Today’s guest pictures come from my daughter Annie. She looked on the internet for advice on camera settings, used her tripod and, over the space of an hour, took much better pictures of the lunar eclipse than I did. Click on the picture for an expanded look at it.
We had yet another fine, calm day today and although I couldn’t use it for cycling, we did make good use of it by going to Edinburgh to see Matilda by a new route.
Instead of going to Lockerbie and catching the train there, we went to Tweedbank and caught a train on the brand new Borders Railway service on the recently re-opened section of the Waverley Line. The 40 mile drive up to Galashiels was a treat in itself as we set off on one of those mornings when the early mists were just lifting and the hills looked at their best.
The train was pretty full but we got seats and enjoyed going smoothly up the railway line looking at the winding main road beside it instead of going slowly up the winding main road as we have in past months and looking at the line under construction.
When we got to Edinburgh, the weather was just as fine as it was in Langholm.
Matilda was in good form, looking shyly at her grandpa from her granny’s lap…..
…and enjoying a joke with her mother while writing to the newspapers…..
…or to be more precise, writing on my newspaper.
Mrs Tootlepedal and I took her for a short walk…
…but all too soon it was time to leave to catch the train home.
We arrived back in Tweedbank on time and I took a picture from the commodious car park to show that however much money they have spent on reviving the railway line, no money has been wasted on the terminal station.
It consists of a platform, a bus shelter and nothing else.
The drive home was as sunny and scenic as the drive out but Mrs Tootlepedal thinks that she will return to using the Lockerbie route when she next goes to Edinburgh because it needs a lot less time spent driving as the station is only 18 miles away from us and the train goes a lot quicker so the trip takes the same time.
When we got home, there was just enough light left to catch a passing poppy….
…and a cheerful phlox.
Then there was time for a light meal before Susan arrived to drive me off to Carlisle and a meeting of our recorder group. One of our group has taken up the clarinet and has joined an amateur orchestra which meets fortnightly on a Tuesday so tonight there were only four of us. We had an excellent evening of playing with the highlight being a Bach Motet. It is a great privilege as well as a pleasure to have friends with whom it is possible to enjoy playing such good music.
The flying bird of the day had unfortunately landed before I could press my shutter finger.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
Shyly?
Suspiciously perhaps?
Coyly? Teasingly?
That first photo of Matilda is precious! 🙂
I think so, thank you HJ.
Love your daughters pictures of the lunar eclipse! And Matilda is always a winner, and so is the poppy 🙂
A good family and a good garden. No wonder I never complain about anything. 🙂
Matilda is a little doll. I like the shadow picture of the three of you. Can she waltz yet?
Your daughter’s shots of the eclipse are the best amateur photos I’ve seen on line.
I hope that she reads your comment. I’ll tell her anyway.
Little Matilda has a beautiful smile! The flowers are still so fresh and colorful there. Sunflowers, dandelions and mint is all that is left blooming here now. Still quite dry.
We had good viewing weather for the eclipse here the other night.
We had good weather but I didn’t manage to be up at the right time.
I love the shadow puppets. Everyone knows you have to walking before you can dance 🙂
True.
What a scrumptious child Matilda is. That sweet smile would melt even the coldest heart I think. I hope she is sleeping better now? Mine seemed to each take about two years to settle down. I also enjoyed the shadow of the three of you. What a nice memory for her to capture in a shot. Annie’s pictures are excellent.
The sleeping is very variable and her parents are knackered as a result.
Not many photos to comment on today, but it happens when you’re visiting Matilda and enjoying good music.
Can’t have everything.
Well done Annie, excellent pictures. Matilda is very fetching and the trio of shadows amusing. Glad you went on the new railway for a least one time.
Love the coy expression on Matilda’s face.
You should have seen the expression when her mother stopped playing with her for a moment later in the day.
Annie has done a great job. Matilda is so sweet, love her look.
She is always a treat to visit.
Splendid pictures of the lunar eclipse.
And very fine pictures of Matilda indeed. Enjoyed the walking Matilda one.
Your daughter’s photos are excellent! The shelter on the platform at Tweedbank won’t protect you from the icy blast will it? Two lovely photos of Matilda.
No toilet, no cafe, it is a place of cold comfort.
Nice waltz!
🙂
Excellent lunar eclipse photos. Here, it was quite red, as friends’ photos show; I missed it due to not paying attention to all the news and buzz about it.
I saw the most lovely photo and memorable once of a railway garden in England, too bad gardens are not at all the UK stations. And cafés! What is a station without a café!
Hmm, thinking further, I think the photo was a recreation of a railway station garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, so it might have been more fantasy than reality.
That’s Chelsea for you.
Your daughter’s eclipse photos are wonderful. Even if I had stayed up I’d never have been able to capture it as well. Matilda is going to be a real beauty and have the young men of Edinburgh running after her.
Annie did a patient job.