Today’s guest picture is another from the Derby shopping centre insect infestation. My brother tells me that you can talk to the insects but I wouldn’t know what to say to a stag beetle.
I didn’t have much confidence in a weather forecast that said that it wasn’t going to rain today but I was proved wrong and the weather stayed fair until well into the evening.
It was only just above freezing when I set off on my slow bike to see our local vampire at the Health Centre and give a little blood. This was a check to see if my anaemia is under control. The process was prompt and painless as usual but the health centre computer server was on the blink so I wasn’t able to make a follow up appointment. The poor staff were absolutely flummoxed as hardly anything is written down these days and they had no idea who was coming in for appointments. Fortunately it was soon fixed and I made my appointment later in the day without trouble.
After coffee with Mrs Tootlepedal, and with the thermometer showing 4°C, I plucked up my courage, donned as many layers of clothing as I could and set off on my new bike to see how my legs were feeling.
I hadn’t been out on my bike this month so it was a bit of a shock to the system but the sun was out….
…my legs were very cheerful and the snow had retreated to distant hills so it wasn’t too bad to be out and about.
The wind was strong enough to make life hard when pedalling into it but the forecast gales hadn’t arrived. I stopped to take a picture of one of those little corners that make cycling round here so visually interesting.
And then I cycled to the top of Callister to see if there was any sign of the turbines arriving at the new wind farm. There wasn’t and as the road was very muddy from quarry lorry traffic, I turned back and pedalled down to Langholm, through the town and out of the other side. The snow was on distant hills there too.
On my way back through the town, I checked to see if the big gull was standing on its favourite rock.
It was.
I was pleased to manage 20 miles at a modest pace and after a walk round the garden when I got back…
…where the forsythia is just coming out…
…and some of the frogs spawn seems to have survived the frosty mornings…
…I went in to find Mrs Tootlepedal making a nourishing pan of bean and vegetable soup for lunch.
It went down well.
After lunch I watched the birds for a while. Goldfinches had got in early today under the watchful eye of a chaffinch…
…and there was no visit from the sparrow hawk to disturb them or this chaffinch’s moment of reflection beside a puddle in our drive.
Against my expectations, the weather stayed fine in the afternoon so I went for a walk. The wind was still nagging but otherwise it was a good day for sauntering about looking for signs of spring…
…which weren’t hard to find.
There were signs of life on the larches…
…and fresh flowers on the banks beside the track…
…and best of all, many clumps of primroses on every side once I got near the Becks Burn.
I walked through the felled wood, across the burn and up onto the road on the other side of the little valley, where I found incipient honeysuckle…
…curious sheep looking down on me…
…and any amount of lichen on different stones on the same one metre length of wall.
I visited the old curling pond and wished that it could be developed into a wild life area like the one near Lockerbie which we have visited before. It needs a real enthusiast with time and knowledge to a job like that though.
I didn’t linger for long as my foot was starting to feel sore and I soon headed down the road back to the town.
I passed this fungus on a fallen tree trunk…..
…and got right out of the way as this huge lorry passed me. It had been delivering sheep to the farm at the end of the road.
When I got home, I found Mrs Tootlepedal at work in the garden and together we put in the new blackcurrant bush and, having exhausted my gardening skills, I gave her moral support while she planted out a new lupin and pruned a rose.
Then it seemed like a good time to have a cup of tea and a slice of toast so we did.
The day was rounded off by a visit from my flute pupil, Luke and we had a productive half hour showing that practice makes you, if not quite perfect, then certainly a lot better. This is most satisfactory.
I don’t often watch Master Chef on the TV but this season, a young lady from Langholm is one of the contestants and it was very pleasing to see her do well and get through to the next round. We will follow her progress with interest.
The forecast for the next couple of days is for 50 mph winds so it was a good thing that we got as much out of today as we did. There are some sunny intervals promised so it might not be a total write off.
The flying bird of the day is a chaffinch with a determined air about it.
Larch flowers are beautiful little things that look like tiny purple cones. I hope the larch will let you see them this year.
That’s a great shot of the dandelion.
Sorry the foot is still bothering you. I hope you’ll win the battle.
I will keep my eye out for larch flowers.
So, is curling a dying art or has the old curling pond been replaced by a new one?
We don’t get cold enough winters to freeze the ponds regularly any more so they have fallen out of use.
That makes sense
Wonderful to see your part of the world coming alive. Even though it always looks more alive to me. Pensive and flying chaffinches are both inspired. And I think that is the most beautiful dandelion I have ever seen.
The dandelion was a stand out. I look forward to cycling along roads with dandelion covered verges soon.
Your seagull looks to be a distant cousin to the one in my post from this evening. I’ll pass along greetings. Your scenery is so beautiful, although, with all the rain we’ve had, you’d be amazed at our green hills. I’ll have to get out and get some pictures… rain is back tonight, though, so we’ll see what the weekend brings. Best wishes from no-longer-sunny Southern California!
I hope that your rain knows when to stop. You can have too much of a good thing.
Apparently California’s drought is now history. That’s very good news.
It is…..until the next one of course.
So true.
Your weather and flowers are farther along towards spring than ours, although I am hearing more frogs these days. They are pleased with the rain coming in this evening.
That is a beautiful photo of developing tadpoles. They look quite healthy.
I hope so. I am hoping to see more frogs in the pond soon as we didn’t get many of that first visit.
Our frogs are finally in full swing now, singing away at night so loudly one can hear them with the windows closed.
A mixed blessing then.
You certainly made the most of your day and it was good to read that you got out on your bike at last. All those signs of spring are most welcome as well as colourful, lovely photographs.
You certainly made good use of a good day. Lovely photos.
I was happy.
Having spent hot dusty summer days of my childhood righting stag beetles who had fallen on their backs and couldn’t get up (using lolly sticks) I’d be inclined to warn the stag beetle not to fall over. Great pics as always. Damn foot.
We don’t see them up here at all.
Ours were London streets
Beautiful, beautiful ride! Phew, it’s a good thing you got out when you did. Those wind forecasts!
In the nick of time.
I envy you your blackcurrant bushes, Tom. I love blackcurrants and was mystified that I was never able to find any, other than imported, preserved ones, in the USA until I read somewhere that it’s illegal to grow them here.
Life is hardly worth living without blackcurrants. Why are the illegal?
One of my clients had a big black currant bush. Maybe it is invasive in certain states, but not where I live…as far as I know.
A lovely day out in the sunshine with lots of interesting photos to enjoy. Notice the little pink primrose may have a slug for a friend early in the season. You’ll have photos of lots of lambs soon if those ewes are anything to go by!
There are a small army of slugs about in the garden judging by signs of nibbling.
so very pleased you got out on your bike. Its been rainy and grey almost all day until late afternoon here . Now the wind is really ramping up so cannot see much cycling for me.
It was too windy for me today. I went for a walk instead.
Looks like spring is fast approaching! 🙂 Beautiful pictures.
The approach has slowed down a bit after a quick start with some unseasonably hot weather in February.
I love the little corner next to the road with the sheep and gnarled trees! Nice to see all those flowery signs of spring.
It would be hard not to like that spot.
Wonderful flower photos.
We watch all Gordon Ramsay’s American shows. I am sure I would like the British ones better and I wish I could see them. (I can’t explain why I watch all his shows or why he amuses me so much.)
We have rather gone off him as he seemed only to have one gear as it were.
Love the puddle reflection of the chaffinch and those sheep with the curious minds.
Sheep are curious animals. They like to know what is going on.