Today’s guest picture comes from my younger son and shows Matilda wondering whether she is always going to need a coat on in the middle of summer.
Mrs Tootlepedal went to visit Matilda in Edinburgh today and I was hoping to get in a little cycling while she was away. Unfortunately the constant strong wind, gusting to well over thirty miles an hour was sufficient disincentive to keep me off the bicycle and in my armchair doing the crossword instead.
My morning was brightened up by the appearance of Sandy for a cup of coffee but otherwise it was remarkable only for the almost complete lack of any discernible activity on my part.
I did take a picture of a goldfinch which joined us at coffee time….
…the first that I have seen for several days.
After lunch I stirred myself up enough to look out of the kitchen window.



I saw that the weather looked as though it was going to be rain free and set out for a short walk. I phoned Sandy up and he agreed to meet me at the Kilngreen. While I was waiting for him, the sun came out for a moment and I watched a herring gull twisting and turning in the stiff breeze.
We tried to choose a sheltered path for our walk but the wind found its way through the trees and this, combined with some soggy conditions underfoot for the first half of our route, made the going quite hard.
We did stop for the occasional snap on our way though.


The Pyrenean valerian have gone to seed but they are wonderfully constructed and still fun to look at.
There were umbelliferae on every side and the seed heads made pretty patterns.
Our route took past a spot where the pheasant feeders were set out. The pheasants have been put out into the woods ready for the shooting season and we had to wade through great throngs of the birds as we went along.
Later on, we saw a partridge lurking in the grass.

The wild raspberries do not look as though they are going to come to much this year but we did find a few tasty ones….
…alongside a lot of potential brambles which look as though they are going to do very well if they get enough sunshine to fruit and ripen.
We did get a little sun as we walked round….

And everything looked wonderfully green when the sun shone.
Sandy gave me a lift home from the Kilngreen in his smart new (but pre-loved) car and then he went home to continue defrosting his fridge and I sank back into my armchair.
I woke up just in time to greet Mike Tinker who had come to see how I was doing and we enjoyed a cup of tea and a dainty biscuit (or two). When he left, I walked round the garden.
Mrs Tootlepedal was looking rather sadly at the devastation wreaked by wind and rain the other day and remarked that in these conditions, the best thing was to plant plenty of Sweet William. I could see what she meant.

The phlox has arrived to lend a colourful hand.
Even in the strong winds, there were some bees about, the ornamental clover being a big attraction.

I must have done a bit more than sit around all morning because there was a slow cooked lamb stew ready for tea when Mrs Tootlepedal got home from Edinburgh. It went down well.
The flying bird if the day is a chaffinch battling the breeze.
That is a very fetching picture of Matilda with a suitable comment. The strong winds are horrid everywhere, sorry they spoilt your cycling plans.
It was windy but didn’t stop you from getting good pictures! 🙂
You are very polite HJ.
An interesting walk in the circumstances..
And good company.
I’m catching up on your posts again after a couple of busy days. We had 27C, blue skies and no wind here Sunday despite it being winter! I wish I could have shared some of the warmth with you. It’s a shame you had a windy day, but the photos are wonderful again so thank you. I also found the Pyrenean valerian very interesting to look at. I never get sick of these interesting close-ups. The photo of Matilda is lovely. The mention of lamb stew has me salivating.
The plant photos would be a lot better if everything wasn’t swaying so much when I try to take the picture.
Matilda is very photogenic! I liked your chaffinch photos and the lovely green trees in the sun on your walk.
Because we have seen so little of it, the sun is more welcome than ever when it does appear.
I can well imagine!
The weather this year has not been kind to either you or Mrs. T. She must be working doubly hard to keep the garden looking so good, and it’s hampering your cycling and other pursuits. Still, you manage some great photos every day.
The photography keeps me out of mischief.
The flying bee of the day is a definite winner! Today we ordered our seeds and ensured there was a packet of Sweet William seeds in there o your recommendation; our easterly wind can be a little unforgiving.
I hope they go well.
How could they not 😉
I’m so much enjoying seeing the very fluffy to less fluffy new generation birds in both your garden and mine.
Part of the great tapestry of nature.
Lovely picture of Matilda looking quizzical, and a fine view of all the different greens when the sun shone.
Wind is so tedious. Good on your for going out anyway, which is more than I did on my last windy day off. Our sweet williams are over but we still have phlox.
You have been well ahead of us all year.
That bee photo is amazing!
What a shame your wild raspberries haven’t come to much. Everything here is dripping with blackberries.
Blackberries look as though they will be good.