Today’s guest picture is another from Paul’s visit to the Lake District. He was looking down on the aptly named Little Town from Catbells when he saw this view.
The forecast was for a bright, chilly, and calm morning and the forecast was right. As I had a choir rehearsal in the afternoon, I thought that I should take advantage of the weather to go for an early bike ride and I set out soon after breakfast. With the temperature according to our thermometer at a rather chilly 6 degrees C, this required several layers of clothing, warm gloves and thick socks to be applied before setting off.
I pottered round my Canonbie circuit, stopping to record the lovely day as I climbed out of Wauchopedale…
…and enjoying the clear view over the Solway towards the Lake District Hills when I got to the top of my little climb.
The pottering was not entirely by choice as thanks to the early start and the chilly day, my legs took their time about joining in the trip enthusiastically. However, the sun got higher and the day got a bit warmer and I thoroughly enjoyed my excursion.
I liked this tree silhouetted against the sky….
…and it always a pleasure to see the Canonbie cows. They haven’t been near enough to photograph for some time.
Mrs Tootlepedal and Annie had been impressed by the scale of work on the new Canonbie sewage works when they passed them on a recent walk, so I thought I ought to give readers a taste of the works as I passed the the two sites today.
Evie had visited our local shop while I was out so we both had had fun.
I got back in perfect time to have a quick look round the garden before having coffee in the garden with Evie, Annie, Mrs Tootlepedal and our neighbour Margaret.
There was a lone butterfly on the buddleia….
…and a bee on a cornflower. It had obviously been a busy bee looking at its pollen sacs.
I thought that the orange crocosmia was looking very colourful in the sun…
…and I saw that both of the variegated dogwoods had flowers in bloom.
My dahlia of the day was this one…
…and I had time to snap a selection of roses and white flowers before making the coffee.
After coffee, I made some soup for lunch and then I made the fatal mistake of turning on the live coverage of the Tour de France. Today’s stage would have been worth watching just for the scenery let alone some very exciting bike racing.
I tore myself away for long enough to check on the birds where a chaffinch showed just how tiny the siskins are by comparison…
…and a siskin showed that they may be small but they are not going to be intimidated by anyone.
I had to take another break from the Tour to take part in the virtual choir rehearsal. It was most enjoyable and useful. Evie joined in for a moment to a general chorus of aahs from the choir members. Our director Ellen says that the compiling of our virtual performance is coming along well and should be ready in a week or two. It ought to be possible for me to share a link to it if I consider it suitable for viewers of a nervous disposition.
After the choir, I had another look at the birds.
Siskins were arguing as they are wont to do…
…and a greenfinch was wisely approaching a siskin from behind this time.
There was plenty of coming and going…
…and I liked the plumage on this sparrow even though it turned its back on me.
We record the Tour coverage so that we can skip through the many advertising breaks at high speed and we were able to pause the final stages of the day’s excitement while Mrs Tootlepedal cooked our evening meal and we ate it.
I had time to go out into the garden again while the cooking was going on.
Annie and Evie came too and Evie enjoyed the doddering dillies a lot. I liked the clover and the mint too.
There were no butterflies to be seen so a bee on a daisy came in handy.
We dug up more potatoes…
…and some of them appeared in double quick time as roast potatoes with some delicious roast lamb at tea time.
I made some semolina for afters and then we settled down to watch a nail biting finish to today’s stage on the Tour.
It was another quiet lockdown day but looking back on it, it seemed to have been quite busy. Hosting a one year old toddler is a full time occupation.
The flying bird of the day is a sparrow at full stretch.
That’s an excellent potato crop. I hope you have a root cellar.
The orange crocosmia is very pretty, and I love the blue of the cornflower.
Beautiful shots of the butterfly, birds and bees.
There are not enough potatoes to require specialist storage. We will eat them soon enough.
Great shot of the Lake District hills.
Lovely cornflower shot,and seeing a bees pollen sacks is a first for me.
I watched some of le tour as well,and actually found the scenery more interesting than the cycling.
How and why they put buildings in such precarious places I don’t know.🙄
I was wondering about some of those buildings myself. I don’t like heights so they certainly wouldn’t do for me.
I love that tree! Great shot! 🙂
Your flying bird of the day looks particularly graceful.
I thought so too.
I’ll bet Evie keeps all three of you busy. Loved the view over to the Lake District hills, one of my favourites and looking forward to seeing your choir perform when it comes off.
Glad the choir rehearsal went well. Hope we will be able to see the performance.
Some fabulous scenery there but I am surprised you need to don so many layers for August. Just goes to show how fickle our weather is (but a little warmer down here in the south west). Lovely photos as always.
I probably could have got away with less coverage but being old and frail, I need keeping warm just for comfort. 🙂
Another fine post. We record everything we watch which has adverts, for the same reason as you.
We will end up having to subscribe to watch if everyone does this, but in the meantime, it is a good scheme.
Keep it secret 🙂
It may have been chilly but that blue sky is gorgeous!
We were happy to have some sunshine after a rather grey spell.
I must say I really enjoyed your pedal of yesterday morning. I could almost have been pedalling alongside, or rather would have wished to be so. I (though somewhat earlier) was struggling homeward with a split back wheel rim and tyre. I had to remove the back brakes to make any kind of progress, because the tyre developed a large bump. But by making such basic adaptions I managed to get home safe and sound. Downhills though were a cause for concern, not that, in normal circumstances, there are nearly enough of those topographical wonders. For me, anyway, the lazy welshcyclist, especially when en route home after a long night shift. As always, looking forward to the next chapter in tootlepedal’s escapades. Cheers.
I saw the pictures of the damage. A nasty blow.
Yes published via my phone, who’s an IT kiddie now? Get down bro! Cheers.
Smart.
Life with a toddler is busy indeed. I remember. That one butterfly is a beauty, Also like the bee. Finally, those potatoes are positively beautiful. (I am the great-granddaughter of potato farmers, and my great-grandmother’s name was…Evelyn.)
You are obviously very well connected. 🙂
I sure am!
That is a very nice crop of handsome potatoes Mrs. T has grown!
I didn’t realize the siskins were so small compared to the other birds. What they don’t have in size they make up in might.
They certainly do.
Quite the seraphic flying bird today – great photo. Catching one peacock on a buddleia is a triumph this year…I’m sure their antennae are just there to warn against cameras! I like the tree too!
Looking forward to a treat from the choir.
Whether it will be a treat is yet to be discovered.
I have been hoping you would post a link to it. I’m looking forward to that.