Today’s guest picture is another from my neighbour Liz who is in New Zealand. It shows a fine waterfall which would have been much bigger, she says, if they had had any significant rain since December.
After the burst of activity that has followed Mrs Tootlepedal’s retirement, today was a marked contrast. The weather was rather grey and gloomy and I was very grey and gloomy. For one reason or another I was absolutely jiggered and failed to carry out most of the interesting plans which I had formed for the day.
My mood wasn’t helped when my music program on the computer crashed taking with it an hour or so of work. I had hoped that I had set it to automatically back my work as I went along but sadly, I hadn’t. I have now…which is a perfect example of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.
Mrs Tootlepedal was full of beans though and persuaded me out for a short cycle ride which was combined with putting as much of the vast quantity of roadside litter as they would hold into our bike bags as we went along.
I was waiting for her to catch up at one stage and this gave me time to take some roadside shots of more attractive things than old drink cans.
First two shots of alder catkins in spring mode….
…then some luxuriant moss on a wall….
…and finally a thriving lichen.
It is surprising how interesting what looks like a simple white splodge on a stone can be when examined more closely.
I spent another hour or so redoing the music that I had lost.
Then I went into pro relaxing mode for the rest of the day with just enough energy for an occasional peep out of the window.
The day took a turn for the better in the evening when Jean and Sandy and I didn’t go to the Archive Centre as usual but went with Mrs Tootlepedal to the Buccleuch Centre instead where we were treated to a wonderful illustrated lecture by wild life cameraman Doug Allan.
He has worked extensively with the BBC on their big wildlife programmes and he turned out to be an excellent speaker as well as a great photographer so while showing us some stunning still and moving images, he was able to educate and inform us as he went along. A treat.
I hope to be perkier tomorrow.
The flying bird of the day is a chaffinch.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
In my world “perky” is a slippery thing that comes and goes without explanation.
My world too. I was very perky today though.
Nice shots of the alder catkins. I don’t recognize the moss or the lichen, but the moss might be spoon moss (Bryoandersonia illecebra).
I really am going to have start reading my moss and lichen book and not just look at it.
Nice waterfall and bird photos.
Thank you for visiting.
So you have litterbugs too.
Many of them sadly.
Here too alas.
I love your jackdaws. Good on you and Mrs T for picking up litter, especially when you were far from perky.
Mrs T made me do it to be fair.
The blue tit does look annoyed at receiving the paparazzi treatment.
I am trying to perfect that look for myself to use when people ask me if I want a loyalty card.
All your photos are good, as always, but the photos of the alder catkins are stunning!
I’ve been waiting for them to show a bit of their inner workings.
Seems like Mrs T has worn you out! The roadside litter annoys me too, even more when it’s on a footpath or park or in the forest. I don’t understand why people don’t just take their litter home.
It is very annoying.
Glad you had such an interesting evening. Some lovely pictures in your blog – especially the jackdaw and chaffinch. Hope you feel perkier today.
I loved the chaffinch photograph. Sorry you felt feeble but glad the day ended so well.
So sorry your were jiggered but your wit made me snigger. 😀 Your rare sparrow is unfortunately not at all rare here and they have become quite terrible pests, devouring everything and taking over the blue bird houses. I loved the blue tit – what an expression on its face!!
They are reasonably common round here in general but they have not been visiting our garden at all this winter. Strange.
That white lichen stuff is alien-like.
I agree.