May 21st – Passing through James Bridge, the feral rose by the canalside is blooming beautifully again. We’re accelerating into summer at a rate of knots now, nature has caught up in the good weather so quickly. Every single day there’s a new plant in bloom, a new discovery.
Such a wonderful time.
May 21st – A weary day at work, but better in myself, I had things to do for work in Tipton, and on my return, rode the canals all the way back to Goscote.
Another fine day, the sallow fluff – shed from this peculiar tree’s blooms – was making me sneeze and coating everything in a ghostly grey fur.
It is curious, though. This relative of the willow is clearly having a very good year…
May 20th – Another late afternoon ride on a bad stomach – but this time, an absolute blast. Out mid afternoon through Wall, Whittington, Harlaston, Clifton, Overseal, Woodville, Hartshorne, Foremark Reservior, then back via Bretby, Swadlincote, Burton and Catton.
The derelict cooling towers still loom over the remarkable Willington landscape, including the fascinating undulations in the farmland around; those towers were supposed to be demolished a year ago, but remain, a monument to a lost temple of power, as the station they were part of was demolished two decades ago.
Drakelow at sunset was similarly desolate, with very little evidence except a forest of pylons to ever say it existed. It’s now site of a very large solar farm.
Another wonderful ride that actually made me feel better.
May 19th – A bad stomach day, and a ride out late that was surprisingly good: A 40 miler up over Chasewater, Longdon, the Ridwares and Yoxall, returning through Lichfield and Weeford to home.
It was a glorious afternoon, the star of which was the languid, limpid River Trent.
I note that at Home Farm, Sandhills, my favourite horse chestnut tree is in bloom – such a lovely sight.
May 18th – I said last week, somewhat stupidly, that the blossom season was passing. That was completely and utterly wrong – it’s still in full swing.
Not with the brassy, brash cherries, apple and other fruit blossoms that entertained for an all too short period a few weeks back, but with the more subtle blossoms of humbler hedgerow soldiers – in this case hawthorn and rowan.
Both smell remarkable. Both creamy white, but very different. And both rarely deemed worthy of a mention, but criminally overlooked as they’re beautiful, especially close up.
May 17th – I first noticed this remarkable blossom in the car park just by the cycleway in Telford last week. I have no idea what it is and I think it’s probably some type of ornamental shrub, rather than something commonly wild.
The long white blossoms remind me a little of labernum, or an upside down horse chestnut.
Can any readers help please?
May 16th – One thing that was a real surprise on a late return from work was that the lupins on the canal at Clayhanger are in bloom already.
After a really brutal, hard day and a weary, late evening battle home into the wind, finding these beauties next to the towpath was a real spiritual boost.
Sometimes, you just need a little beauty in your life. And something a wonderful shade of purple.
May 15th – I’m a scientific and cultural atheist, as most readers know and I’m a really strong believer in evolution. It’s just the way I am. But even my stoic scientific approach falters sometimes.
Like in the case of coot chicks.
What evolutionary advantage does looking like they really had a moorhen as a father create? And just what made them so ugly that probably even their mums find them a bit grim?
They have cute in shedloads but bless my soul they’re not lookers.
May 14th – At Bentley Bridge, a proud new family – mum and dad and five cute goslings.
The parents hissed at me to be careful, but were tolerant as I greeted and watched the brood they were clearly very proud of. The goslings just acted like I wasn’t there.
A delightful encounter on an urban, industrial Black Country canal bank, and one of the reasons this place is so dear to me.
May 14th – A lovely lunchtime ride into Walsall from work, and I took the canal. The sun was warm, bright and welcoming, the canal alive with wildlife and growth, a green motorway for birds, insects and walkers.
The lilac at Pleck, Sallow at James Bridge and just the air of quiet summer growth was wonderful. A real joy to the heart.
And who did I spot on my return to work in the afternoon? Curled up into a comfy black furry circle, Sam the elderly Kings Hill puss, dozing contentedly in a sun dappled spot, no doubt dreaming of his younger days and soothing his bones in the summer warmth.
It doesn’t get much better than this.
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