Today’s guest picture comes from both of my two older sisters, Mary and Susan. Like us, they have socially distanced coffee outdoors when they can. Today they each took photos of the other.

As it was Mrs Tootlepedal’s birthday, she got a little bit older and a little bit wiser today. Since she had me a cake for my birthday, I made her a cake and you can see it here with a bottle of fizz and some chocolates which were a gift from our son Tony.

The candles do suggest a possible age for Mrs Tootlepedal, but as it is considered poor form to reveal such things, I have not made it possible to read them. Suffice it to say, that Mrs Tootlepedal is far more youthful than me.
It was a chilly morning, but it was so still that we were able to have coffee in the garden with our neighbour Margaret. Mrs Tootlepedal went in to have a zoom meeting arranged by her brother with her mother who is 103, and Margaret and I were joined by our neighbour Liz, who was just back from her morning walk.
After an early lunch, I went out for a pedal and Mrs Tootlepedal marked her birthday by laying the thirteenth slab of her drive project. This slab takes her over half way in the slab laying marathon. I took a suitably celebratory picture when I got back from my ride.

There had been mist about in the morning and if I had not been making a cake, I might have gone up the hill again to have a look. Still, you can’t do everything, and there was still plenty of mist about when I cycled up Callister. This is the view back towards Whita…

…and when I started cycling down the other side of the hill, I could see more mist ahead of me.

I was a bit worried that I might be pedalling into poor visibility. This would have meant turning back, but when I got down to the valley, the road was mist free and I was able to cycle on to Paddockhole bridge with no problems. I did stop though when I saw a tree stump wreathed in fungus.

My usual outings often start up the Wauchope road and then I turn left at some point to make a circular ride. Today, for a change, I went a bit further along the road and turned right and crossed the bridge when I came to it.

This took me up the valley of the Water of Milk…

…and past our latest windfarm at Crossdykes.
It was a hive of activity. Two turbines are up and a third is waiting for its blades. There were bits ready to be used lying all over the place.

I couldn’t hang around to see if there was any crane action happening as it was pretty chilly at about 5°C and the light wasn’t looking very promising either. I had done 15 miles by this point into a very light wind and with 500 foot of net height gained. Fortunately, as it was a circular ride, this meant that I had five hundred feet to lose on the 11 miles home and as I was also sheltered from the wind, I managed that in 43 minutes. It was lucky that it was easy riding, because with the sun behind the clouds and the temperature dropping, my legs started complaining about old age.
It got colder still as I approached the last hill down into the town and I could see that mist was rising from the valley below.

The two cyclists in these pictures were the only other cyclists that I saw on my ride. It was a very quiet day.
When I got home, I noticed a surprise vinca flower under a hedge in the garden..

When I went in, I suggested to Mrs Tootlepedal that a little birthday outing might be enjoyable, as I thought that some sunshine might be found above the mist if we drove up to the moor.
There was plenty of mist creeping up over the moor….

…and indeed there was so much mist about, that when we drove down the road….

…to see if we could find the goats, all we found was mist and we couldn’t see anything at all, let alone any goats.
We soon turned round and crept back up the road. We came back out of the mist and found some low sun in the west making for a striking sky.

There were some lovely views as we drove back down to the town but my photographic skills and my little cycling camera weren’t able to do them justice. This shot gives just a flavour of the combination of low sun and rising mist.

Some very chilly soldiers were waiting around on the Kilngreen, offering locals a chance of a covid test for those who wanted one, but demand seemed to be non existent.
They may have thought that we were coming for a test, but we were only there to enjoy the views…

…which were worth stopping for.

Although the conditions made it feel as though it was late in the day, we still got home too early to have tea and cake, and we had to wait half an hour until it was time to light the candles and enjoy the strawberry jam filling.
Having spoken to her mother at one end of the day, Mrs Tootlepedal spoke to her granddaughter Matilda (and Alistair and Clare too) at the other.
It has been a week of quiet birthdays for us both, but that as that is all that is available at the present time, we are not complaining.
A goldfinch is the genuine flying bird of the day.

