Very satisfying day indeed

Today’s picture is of the tame heron at the Kilngreen

What a glorious day. The temperature rose to a magnificent 6º (it just missed a magnificent seven) and the snow has really faded away except in shaded spots. As a result, for the first time for ages I was able to get out a bike, get on it and pedal off in all directions. Well, in one direction  really. I went along the Lockerbie road as far as the Grange Quarry and back which makes a pleasant 20 miles with the final five and a half miles downhill. The wind was light and the sun was pleasantly warm on my back. All would be for the best of all possible worlds if the forecast didn’t say it was going to freeze every day for the next week so it looks like the bike to nowhere will be back in action again.

After the ride, a shower and some soup, I took my new camera out to the Kilngreen to see if I could catch a seagull or two in flight. I was very pleased with my first efforts. I have put an album on Picasa.

Before I went off on the bike, I had a go at the goldfinches to see whether I could get a bit more sharpness. See what you think.

A lone brambling poked about for a while.

I took a shot of the Sawmill Brig to show that the snow has all but gone and from the picture you would hard pushed to imagine the six inches of snow from two days ago. However, from the Kilngreen I went up to Pool Corner in a sheltered spot in a narrow valley.

 

 

There you can see very clearly just how cold it has been (and is probably going to get again).

 

 

 

 

The camera is reasonably easy to use and has vast potential, if I can get a grip on the manual. It came with a very handy sort of camera satchel which will make it quite easy to carry about. It is a fairly hefty camera, especially when you are carrying two lenses so the  bag is most welcome.

When I got back from this jaunt, I went to see if the worms had survived the cold spell. I was happy to see a very good population still alive with plenty of young worms  in evidence. I have a multi-layered worm castle and I took the bottom layer out and dug out the compost and put any worms in it it on the other layer. Then I put some fresh grub in the empty layer and put it  back on top. I’ll have to get Mrs Tootlepedal to see what she thinks of the quality of the compost.

Mrs Tootlepedal spent most of the day across at Newcastleton on an Embroiderers’ Guild outing which she enjoyed very much.

In the evening, Mrs Tootlepedal cooked a purée of brussels sprouts, bacon, chestnuts and cream which rounded off a splendid day really gloriously.