A quiet day

Today’s guest pictures come from our sons. Tony produced the sweet corn and Alistair was responsible for the carrot. It is good to see them taking after their mother.

We had a slightly circumscribed day today as Mrs Tootlepedal wasn’t quite at her peak and needed a visit to the doctor and a day in bed to recuperate. As a result nothing much happened in the morning.

I had coffee by myself inside and checked on the birds.

Sometimes my efforts to catch a flying bird are not as successful as I would like.

I settled for a calm siskin.

Not all siskins were lucky enough to have such a peaceful time on the feeder.

After coffee and bird watching, I found time to mow the front lawn and check on the flowers after another cold night.

It was cold and windy but occasional sunny spells made the day tolerable, even though the brisk breeze made taking flower pictures a hit or miss affair.

Dahlias and roses have been surprisingly unaffected by the cold nights…

The pale leaves of the tropaeolum on one side of the yew bush make it look as though their season is over, but on the other side of the bush, a different story is told.

The tall aster has more flowers to come and some old daisies, long over, have produced new flowers and even attracted insects too.

I liked the contrast between two clematis, one big petals and small heart and the other all heart and hardly any petal.

These are probably the smallest flowers in the garden at the moment…

A red admiral butterfly on a fading buddleia flower came as a bonus on such a windy day…

…and I saw another couple visiting other flowers as well. I have seen them in October in several previous years, so maybe we haven’t seen the last one this year yet.

After a look at a selection of flowers and friends at the end of the drive…

I headed in for some reheated lentil soup for lunch.

While Mrs Tootlepedal took an afternoon nap, I went out for a 20 mile bicycle ride round the undemanding Canonbie circuit.

I had an opportunity to catch a dunnock at rest before I left.

My back is still giving me occasional twinges, so I was slightly worried that the brisk wind might prove to much for me. Fortunately it was in the right direction to blow me vigorously across the hill and down to the bottom of the Canonbie by-pass at a gratifying speed.

I stopped on the way to note that my favourite tree seems to have lost all its leaves already. It was affected by the late frost so that perhaps explains the early loss of foliage.

While I was stopped for the tree, I looked behind me and saw….

…a sign that my ride might not be entirely rain free.

I pedalled on, hoping to miss any small showers.

Among a herd of cattle grazing in a grassy field, a flock of interlopers caught my eye.

…and I caught their eye, and they rose up in protest.

Having been whizzed down the hill by the wind, I was expecting hard toil and tears on the way home, but the wind eased off slightly, I was often sheltered by banks and hedges, my legs were in a helpful mood, and all in all, the journey home was not too bad at all.

I was very entertained by coming across a lady and a friend who had driven their two cars down a very narrow section of the clearly signposted as now closed old main road. They found themselves faced by a locked gate at the end.

“I am looking for a bungalow I have just bought,” she said to me as I slowed down to cycle through the gap left for cyclists beside the gate. “What is it called,” I replied, trying to be helpful. “I don’t know,” she said, “I only bought it two days ago.” I hope that she managed the reversing up the narrow lane without incident.

The rain which made the rainbow did catch up with me but it was light and soon went on its way, leaving me to arrive home after a small feast of brambles on the way…

….in a sunny spell and in a very good mood.

I love the middle lawn when it is dappled by the shade of the walnut tree,

And I like the clematis that is almost smothered by a philadelphus.

The special grandma rose has never looked better…

And I found an alliterative colourful corner to record…

…with crocosmia, cosmos, cornflower and calendula.

I had an enterataining Zoom with my siblings and then, after her day of rest, Mrs Tootlepedal felt well enough to come downstairs for a light supper and to watch Gardener’s World on the telly. With a bit of luck, she will be up and about as normal tomorrow.

The day ended with a fine cloudscape over the trees (and a lone flying bird)..

I did find one flying bird today who wasn’t hiding behind the feeder so this goldfinch is the flying bird of the day.