Today’s guest picture is another from camera club member Simon. He took a walk along the old railway line to Longtown and managed to find himself under three bridges at the same time, the main road, the old railway and a footbridge.
The weather, which likes to have its little joke, decided that a day when there was no time for walk and when Evie was due to go home would be just the day to put on a show of sunshine after a week of more or less continuous rain.
Now I like a joke as much as the next man, but even I thought that this was going a bit far and allowed a smidgeon of bitterness to enter my soul.
Leaving Mrs Tootlepedal and Annie to combine Evie care with talking to the project leader about the proposed community land purchase, I went to church where a diminished choir and a service with few hymns made for a thin singing experience.
As we were preparing for Annie and Evie’s departure after lunch and I had to some shopping, there wasn’t even a lot of time to look at birds when I got back.
Still, it was good to see them perching in the sun.
When I went out into the garden for a moment, I turned my eyes to the hills and wished that I had had time to climb.
In the garden, there were still no frogs to be seen but the first of the miniature daffodils has come out…
…the chives are looking promising…
…and the rhubarb is developing.
I used to think that hellebores were a bit dull but in recent years, I have changed my mind.
Back inside, there was another moment to watch the birds. The sunshine hadn’t improved their manners at all…
…but at least one chaffinch made it safely to the feeder and enjoyed a seed.
After lunch, I had a quick look to see if the sun had brought the crocuses out…
…and then it was time to pack Annie, Evie, the pushchair and an enormous case in to the car and pray that the Zoe would behave and take us to Carlisle.
The Zoe behaved impeccably and we arrived at the station in plenty of time and found that the train was more or less on time. These days the railway experience wouldn’t be the same without some excitement, so a train from another railway company got stuck at the platform at which our train was due to arrive. With a couple of minutes to go, there was a rush of pushchair, case and passengers over the footbridge to catch the down train from the up platform. All was well though and we got Annie, Evie, the case and the pushchair onto the train and it pulled out on time as we shed a tear and waved goodbye.
It really was a lovely day in Carlisle as they left…
…but we ignored the lovely day and headed indoors to our Carlisle Community Choir practice. Fortunately, it was a very good session and the tenors recovered some of their self esteem after last week’s travails.
And even better, it was still light as we drove home so we were able to watch a pretty spectacular starling murmuration over our heads as we went back through Longtown. If we get a decent day, we will try to go down to see the starlings with camera in hand next week. There seemed to be a lot more birds than when we watched them a month ago.
The house seems very quiet.
The flying bird of the day is a choice between this rather impressionistic study of a goldfinch…
…and this neater but duller shot.
Take your pick.
I have time on my hands tomorrow: the forecast is for sleet and snow. Ha ha.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
Great to see some blue skies at last.
Something we haven’t seen here for some time.
One of your best robin close ups..he’s got a beady eye on you 😊
Yes, we realise that in spite of my moaning about the weather, others have had it a lot worse than we have. We are grateful for this and sympathise with those badly affected..
May the smidgeons of bitterness be far and few in your soul.
A few consistent rays of sunshine would dissolve the smidgeons in a trice.
I note some bitterness in that final laugh. It’s always sad to say goodbye to loved ones and the house is always strangely quiet and tidy when they’ve gone home.
The hills look wonderful in the sunshine.
You were right to detect a note of bitterness. We are all fed up with the weather here, as doubtless you are too.
Yes, we are.
Amazing pics of the birds in flight, as always 🙂 And good luck with tomorrow’s weather … looks like a pretty huge storm coming this way.
We had a quiet, if damp, time today so no complaints.
I’m late writing and replying because it actually didn’t rain for a few hours straight yesterday, so we grabbed our chance to be outside in the forest 🙂 Back to rain as usual now …
I am glad that you got out. It is back to raining here again.
The sunshine looks wonderful, and I am sure the birds enjoyed it too. At least Annie and Evie had good weather for their return trip.
Today in my area, it has been one of passing storms punctuated by sunshine and patches of blue sky.
Passing storms seem to be the flavour of the month. 🙂
To have that view of the hill from your own garden must be wonderful, all the time.
The chives, rhubarb, hellebore and crocuses were great to see. I like a good crinkly spring rhubarb leaf.
I’m glad the rain has stopped and you saw some sunshine. Even if you couldn’t enjoy it I’d bet the garden did.
Mrs T has some rhubarb under a bucket and it is getting ahead of the rest. It is the first time that she has tried this.
I wonder if it’s also being blanched.
In your case I cheer the sun as I welcome raindrops in my space. I too am familiar with the emptiness and hollow quietness that fills the wake of the departure of grandchildren.
There needs to be a new and equitable distribution of rain and sun. The present system is not working well.
We could do with a fair exchange.
Loved both the flying birds. What a nightmare carting all that stuff over the bridge, well done for getting Annie and Evie on the train!
Glad about the sunshine for Annie and Evie’s journey south.
Well, at least they had lovely weather for the trip south. Agree with you about hellebores.
They enjoyed their journey.
Well done for catching that train. You used the light to good effect with the birds – and that hellebore is wonderful.
The hellebore caught the light in a very pleasing way, all the more so for being unexpected.
I’m not a fan of that feeling you gave on arriving home after visitors have departed . Also not a fan of the weathergod’s little joke. A sky as blue as that needs you to have time available to celebrate it!
I couldn’t agree more. Especially as it was wet and sleety again today.
That weather is indeed quite the joker. Unfair! I know how quiet and lonely a house can feel after family leaves. Always makes me feel a bit blue.
But a bit of peace and quiet is welcome too. Mixed feelings.
Yes, I know that feeling, too.
Rhubarb, rhubarb, I love a joke too, but the weather here has been very unforgiving. Possibly great weather for rhubarb, sage and ducks. We always had a great rhubarb patch when I was growing up. My job in it’s production was to follow the coalman or rag and bone man’s horses and carts with a bucket and spade. I recently looked into the back garden of the house where I was brought up and the rhubarb patch still looks very fertile. If only mam or mamgu were here to make a rhubarb pie or crumble. Thanks for helping my mind wander back in time, cheers.
Rhubarb crumble will be on our menu as soon as possible. Mrs T is very fond of it indeed. She is a fan of manure too.
I’m sure you wish your new granddaughter lived as close as Matilda.
Or closer! For both of them. But it is fun visiting bigger places than Langholm from time to time.