Today’s guest picture shows a view of the River Trent near Swarkestone Bridge. My brother Andrew took the shot while out with his walking group.
The wind was in the process of moving round from east to west today but it did it very gently and gave us a wonderfully sunny autumn morning on the way. It was cool enough to put ice on the car windscreen but not cold enough to produce a ground frost.
It would have been a grand day to be going about taking autumn mist and colour pictures but I didn’t have much time to spare so I rushed out after breakfast and took a few without going far from the house.
The reason for my haste was the need to be in Carlisle for a rehearsal for our community choir concert in the cathedral. Mrs Tootlepedal had a prior engagement so I went by myself and arrived in perfect time for the practice.
Because the concert was in the middle of a working day, we were by no means at full strength but all the same we must have been about 60 or 70 strong so even in a venue as grand as the cathedral…
…we were fairly squeezed in.
We had our practice and then assembled again for the concert. We were pleasantly surprised to find that all the available seats in the audience had been taken, especially as there was small charge for entry and we gave our best effort to the occasion.
A member of the audience, who happens to be a reader of this blog, told me afterwards that she had thoroughly enjoyed the concert so that made the work that went into it worthwhile.
The cathedral itself was positively glowing in the brilliant sunshine when we came out.
…and I enjoyed the walk back beneath the old city walls….
…to the car park below.
It was a golden day.
I drove home, had a cup of tea and a slice of bread and then got changed as quickly as possible to make some use of such a fine day on my bicycle. It was unfortunate that such a good cycling day should coincide with a concert but such is life.
I did spend a few minutes looking out of the kitchen window while I was waiting for my tea to cool.
I have put a cage on the fat ball feeder to discourage jackdaws from eating me out of house and home and this makes taking pictures of the birds visiting it a bit tricky…
…but as it also helps to protect them from any sparrowhawk raids, it is worth it.
The goldfinches were using the sunflower seed feeder.
I went round my Canonbie twenty miler but in the opposite direction to my usual tour. Considering that it starts and finishes at the same place, the amount of climb and descent must be equal whichever way you go but it seemed much harder going round the ‘wrong’ way and as the sun had gone in and it was feeling quite chilly, I didn’t stop to take any pictures but concentrated on getting home as soon as possible.
Mrs Tootlepedal had come home from her engagement and was busy planting out daffodils and exchanging views on life over the garden hedge with Stan, one of Langholm’s finest photographers.
While we talked, a flurry of excitement from the bird feeder heralded a flying visit from the sparrowhawk but it came and went so swiftly that we couldn’t tell whether it had caught a small bird napping or not.
There wasn’t enough light left to make a walk worthwhile so I had a quick wander round the garden….
…where there was more than enough late October colour to keep an old man happy.
We have had a long flowering season after a slow start this year.
Then it was time for a shower and our evening meal (which featured the third and last appearance of the slow cooked venison stew) and a good sit down.
The wind should have completed its turn by tomorrow and it is due to be quite brisk so I may have a quiet day and catch up on business. I have done 400 miles on the bike already this month so I am well up on my schedule.
The flower of the day is a marigold….
…and the flying bird of the day is two goldfinches in combative mood.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
Those early morning views in the town were to die for. Glad the concert was such a success and that you fitted in a bike ride as well, you seem to get twice as much done into a day as normal people.
Congratulations on the concert! And such a flowering garden! I think the little birds will thank you for the protection at the feeder by posing generously outside of it.
I hope so.
I am pleased the concert went so well. The photographs of ‘golden’ Carlisle are super as are the clear and sparkling ones you took this morning. Gorgeous flower of the day!
Carlisle was looking at its best on one of the best days of autumn so far.
The mist above the trees makes me anxious to see photos of it swirling in the valleys. It does beautiful things there.
The color of the sunlight on the cathedral walls made me think it was made of brick at first glance.
There’s no blue quite like cornflower blue. One of my favorites.
I would have liked to have the opportunity to nip up a hill and look back down at the town but there should be another chance before the autumn is over.
When you see the relatively empty beds Mrs. T. works on at this time of the gardening year, it’s a good reminder of what vision she must have for the finished product as she sets out the bulbs and plans for the next season. I suspect that I’d be constantly surprised at what came up where (if at all), had I the same number of beds to deal with!
She likes to change the garden regularly (but not too frequently) and it has gone through many phases in the last 40 years.
I think that the two flying birds of the day ranks as one of your best ever!
I’m happy that the concert went so well for you after all the work of rehearsals that you’ve put in.
I’m also glad to see that there’s still no lack of flowers to fill the spot of flower of the day.
With no sign of frost, there should be plenty more flowers of the day but no new ones of course.
I like the idea of the smaller birds hunkering down in their fat-ball stronghold tormenting the bullies through beakfuls of treats ☺
That’s the theory but sparrowhawks are pretty clever and may just wait for them to leave the cage.
Bah! Foiled again 🙂
Delighted that the concert went well and all the hard work was appreciated. The autumn colours on your walk are beautiful so are the flowers blooming in your garden. Look forward to seeing this year’s reshuffle in the garden coming into its own next year. Unlike Mrs T I forget where I plant the bulbs etc so what pops up in my garden is always a surprise! Amazing photo of the flying goldfinches- it tells a story!
Mrs T is quite capable of being surprised by her own plantings too. I am looking forward to the new look with keen anticipation.
I dipped into your blog and was, as always, delighted, amused, inspired. Lately, I have struggled to keep up with blogging my daily doings because of the sameness of those doings. Your blog is always grounds me somehow.
It is always a pleasure to hear from you Julie and I am well aware that you have more pressing things on your mind than chaffinches.
400 miles in a month, wow. Beautiful morning photos. Glad the concert was success.
As always, we could have sung better but it was good that at least one member of the audience enjoyed it. 🙂
So many lovely flowers this late in the season!
There is no sign of frost so we are hoping to see some colour lasting into November.
That first photo of the morning sun behind the bridge is excellent.
Thank you.
Truly stunning colours in Carlisle.
It was a good day to be out in the city.
thanks for the view of the River Trent. I have kayaked down there many times and thought I recognised it
A pleasure.
The goldfinches appear to be having quite an argument!
My favorite flowers are the cornflowers and calendula. I used to grow calendula, the pot marigold, here in past years, and should do so again.
It has done very well in the garden this season.