Today’s guest picture comes from my brother Andrew, who is back from Spain. He was quite surprised to find the moon in his local cathedral. It had had a very beneficial effect on numbers attending evensong. He tells me that ‘The Museum of the Moon’ is touring the provinces, and will be with him for a month.
Rather ominously, it was raining when I woke up this morning, but by the time that I had had breakfast, things had brightened up a lot and the rest of the day was dry and often sunny.
I dawdled over breakfast and then made a venison stew for the slow cooker and finally, after a cup of coffee and a preliminary battle of wits with the prize crossword, I took advantage of the fine weather by going out for a pedal.
A small crop of mushrooms by the side of the road caught my eye soon after I had started….
I didn’t stop a lot on my ride as I wanted to get back in time to go up to the Agricultural Show but I took a few pictures on my way.
I thought that this one summed up the day well: sunny and cloudy with a brisk wind.
I saw some standing bulls…
…and some sitting cows…
…along my way.
And it was clear enough for me to able to see a hint of colour on the Lake District hills, 30 miles away.
I plugged away into the wind on my way out and then had a helping hand for the return journey. With this assistance, I managed 38 miles at a modest pace (13.2 mph) and got home in time to have a quick look round in the garden before going up to the show field.
The astrantia was very popular..
…and a rose, a fuchsia and a cosmos were enjoying the dry sunny weather.
When i got to the show field, there were horses…
…sheep…
…and cattle…
…to be seen.
There were prize vegetables, cakes, flower arrangements, and many other treats in the industrial tent. Mrs Tootlepedal had won first prize for a small embroidery but it was disappointing to find that it was the only entry in her class. Still, as the Castleholm, where the show is held, is a big piece of ground, I can truthfully say that she won first prize in a large field.
As at the Canonbie Flower Show last month, a falconer had turned up with some handsome birds…
…and his assistant was flying an owl.
…which got fed up at one point and retired to the top of a public address pole and refused to do any more flying.
Considering the rotten weather through the week, the show was pretty cheerful. This picture doesn’t show you the full extent of the mud where people had been walking…
…and I was pleased to have my wellies on.
I didn’t stop long as I was a bit peckish after my bike ride and I walked home across the Jubilee Bridge, passing a football match on my way. I was a touch slow with my shutter finger and the ball had left the shot by the time that I took the picture.
Mrs Tootlepedal is going to find that the garden is looking a little worse for wear when she comes home tomorrow…
…but there are still some butterflies about. There are hardly any flowers left on the buddleias and there was keen competition to get on to the last ones today.
I finished the crossword and then had a quiet sit down until it was time to eat some of the slow cooked venison stew for my evening meal.
As I was walking back from the show, I met my friend Gavin and he told me that part of the fine bridge at Longtown…

…had collapsed and the road across it had had to be closed. I looked on the internet this evening and found that the damage can’t have been too catastrophic as one lane over the bridge has now been re-opened and traffic lights installed. I shall see if it still open tomorrow when I go down to Carlisle for the choir and to pick Mrs Tootlepedal up. Luckily there is an easy and convenient diversion if required.
The flying bird of the day is that owl while it was still behaving well.
Always happy to see pictures of owls. It will be good to have the wanderer returned tomorrow. I saw her yesterday.
Good for tbe stubborn barn owl, sez I!
I was interested to hear how carefully the handlers have to monitor the owl’s weight in order to keep it fit to fly.
The moon exhibit is amazing. We have very few butterflies left, but then we’re lacking sunshine. It’s turning cool too. Fall has arrived.
Same here. There might be frost this week.
Gorgeous photos, and the Museum of the Moon would be amazing to see in person.
I agree. I would like to see it for real.
I think I’d be as stunned as Galileo most likely would have been to see a model of the moon floating in a cathedral. It’s an excellent likeness.
I hope they can save the bridge. It would be a shame to lose something so historic and pretty.
I think this is the first time I’ve seen an owl as the flying bird of the day.
It turned out the the bridge was only modestly damaged and the debris actually fell onto the bank and not even into the river itself. I crossed it twice today.
We heard an owl 🦉 in a tree behind the house last night, but sadly didn’t see it fly.
That moon is most impressive.
It is a very good model.
Agricultural shows generally have an interesting mix of attractions. I used to thoroughly enjoy visiting them with my father when I was young.
This one was not helped by the miserable weather in the week before it.
Well done for a long bike ride, and agricultural show visit too. Enjoyed the pictures, especially the owl.
That venison stew appeals. Well done with the owl
Venison works well in the slow cooker.
My late friend Norman used to cook venison sausages, and being in the New Forest, some restaurants produce venison meals
We have a deer farm quite near and the farmer comes to our local market.
That moon is very impressive and much better than the helter skelter in another cathedral! Good to see all the shots from the show, your ride and the garden- favourite photo the owl flying- brilliant!
It helps when the owl flies back and forward a few times.
would love to see Mrs TP’s embroidery
Beautiful owl!
I’ve never seen a moon in a cathedral before. It’s an impressive sight. Congratulations to Mrs Tootlepedal for coming first in such a large field!
She was modestly proud. 🙂
That last photo of the owl reminds me of some excellent owl action on Winterwatch 2019, which I’ve been watching this week. Beautiful birds with such interesting faces.
I like the moon exhibit in the cathedral. “The music of the spheres” is a line in an old hymn I learned as a child.
Beautiful photos from your day.