Today’s guest picture comes from my Newcastle correspondent and shows her daughter Hannah taking part in the Newcastle Vamos festival celebrating Latino music. What fun.
The wind was all that was forecast today (40-50mph) and sometimes it felt as though it was even stronger than that and we had worries about trees in the garden but the rain, after a wet start, was not anything like as bad as we feared and although there were showers, there was sunshine too.
The temperature had fallen to a feeble 10 degrees C and in the wind and rain, I had to wrap very well to go to the monthly producers’ market for supplies of fish and cheese.
In lieu of gardening or pedalling, we sat down to watch the tennis over lunch and in the early afternoon and the better conditions let me get out from time to time to see if there was anything new in the garden.
In general things were waving about so much that trying to take photos was not much fun so I went back in.
In the end we got bored and seeing a sunny spell, we resolved to go for a walk. After quite a bit of discussion about where to go to miss the worst of the weather, we settled for a walk along one side of the Tarras and back by the other mostly in woodland. With typical good timing, no sooner had we driven out of the town to get to our starting point than the heavens opened and rain and wind lashed the car. We parked at the Moorland feeders and waited for the storm to subside. It was gloomy.
After a while, it did brighten up but Mrs Tootlepedal had lost all confidence in the day and decided to go home. As the sun was shining when we got back to Langholm, I got her to drop me off at the Kilngreen while she went back to do some decorating. My plan was to do a two mile walk to take advantage of the sunshine and hide under big trees if it should rain on the way. This time the plan worked out beautifully and I was just beside some trees that were well supplied with thick foliage when it started to rain heavily.
The shower didn’t last long and I was soon on my way again.
The same tall wild flowers that Sandy and I had seen beside the Esk were growing beside the track today.
I don’t know what they are but they obviously like the present conditions as the tallest were nearly up to my head height.
I walked along the top of the woods above the Castleholm….
…and came down at the North Lodge before walking back along the Esk. When the sun was out, everything was green.
The sky was blue but the clouds were racing past at a speed which promised that the next shower would not be far away.
On the Castleholm, the trees provided a colourful backdrop to my walk.
All the way round the walk, I was able to admire the fauna as well as the flora.
As well as the bigger picture, there was some detail to enjoy as well.
On the whole, though, I didn’t dawdle too much as the sky clouded over and a few drops of rain added some impetus to my homeward speed.
The walk was a bonus and pretty well sheltered from the wind so in spite of the low temperature, it didn’t feel as cold as I had expected. Of course, having my big coat and a woolly hat on helped.
There was plenty of starling action again at the garden feeders but I thought that I probably had had enough starling pictures this week so I have put in a sparrow picture to show that there are other birds in the garden too.
Things are due to calm down a bit meteorologically tomorrow and then get warmer on Monday so I hope that cycling will be back on the agenda soon. Meanwhile, I am trying with only limited success to learn a song off by heart for tomorrow’s Carlisle choir practice. Thank goodness the conductor only wants one piece without the music in hand.
Today’s flying bird is an evening greenfinch among the flying insects.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
I woke up at 4am, got up, turned my computer on, feeling anxious. Then, at 4.44am exactly your blogpost appeared in my inbox and, once I had read it, I calmed down. Thank you, Tom.
I am really sorry to hear that you are waking up feeling anxious in the middle of the night, Julie (but not entirely unsurprised). I am very happy if my ramblings gave you a moment or two of peace.
Such lovely photos of landscapes. I enjoyed the shaggy pony and the chortle-worthy rabbit caption especially. Am being plagued by wind, too, at a mere 23 per hour but very cold.
I liked the pony a lot. It reminded me of cartoons by a man called Thelwell.
Relieved to see that you have had more energy today than yesterday, even if you weren’t able to use it as you might have liked. As for a big coat and a woolly hat in June…!
Quite so.
You’re a braver man than I, as winds that strong Keep me from venturing out. You landscape photos are excellent, especially considering the weather!
I did move on a bit more quickly when I heard too loud a creak in a tree as I went by.
I’m not sure what those flowers are either but the leaves look very familiar.
The landscape shots are excellent as always, especially the bluebells.
I am going to have to get Mrs Tootlepedal to do some research for me.
Such strange June weather! Though I do remember sitting in the school hall doing one of my O Level exams on June 2nd 1975 and seeing snow flakes floating past the window. Lovely flora and fauna photos.
Things are looking to be a bit warmer next week, thank goodness.
🙂
Storms are beautiful in their own way. And look at the legacy of flowers and lush landscape left behind, not to mention blue sky and spectacular clouds!
It’s not too bad when there are sunny spells as well as the rain.
It was a gorgeous day here in the Midlands, Tom.
I am glad that someone was doing well and not all envious in any way at all.
Loved all the greens, the flying bird and the little girl in the guest picture, so colourful. Hope you get better weather today.
Great picture of the rabbit. Sorry you had to be so well wrapped up in June, and hope for warmer weather very soon.
I doubt I would have left the house in those conditions. I admire your fortitude! I’m glad you were able to have some sunshine on your walk. The rabbit picture looks very bright and light compared to the earlier gloomy grey wet landscape. You do get changeable weather there. Thanks for braving the elements to bring us more excellent shots.
When the wind is that strong, the weather passes by pretty quickly.
Beautiful dappled sunlight on the path through the woods
The photos can’t do justice the the sheer pleasure of walking in these conditions.
So sorry to hear about the cold, wind, and wet and I hope you got the promised improvements in the weather. Great flying bird of the day! I love the glow about the greenfinch and the sun shining through its wings.
The weather did improve. Thank you.