Today’s guest picture comes from a new correspondent, Mark. He was a co-leader of a very energetic 10 mile walk on Sunday as part of the ‘Tour o’ the Moor’ celebrations of the anniversary of the community buy out. He sent me this picture of his group tackling a ridge in glorious weather.
We found ourselves with a surprisingly sunny morning here today, and the temperature had kept up very well too. The good conditions allowed Sandy to walk down the hill to join me for coffee, and even more importantly, let him walk back up the hill afterwards. He is making slow but steady progress after his latest operation.
We took a turn round the garden before he went home. This tulip almost made it . . .
. . . but with grey skies, lower temperatures and some rain forecast, it might have to wait a few days before opening out properly.
The sunshine had encouraged other visitors to the garden while we watched. A large bumble bee dived into a hellebore . . .
. . . and a small tortoiseshell butterfly was attracted by the magnolia.
I walked up the road with Sandy as far as the wonderful flowering currant in our neighbour’s garden . . .
. . . and then, seeing him safely on his way, I went back in and took another turn round our garden.
I like the sculptural form of the tree peonies when they start to shoot . . .
. . . and it is a pity that by the time that the flowers actually appear, they tend to get hidden by the leaves.
The silver pear flowers are tiny . . .
. . . but at least you can see them clearly when they open.
The lupins are showing some early leaves, and I like the way that they collect and retain tiny drops of water like jewels at their hearts.
I went back in and then looked out at the birds. A female chaffinch looked lonely.
A male chaffinch perched on one of the willow stems that Mrs Tootlepedal has put round the feeder.
At the feeder, a male redpoll showed off its chest colouring . . .
. . . indicating that it is ready for the breeding season.
Another redpoll turned up too without a red breast. Perhaps this one is a female.
Other birds soon appeared and the feeder became quite busy.
Mrs Tootlepedal was watching the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service with out neighbour Margaret, and I had time to sieve some compost from Bin D before she came back for lunch.
The sun had gone behind clouds by this time, but the wind was light and it was still pretty warm for the time of year at 14°C, so I thought that a cycle ride would be a good idea. The wind was coming from the north and the forecast suggested that it might get a little stronger in an hour, so it seemed that pedalling up the main road north into the light wind with the hope of getting a good push home would be a sensible route choice.
This turned out to be a very good plan.
The fifteen miles outward bound took me and hour and fifteen minutes, while the fifteen miles back, mostly downhill admittedly, took me a mere forty nine minutes, with the last ten miles whizzing by in 28 minutes, easily faster than 20 mph.
In all this helter skelter cycling, I didn’t have time or inclination for photographs, and took only two – a fine show of daffodils in a drive at the bottom of the hill to Mosspaul . . .
. . . and the memorial to local poet Henry Scott Riddell at my turning point, where I paused for for a minute or two for some refreshment.
What the forecast didn’t mention was the short hail shower which pinged me just as I got back into town. Luckily, it didn’t last.
After I had had a cup of tea and a shower, the day brightened up a bit as the evening came on, and I had a final walk round the garden.
The magnolia is looking better every day. We just hope it survives some low temperatures tomorrow and Thursday night.
That shouldn’t be a problem for the aubretia . . .
. . . or the many clumps of scillas round the garden.
The sun reappeared for a moment and lit up an angry siskin.
As I write this in the evening, my knees have sent me notice in writing that they will go on strike if I try to go cycling tomorrow. I don’t like to give in to impertinent requests from my lower limbs, but as low temperatures and strong winds are forecast, I will behave graciously and accede to their request. Also there is a newsletter to prepare.
The flying bird of the day is a chaffinch shielding its eyes from the morning sun.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
I’m glad Sandy’s recovering well after his op and think that, as your lower limbs were agitated enough to put pen to paper, perhaps a day off cycling is in order.
A cold and strong wind reinforced that plan.
Yes, best to give those knees a rest from time to time. Those daffodils are absolutely glorious! What a treat it must have been to bike by them. Glad Sandy is doing well.
The daffodils are brightening up my cycling quite a lot at the moment. There is very little roadside colour except for them.
The flowering currant is a beautiful thing, and so is the butterfly. I hope it doesn’t get cold enough to bother either of them.
That’s a great shot of the male chaffinch. They’re very pretty birds when they slow down and sit still.
It’s always good to hear that Sandy is making progress.
We seem to get a few early butterflies each year and then have to wait for a few months until the main wave washes over us.
Looks like a good day. The problem with magnolias is that they have such a short flowering span even when the weather is good, though I do love to see them in spring.
They do bring some early cheer to the gardener’s heart.
Yes, they do. When |I win the lottery I will dot them around the estate and instruct the gardeners to go round twice a day to pick up the fallen petals. Until then, I will put up with the debris. 🙂
Such good news about Sandy! The daffodils behind the gate look beautiful.
I was very pleased to see Sandy being much more mobile. He has had a really hard time.
Wonderful show of daffodils on your ride though sorry your knees have had enough. Glad Sandy is properly up and about again.
A bit of a rest sounds like a good idea. You have certainly made the most of the recent fine weather.
That was a splendid display of daffodils you passed.
You started this blog with some nice macro shots 🙂
Thank you. I like my macro lens when the light is good. I should learn to love a tripod too.
This was a good photography day. That is such a frustrating aspect of tree peonies
I have been tempted to snip off a few leaves but never quite succumbed.
A good idea
That is a fine showing of naturalized daffodils behind that gate.
Your angry siskin illuminated by the morning sun reminds me of watching a mourning dove and a blue jay yesterday. The blue jay kept annoying the dove by pecking near his pile of fallen seed on the ground. The dove would lower his head, fluff his feathers and make threatening faces at the jay, who was not getting the message to go find his own pile of seed. Finally the dove flew at the jay and drove him off, temporarily. The jays are very persistent.
I am surprised that the dove beat off the jay. I would have thought that the jay might be the fiercer bird.
I would have too, and was surprised to see the outcome.
Lovely to see a butterfly in good condition and a bumble bee busy in your hellebore. I’ve seen lots of bumble bees already hope that’s a good sign for the summer. The little plants in a garden often get overlooked so the photos of the scillas and aubretia are appreciated. Love the shot of the daffodils through the gate.
There is so little is flowering in the garden at the moment apart from daffodils that I can’t neglect any flower, however little. 🙂
So much color to go around, between the blossoms in the yard and your birds. Glad you got your speedy cycling in. I am impressed that your knees can give you notice in writing.
They are very literate knees . . . though it might be more accurate to say that they gave me notice while I was writing. Sitting at a computer brings out the worst in them.
I think your flying bird of the day has sunglasses on.
I see what you mean. 🙂
Listen to those knees Tom.
I can’t avoid it. They are deafening sometimes. 🙂
It’s good to talk lol