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August 16th – No wildlife today, sadly; I had hoped to carry the seven days of wildlife challenge on further than the week, but I saw nothing of interest in that department today – at least, nothing that stayed around long enough to give good camera face. So I made do with the moon.

It was full and beautiful this evening, and what a night to look up at it and ponder the wonderful feat of travelling there, given the technology of the day.

The moon will never lose it’s romance.

August 12th – I spotted this chap well out of my reach in a garden at Lullington. I do hope he was OK. He was moving well, and it was fairly late in the day. He looked like a large hedgehog, but I’m aware that if you see one in the daylight it can be a bad sign.

A concerning entry for the ‘7 days of wildlife’ series inspired by Susan Forster.

August 10th – Popping up to Aldridge on my way to work, I noticed this character pointing the way to a local drainage supplies company, Venture Plastics, on Brickyard Road. 

In what seems to be a nod to Futurama’s Bender, it can’t have been an easy thing to do so well. Brilliant.

Wonder if it has a name? My compliments to the creator. A masterpiece, and brilliant advertising.

August 8th – I felt it again today,  that Autumn feeling. Just on the canal at Clayhanger the leaves aren’t even turning and the feathered water lilies are still perfection itself, but the honeysuckle going over, the acorns swelling on the trees and hard quality of the air made me think more of a clear day in October than August.

Is it me, or is anyone else feeling an early Autumn coming on? 

August 5th – Interesting to note the fruits doing well this year and those that aren’t. We seem to have bounteous quantities of blackberries, acorns and here, sycamore seeds. Beech also seems to be fairly prodigious.

Not doing so well at all are the horse chestnut, hazel and pear trees.

It’s curious how the years cycle. As my Grandad used to say ‘It’s always a good year for something’.

August 1st – A mechanical mystery. Three month old Shimano hydraulic brake pads, which suddenly lost grip and appeared to be glazed or contaminated. The pads are the sintered metal type and are genuine manufacturer parts.

Sometimes, long periods of braking can ‘glaze’ pads. causing them to become highly polished and shiny, meaning they don’t work well. The common treatment for this is to file the surface of the pad and pop them back in. 

These I have degreased, cleaned, filed and even surface ground, but whatever I do they quickly glaze again. New pads of the same type were just fine.

Anyone got any idea what’s going on here? I’m wondering if overheating has caused the pad material to harden…

July 28th – Inexorably sliding now from the flowering to the fruiting, I notice the first blackberries are making their appearance in the hedgerows, scrubs and thickets. 

It looks like another bumper crop this year, that’s certain to result in the baking of many a pie, crumble or tart.

A real treat for the foragers…

July 23rd – Spotted on the canal near Tamhorn Park, between Hopwas and Hademore, this late brood of mallard ducklings. Mum wasn’t nervous and tolerated me quite close, and the little chicks were relaxed and content.

I love the fact that umma almost, Mona-Lisa like seems to be smiling. I must stop anthropomorphising animals, but she seems very pleased with herself.

There are few things cuter than ducklings, after all.

July 21st – It’s been a great week of commuting so far. Sunny and warm, without too much wind. I felt the sun on my face, and everything had that great summer air about it you only get in during really warm spells.

This evening, however, was different; it was ten degrees C cooler than on Monday, and the skies were grey. As I neared Brownhills, it began to spot with rain, and I raced home to avoid the thunderstorm we were surely due.

It never came, and neither did the rain.

It’s been a great few sunny days, and if the summer would like to return, I for one will make it very welcome indeed…