Getting the point

Today’s guest picture comes from my brother Andrew. It was taken in the grounds of Nottingham University and is all the more remarkable as it had been raining cats and dogs only moments earlier

The chief business of the morning here on a dry but windy day was to drive to Canonbie to get our flu and Covid booster injections. We had intended to cycle down, but the blustery weather and the opportunity to combine the visit to the Canonbie with some business in town on the way back drew us into the car.

We had appointments half an hour apart and we arrived at the village hall a quarter of an hour early for the first of them so it was a very pleasant surprise when we were taken in straight away and were both out again in about five minutes. We had to sit in the car for ten minutes before driving home “just in case”.

In fact neither of us had any immediate effects from the jabs at all so we were very pleased with the whole business.

I had dropped Mrs Tootlepedal off in town to do her business, and while I was waiting for her to come back, I had a look round the garden in some fine sunshine. This was the apple of my eye.

Looking out of an upstairs window before we left, Mrs Tootlepedal had been struck by these harmonious colours in a corner of the front lawn . . .

. . . and I liked the bolder autumn statement made by a hosta leaf.

The new hydrangea continues to flower modestly . . .

. . . and the astrantia is still full of beans . . .

. . . but this may be the last of the pink Japanese anemones.

Mrs Tootlepedal arrived and we had a recuperative cup of coffee before an early lunch. I used the new air fryer to cook the bacon for my bacon sandwich.

I had filled the bird feeder before we went to Canonbie, and when I took a look after lunch, there was plenty of traffic, with a greenfinch presiding.

The feeder is often a rapidly changing scene and a minute later, it was an all sparrow affair.

After that, sparrows and greenfinches took turns, with an occasional siskin in attendance.

Two greenfinches fell out and argued.

I left the birds to it, and went off for a cycle ride in spite of the stiff breeze. I took my electric bike as I didn’t want to over exert myself after the injections. Even with electrical help, it was a hard task to battle the very blustery breeze and I went very slowly round the first half of my thirty mile ride into the wind. And pretty slowly on the way back, even with the wind behind me.

I stopped to admire a cloudscape on the top of Callister . . .

. . . and noted the autumn gorse blooms on the Gair road.

Mostly I was keeping my head well down to avoid the wind and not looking about a lot, but I couldn’t miss hundreds of gulls in a field enjoying the results of a farmer’s muck spreading activity.

A little further on, the sun came out and lit up enough new growth to gladden Liz Truss’s heart.

I liked this row of trees on the field boundary.

Traffic was pretty heavy on the road . . .

. . . but my legs didn’t mind the rest at all.

Mrs Tootlepedal had been to her stitching group while I was out cycling and we arrived home almost at the same time. I had another walk round the garden before going in for a cup of tea with Mrs Tootlepedal. The sun was out and the flowers and snowberries looked very cheerful.

The sedums have been wasted this year as there were very few butterflies about to enjoy them, but Mrs Tootlepedal did spot a lone butterfly today. It was getting a little heat into its wings on our window frame. I noted a low flying poppy, what might be the last rose of summer, neat raspberry cane tying by the gardener, and more free walnuts on the lawn to add to the heap in the kitchen

The active part of the day had ended, but the social part was still to come in the shape of a family Zoom with my brother and sisters, and music and conversation with Mike and Alison who came round in the evening. Both of these occasions were very enjoyable, so it has been a good day.

The flying bird of the day is a determined greenfinch.