Today’s guest picture comes from my walking friend Mark. He took this delightful ‘light and shade’ shot across the valley from Warbla yesterday while he was having a late afternoon stroll with his wife, Leila.
We had another very pleasant day here today as far as the weather went, and the events of the day matched the weather.
Both Sandy and Margaret came round for coffee this morning so we were well supplied with sociability. When Sandy left, I checked on the bird feeder and spotted two of my favourite little birds under the feeder . . .
. . . and two wary chaffinches up above.
When Margaret left, I cycled round to the corner shop and received the only bad news of the day. My good friend John, who has catered for our every grocery need for more years than I care to remember is finally retiring. I knew that it was in the offing, but it was a shock to find that he will shut up shop at the end of this week. The ability to pop round the corner to fill up any gaps in our household supplies will be sorely missed. I went into his original shop on the first day that it opened, but very sadly, I won’t be able to go in to his present premises on his last day, as we will be away in London.
I visited the shop on the way to going to the tree nursery at Cronksbank with Mrs Tootlepedal on our electric bikes. We didn’t think that there would be any need to water the seedlings, but it was a lovely day for an eight mile bike ride . . .
. . . and it does no harm to check on the nursery, so we went anyway.
We were very cheered to find that there was no sign of any recent rabbit activity but we did find quite a few tiny fungi growing in the trays.
Mrs Tootlepedal did a little weeding before we left to cycle home.
On the way back, I stopped to take this view of the Tarras Water and the Little Tarras Valley . . .
. . . and the light was just right to emphasise the rather strange lump beside the river that is an esker left by a retreating glacier.
When we got home, I had a quick scoot round the garden. I found more flowers than I expected. One of the patio roses is covered with buds.
The birds have been eating the cotoneaster berries behind my back, but the lovely leaves are more than making up for the loss of the red berries.
I took my bird camera out into the garden in the hope of catching a jackdaw flying overhead, but got an unexpected treat instead.
Annoyingly, the little wren flew off just before I could get a really sharp focussed shot of it.
We had a late lunch, and then, since it was a good cycling day, I rushed out on my electric bike again, intent on going round my usual Canonbie route as fast as I could before the darkness fell. Using plenty of electrical assistance and pedalling as hard as I could as well, I whisked round the 20 miles at over 15 mph. I had to put my lights on before I finished, but it was still light when I got home. I wasn’t going to stop for any photos unless I saw a charging rhinoceros or something similar, but this ‘light and shade’ opportunity near Tarcoon brought me to a halt.
I even took a second picture.
My full day continued when I got home, as I was just in time for a Zoom recorder lesson with our granddaughter Matilda. She has been very busy doing dancing exams but she had enough energy left to get to grips with syncopation in a very satisfactory way.
That Zoom session was soon followed by another one with Mrs Tootlepedal and my brother and sisters, and then after a delicious evening meal of salmon and parsnips prepared by Mrs Tootlepedal, it was time to take projector, screen and laptop off to the Social Club for the monthly meeting of the camera club. Two of our members had had to call off at the last minute due to illness, but we still had eight enthusiasts present and they produced a very entertaining selection of pictures. We spent a most interesting hour looking at them. There were some good ‘light and shade’ images so the theme for the meeting had worked well.
I am quite looking forward to some poor weather tomorrow as I need a bit of a rest.
The flying bird of the day is a sparrow.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
I thoroughly enjoyed your selection of photos. Shadows and light, birds, flowers and views. Your photo of the dark weeds reflecting in the silver grey water caught my eye. That was a particularly stunning composition. Mark’s photo of the hills across the valley from Warbla is very nice, too.
I am glad the rabbits are leaving the young trees in pots alone.
And I am sad to hear your corner grocer is retiring and closing shop. Some of that has happened around here, too.
With big supermarkets from Carlisle making deliveries in the town these days, it is hard for a small independent to make a decent living.
Though your robins often look as if they’re smiling this one looked serious. Maybe it was thinking about smiling.
I liked that shot of the glacial esker. We have large areas of glacial outwash deposits of sand and gravel. In places you can dig all day with a hand shovel and not hit a stone.
My favorite shot is of the pond/ river plants. It is perfect in its simplicity. I would have liked to have been at the camera club meeting.
We would have offered you a warm welcome and enjoyed your nature photographs a lot. That was a serious robin, you are right. Maybe not enough seed had been scattered on the ground by the birds above.
Is there any thought of the corner shop reopening? Community buyout?!
That’s a delightful picture of the wren.
The shop is turning into a butcher but we are not sure how often it will be open or whether it will stock some groceries.
What a shame about the corner shop but at least the reason for it closing is better than certain other reasons.
The proprietor is almost as old as me!
Seems he’s long since earned his retirement!
Absolutely fabulous light and shade photos, especially the reeds. The robin and the wren are a delight – they must weigh about two ounces each, those wee creatures.
Sorry about your corner shop. Most of what we call “corner stores” from my childhood have long since disappeared.
This was the last owner run grocer in the town. It is being taken over by a butcher and the word is that he might stock milk which would be handy.
Would be nice if he has milk, eggs, and some good cheese.
Sorry about the shop closing. I gather that no one is taking over. That second picture on your return bike ride is so good. Glad to read the young trees haven’t suffered any rabbit damage. And yay for Matilda!
The shop is being taken over by a butcher so we will have to see whether he will stock a few groceries too.
Where to start? The wren displays a rather naughty and provocative look – teasing and taunting you while you focus and then disappearing! The first ‘light and shade’ image near Tarcoon elicited a loud ‘wow’ to be followed by the second – beautiful images both.
The reeds in the water came out much better than I expected.
It was a busy day with visitors, twoo bike rides and an evening meeting. I like the shots you made in the late afternoo. The one of the grass in the water is realy a topper. I also hope that there is more than one shop in the village where you live. It will be a big change and I’m sure you will miss John and his shot very much.
We have several shops but I liked shopping with John as he allowed me to run up a bill so I felt like the Queen when I went in and got things without paying cash.
What an energetic day you had, I loved the robin and the wren portraits. Glad the camera club meeting went well after so long, your ‘light and Shade’ photograph was excellent.
What an energetic day! Great light and shade picture on your bike ride but my favourites today had to be the robin and wren portraits.
Lovely landscapes, including the light and shade one. Jackie got to this before me and expressed delight at the wren and the reeds in the water. Our version of your charging rhinoceros is a forest pony juggling on a monocycle
I was very pleased to find a wren standing still, even if it was only for a few seconds. That is almost as rare as a forest pony juggling on a monocycle.
Love the light and shade photos by you and your pal. Must go and look up eskers now never heard of them before! Wonderful to see the little wren they are so hard to capture in such a lovely pose!
You probably have some eskers near you.
Aw 😦 Sorry about the shop! Very lovely pictures though
I like to see you branching out with the ‘light and shade’ examples. They are simply lovely!
The photo of the grasses (sedges? rushes?) in the water is my favorite. Again, so sorry about the corner shop, although I wish your friendly shopkeeper a long and happy retirement.