It’s behind you

Today’s picture is of us getting ready to venture to Longtown after 2 ins of snow had fallen in the early morning.

It was a bit of a double edged feeling to look out of the bedroom window to find the town beneath a beautiful mantle of gleaming fresh snow. Mrs Tootlepedal had to go to Longtown to pick up some flowers she had ordered for presentations after the Panto so I walked up to the High Street to see what the A7 looked like. It was in a very good state considering the weather so I went home,  brushed  the snow off the roof of the car and we set out.  In the event, there was nothing to worry about and we made the journey without incident or alarm.

The birds were queueing up at the bird feeders so perhaps they sense that the weather is set on this cold course. The bramblings are now regular visitors here and in neighbouring gardens as well.

The one above is perching on the feeder for the new bird food we bought. Demand for this stuff seems to be picking up as you can see from this sparrow waiting its turn.

All the feeders were busy all morning.

My daughter Annabel has pointed out that one of the siskins and one of the goldfinches in recent pictures have been wearing tags but it not these two as far as I can see. I don’t know who would have tagged them or why.

I also don’t know whether this is the same greenfinch coming every day or whether there a number of them who come separately. It (they) is a regular visitor but we never see many at once.

I was looking at lenses for bird photography on the internet when I saw a review which said that such and such a lens was indispensable for aspiring wildlife snappers but as it cost $10,000, I thought I would probably have to live without it.

After lunch Mrs Tootlepedal retired for a little lie down before the last night of the Panto and I went for a walk in the glorious winter sunshine which had followed the morning snow. I wandered across the Millennium bridge onto the Castleholm.

The castle was looking romantic in the low sunlight.

And this is looking across to the lodge at the beginning of the Lodge Walks

I crossed the sawmill bridge and went along the Kilngreen and with great self control, I did not take yet another picture of the resident heron there. I had the shorter lens on the camera and  was interested to see whether I could still capture a seagull in flight and crop to a usable picture. Judge for yourself.

All right, I don’t care what you think, I was quite pleased with the efforts. Photo editing programmes are brilliant.

On my was home up Caroline Street, my eye was caught by this pattern..

..which was snow on the church.

In the evening, I went off to the Buccleuch Centre to see Snow White. Mrs Tootlepedal was great and had the audience in the palm of her hand. My slot racing colleague Les was taking the part of the dame and he was very good too. They both got many well earned laughs. In all, the cast did an excellent job and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

After the show, Mrs Tootlepedal came home and relaxed with a well earned whisky  and Strictly on the BBC I-player.