A change of weather and a change of mind

Today’s guest picture comes from Mary Jo in Manitoba. She spotted a good example of a snow angel and liked the careful work involved.

We actually had a glimpse of blue sky here as we got up this morning. However, it soon disappeared and I got rained on when I cycled round to the corner shop (now a butcher’s) to buy meat and milk.

Margaret had arrived for coffee by the time that I got back and we caught up on all the latest news.

After she left, I had a walk round the garden and found a rhododendron damaged by frost among some cheering examples of the arrival of spring.

When I went back in and peered out at the birds, I was pleased to see that chaffinches had got a look in today, perhaps because there were very few goldfinches about.

Some blue sky reappeared over lunch and I went upstairs to get changed to go cycling. I took my bird camera up with me and looked down on the feeder from above.

I was almost at eye level with the pigeons perching on our power line and on the walnut tree..

Although I had gone up to get changed for cycling, by the time that I came downstairs again, I was dressed for walking. Faced with cycling into a chilly north wind at 7°C, my system rebelled and called for boots with warm socks . . . and well protected knees.

Mrs Tootlepedal was preparing for gardening when I set off to walk round Whita Hill. I started by walking along the river to Whitshiels, passing some old friends on the way . . .

. . . and admiring a wonderful little garden growing on the top of a concrete fence post beside the road.

Then I walked up the road to the White Yett and onto the Langholm Moor.

I took too many pictures on my walk so I have packed them into galleries for each section of the walk. The first one is ‘Going Uphill’.

As you can see, there was a bit of sunshine and some clouds as well. The second gallery is called ‘Across the Moor’. The road is in a poor state in some places.

At one point I looked behind and saw this . . .

. . . and not surprisingly, I soon got rained on. Fortunately, it was just a passing shower and it went ahead of me . . .

. . . and more blue sky rolled up behind it.

The next gallery is entitled “Past Cronksbank and up to the Bird Hide’. It includes a visit to the tree nursery at Cronksbank which is looking healthy.

I usually pause for a while at the bird hide, but I didn’t want to be caught in another shower, so I pressed on while the sun was out. This gallery is entitled, ‘From the Bird Hide through Longwood’.

This took me down to Skippers Bridge and I walked home along the Murtholm side of the river. There were a lot of hazel flowers but not enough light to get a good picture. The sun was sinking as I went along. It had sunk by the time that I had got to Caroline Street

I had hoped to see some goats on my way, as there have been a lot of sightings recently, but there were none to be seen. However, this was the only disappointment of my walk, and I thoroughly enjoyed every one of the ten miles. All the same, I was pretty happy to get a sit down and a cup of tea when I had finished after just over three hours of walking and 1000ft of ascent.

Mrs Tootlepedal had made a very good pot of slow cooked mince with onions, celery, parsnip, carrots and mushrooms (and a dash of red wine), and we ate it with potatoes, more parsnips and some broccoli for our evening meal. All in all, it was a very good day.

As darkness fell, I looked out of the window and saw a wonderful sight in the sky. My camera doesn’t do justice to the brilliance of the moon and the two planets.

The flying birds of the day are a line of homing pigeons out for their daily exercise.