July 18th – Today, the older cats of Scarborough Road and north Walsall were not apparently pleased to see me. I haven’t seen either of these characters before – but the lounging black and white clearly had no time for me and my nosiness, while the black-brown bigtop bruiser was watching me carefully.
It’s reassuring to see neighbourhood watch duties taken so seriously – at least, while the weather is so agreeable.
July 17th – Time for my annual botanically subversive mission: spreading the cowslip love.
After the usual delightful display in the spring, my favourite flowers have finally started to seed. I carefully collect the seed heads in a bag, shaking the seeds into it.
When I have plenty, I carefully spread the seeds on hedgerows, verges and anywhere that would benefit from springtime cowslips.
Guerilla seeding. Do something pretty while you can.
July 16th – The dying light intensified it’s drama as I headed back wearily to Brownhills. The Parade is always a treat but with so many mature deciduous trees there now, a low sun is a real treat.
It’s not hard to see the beauty in this place. You just need to be receptive to it and find the right light.
July 16th – Slowly bumbling over to Chasewater to catch the sunset, I wasn’t disappointed. I was pleased to see the wakeboarders out on such a temperate evening, and they made for good photos.
I’m pleased this particular facility is doing well and seems popular – and it’s a favourite of local photography enthusiasts who love to catch the thrills and spills of the novice and experienced boarder alike.
Chasewater really looks better than it does in a golden hour. For the time I loafed here, enjoying the moment and forgetting I had a headache, I’d have not been anywhere else in the world.
July 16th – I seem to have it with a cold. I’ve been feeling a bit peaky all weekend with a headache and sinus trouble, and today I couldn’t raise any energy to move until evening – but a short ride in a terrific warm, sunny golden hour was well worth what seemed like a superhuman effort.
In the backlanes of Stonnall, a shed, fallen spent marble oak gall. Spongy, expanded and very different to the marble-hardness of the fresh variety, this had maybe a couple of hundred holes drilled in it where the emerging wasp larva had bored their way out to freedom.
Galls are fascinating and gruesome at the same time. They do captivate me so: I wonder what the tine wasps look like?
July 15th – Out on a late afternoon ride on a warm but grey afternoon, I spotted a previously unnoticed Bradley between Barton Gate and Dunstall village, which looked like a reasonable ride. I wasn’t wrong; at the Dunstall end it provides commanding vies of the splendid church and rolling countryside around it.
That was a real find. Staffordshire always gives you something new.
July 14th – I never lose sight of how lush and green a summer is – even a dry one like this has so far been. From a familiar vantage point at Catshill Junction I can see that everything from gardens to towpaths, Clayanger Common to the thickets and roadbeds are lovely, variant shades of green.
The shades and hues change from fresh to weathered over the season, before turning more golden at the end of the summer, but are always so, so beautiful.
Cycling, and being outdoors in winter generally, makes you appreciate this so much.
July 14th – Well, they’re definitely here at Jockey Meadows at last, my friends the coos; but the lads were far too busy eating to go look at the cyclist calling them from the gate.
It looks like we’ve got seven as usual, probably Dexters as they’ll eat just about anything.
Oh well, perhaps when they’ve settled in they’ll say hi…
July 13th – I met this affectionate lady on the footpath near The Butts in Walsall. She was patrolling the footpath, so I stopped to say hi. She busily sought my attention, rubbing herself on the bike, as well as my legs and feet. Impossible to photograph properly as she couldn’t keep still, she mewed softly and me before following another chap on foot over the road where she promptly rolled over and invited me to tick her tum.
A lovely puss. I like how she’s wearing eyeliner on her left eye…
July 11th – A day of rain, which wasn’t that unpleasant with waterproofs on. A potter to Wolverhampton on business was cut short by an issue back at Darlaston, so I hopped on the train from there to Coseley to catch some time.
The flowers – even in the rain – at this suburban station are beautiful, and very much made me recall South Wigston. This is an absolutely beautiful thing and cheered me up wonderfully on a dull afternoon.
My compliments to the people who clearly work so hard to maintain this little oasis of beauty.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 