Today’s guest picture shows a room with a view. It was captured by Venetia while on holiday in Corrèze. She seems to have had plenty of interesting things to look at while she was inn France.
We had sunny spells and brisk winds again today but we were spared any showers which was a relief. Once again though, I failed to get out on my bike for one reason or another.
I did manage to some useful work in the garden instead. I mowed the middle lawn and the grass paths on the front lawn too. Then I raked one of the potential wild flower areas in the front lawn to try to get rid of as much moss as possible.
Having cast a critical eye on the state of health of the middle lawn, I gave the more pathetic parts of it a dose of liquid fertiliser. I don’t expect to see much growth though until we get some warm weather.
I moved a couple more barrowfuls of compost from Bin A to Bin C but I have not included a photograph of this to avoid excessive excitement among the readership.
I ended the work with a good session of shredding of Mrs Tootlepedal’s spring prunings.
I wouldn’t like to pretend that this was continuous work as it was interrupted by periods of contemplation, crossword solving, sitting and thinking, lunch and sitting without thinking…..and taking a few pictures in the garden.
Still, there are bees about which is encouraging.
Because of the work in the garden, there were not a great many birds to be seen today but the usual suspects were about.
During the day, Mrs Tootlepedal moved the old feeder from the elder to protect her flowerbed underneath and put it back on the pole outside the kitchen window. This didn’t discourage the goldfinches.
They may prefer it to the new feeder which some of them find a little awkward to land on.
Though it is no problem to the blue tits.
A well judged combination of gardening and idling filled the day and in the early evening, we drove up to Eskdalemuir to the new Hub which has been set up in the old school there.
The school lies across the road from the river Esk…
Both Mrs Tootlepedal and I remarked that on a pleasant evening at this time of year, Eskdalemuir can easily be mistaken for Shangri-la. It is a different matter though in the midst of winter when the winds are raging and the snow is falling. Then it can be mistaken for hell.
The managers of the Hub had organised a day of music and I was there to contribute a little by playing some simple duets with my flute pupil Luke. Luke was in very good form and not least because we adopted very sensible tempos, we played our pieces well and got rewarded with a warm round of applause. I was very pleased for Luke who had practised hard and was touched to see that his playing had moved his proud grandmother, who was in the audience, to tears.
We didn’t stay to listen to more music but drove gently home by the road down the other bank of the river. It is one of the benefits of living in a less prosperous area of the country that we didn’t meet a single car on our 26 mile round trip. In fact, I was able to sop in the middle of the road near Hopsrig and take a couple of pictures on our way home.
We will have a busy day of singing tomorrow with a rehearsal for our Carlisle choir and the second concert with our Langholm choir.
The flying bird of the day is a goldfinch. It is not a good picture but I have used it anyway because I love the arc that a goldfinch’s wings make when they are fully extended.
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Good for Luke, and his grandmother.
I like the white clematis over the back door. I used to have one like it near our front door.
I like the way the sun back lit the goldfinch’s wings.
His mother cried too but she denied it.
Congratulations on your wee concert with Luke. Love the goldfinch and commiserate with you on you possible lack of plums this year.
There should be enough to have some plum crumble when the time comes.
I would like to add my congratulations to you and Luke for doing so well during your performance!
I think that the flying goldfinch photo is very good, nice timing to get its wings fully open!
We are going to have to work up a few more numbers if we are going to be asked to play.
Mr. T., I have 2 things to say. First – I love the photo of the Goldfinch, the way his wings are reminds me of the birds you see on Ancient Egyptian artwork. Second – how could you deny us a glimpse of the compost. I am up in arms over this, a post sans the compost pile. My day is not complete!!!!! All kidding aside, I am so happy to hear the concert went well!!!!
Keep taking the tablets. Be reassured that further compost pictures will undoubtedly arrive.
Glad it was a good experience for Luke, very satisfactory. I, too, loved the flying bird, such a beautiful image. Hope the choir practice and concert are both very successful.
That is a beautiful flying bird and makes up…well, almost…for the lack of a compost bin photo.
I always feel that you can have too much of a good thing.
Glorious flying bird picture! I love the arc and the way the light is shining through the feathers. It may be a good thing you didn’t share another compost picture as my heart may not have been able to take that much excitement in one day. Lovely bee shots and landscapes. I do commiserate about the weather. I feel a little guilty as it’s winter tomorrow but we are having still, warm days with lovely blue skies! I wish I could share some with you and Mrs T.
A kind thought, thank you.
Love the light coming through the wings of the flying goldfinch. Very ethereal.
They are very pretty in flight.
More than delighted to hear that your concert performance with Luke went well, and repaid all that practising.
I’m partial to the bee photos, and the clematis over the back door. Lovely!
It will be better when it comes out fully.
Thank you for thinking of your readers’ blood pressure.
Always my first concern.
congratulations on moving Luke’s grandmother (and mother if rumours be believed) to tears – in a good way 🙂 Sensible tempo is an often overlooked virtue.
It is the only way for me. I have never been able to play quickly. My fingers just won’t behave.
The birds love the sunflower seeds, don’t they. They scoff them quickly.
They go down steadily over the whole year.
Lovely flying bird of the day. I wonder how long the bluebells will stay after the trees are all felled. I am pleased your contribution to the day of music went well. Well done to Luke!
I was very proud of him.
A model pupil.
Well done to Luke, no wonder his grandmother was so proud. You seem to be well behind us flower wise. I was surprised to see you still have bluebells as ours are just a memory now. The goldfinch photo is lovely.
The bluebells have lasted well perhaps due to the cool weather.