Best Birthday Wishes to Mrs Tootlepedal!
Thank you.
Wonderful pictures you took in the mist.
Is it ever too early for tea and cake? Surely not!
Several things: a very lovely header photo, good to see both your sisters in the blog, the driveway pavers are a marvel of alignment (unsurprising, considering the engineer), and many happy returns to the engineer herself.
Four o’clock is tea time. There is no other time.
Like mj, I am shocked that there is a watershed for tea and cake. Ah well, too far along in years to change my ways now😊 Happy birthday, Mrs T!
There must be some discipline in life or we would all got to hell in a handcart. Tea time is a sticking point.
Happy birthday Mrs T ,the cake looks good ,as do the slabs,very level and straight 👍
Good bike ride today..I took the easy way out doing only 10 on the turbo,although not as easy as it sounds.
I’d love a ride outdoors but the cold air is bad for my chest,don’t venture out til it’s above 10c.
See we’re back in tier 3 in Lancashire.
Hopefully restrictions may ease in the spring when the vaccine becomes more available.l
I am reasonable happy at 6 degrees. When it gets below that my legs are reluctant to work properly. I have COPD but I keep my chest well protected in cold weather.
Wishing Mrs. T. a very Happy Birthday!
It is beautiful there, even in mist! I particularly like the mists made golden by the low-angled sun. I was lucky enough once to catch pink morning mists amid the apple trees here.
The vinca in flower is lovely, though out of season. Plants do get confused by oscillating weather patterns.
Not just plants. I am confused by the seasons too.
Absolutely beautiful views of the mist, clouds and sunlight breaking through. What a perfect celebration for Mrs. T.! Your sisters are lovely, too. Now I have to go back and get caught up on your other birthday.
It was very dull
A very happy birthday to Mrs. T. I thought she was already plenty wise.
The shots of the mist were excellent but I don’t blame you for turning around. Driving through heavy mist can be like someone draped a sheet over your windshield.
I enjoyed all the green in the shot of the bridge and the vinca blossom too.
It was rather alarming driving even the short distance that we went in the mist. I have lost my spirit of adventure when it comes to motoring in bad conditions..
Me too!
I do love mist. And happy birthday to Mrs T, with many more happy birthdays to come, following the good example of her mother.
Great flying bird! A very happy birthday to Mrs. Tootlepedal. A quiet day, perhaps, but what beautiful views.
We enjoyed our little excursion.
Beautiful photographs – the fungus on the tree stump is especially appealing. Happy, happy Birthday to Mrs. T!
Thank you.
Lovely. Happy Birthday from here to Mrs. Tootlepedal.
Thank you.
Congratulations to Mrs Tootlepedal, and to her mother!
I don’t know you intended it, but 13 is a significant number as a halfway point in a marathon. A full marathon is 26 miles, so finishing mile 13 means you are halfway done.
I did have that in mind so I am pleased that you spotted it.
Beautiful scenic pictures of moor and sky in the mist.
Happy birthday to Mrs T. I think we might have sussed that she is the younger. As a gentleman I will not try to work out the details. I really like the mists and skies today.
I was two years older than her for four days!
Resourceful and never tiring MrsT! Happy Birthday and may there follow many more. A birthday-stone is laid and the rest will follow. As always beautiful pictures and the goldfinch of the day excells.
She wouldn’t claim to be never tiring these days but she still gets a lot done. Thank you for your kind words.
Happy Birthday to Mrs T. Once again you fitted in a lot to your day. I particularly enjoyed the photos in this post, especially the flying goldfinch and the surprise vinca flower. Very heavy frost here this morning, hope temperatures start rising now for my return to work on Sunday. I don’t mind the cold, but not frost and ice, but sadly, they inevitably come together, Definitely a sunshine loving welshcyclist. Cheers.
I think that almost all cyclist are sun lovers. I hope that you avoid ice on your working days.
Belated Happy Birthday greetings to Mrs. T. I like the shots of the mist creeping over the moors, even if there were no goats this time.
Thank you.
Looks like some lovely treats to help celebrate a birthday. Splendid views of mist covered hills and cloudscapes to enjoy on a special day. Happy Birthday Mrs T.
Thank you for your good wishes.