A Pedal and a tootle

Today’s picture is from my sister Mary. It was taken at Kew.

The temperature was back down to normal April levels so it was on with the woolly hat and the thick gloves when Dropscone came round for the morning cycle ride. It was a bright and breezy day but for once the wind seemed to do its best to help us as much as it could and we got round in a better than usual time. We are not up to last year’s time yet but we haven’t lost hope.

During the morning, I stepped out into the garden to try to catch an impression of the ever increasing colour around.

Aubretia spilling over a stone border

Primroses in a colourful clump

Grape hyacinths standing proudly

Friendly insects are about in good quantities. We are hoping to avoid late, damaging frosts.

The plum tree looking very promising

Mrs Tootlepedal had a busy morning getting the rooms ready for our B & B guests who were a father and son cycling duo. I spent a little time improving my first efforts at the Prehistoric Trail website.

There were some birds about and I pursued my efforts to get a good sparrow photo.

This is a dunnock

A sparrow

I am not very good on sparrows. This may be a female.

..and another, I think.

After lunch, I went off to play golf. This turned out to be a mistake from the point of view of adding to my happiness index. I played nine holes and managed to hit two good shots out of a great many and lost a ball as well. I was not a little ray of sunshine.

When I got back, our B & B guests arrived, having cycled down from Edinburgh. They were sitting chatting in the kitchen when we were joined by Doctor Tinker. He was taking a little exercise after his back operation. It seems to have worked well but it is still very sore. We were then further joined by Arthur Bell who had come round to get some scanning done. All in all, it was a highly sociable afternoon.

I went off to put a week of the E & L into the database and after tea, I picked up Susan and we went off to Carlisle to play recorders with the group. We were all present and we enjoyed a fine evening of music followed by tea and a lengthy exposition of our various medical symptoms. This was most enjoyable.

I finish with two more of the many different daffs Mrs Tootlepedal grows in the garden.