Not Much Action.

Due to the dataminers being a little bit less active this month due to the cold weather, I've been concentrating on putting church magazines on to the Archive Website. I phoned Tootlepedal to see if I could pop down and pick up some more magazines and he said I could and there would be coffee and treacle scones waiting for me courtesy of Dropscone. I didn't stay too long and left them to continue with their conversation, it was also good to see Tootle pedal is recovering well from his latest injuries. Before I left we arranged to go for a stroll in the afternoon.

Tootlepedal picked me up at the arranged time then we headed up to the bird feeders to see if  there was much action, but there wasn't.

Bird on the Wire

Chaffinch looking hungerly at one of the feeders.

decisions, decisions.

After a brief twenty minutes we decided to go and view the snowdrops at Holmhead. We stopped off at the Kilngreen as Tootlepedal wanted to try and get a shot of a flying seagull.....

........but most of them were perched on a fence post each enjoying the sunshine.

Mr drake admiring his reflection .

 Tried to capture the crop of cones on the higher branches but doesn't quite work

The light on the trees along the Lodge Walks was quite striking.

A change from a flying bird.

Good to see estate workers planting new hardwood trees.

Holmhead snowdrops

Holmhead

An attractive section of wall

 I just loved the silhouette of the holy leaves on the trunk.

More felling

Getting prepared to regenerate.

Inspector Moss.

Through the tunnel

A feeble attempt at macro.

This seriously needs addressed.

It's been a day for sunlit trees

A burning bush

Onward and downward.

We returned to the car and Tootlepedal kindly took me home.

Clarty and Arty

After a very busy morning doing house work and doing some research at the town hall for Langholm Social Club going through the council minutes just after the war I was pleased to take up Tootlepedal's offer of a stroll later in the afternoon. He suggested a walk we did just recently, but in the opposite direction, up by Pathhead and along the top path towards Holmhead where there is usually an abundance of snowdrops.

It looks like it's going to be a clarty walk (another scots word that sounds what it is....dirty, wet and muddy)

This avenue looks good which ever direction you're walking.

As it was such a dull day and the prospect of some really good shots was minimal we started experimenting with our pocketcams using the creative control mode to get some arty shots.

Straight shot.....

........expressive....

......dynamic monochrome.

We walked on to Holmhead where the snowdrops are but I couldn't resist this disappearing gateway

The snowdrops didn't disappoint

Warning! dont look at this image too long but sometime mistakes just work for me.

What I was trying to take.

We also had fun with the one point colour mode

We met a handsome dog taking his master for a stroll.....

.....before checking to see if there was any progress on Robin's wood sculptures. But not before experimenting on Tootlepedal, who was more than happy to comply. Click here to see his results.

Robin's eagle almost ready to take flight.

I declined Tootlepedal's kind offer of tea and toast and returned home to look at the results of the research I had done earlier.

looking for Signs of Spring And All That Jazz

Shot of the Day

Saturday
After breakfast and a general tidy up I phoned Tootlepedal to see if he was interested in a short stroll to make the best of the sun that we were greeted with. There was no answer so I set off to see if I could get some shots for the next Langholm camera club meeting as the theme is Signs of Spring. It's still a bit early yet for much to be budding except for catkins they are quite plentiful The snowdrops are well through and covering the ground quite thickly in some places. 

I liked the way the sunlight was coming through the trees as I made my way along the path towards the Duchess bridge.

I took this shot from the bridge and the out of focus water in the background provides a nice background that emphasizes the catkins

Looking upriver from the Duchess bridge

The hills seemed to take on a warm spring glow in the early Spring sunshine.

I came upon these crates of Snowdrop bulbs I was always under the impression that it was against the law to dig up these bulbs without permission. On inquiring these crates have been lying here for some time.

Snowdrops where they should be

On my way home I called into Wauchope Cottage for a nice cup of coffee and to see if Tootlepedal would like to go for a short walk in the afternoon. I mentioned the crates of snowdrops and Mrs  Tootlepedal said she had noticed they had been there for some time.

I met Tootlepedal later and our walk was on  path that we hadn't been on before so it was nice to explore new ground. Unfortunately as good as the track was it petered out after a short distance and we had to cross a small field onto the golf course where there is fabulous views of the town and hills beyond as you can see in my Shot of the Day.

We stopped off at the Kilngreen to admire the ducks and flying birds

 

Tootlepedal got a much better shot of the Oyster Catcher than me.

We made our way back to Wauchope Cottage by the Ty Pennington path round the Castleholm. I declined Tootlepedals offer of a cup of tea and headed for home and a snooze.

In the evening I attended a wonderful concert at the Buccleuch Centre by the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra playing the music of Billy Strayhorn. For a more detailed account of the concert visit Tootlepedal's blog. I was joined by by colleagues from work for a pre-theatre supper in the centre before the show. It was an excellent meal and first class service and it was nice to see that others were taking advantage of this option.