Today’s guest picture comes from my Lancashire correspondent, Paul. He doesn’t have a proper garden he tells me, but he can still grow a lovely rose in a pot. This is Alpine Sunset.

Yesterday’s forecast for today was for a lovely sunny morning followed by a dry but duller afternoon. My plan was to get up fairly early, get in twenty miles cycling in the sunshine and then go for a walk in the afternoon with our visitors.
The plan was not entirely successful as the forecast was not entirely accurate. I did get up quite early and get my cycling in, but there was only one moment of sunshine the whole way round. Still it was warm and dry and the winds were light so I had a good pedal.
The moment of sunshine came as I got to the Hollows and a bright hedge caught me eye at the same time.
There was rosebay willowherb…

…snowberries…

…and vibrant rose hips.

The sun had disappeared by the time that I had got round the corner but Hollows Tower still looked good, so I took its picture too.

I only stopped once more. I hadn’t had anything to eat before I set off so I was pleased to come across some ripe and tasty blackberries…

…which fuelled me up for the final three miles.
I got back home in time to wave goodbye to Mrs Tootlepedal, Annie and Evie as they went off for a walk and a shopping trip. By the time that I had had a shower, gone to the corner shop for milk and looked at the crossword, they had returned.
After coffee, Evie, Annie and I went out into the garden. It was hard to miss the many butterflies on the ‘morning’ buddleia.
Most of them were red admirals…

…but there were several small tortoiseshells about too. Alternatives to the buddleia were popular with the tortoiseshells.

It was really good to see a lot of butterflies swirling around above the buddleia, the first time that we have had a small flock of them this year.
It was a bit warmer than it has been lately and there were plenty of other insects about. Indeed, it was quite hard to take a picture of a dahlia without an added insect….

…though I did manage to find one.

You might think that the cheerful pink Japanese anemones would be attracting some pollinators but this one seemed undisturbed.

It was nearly time for lunch by now but I couldn’t leave the garden without another look at the morning buddleia…

…and since it was just after midday, a quick check on the afternoon one too.
It was busy.



As it turned out, I was lucky to have spent some good butterfly time in the garden before lunch because the afternoon was at first gloomy, and then rainy, and then very gloomy, rainy and windy too. That put paid to any thought of a walk. Fortunately today’s stage of the Tour de France was much more interesting than expected. We were quite happy to watch the rain blowing past the window and the cyclists whizzing up the Atlantic coast of France.
I watched the birds for a bit before the light got too bad and we settled down.
There were a lot of siskins about…

…with more waiting in the wings.

Greenfinches occasionally loomed up in a threatening manner….

…while a chaffinch approached much more diffidently.

Mrs Tootlepedal roasted Tony’s splendid aubergine for our tea and we ate it dressed in a tomato sauce, as an accompaniment to salmon and courgettes from the garden. It all made for a delicious meal. Sadly this will be the last evening meal with Annie as she and Evie are heading back to London tomorrow. The house will feel very empty without them.
Maybe we will see some sun to cheer them on their way. It has often been rather rainy while they have been here.
The flying bird of the day is a greenfinch.

Sorry your London visitors are leaving you, wish them a safe journey home from me.
I will.
Beautiful bigger and clearer pictures! I know what you mean about the empty house 🥺.
Best wishes to Evie and her mum for a safe journey home.
Thank you Joyce.
Wow! It seems as though Annie and Evie just arrived. Yes, how quiet it will be without them. I always feel a bit blue when my children leave, especially as they live so far away.
We will miss them both but they may return before too long we hope.
I hope Annie and Evie have a safe journey home. What a beautiful gallery of photographs today! The insect-less dahlia is a glorious colour.
It is a fine plant and it has been flowering for a good long time too.
The header photo of starlings is spectacular!
I’m with Laurie in thinking that it seems like Annie and Evie just arrived. How lovely, though, for you and Mrs. T. to be able to get to know Evie, and her you.
It was a great treat just to see her walking skills develop, let alone bask in the warmth of her ready smile.
That’s a perfect shot of the rose hips. Beautiful.
The pink anemone is also amazing. I might get myself one of them.
I hope Annie and Evie will have a safe and uneventful trip home. Life might seem very quiet for a day or two.
I can thoroughly recommend the pink anemone. It grows well and flowers for a good period.
I will keep these beautiful images in mind tonight. Bless the rain, not too much, and not too little.
Some rain is a good thing, there is no doubt about that.
We are still at Level 1 and holding. We are lucky to be in this location, we’ll see how long that holds up. Smoke is worse today. Level 3 evacuation zone 10 minutes from here to the south. I’ll be going offline for a while.
Sad news from here. Abby cat was euthanized yesterday morning amid all the chaos of the fires out here. She had been losing muscle mass and weight over the summer, and was staying very close to me. Although her kidneys were doing very well, and the rest of her blood work they did last Friday was very good for an 18 1/2 yer old cat, diabetes was discovered. She was put on insulin, and monitored carefully, but there was something else going on as well. She collapsed yesterday morning, and I rushed her in. A large mass was discovered in her abdomen, which was quite likely cancer of some sort. She was dying on the table, and we gave authorization to let her pass on peacefully. We buried her yesterday in the garden under my office window, where I can watch over her. She was a dear old kitty.
I am very pleased to hear that you are still safe but very sad to hear of the passing of your cat.
I hope that you don’t have to leave your home.
Some splendid butterfly pictures.
Wishing Annie and Evie a straightforward journey home.
Splendid photography, especially the starlings at the top. I trust Annie and Evie will have a good trip back from their memorable visit.
I am glad that you enjoyed the starlings.
Great starlings – they are a difficult bird to photograph well. Or they are when I try…
Is the visit really over? It has gone so fast.
Two and a bit weeks in a flash.
The starlings had a bit of help from Photoshop.
I have been thinking of Photoshop recently. They were excellent starlings, however you did them.
It is expensive but very helpful in making hasty of bad light shots a little more suitable for putting in the blog.
Every little helps…