Today’s guest picture was taken by my brother on the 3rd of March and shows snow in the Lake District then. It snowed here today at the very end of the month. So much for March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb.
When I woke up at eight o’clock, it was a fine sunny day and it turned out later that Dropscone had had the foresight to get up early and enjoy his 20 mile morning pedal while the going was good. Mind you, it was so windy that when he stood on his pedals and free-wheeled over a cattle grid on the top of a hill, his bike stopped dead.
By half past nine, it was raining. The rest of the day was a mixture of heavy rain, snow, hail and beautiful sunshine. I tried to get the washing hung out at one point but the gaps between the showers were too small and even with a howling wind, it didn’t have a chance to get dry.
Dropscone recovered from his ride well enough to make some particularly tasty scones and bring them round for coffee. We were joined by Scott, the minister so we got nourishment for the body and the soul at the same time.
If I was the sort of person who rudely looked out of the window while his guests were chatting, I might have seen some jackdaws at a suet ball outside. I might even have been ruder still and leapt up and photographed them…
..but perish the thought!
I might have seen the even larger, more severe rooks that followedbehind the jackdaws.
No one would imagine that a rook could look cuddly…
…but they might be wrong.
In a dry interval, I discovered that the pulmonarias have started to bloom.
The poor weather had brought in several siskins…
…and even more goldfinches.
It was noticeable that the wind was strong enough to discourage the goldfinches from their favourite very-top-of-the-twig positions.
It was snowing at lunchtime…
…but by three o’clock it looked set fair for long enough to allow me out for a walk.
I drove up to the golf course and walked up the Kirk Wynd towards Whita and the monument.
The monument looked tempting in the sunshine so I put my best foot forward (and my other one too) and headed up the hillside. The gorse looked brilliant in the sunshine….
…and the going wasn’t too bad, even after all the rain…
…and I surprised myself by getting up to the monument….
…in a reasonable time and in good order.
As always, I enjoyed the views from the top.
I may possibly have been helped on my way up by a heavy wind at my back. I paid dearly for this help with my woolly hat. This was whipped off my head by a malevolent gust when I was on the very top of the hill. It disappeared so quickly that I never saw it again. If anyone sees a hen harrier flying around with a woolly hat on, it’s mine.
With my ears now flapping in the gale, I headed back down the path and found that the wind once again had a price to exact for its helping hand up the hill. My foot slipped on a patch of greasy grass and in a trice, the wind had blown me flat on the ground, Fortunately it had chosen a comfortably soft spot on which to deposit me and I was able to rise gracefully up and continue my descent with only my pride dented.
During the afternoon, the joiners came and have almost completed the task of replacing the skirting boards in both rooms and putting up some new coving in the front room. (Mrs Tootlepedal was very pleased to have been able to have sourced some polystyrene coving which exactly matched the existing plaster coving in the room.)
There only remains a final visit from the electrician and then the decoration. This last may not be absolutely straightforward as Mrs Tootlepedal has plans which will make Versailles look dowdy but the finishing line edges ever closer.
In the evening, I drove Susan to Carlisle and we had a really good evening of playing with our recorder group. Roy picked a succession of plums out of his big bag of pieces and we were all working hard to do them justice.
Our drive home, with the thermometer at zero and flurries of snow keeping us alert, passed by without incident.
I caught the flying bird of the day during one of the frequent showers and it is a tribute to the Nikon D7000 that it came out as well as it did.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
Great bird pictures – I am envious of them, and of your siskins.
We have had very few siskins this year probably because of the great crop of cones in the woods round the town.
Despite the weather, the view and the bench seat look inviting. A lovely image. I also love the images of the birds and the garden with snow falling. 🙂 🙂
It is always a pleasure to be up at the monument, even in a gale.
I am glad you weren’t hurt in your fall. Similar weather here but only hail and sleet – no snow. I like the cuddly rook!
Nothing stuck this time so we are in the clear but very chilly still.
Wonderful post.
Thank you Victor.
I’m sorry about the loss of your wooly hat, but I’m sure that by the time you read this, Mrs. T. will have knitted a replacement for you. Wonderful photos of the rooks – I especially like the way the first one is hunkered down.
I have suggested the knitting task to Mrs Tootlepedal. She gave me the look of someone with better things to do.
The walk to the monument looks like a pleasant one. I’m glad the fall didn’t bang your new knee up.
Too bad about the hat but as MJ pointed out, Mrs. T will probably knit you a new one in no time at all.
The knee took it well but my shoulder is moaning a bit today.
Those are great photos, and the view from up there at the monument is something! Wish we had the equivalent of Dropscone here. I miss the blueberry-oat scones we used to get back east.
More normal wintery type weather here in western Oregon today and a thunderstorm. An ever-changing sky out there.
Carefully selecting talented and generous friends is an art.
Excellent photos! 🙂
Thank you HJ.
You might be right about that cuddly rook. Mrs T’s on a roll then.
She worked herself to a standstill today.
Stunning pictures both of the birds and the views from the monument. You don’t say if the fall upset your new knee so I hope it didn’t. The first rook photograph looked menacing. Glad to know the workmen are nearing the end of their time, you will be pleased to see them go no doubt.
A well frozen FBTD.
It takes a lot to put a chaffinch off.
A splendid array of photographs. The first one of the rook looks very frightening. Glad you had some sunshine and survived your fall without damage.
They breed the wild creatures and the people tough where you live! Wild and wooly weather you have! I’m glad you didn’t injure yourself in the fall. Very entertaining description though. I may well have a tendency to be a little distracted by wild creatures when I have guests or are on walks with people too. The camera does tend to sneak out quite often! That “fluffy” looking rook does look surprisingly cuddly. Such beautiful country you have there. My daughter may be studying near Scotland next year as part of a study abroad program with her degree. As a devoted mother I really think I will have to visit her! 🙂
Undoubtedly. Scotland is always worth a visit.
That “cuddly” rook doesn’t have me fooled for a moment…he has the look of the wolf posing as Red Riding Hood’s grandmother 🙂
Perhaps. It looked very cuddly to me.
Very sorry to hear that the wind blew you over and deprived you of a woolly hat. Hopefully you have a replacement in store. It must have been quite a gust. I have lost many caps to the wind and the sea, but never a beanie.
I was seriously worried about my spectacles following the beanie and took them off and out them in my pocket. I was lucky not to break them when I fell over.
What a mixed weather day! I love the rook photos because they are so hilarious.
The are comic and sinister at the same time rather like politicians.
Stunning guest photo! Loved the views from the monument but sorry about the price you had to pay in order to get them!
I have so missed your humor during my absence from the blogosphere. It was fun catching up! 🙂
I’ll try and fall over more often. That is always good for a laugh!
Gorgeous view!
🙂
I’m glad your tumble was without injury but what a shame about you hat. I’ve had a few hats whipped off by brambles in my time but I’ve always managed to retrieve them. I hope the snow was short lived.
I went up a few days later but there was no sign of my hat.