Welcome home

Today’s guest picture is another from Venetia’s visit to Porthleven in Cornwall.

It was a day which started with low cloud and rain . . .

. . . and ended with sunshine and the return of Mrs Tootlepedal.

In between, Dropscone came round for coffee bearing first rate scones (and leaving with runner beans), and I had a walk round the garden . . .

. . . a visit to the shop when the clouds began to lift and the rain stopped . ..

. . . a check on the blue tits at the feeder . . .

. . . another look at the flowers . . .

. . . lunch, and a bicycle ride.

It looked as though it was going to rain again, so I dressed for wet weather and needless to say, it stayed dry and the sun came out half way round. I thought that I would try to go round my 20 mile Canonbie circuit without stopping at all, but the sunshine on the hills as I came back down to Wauchopedale proved too much for me and I cracked.

I had a cup of tea with our neighbour Liz when I got back, and then, since I hadn’t taken any cycling pictures, I went for a short three bridges walk.

In spite of our recent little bits of rain, the rivers have rarely been lower, with the mighty Wauchope is reduced to a trickle as it goes under the Kirk Brig to join the Esk

On the Esk, today’s fashion was for standing on a rock . . .

. . . though I was very pleased to find a sitting duck (which I shot).

The afternoon could hardly have been more different from the gloomy morning . . .

. . . and I saw a friendly gull, who took off and made a fly past as I walked along the Kilngreen . . .

. . . distracting me for a minute from my observations of the many wagtails which flit along the rocks beside the Ewes Water, and occasionally stop long enough for a picture.

On the Castleholm, there were signs of impending autumn . . .

. . . the occasional wild flower . . .

. . . and resin exuding from the noble fir cones.

I spurned the chance of a rest on my way . . .

. . . and admired the style of the sole competitor who had entered the man and dog race.

I spotted a popular flower on the Scholars’ Field . . .

. . .and got home in time to make some cauliflower cheese and eat it before going off to meet the London train and Mrs Tootlepedal at Carlisle Station.

She arrived only a few minutes late, and as you can imagine, I was very pleased to see her.

Our drive home was uneventful, and there was just enough light left for a tour round the garden before we went in and gratefully collapsed after a long day.

Normal service will be resumed tomorrow.

The flying bird of the day is that obliging gull at the Kilngreen.