A Varied Day

I attended an excellent concert last night at the Buccleuch Centre by Jaqui Dankworth and Charlie Wood. They did some nice takes on some popular classics, and left the audience feeling well entertained. Whilst I was there I had a chat with Tootlepedal at the interval and we arranged to meet at Wauchope Cottage in the morning for coffee and a stroll.

After coffee we drove up to the feeder station, parked the car and headed down to the Tarras Burn at the bottom of the hill

There was some nice light on the trees but lacking in colour

The stream was looking quite attractive.

I did some experimenting with my new camera by moving the camera vertically at a reduced shutter speed to get a blurred abstract effect, I was quite pleased with the result.

I did this one by accident and find it the most pleasing.

We stopped off at the hide before heading home but there wasn't much activity apart for the pine trees just about to shed there needles.

In the evening I got a phone call from my friend Helen inviting me to go with her and her family to the bonfire and firework display at Eskdalemuir Hub to which I gladly accepted. It was a lovely moonlit night when we arrived but the trade off was it was extremely cold but it was an excellent show and I managed to get some reasonably hand held shots.

Back Again and a Good day

Shot of the Day

Browhouses

I've not had very good year blogging wise. This latest lapse is due to  nasty bout of pneumonia which is taking a great deal of recovering from. I went back to work on a phased return basis which was good. Tootlepedal has been a great source of encouragement to my recovery, always suggesting trips out but none too strenuous. 

After some breakfast I headed to the moorland feeder station to do my turn at filling the feeders. When In I was up the previous week I had to beat a hasty retreat due the midges. This prompted me to purchase some of the recommended Avon Skin So Soft which I sprayed myself liberally with; I've no idea whether it worked or there were no midges. After filling the feeders I sat behind the screen and watched a pair or woodpeckers chase each other round tree trunk to tree trunk.  

I returned home for some lunch and a lie down to further aid my recovery. Fully refreshed I drove down to the the bridge near to what was Tarras Distillery with the intentions of walking up the track that Tootlepedal and I have done on several occasions but this time I thought I would go the whole length of the path which turned out to be rather disappointing as it petered out into nothing after a while. I reluctantly returned to the car and headed off to pastures new.

  Just a sample of the many species of grasses

End of the track

 This daisy seemed smile at me as I passed.

I ended up at Browhouses near Gretna, a placed that holds many a good memory, a place where you can enjoy a quiet walk meeting the odd dog walker. 

A pair of Shelducks

Looking over the Solway towards the Lakeland fells

Evidence of the errosion caused by high tides

  

More grasses

  

Himalayan Balsam. An intrusive species but more pleasant on the the eye than the noxious Japanese knot weed and I believe it produces very good honey

I walked along the coast line as far as I could and returned along the path that runs parallel between the coast and the M.O.D munitions dump 

I took this shot expecting a sudden burst of sirens and armed guards appearing from the undergrowth.

I have no idea

It has been a good day and good to be back in a blogging mood again.