Today’s guest picture is from Paul. He explored the tracks round Entwistle Reservoir earlier this month and found some very tall trees there.

Here, we had a calmer and drier day than yesterday but there were one or two really sharp and gusty showers to stop us getting too excited about the return of summer.
Yesterday’s winds had been vigorous but not damaging and the flowers in the garden had kept their heads very well…

…though it took me quite a long time to get out into the garden to check.
I filled the bird feeder and waited to see of the birds had survived too. There was a brisk demand for seed.

…with greenfinches and siskins once again prominent among the customers.

A blue tit did approach the feeder, but seeing a greenfinch in place, it decided to wait upstairs for a better opportunity.

A blackbird dropped in and looked around.

Mrs Tootlepedal was busy making preparations to receive two visitors but we did find time to go out into the garden, dig up some potatoes, pick sweet peas and have a look round.
Once again we weren’t short of insects on our flowers….


…but once again butterflies, apart from the whites, were not to be seen.
There were plenty of cheerful flowers enjoying the sunny moments.


…and a new one has come out to join them. Mrs Tootlepedal tells me that it is a heuchera.

The furriness of the Lambs Ears is a perpetual fascination for me…

…but my current favourite in the flower beds are definitely the small Japanese anemones.

Over lunch, I kept an eye on the birds and was surprised to see a young sparrow demanding to be fed by a parent who must be fed up to be still feeding young at this time of year.

Another sparrow was wisely keeping himself to himself.

A redpoll arrived and was easily able to see off an attempt to unseat it by a siskin.

All this was merely a preamble to the important business of the day which was a drive to Carlisle to pick up our daughter Annie and our granddaughter Evie from the London train. It is a sign of the times that this simple action seemed like a mighty enterprise. We have spent many months living a very contained life, with a small group of contacts, not going out to eat or be entertained, not travelling, not visiting or being visited and generally keeping away from the outside world. This looked like a big change.
However, after admiring my last flower of the day…

…I did manage to get into the Zoe and drive to the centre of Carlisle where I found a parking spot at the station.
Getting on to the platform to help Annie with the pushchair and a lot of luggage took some negotiation as they were only allowing ticket holders wearing masks through the newly erected barriers. I can understand people’s frustration with life at the moment as outside the station the streets were full of people mostly unmasked walking about freely. All the same, I was happy to find that I was basically standing alone while I waited…

…and pleased to find that Annie and Evie were two of very few passengers on the train.
We got them, the pushchair, and the luggage unloaded and safely packed into the car, and drove home without incident, except for a very savage rainstorm on the way which luckily did not last very long.
Evie and Annie have settled in well. They are going to stay with us for a few weeks while builders are doing some fairly drastic improvements to their own house under the supervision of Evie’s father.
This has been a day which has been so out of the ordinary that we are all exhausted, but I hope that after a good night’s sleep, we will be perked up and ready to enjoy life tomorrow.
I did find a time to capture a flying bird of the day in a sunny moment.

Enjoy! How wonderful to have them with you after such a long time!
Agreed.
I am thrilled that my guess was right about who was going to visit you, and even happier for you to hear that it will be a lengthy visit.
We are pretty pleased too.
The anemones are beautiful things.
I’m glad you’re seeing plenty of pollinators. It wasn’t too long ago it was looking as if you might have to be chief pollinator.
I haven’t seen my son or daughter face to face in months so I think I know why you were excited to have guests again.
Yes, we had some very cool weather at the start of spring but things have warmed up since then.
I am sorry that it has been so long since you saw your son or daughter. It is hard to bear.
We talk on the phone a lot so it isn’t too bad.
Oh, wonderful! I thought that your daughter and granddaughter might be the visitors. How good it must be to see them!
You have perfected the art of suspense: all those beautiful flowers … a day like any other … finally a break of routine … and there they are! Enjoy your two VIPs!
We will, I assure you. 🙂
Loved your header picture today and to have two such welcome visitors must lift the spirits in a big way.
A wide range of beautiful flowers.
So glad your very special visitors arrived safely.
Excellent garden photography – especially the birds and the bees. How marvellous that you could have the visit. Is Evie really talking now?
Not intelligibly, but she is very keen on walking which makes keeping an eye on her very important.
🙂
Several weeks of Annie and Evie . . . how absolutely wonderful.
It is a great treat.
I have enjoyed the visual feast of photos of flowers, birds, bees and trees this morning, especially that marigold of the day. 🙂
Enjoy the time with Annie and Evie. They grow fast!
It has cooled down into the lower 80s here, at least for a few days. Our lone courgette plant (who needs more than one?) is producing a lot now, and the tender small ones will make their way into many a supper dish. Since you alerted us to the rare but potential toxicity problem, I will never look at one the same way again.
How lovely to be able to host your daughter and granddaughter! These strange times we live in have certainly made us appreciate the things we used to take for granted. And having a toddler around the house and garden will definitely liven things up. Enjoy.
It is lovely and I hope that we get some decent weather so that they can explore pour countryside while they are here.
Your garden looks really bright and cheerful and just perfect to welcome your visitors! Some exciting weeks ahead…how lovely.
The visitors are enjoying the garden in spite of some damp weather. I hope it all survives some more bad weather on Tuesday.
enjoy time with your family
Thank you. I hope that we will and that the visit goes smoothly.
Like your descriptions of the comings and going’s on the bird feeder,quite amusing😃
Must be good to see your Family again,and I know what you mean about it feeling strange to be doing what just a few months ago was commonplace.
Apart from dog walking and cycling I haven’t really been outside our little hamlet.
But this week we have ventured on holiday in Borrowdale..Not great weather,but then you don’t get beautiful lakes and rivers without rain, and the north lakes are fairly quiet.
Enjoy your family time,..Carpe Diem.👍
I carpe every diem as far as I can as advancing age makes me aware of the value of every day. I am sorry about your poor weather, Borrowdale is a wonderful spot.