Today’s guest picture shows Mrs Tootlepedal’s nephew Julian near the summit of the famous Alpe d’Huez. He was taking part in the second year of a stupendous fund raising cycle event with family and friends which has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for a cancer charity over the past two years. The amount of climbing they did every day makes my knees hurt just thinking about it.
I didn’t climb any mountains today. In fact the only mountain that I saw was a mountain of drop scones brought round by you know who to go with the morning coffee. I should have been cycling and not sipping and nibbling because the although the morning was grey, chilly and windy, it was a lot better than the afternoon which was grey, chilly, windy and wet as well.
Still, all this let me get another week of the newspaper index into the Archive Group database and prepare myself for going to Brampton in the evening to conduct the community choir there.
It was not a day for wandering round the neighbourhood (or even the garden) taking pictures though I did mange to mow the front lawn before the rain started.
I spent a little time looking out of the window through the gloom.
I took one quick wander around after going off to get some supplies from our corner shop.
Fortunately, Scotland were playing Japan in the Rugby World Cup in the afternoon and I was able to sit out the miserable weather while watching the game. To the chagrin of many commentators, Scotland won quite easily in the end.
While I sheltered myself from the rain indoors, the blue and coal tits used the new feeder to keep dry for a moment or two.
It has definitely been a success.
In the evening, I drove down to Brampton, 23 miles away, to visit the choir there. They have two applicants for the job of conductor and each of us is being given an interview and then 45 minutes to do a bit of conducting. It was my turn tonight and the other candidate goes next week. Then the choir will vote for their choice. While I was doing this, Mrs Tootlepedal went off to sing with our Langholm Choir.
I hope for better weather tomorrow and a chance to take some more interesting pictures than today.
At least the flying bird of the day makes a change from the usual chaffinches. A fleeting glimpse of a blue tit in the rain is in the frame instead.
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I like that shot of the anemone.
Good luck with the conducting job!
I will need luck as I don’t have an impressive conducting CV.
The poor wee flying bird of the day looks like a total disaster! I’m sure all your loyal readers will be waiting with bated breath until we hear about the choir’s choice of conductor – I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Mrs Tootlepedal rather hopes that I don’t get it as she thinks that it will cause me unnecessary stress (and she may be right.)
From personal experience I can confirm that Mrs T has just cause to be concerned.
She is often right.
If you enjoy working with the Brampton choir I hope you get the job. Glad Scotland won the rugby by such a margin and that the birds enjoy your new feeder.
Homesteaders who understand the game better than I assure me that Scotland were deserved winners.
I hope the conducting job works out as you would wish.
They played well to the general astonishment of their supporters who are not used to that sort of thing.
Long may it continue…for this stage anyway 🙂
I hope that things went to your liking in Brampton.
The blue and coal tits look very similar to our chickadees here, and if they have the same zig zag flight pattern as do the chickadees, getting a photo of one is something special!
You have to catch them leaving the feeder. It’s the only way.
Well done Scotland/
Hope you get the Brampton job if you would like it.
Good luck on the conducting position and well done Mrs T’s nephew.
Wives battled over the hill too with less cycling background than the boys which I thought was very impressive.
Good luck with the conducting job! The FBotD is looking a little worse for wear poor thing – I like the way you have captured its wings in flight. Mrs T’s nephew deserves a cheer and I’m happy to see one of my favourite Japanese Anemones.
The blue tit was in good order. It was just the speed of its departure that ruffled its feathers.
Many thanks to Mrs. T’s nephew on his cycling for cancer charity. A climb like that takes something far beyond dedication! It’s nice to see the new feeder being enjoyed, and I thoroughly enjoyed your flying photo of the day!
🙂
What a wonderful thing Mrs Tootlepedal’s nephew is doing for charity. I can tell you my knees are also hurting at the thought of those ascents! The second bird picture almost looks like it is doing breast-stroke swimming in the air. I guess it was raining! The rudbeckia and sunflowers also brightened my evening. If I try to grow sunflowers here, the cockatoos enjoy them for lunch. 🙂
It’s the same here with peas and sparrows. Mrs T has given up the unequal struggle.
Well done to Mrs T’s nephew. It looks like a steep old climb. I hope the interview went well too. The blue tit in the rain photo is excellent, although I do feel a little sorry for him.
I am still waiting for the interview result.
Tell Mrs. TP that her nephew has good taste in bikes.
She knows!