A better day

Today’s guest picture is another swan. This one was seen today by our son Alistair in his local park.

Our day here started off grey, but as it was dry and not too windy, we were a lot happier than yesterday and went for two outings.

Before the first outing, I checked on the birds and found that the feeder was busier again. Although no greenfinches appeared today, goldfinches were whirling around . . .

. . . and siskins were active too.

Chaffinches found it hard to get a look in.

Our first outing took us over the suspension bridge and down the waterside to the Co-op. As we crossed the suspension bridge on the way back, we saw two dippers flying furiously to and fro across the river. One settled long enough for a quick shot from the swaying bridge.

Our daughter had caught a fleeting glimpse of a frog in our pond as we left for the walk, so I went out into the garden at lunchtime to see if it had resurfaced. It had, and while I was out I looked at the first rhubarb shoots of the year, and two cheerful hellebores.

After a snooze and some food, Evie was up for another excursion. There was a hint of rain while we were getting ready, but it soon passed, so we went off to the park where Evie enjoyed being pushed vigorously on the swings by her mother and grandmother. I left them to their fun, and took advantage of the better weather to go for a short walk up Warbla.

I was told later that Evie was sorry that she couldn’t come with me up the hill. As a result, Annie and Mrs Tootlepedal made a diversion up and down Jimmy’s Brae on their way home from the park, and Evie was quite happy to have climbed a mountain of her own.

I was very happy on my way up my hill as the weather took a turn for the better as I went up, and I could enjoy the views.

I was a bit alarmed as I got further up the hill to see a hint of a rainbow up the valley . . .

However, the rainbow stayed where it was (which was quite far away)and in spite of other rain clouds to the south when I got to the summit . . . .

You can see the rain shower on the right in the distance

This shower was closer but had passed Warbla by

It was obviously quite a persistent shower as the rainbow was still there when I got to the summit.

. . . I had a good view over Langholm when I stood on top of the hill, with any rain drifting by on my right.

As I didn’t want to be too long, I walked back down the hill by the way that I had come. Looking to the west, the sky looked dramatic . . .

. . . but that was just the camera talking, and I was accompanied by some beautiful sunny views as I came down the track with the sun behind me.

After our rather chilly morning walk, it had turned into a perfect walking day.

When I came to the gate at the end of the open hill, my eye was caught by the sun striking the moss on a wall. A wall is always worth a look, especially in late afternoon sunshine.

I think that this is apple moss, bartramia pomiformis

There were pixie cup lichens nearby

And in one place, there were pixie cup lichens in the middle of more apple moss.

It was still sunny as I got near our house but I felt a drop of light rain. When I looked up, I saw that the weather gods had provided an excellent finale for my outing.

I had put a beef stew into the slow cooker in the morning, and Mrs Tootlepedal, added seasoning, mashed potatoes and peas to make a splendid evening meal to round off a good day.

Annie and Evie go back to London tomorrow, so it was good to have had a little decent weather on their last full day.

The flying bird of the day is a goldfinch about to give a siskin a shock.