Today’s guest picture comes from our friend Bruce who went for a walk with his wife round Alemoor reservoir near Hawick recently. He wondered whether they couldn’t have put up a few more warning notices if they had really tried.
After yesterday’s sunshine, we were back to cold, grey and windy today, dry at least in the morning, but drizzly and wet in the afternoon.
As a result we had a pretty quiet day, though Margaret dropped in at coffee time to see Evie and give her a little gift.
There was little to see in the way of birds at the feeder, and little light to see those few that did come.
I combined a short walk to stretch my legs in the rain after lunch with a visit to the shop on my way home to top up supplies.
It wasn’t really a day for taking pictures at all, but I looked at patterns of lichens, mosses and scaleworts on a few trees as I went round the Pheasant hatchery and back by the Kilngreen.
The tiniest things I noted were these little molds on a wooden gate post . . .
. . . and the prettiest was some variagated ivy on a stone gatepost.
It was definitely a bit damp by the time that I got to the Kilngreen so I didn’t hang about, but shot a few random birds and some crocuses, and moved on.
Back in our garden, hellebores and primroses are trying their best, but are looking a bit battered by wind, rain and frost.
The blackbird in today’s header picture was on a hedge. He looks as though he is singing but no sound was coming out of the open beak. Perhaps he was discouraged by the rain too.
When I went in, Evie lent a hand as I made some fig rolls. I usually use dates in my ‘fig’ rolls but our daughter had brought some figs up with her so I used them today. Thanks to Evie’s help, they turned out quite well . . .
. . . and while the oven was hot, I made some macaroni cheese for our evening meal.
It doesn’t look as though the weather is going to be any better tomorrow, which is disappointing. But we are determined to go out for a walk whatever the weather.
I did see a single flying bird at the feeder today, and this is it.
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Perhaps I will be first out the gate with comments today. Your macaroni cheese looks so good. I keep talking Allan we could make it for real instead of out of a box (but he does the cooking, not me). The warning signs are funny…we have some areas like that, and the signs still don’t keep people from wading too deep into our dangerous ocean.
Probably the more signs that there are, the less people read them.
There are none so blind as those who will not see, as they say.
Well, telling, not talking. That’s what happens when racing to be first 😀
Yum, yum. You and Evie make a great team!
We do. Many cooks make light work.
There’s a low rail bridge not far from here that has a combination of 13 signs/lights/warning notices before you get to it, but a semi (your HGV?) hits it at least once a year.
Our bridges used to take a lot of bashing before they put traffic lights on them.
Gray and all, I know you are having a wonderful time with your daughter and granddaughter. Fingers crossed the sun is out tomorrow for you all! I like the yellow eye-ring on your blackbirds, ours do not have an eye-ring.
Your crossed fingers didn’t work I am sorry to say. The weather is only going to brighten up just as they leave. 😦
😦
By coincidence I have planned a macaroni cheese for today’s meal and – taking a note out of your book – will top it with baby tomatoes for a change. Your title is very apt – the greyness of the day is evident in spite of attempts by the green and orange colours of the moss and fungi to brighten it. I miss having small hands helping in the kitchen!
I thought of four and twenty blackbirds when I saw the macaroni cheese come out of the oven.
Sorry about the weather but the macaroni cheese looks delicious I could almost smell it!
No sun but there are fig rolls….. what’s the best ?? 😉
Much as I like fig rolls, more sun would be welcome. 🙂
Fine textures today
Well done with the cookery. Both items look delicious.
I say that’s a jolly fine fig roll and tasty looking macaroni cheese…a feast for all to brighten up a grey day especially with those cherry toms!
It went down well.
I enjoyed those bright flowers and comely lichens and moss. Your Scottish blackbirds do look a bit different than ours.
The male blackbirds are very neat and dapper.