September 28th – Quite a find for me, and only the second time I’ve ever seen it in the wild: orange peel fungus, seemingly growing well on Clayhanger Common, near where I saw the glistening ink caps last week.
This ascomycete is not particularly rare, and mycologists may scoff at my enthusiasm for it, but this delicate ad small fungi is hard to spot. I’m pleased I found it.
September 26th – Interested and fascinated to note that the restored windmill at Longdon that I photographed a week ago actually has a sailed that rotates with the wind as required – note the sails are on a different side of the building this week.
That mill has to be a tour de force of mechanical geekery… I love it.
September 25th – Spotted this sign on a marker post by Stepping Stones. Chase Hppper bus? There was once a bus service on these rough trails? Really?
Does anyone know what it was, and when it ran?
September 24th – Written on a canalside wall in Birchills.
‘Speak the truth even if your voice shakes’
Great advice. Wonder what inspired it?
September 23rd – And there are other autumnal riches, too. These glistening ink caps are growing on a recently cleared area of towpath on the canal at Clayhanger.
I love how the damage to the cap reveals the gill structure of the fungus. Another couple of days and these will have decayed to black slime.
Fungi are fascinating.
September 22nd – The cat population of the UK doesn’t seem very pleased with me lately. After being scorned by the posh pusses of Lower Stonnall yesterday, today this black and white fellow glared at me from wasteland in Leamore.
A lovely cat though: love the three spots on the nose and white tail-tip.
I remember when cats used to stop for a bit of fuss. Not at the moment, it seems…
September 19th – Wow. The windmill at Upper Longdon – converted into a family home – now has sails.
Is this the only windmill in Staffordshire to be in such a condition?
A wonderful thing. My respect to the owners.
September 17th – Uh-oh, in comes autumn. The days are still warm in the sun, but when it goes in, the temperature drops considerably. There’s an edge to the air, and in the evenings it’s started to feel rather chilly. Sunset is earlier and earlier.
From Catshill Junction today, the trees and scrub are starting to turn.
Autumn is unstoppable, and bearing down on me now…
September 16th – Shooting along the canal to Great Bridge early doors I passed under Bughole Bridge. Can it really be 22 years since they rebuilt it? The Black Country Route – which passes nearby – was new then.
I’ve never got to the bottom of what Bughole means, though. Anyone know? Like Bumble Hole and Devil’s Elbow, it’s one of those great Black Country names we accept without too much thought day to day, but when thought about really are quite preposterous.
September 15th – Catshill Junction Bridge has had this horrid step for years. There used to be a concrete ramp between the footpath and the bridge deck, but it broke up and washed away in the rain.
The Canal and River Trust have been asked to repair this on multiple occasions, to no avail.
Yesterday, they announced that a crew would be out on Wednesday ‘to make it accessible’.
I’ll believe it when I see it…
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