Tom Hutton is a keen cyclist and recorder player. He is also chairman of the Langholm Archive Group. He and his wife cycled from St Malo to Toulouse and enjoyed a 200 mile tour of North Holland . They really enjoyed the cycling provision and general respect for cyclists which you find over there…and the tulips were beautiful too.
They have completed the Land’s end to John O’Groats ride as old age pensioners.
Alison Hutton, his wife, is a very keen and competent gardener.
They continue to enjoy singing in choirs and the quiet life of their border town.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
Don’t know if its proper blog etiquette but I would like to invite you to my most recent post on my blog, today and tomorrow I am trying to take a viewers on a virtual walk around the garden.
Hi have you got anymore pictures of the horse racing
Some.
So sorry no horse racing here perhaps another blog?
I think that he was trying to ask me not you, Michelle.
Mystery solved!
Tom are you going to hawick horse racing sunday 18th may 1pm.
No, I can’t I am afraid as I am going to to go to a choir practice in Carlisle.
Mr. Hutton, I have never had anyone ‘Like’ my blog as you did. Thank you so much for this honor.
I was able to give a short look at your own efforts this evening. I enjoyed what I saw and read and will put more time into it tomorrow.
regards,
Ron Hoover
thank you Tom for reading and “liking” The Ballad of the Republican Candidates” i appreciate it very much, and will check your posts out as well. continue…
Hello there – I saw that you stopped-by my blog this morning…thank you for visiting…and for letting me know you were there.
I rather enjoyed browsing your site and admiring all of the bird pictures…and country lanes, etc. Thank you for sharing as you do. 🙂
I follow your blog for several months and enjoy it very much. Thus, I have nominated you for The Versatile Blogger Award. Please do not feel pressure to accept but I’d be happy if you would do it. You can find details here: http://kolytyi.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/the-versatile-blogger-award/
It is very kind of you but I am not able to accept this award.
Tom, because I enjoy and admire your blog so much, I have nominated you for the ABC Award.
http://avian101.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/abc-award/ ‎. In order to accept this award, you must comply with the two rules. Then you may place the Award logo on your site. Please do not feel any pressure to accept this award, I understand if you do not wish to participate. But know your site is appreciated, and your blogging is interesting, your photos are beautiful! I enjoy reading your posts! Have a great day! H.J.
I have been to your blog a few times now and i really like the type of posts that i have seen so far. The many photos of birds you have are great. Keep it up.
Hello Tom- i just have spent a very happy hour during my lunch break reading through some of your blog and looking at your beautiful photos. I live in the middle of London so dont get to see very much greenery- so to ‘escape’ for my lunch hour was really appreciated- so wanted to write to thank you.
Hpe you have a nice week
Owen
Thank you for visiting. I’m glad that enjoyed the blog.
PS Any chance of seeing more of your pond- as thats something i would love to see more of- apart from your Frogs do you get any more amphibians or reptiles in your garden/local area?
It’s a very small pond.
Thank you for visiting my new blog today. I appreciate that you took the time, albeit not much as it’s very short, to read it and comment. I looked at your blog yesterday and again today and I really like it. The photos that go with the story are amazing. Makes me want to take more pictures and sharpen my skill with a camera. Looking forward to reading your blog every day!
You are very kind and I hope you continue to enjoy my ramblings and snaps. I hope your blog goes from strength to strength.
Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to “like” it. Wouldn’t it be nice if more people did that. Be well.
Really enjoyed reading through your blog for the better part of a dreary evening. Beautifully photographed birds and I have greatly enlarged my English in respect of bird names. Greetings to the Scottish border from Germany (near Cologne).
Danke. A pleasure to have your company. I am glad that you enjoyed your tour.
I love your blog, and your travels. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for visiting.
Hello..I have to say that I wasn`t quite sure what all this ” blog ” stuff was ! but stumbled on yours whilst looking for images around Waterbeck..as we are due to move to a lovely wee cottage which,looking at your entry from Friday..you probably cycled past ! Its just before the converted church at Lauries close..so a future “tea stop” for you both on your travels ! Your photos are fantastic..keep up the good work folks :o) Colin & Louise
You have chosen a good spot.
What a delightful blog – glad we found you! ~SueBee
Thank you for visiting from so far away.
