October 26th – British summertime ended this weekend, which means my evening commute is abruptly plunged into darkness, but for a short time at least, the opposing morning journey is in the light once more.
When I passed Grove Hill this morning, the sun was well up and with the green on the lower slopes and soft light, this could be a spring morning in April.
October 22nd – Time for a seasonal warning. After raised winds and heavy rain, what can be better than riding through freshly fallen leaves? At Telford, the cycleways are thick with leaf litter, and very beautiful.
This is a cause for caution as well as awe. These leaves retain the rain from the day before, and still contain enough sap and resin to be slippery and form a soapy, friction-reducing goop the will steal your wheels from under you in a flash.
Where the leaf-fall is on busy roads, the pulp mixed with diesel can be like black ice.
Enjoy the beautiful scenes – but hey, be careful out there.
October 19th – The last time I was in this spot at this time of day was Friday, when I was feeling black and down. Today, I stopped in the chill air and looked to the retreating sun.
I got out the camera, recorded the sunset over my town, the place I love, then remounted and headed off into the light.
I feel so much better today. If only I could remain in light.
October 19th – At Telford, the cycle rack at the place I was visiting had this bike locked in a corner. When inside, I found the owner and warned them about their locking technique; the cable lock only secures the rear wheel to the stand. A sharp thief would just pop the quick release, leave the wheel in situ, and nick an unlocked rear wheel from a nearby bike. Hey presto, complete steed ready to go in seconds, no tools required.
Always use two different locks. Always secure through the frame. Nothing will make your bike thief-proof, but you can make it time consuming, or bothersome to steal.
October 17th – Halloween seems to be getting bigger and more commercial every year, and this year, the hype has started particularly early.
It’s nice to see the popularity of pumpkins, though, as I adore the orange gourd, particularly as soup. In Lichfield, I loved the two carved ones on display at the greengrocers.
A nice touch that made me smile.
October 16th – It had been a very long final day in a very long week. I was tired, my energy reserves were low and to to put it bluntly, I felt lower than the sea’s knees. I called in to Stonnall on the way home, and as I winched myself up Shire Oak Hill at Sandhills, I looked back at the Friday rush hour traffic rolling up the hill.
Dusk was falling, it was cold and beauty was hard to find.
Some journeys are harder than others, even when homeward bound. I felt every inch of this one.
October 16th – Spotted in Wednesbury, a whole line of snowberry bushes. These low, still flowering shrubs are peppered with the globular, white berries that look quite beautiful.
I know of no other fruit like it. I assume it’s an import for ornamental reasons. It’s certainly one of the markers of autumn.
October 15th – In a factory yard in the darkest Black Country, a temporarily misplaced young hunter peers hopefully from a bund wall at standing water. There might be the odd frog, I guess, but no fish in there, sir.
He watched for a while, then, as if called, suddenly flew away. He seemed to know exactly where he was going.
This is why I adore the Black Country.
October 15th – I’m sure readers must be fed up of autumn colours and my obsession with fungi. For this, I apologise, but I do love the mycology and the best thing about autumn is the colour…
Noted today at Bentley Mill Way Aqueduct on the Walsall Canal – Lactarius of some description, commonly known as milk caps. I think this one may be a slimy milk cap, but there are s many types, without destroying them it can be impossible to tell.
The look like they’re decaying, but they aren’t; they look old, but they’re quite fresh. Again, I love the featheriness of the exposed gills. They were growing right on the edge of the towpath where vegetation had been cut back over the summer.
Fungi can be remarkably tenacious.
October 14th – The twin sisters of Wednesbury are a bit of a muse for me at the moment. I took a photo of this view last week, but on a dull day. This evening as I trundled through Kings Hill, the spires were caught in golden, low sun that also caught the turning trees.
I love this view, the colours, the clock and the rooftops. Hope I see it in snow this year. Wonder if it makes a good night shot?
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