Today’s guest picture comes from my sister Susan who was able not long ago to have a cup of coffee on the banks of the same canal along which my sister Mary recently walked….with added geese.
We had a very tolerable day here with light winds, occasional sunshine and a temperature that made sitting out in the garden for coffee a very pleasant experience, neither too hot nor too cold.
However, as no-one had slept very well during the night for one reason or another, we didn’t make the best use of it, and the older members of the household spent quite a lot of time not doing very much.
I filled in some of the time by cooking breakfast, lunch and tea. The meals were porridge, squash and sweet potato soup and sausage stew so there was no danger of anyone mistaking me for a cordon bleu chef.
My only active moment in the morning was when I mowed the middle lawn to make it look respectable for our coffee gathering….and suitable for Evie to wander about on.
I didn’t take my first photograph until well after lunch when I recorded three siskins on the feeder.
There were a number of siskins about, both arriving at the feeder…
…and getting into arguments with greenfinches too.
I then went out and spent twenty minutes in the garden looking for butterflies and finding a small tortoiseshell which rather meanly hid behind a buddleia flower when it saw me coming.
There weren’t as many today as there were about yesterday, and I had to scratch around to find a red admiral and a peacock.
My bee of the day was visiting one of the developing sedum plants.
I had a look at the flowers while I was out and was surprised to see a bergenia indulging in a second flowering.
A visitor had dropped into the garden in the morning and had told Mrs Tootlepedal how well she thought the garden looked. Mrs Tootlepedal was a bit sceptical, as she thinks that the garden is over after late August, but I agree with the visitor. There is a lot still to enjoy.
Japanese anemones are thriving…
…clematis, roses and nasturtiums are full of colour…
…and the dahlias are going strong. (I meant to find nine to put in a panel but I miscounted so a calendula has sneaked into the bottom corner.)
There are still colourful corners…
…and two fuchsias which have been replanted after some poor seasons are showing their gratitude for Mrs Tootlepedal’s care…
…and inula and phlox are not done for yet.
And of course, if the flowers do pass, there are always berries of one sort…
…or another.
After this modest burst of activity, I went back indoors and joined Mrs Tootlepedal and Annie in watching the Tour de France while Evie had her afternoon nap.
I did think of stopping watching the cycling and actually going out and doing some in real life, but inertia overcame me and I remained glued to my chair.
After our evening meal, I did manage to stir my stumps enough to go for a short stroll round Gaskell’s Walk, a distance of about one and a half miles. My legs were pretty unhelpful about even this little effort so it was perhaps just as well that I hadn’t tried to go cycling. I have cycled two and a half thousand miles in the past six months. This is quite a lot by my recent standards, and I have done a fair bit of walking too, so perhaps my legs are sending me a message to have a rest for a day or two.
It was getting rather gloomy by the time that I went out, but I still took my camera and looked around as I went along.
It was a quiet evening and very peaceful as I passed the Wauchope graveyard.
There were odd bits of fungus here and there along the track.
The turning of the season is being marked by the rosebay willowherb….
…but there was wonderful display of flowers as I came up onto the Stubholm.
There was interest for gin drinkers…
…and some plants to avoid…
…before I took the track down to the park and went home.
I took a moment to enjoy our neighbour Kenny’s ever expanding garden along the dam before going into the house.
In the end when I looked back on it, I thought that it had been a rather confusing day. I hadn’t done anything much but I felt that I had been busy all the time. Watching the Tour de France live is a wonderful time filler as you feel that you are somehow taking a lot of exercise by just sitting there.
As I was cooking the tea, Mrs Tootlepedal went out into the garden, saying as she went, “I am going to cut the mustard.”
When she came back in, she said in answer to an enquiry from me, “I have cut the mustard.” I wasn’t surprised. If anyone is capable of cutting the mustard, it is Mrs Tootlepedal.
The flying bird of the day is a greenfinch.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
There is still so much color in your garden, and it is pleasure to see while we bake in the heat and dryness over here. The panel of nine is outstanding.
I’ve been watching goldfinches eat the tiny seeds from lemon balm, quietly working the seed heads perched sideways on the old stalks. The myriad lemon balm plants are descendants of two I purchased 17 years ago. They seem to self-seed readily.
That must be very satisfying to watch.
The anemones and dahlias are very beautiful.
Nice to see the sloe fruit too. As far as I know we don’t have them here.
My favorite of this post is the bee on the sedum. I’m glad you’re seeing so many once again.
I’m impressed with your mileage!
The next four months are not likely to be so good as the days get shorter and the winter weather comes.
the garden has been full of bees lately which is very encouraging.
Not one but two pictures of fuchsias, that’s a bonus.
I think you were entitled to a bit of a rest. The dam looks very good.
Head Gardeners are never satisfied perfectionists 🙂
Mrs. Tootlepedal can do just about anything. Lovely pictures of flowers, butterflies—especially the peacock—and bees. Nice that little Evie will have a neat lawn to toddle about on.
If only we can get a bit of sunshine. Raining almost all day today.
Fingers crossed for you.
We got some.
The dahlias are spectacular. And Mrs. T? Well, she’s proven time and again that she can “cut the mustard” in just about any endeavour you’d care to name!
She is a wonder.
Totally agree with mj above! Lots of lovely photos of flowers singly and in ‘colourful corners’ too. That’s a good mileage to have covered no wonder your legs need a rest!
The lack of other things to do during lockdown has helped to add up the miles.
Lockdown in many ways has had lots of benefits…I’ve saved money!!
Me too.
Yes, definitely saved money in lockdown. My diet has been better too. My cycling mileage has been remarkably constant for years never varying from zero for the last forty years. Yours is much more impressive. 🙂 The garden is looking great too.
To have avoided cycling for so long must be regarded as some sort of achievement.
I nearly gave up walking at one time. When I found myself getting into the car to drive 200 yards I knew I needed to make changes.
Same here, Mr. Quercus.
🙂
A lovely graveyard, feels quiet and melancholy and restful. The garden still has much to offer! I think a restful day is needed now and then.
I have fidgety feet. 🙂