Today’s guest picture comes from my Canonbie friend Simon. He is working at the Belfry golf course at the moment, and sent me this pleasant view of a place where you definitely don’t want to put your golf ball.
After another chilly night, we woke to another dry day here. It was cloudier than recent days, and this heralded a change in the weather. As I write this post in the evening, serious rain is falling for the first time for weeks. Although rain is not welcome to a cyclist, it is much needed in the garden so we are not complaining. It looks as though both the nights and days are going to be warmer next week, and that will be welcome in the garden too.
Mrs Tootlepedal made the best of the morning and got her sweet peas sorted out out, while I cycled round to the shop, and did a little dead heading before and after coffee with Margaret.
Although we are not overwhelmed by bees and other poillinators, there are a few about and the dandelions were getting one or two visitors.
The pair of ducks who seem to have taken up residence on the dam were back again today.
When I was not dead heading, I was looking around the garden.
I made some dull soup for lunch, and looked at the birds while it was cooking. We have a plentiful supply of redpolls just now.
After lunch I considered my options. As I was considering them, a light rain started to fall and that ruled out cycling. I decided that I would go for a short walk in the hope that the forecast heavier rain would wait until I had finished.
This hope was well founded, and I was able to get back home without getting significantly wet at all, although it rained lightly the whole way round. The rain was light enough for cricketers to keep playing . . .
. . . and for the cherry blossoms to look delightful and not soggy . . .
. . . but I still thought it wise to take a sheltered route until I had seen what the rain was going to do.
At the top of the Lodge Walks, I came across a bank of wild flowers including wild strawberries and Jack by the hedge . . .
. . . and I was able to enjoy the greening up of the trees across the pheasant hatchery, and the bluebells in the woods along the top path as I came back from the North Lodge.
When I came to the start of the Baggra, the rain was so light as to be almost unnoticeable. I decided to walk along the track and come home by way of the High Mill Brig.
The trees have been felled at the start of the track, and this let me look down on a game of rugby being played at Milntown, the home of Langholm Rugby Football Club. Langholm, in red, were pressing, but had unfortunately dropped the ball at a crucial moment.
Leaving the game behind, I strolled along the Baggra . . .
. . . enjoying the unusually dry conditions underfoot. The change in the weather may mean that I won’t be so lucky next time that I walk along here.
There were wild flowers to be seen beside the track, marsh marigold, primroses, buttercup and violets.
Having come down to the main road, I passed the rugby ground on the other side, and was able to look across the ground to the top of the clear felled bank from where I had watched the match earlier.
While I watched, Langholm contested and won a lineout . . .
. . . and shortly afterwards scored a well worked try.
I walked on, and an uncivil goosander flew away with a flurry of wings when I tried to take its picture. I caught up with him later as I came to the Langholm Bridge.
As the rain seemed to be getting a little heavier when I got to the suspension bridge, I abandoned thoughts of going down to Skippers Bridge and took the direct route home, satisfied to have got four pretty dry miles in.
For some reason, perhaps from trying to keep up with Mrs Tootlepedal on our recent cycle rides, I was quite tired by this time, and I was more than content to idle the rest of the afternoon and evening away.
The flying bird of the day is a goldfinch bearing down on a siskin.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
A pretty walk despite the gray weather, and I was glad to read you got some much-needed rain.
It was a breath of fresh air as they say.
The bluebells were nice to see, and I like your old friends.
I knew of just one pulsatilla that grew in a local park but I think someone might have thought it was a weed. It was a purplish flower, very pretty.
I hope the storm we’ve had all week doesn’t travel your way. Lots of wind, clouds and cold air with a little rain.
The furry nature of the pulsatilla is what appeals to me most. I hope that we don;t get your storm. We have had enough storms recently.
The guest picture is beautiful and I have enjoyed your own variety.
Enjoyed all those pictures of wold flowers and glad that Langholm scored a try while you were watching!
Praise the Lord that it rains ! Here we will have dry weather until 15 may. Everything is so dry… We all hope for some rain.
I hope that you get some. Very dry conditions make for worries about fires.
Glad you managed a reasonably dry walk. It must be good for the garden to have some rain after all this time. It is still very dry here.
I’m pleased you got your rain; some lovely flowers and the Lodge Walk tree canopy photograph. Your line-out shot is good – and a reminder to me that we could not be lifted in the old days. I think WP have interfered with your soup.
No, it really was dull soup.
Seems you are getting most of the rain on your side of the country
It was much needed. Everything had got very dry.
I enjoyed seeing so many flowers, even on a grey day. The Lodge Walks seems like it would offer significant protection from rain with all those beautiful large trees overhanging the road.
Have your visiting ducks been much of a problem to the tadpoles?
The ducks haven’t been back to our little pond but there don’t seem to be many tadpoles in it anyway. The run of cold mornings may have discuraged them from developing,
I am sorry to hear the tadpoles are not more numerous. Hopefully the few left are more robust and grow fast.
The beautiful bluebell woods is the dream of many American gardeners but so seldom realized. So nice to see this one.
The one we saw on our recent visit south was even more delightful.
It might have been a damp day but there was lots to see and enjoy on your walk around your garden and the countryside. The cherry blossom, the fresh, green leaved trees and the bluebells are all favourites. Hope the locals won their rugby match.
I will find out when our local paper arrives on Thursday.