Congradulations! I have just nominated you for the Best Moment Award! I nominated your blog because of your AWESOME photos and writing. You have shared so many BEST MOMENTS with your blog readers and you really deserve this nomination. This link will take you to my award post and give you an idea of what to do next.http://thebelmontrooster.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/my-best-moment-award/. Good luck and best wishes!
I am very flattered by your kind words but it is an iron part of my policy as an old curmudgeon never to accept these sort of awards from fellow bloggers however kindly they are meant so I must ask you to find someone else to give the fine award to as I cannot accept it.
Hello Tom thank you for the constant entertainment and educating quality of your Blog ..I thought this may be of interest to you? http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03vcywy
A real soundscape photograph!
Hello Tom – I found your nice blog through our mutual enthusiasm for the Solway Firth. I live on the South side – I’m looking across the sea at Criffel right now. I hope you and other readers might enjoy browsing my Solway Shore Stories website, http://www.solwayshorestories.co.uk and, if anyone lives close enough, joining me on one of my very informal shore walks.
But I’m also replying to Ken’s note above about the starling murmuration: Norman Holton, warden of the RSPB reserve over here, reported that he once saw ~ 2 million starlings flying across the Firth – you can read about it on http://www.solwayshorestories.co.uk/saltmarshes, if you’d like to!
Thanks for your lovely photos, and best wishes
Ann
Thank you for visiting, Ann. I will follow your links when I have time.
Do you mind me asking what country you are in? I have been trying to puzzle it out and can’t decide if it is England or Scotland. It’s lovely, whichever it is! 🙂
We live just north of the border but safely in Scotland. We are about 20 miles north of Carlisle.
Oh, thank you! That is what I was guessing, but wasn’t quite sure. I even tried to “Google” the Eck river and found it was in three different countries! LOL How blessed you are to live such a wonderful life in such a wonderful place.
I thank my lucky stars every day (when it isn’t raining too hard anyway).
Hi Tom
I’ve nominated you for an award. Wonderful team membership reader award.
It’s up to you if you’d like it but it’s basically a thank you for your support! I’ve learned from you and enjoy your posts.
Thank you very much for the honour but I am such a curmudgeon that I don’t accept blog awards. I enjoy reading your blog and I am pleased that you have found some interest in mine.
That’s absolutely fine. I suspected you might not. But I still appreciate your comments : )
Hi Tom, can you send me your email via the contact box on my blog? i have a picture to send you that amused me.. and i am sure you too.. other wise I don’t know how to get it to you..
I will but you should be able to find my email on any comment that I have put on your blog if you read it from yuor dashboard. Your email showed up on your comment.
OK. I will take look.. 🙂
I have put the address in a comment on your latest post just in case.
I do t suppose you have seen how close damsons and sloes are to harvesting on your travels Mr Tootlepedal? I was in Essex last weekend and the damsons were falling off the trees down there, I think we might be in for an early crop up here too.
I don’t know where to look for damsons and I haven’t looked at the sloes yet as I thought it was too early. I’ll have a look next time I am out.
I hope you don’t mind… I used one of your photos of a flying chaffinch to make a small mosaic. I don’t think I can upload it here, but I’ll put it on my Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/ehmosaicsuk/
Can I steal it for a guest picture of the day?
I have sent you an email reply. Let me know if you get it.
Hi, may I use a couple of your starling pictures for our departmental website at Purdue? We can give you credit. https://www.bio.purdue.edu/news/research-news.php
Please feel free. Can you send me a link if you do use them?
What’s the Tootle part for? One hopes it is as simple as you are a horn player?
I play the recorder and flute for enjoyment.
Hello Tom, it’s Anita from choir. I like reading your blog because you are showing me places around Canonbie where I now live. Plus you are helping me identify some birds that visit my garden. I have not yet had any gold or green finches. Could you tell me what their favourite food is please?
Hello Anita,
I use sunflower hearts which seem to go down well with a lot of birds. They are more expensive but a lot less messy that sunflower seeds in their black coverings. I get mine in big bags from Blendbetter as they are the cheapest that I have found.
First-time visitor, so thought I’d look around. Happy pedaling.
As I love hiking, cycling an photography, it would be nice to follow your blog. I saw some interesting posts.
Greetings from Belgium,
Rudi
Hello to Belgium. I hope that you find something to enjoy in my posts.