Today’s guest picture comes from my sister Mary. She stopped to take in this pretty view on her way to play tennis yesterday.
After some welcome rain overnight, it was still raining gently here when we got up today. There was enough rain to make the birds on the feeder look a little bedraggled and grumpy . . . .
. . . and to persuade me not to go for a morning cycle ride even though it was quite warm and not very windy. I took my umbrella and went for a walk instead.
In spite of the gloomy weather, it was a very uplifting walk. The rain and a frost free night had turned a lot of things green and brought out some good colour too. I snapped away as I went along, and have put the some of the results into panels and overstuffed galleries.
There was rhododendron out in the park . . .
. . . and there were lots of new leaves on lots of trees all along my walk.
The bluebells are out and there was wild garlic too. (It was just a pity that the sun was not out as well.)
I walked along the Murtholm track . . .
. . .noting items of interest (to me at least) along the way.
When I got to Skippers Bridge, I was struck by the ivy leaved toadflax and herb Robert on the bridge parapet . . .
. . . as well as the rather romantic view of the bridge itself when I looked back after crossing it.
I walked up the main road and then took the riverside path. The newly green canopy over the main road and the first sighting of Welsh poppies were welcome, but giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed beside the river were not welcome at all.
The hogweed and the knotweeed have resisted many attempts to get rid of them.
I had filled the bird feeder before I went on my walk, and it was very busy when I got back. The weather had improved too.
A rook shook its feathers as it perched on a wire overhead.
I had a late coffee and then lunch, and this left me with time for a walk round the garden to admire the last of the daffodils, the first of the azaleas, new sweet woodruffe and promising lilac flowers . . .
. . . and to have a check on the ducks in the dam (walking not swimming as the water is still very low) . . .
. . .and spot a nesting jackdaw . . .
. . . before I left Mrs Tootlepedal to do some gardening while I went off to Carlisle to sing with the Carlisle Community Choir.
It was just as well that I went, because only one other tenor turned up. He is a good singer though, and we did our best to makes ourselves heard. Ellen, our conductor for the last four years, is leaving us as she has been offered a career opportunity as a solo singer which she cannot ignore. She will help us choose a new conductor, and we can only hope that we will be lucky again, after having had two first rate conductors since the choir was founded ten years ago.
We are going to visit our son Tony in East Wemyss for a couple of days so I will revert to brief posts from my phone while we are away. Unfortunately, although East Wemyss is the sunshine capital of Scotland as regular readers will know from Tony’s guest pictures, it looks as though we will arrive in the middle of an uncharacteristically grey spell. That’s life.
The flying bird of the day is an expansive siskin.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
The rainy day photos are beautiful. I am glad you took these, as I enjoyed them very much, especially the river of bluebells. It will be a little while before we see rhododendron blooms here. That pinkish-white one you came across is very lovely.
Good luck to Ellen! And, have a wonderful visit with your son. Are you a rain bringer, do you suppose? 😉
So I was told today.
After a sunny day yesterday, iIwas delighted to wake up to our mutual wet front, bringing steady rain, which continued until lunchtime. Gardens round here were parched, and desperately needed a long, gentle soak.
Even in the rain the bluebells are very beautiful. Have a nice time in East Wemyss. I hope the sun will shine for you.
Stunning bird photos, and the path through the bluebells is a thing of beauty.
I never tire of seeing your bridges. Enjoy your family visit: I look forward to seeing what East Wemyss has to offer apart from beautiful sunrises 🙂
No sunrise on this visit I am sorry to say.
Have a great visit even if the weather doesn’t promise too well. Loved the romantic view of the bridge and all those bluebells.
Fine shot of the nesting jackdaw.
I hope you get another really good conductor for your choir.
Have a great time in East Wemyss. Forecasts can be wrong, so I hope you get some sun!
Despite the rain you got some good pictures, especially of the bluebells and the bridge scene. That rook does look bedraggled
Don’t get lost in the caves of East Wemyss! But if possible show us one or the other of the pictish carvings. Your stroll through rainy Langholm surronds is greatly uplifted by beautiful greenery and flowers.
I hope to visit the caves tomorrow.
A number of years ago I came to the esk behind the Co-op and killed off some of the knotweed with a machine i had. I said I would need to go back for a second dose but before I got there the council had chipped the bushes and they spread down the river. There’s some photos on my facebook page
That was unfortunate.
Ah yes the battling of invasive species. All the rain we have gotten so far this year has made it worse, I think. Sorry you are losing your choir director, but hope you find another very much to your liking. I cannot imagine our choir without ours. The siskin is beautiful.
How lovely to see all those fresh green leaves unravelling on the different trees. Love the bluebell wood photos too looking so pretty with the little paths curving through the glades. Great siskin shot.
Choosing a new choir conductor must be a really tricky business so hope it all goes well.
We should get a good selection to
Looks like spring is busting out all over! Ending on a singing siskin. What more could you ask for?
Not a lot.
Great flying bird! Sorry to see that knotweed; it’s a horrible thing.