Some calm

Today’s guest picture is another from my sister Mary’s recent visit to Richmond Park.

The Isabella Plantation

The road cycling sportive today didn’t offer much in the way of a photographic opportunity as it has a staggered start and the cyclists are soon well spread out so I went out for a short pedal of my own.

I started on the return section of the short sportive route but left it as soon as I could and had a gentle meander among the potholes along the Kerr road.  These have been left by the road menders who dug out all the potholes on the route before they started to fill them in from one end.  It will be a few days before they finish.

I wasn’t in a hurry though so I was able to wiggle my way through them without much difficulty. I was coming up to Barnglieshead Farm when I noticed that the roadside verges were hotching with little butterflies.  I stopped to dig out Pocketcam and expected that they would fly away before I could focus but on this occasion they behaved very well and paused to take in a few rays while I stooped over them.

There were quite a few orange wing tips about too but they were more flighty and wouldn’t wait for me.

I rejoined the sportive route for my last three miles but only saw one cyclist.  I wasn’t too surprised because a very strong wind meant that the participants would have had a hard time coming along the stretch from Bailliehill.  I was quite very glad not to be killing myself on the 60 mile circuit.

On my return, I found that Mrs Tootlepedal had just got back from the church choir and we enjoyed a cup of coffee before going out into the garden.  Mrs Tootlepedal has used a bin of last year’s compost as mulch so I have started turning this year’s stuff into the vacant space.  I am doing this by degrees having learnt a lesson about doing too much with a sore hip.

I took a look at the flower beds after I had done my ration of compost turning.

Although some of the azaleas have been disappointing, others are great value.

Aquilegias pop up all over the garden.

The Alliums are beginning to fill out.

Not all the flowers in the garden begin with the letter A (although there are some very nice Astrantias coming along as well.)

A large comfrey is growing among the fruit and veg.

New flowers have appeared on two separate Potentillas, each with a delightful red tinge to the petals.

The mild winter has really got the plants looking well in general.  This little willow bush is just bursting with life.

The frogs too look as though they are happy enough.

Lurking under a traditional lily pad. I have never seen a frog actually on one of our lily leaves.

The garden is full of the noise of demanding sparrow chicks calling for food.

One parent was working very hard.

And getting no thanks

No manners

Silenced for a moment at least.

In the afternoon, we went off to our Carlisle choir, taking our friend Bob with us.  He is a fine singer and had decided to see whether our praise for the musical director was justified.  We had another really useful, hard working practice and Bob decided that the choir would be worth joining.  This was very good because we have enjoyed going a lot and it is always nice to share one’s pleasures with others.

When we got home, Mrs Tootlepedal pointed out that I had missed a new flower so I went out to remedy this.  It is a Rosa Moyesii and unlike the late manager of Manchester United has lasted for many years.

We are having a very reasonable spell of weather at the moment after quite a lot of rain recently  and although the meteorological future is a bit doubtful, everything is drying out well and we are making the most of it while it lasts.   I put this in just to show that we are not always complaining about the weather in Langholm.  Often but not always.

In the good weather, I am spending less time staring out of the kitchen window and there are not so many birds visiting the feeder at the moment anyway so finding a flying bird of the day is quite difficult.  The hard working sparrow was my only effort today.