Today’s guest picture is another bridge over the Rogue River sent to me by Gunta. This one is a bit further upstream than yesterday’s.
I had hoped to get a cycle ride in during the morning but I was persuaded by the weather forecast, which promised heavy rain and discouraged me, to sit down to drink coffee and do the crossword instead. And then of course it didn’t rain and I should have gone.
Top be perfectly truthful though, I think that shortest day blues had some influence on my readiness to believe the forecast. I am rather glum at the moment.
It was too gloomy outside to get much of a look at the birds and they seemed to be a bit downcast too.
Perhaps they were wondering…
…when I was going to top up the feeder.
In the end, we had an early lunch and drove down to Carlisle to do some shopping in preparation for the festive season. Although there are still a few days to go, we like to be ready early.
Annoyingly, the weather got brighter as we approached Carlisle. It’s bad enough having gloomy weather in Langholm without knowing that it is a lot better twenty miles down the road.
Still, it meant that it was quite pleasant to stroll around the city centre, where fun was available for those in the mood, including a rather small big wheel…
…and a man juggling with fiery torches.
We visited embroidery and book shops and I went to the covered market to stock up on good cheese. Then while Mrs Tootlepedal went to Marks & Spencer’s, I went down Bank Street…
…and bought four sorts of coffee beans. With ample supplies of cheese and coffee in the bag, I felt that we were now ready for Christmas.
I waited for Mrs Tootlepedal to come out of Marks and enjoyed, as always, the history lesson inscribed on the side of the building. At the south end of the frontage, we read this…
…and at the north end, we read this….
….the story of a failed enterprise told in two sentences.
The Duke may have won the war, but he is known as ‘the butcher’ and Charles Stewart may have lost the war, but he is known as ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’, which all goes to prove that you can win as many battles as you like but if you don’t wear a kilt, you are nothing.
It is often said that town centres are dying, but if they are, it is plain that the people of Carlisle haven’t been told. The place was full of shoppers today.
It turned out that Mrs Tootlepedal felt that we might need more than just coffee and cheese to celebrate Christmas, so we went to a supermarket on the way home and bought a few other things as well.
I made some cauliflower cheese for our tea when we got home and that concluded the excitement for the day.
The flying bird of the day is a goldfinch heading through the gloom in search of sunflower hearts. (I bought a new bag of seed on our way down to Carlisle today, so there should be plenty of food for Christmas for the birds as well as us.)
I enjoyed everything in this post, the wondering birds, the wry comment on history and the fact that everyone at Wauchope Cottage will be nourished over the festive season.
That last is most important.
Is that fairy ring around the fiery torches man part of the act, or elfin safety?
Elfin safety of course.
I do hope the cauliflower cheese was cheering.
It was. The cheese sauce was well supplied with strong cheese.
The days will get longer from now on so that’s reason to celebrate. It looks like everyone in Carlisle was doing just that.
The solstice was at 4 o’clock this morning so we are well on the way to spring already. 🙂
You make the most of every outing – even shopping!
Considering it was shopping, I enjoyed the outing quite a lot.
When I was a little boy in the 1950s, I remember Bank Street’s coffee shop. A vent discharged aromas from roasting coffee beans. Those aromas permeated the street and its surroundings. Moreover, in those times Marks and Spencer was a cinema (where I saw The Ten Commandments and Pinocchio). House of Fraser was Binns. Complete with wooden floors, lift attendants, compressed-air tubes for the transfer of money from tills to office and other accoutrements redolent of Are You Being Served?
Watts have moved the coffee roasting to different premises so there was no smell to greet me on this occasion. The Binns compressed air tubes were still on the go when we came to the area in 1974. I can’t remember about the lifts.
Enjoyed the Carlisle pictures and the history references. Well done re the shopping.
I also failed to have a pedal yesterday, even though the forecast was just as dire as that in the Borders, I still got up early got my gear on, and was en route to the shed to get my Pioneer when the heavens just opened. 10 minutes ticked by so I wimped out and drove to work instead. By the time I got to Neath it was as if I had arrived in the Borders there, for the sun was shining, the sky was blue and the clouds were sparse. I could have pedalled after all. He who dares eh? Great to see the crowds out shopping in the proper shops of Carlisle. Cheers.
There is nothing more annoying than finding that the weather is good after you have decided that it is bad. 🙂
lovely to see the place full of shoppers. I really must go looking for the embroidery shop next time I am in Carlisle
It is called Fun2Do.
will have to look it up
I see they also sell mail order
What a festive city centre! Anywhere that boasts a fire juggler is a winner in my book
He had sharp knives as well but I don’t like to watch juggling with knives.
Good to see the bustling high street and to know that you’ll be well fed over the festive holiday. As long as one has a good supply of delicious cheese life is perfect!
I am with you on the cheese front. A man with a good supply of cheese can laugh at adversity.
Carlisle center appears to be bustling. We watched a documentary last night about Jane Jacobs. I will be getting her book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities “.
The birds do seem to be letting you know that the feeders are running low. 🙂
The city council have done a good job over the years in my view, keeping a balance between city centre and out of town shopping.
Then again I like to keep in mind that the days will be getting longer for the next six months. The Carlisle town center looks quite festive. Wishing you both a very pleasant Christmas celebration. 🎄
Thank you. We would like to return the compliment.