but all I could think when I saw this was ‘Bastard!’
As he disappeared under the gate to what I assume to be his house, I heard his owners shouting at him. It must be awful bringing your boss a quality gift and then being admonished for it…
June 22nd – Riding (unusually for me, it’s a long story) up the A460 through Rugeley, I spotted this bit of arsehattery masquerading as cycling infrastructure. This is a ‘mandatory’ cycle lane, as indicated by the solid white line. Mandatory in this context means it doesn’t have to be used by the cyclist, but that traffic shouldn’t occupy it or park in it.
So far so good.
So they run it close to an oblique parking bay, on the left. What could possibly go wrong?
What’s wrong with this picture, kids?
June 22nd – Up on the Chase on a lazy, hot summer afternoon. Gorgeous – I haven’t been here for too long, if I’m honest. A great ride down Rainbow Hill, the trails are dry, powdery and challenging, over to Birches Valley where the cafe and it’s pice list has been refurbished, then up Penkridge Bank, Abraham’s Valley, over to Stepping Stones, Milford, back through Shugborouagh and on the canal to Rugeley.
A great ride. I’d love to know what’s under that manhole near Brocton Coppice – guess it must be a well or borehole – there certainly aren’t and drains around there… and they really don’t seem to want folk getting in, either.
June 21st – I think the poppies growing so beautifully on the traffic island in Clayhanger must have been planted, possibly as part of the Great War commemorations this year. It’s fair to say that whether by accident or design, they’re really beautiful and a lovely display.
If you’re passing, do take a look, it’s magical.
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