D and I popped out to our usual blackberrying spot this afternoon but sadly most had "gone over". We just about collected enough for one apple and blackberry crumble although we lost most of those when I disappeared down a badger hole and fell flat on my face and the container flew in the air. No harm done as I was able to hobble back to the car and drive home!
We saw quite a few Commas enjoying the autumn feast - photos taken by D with the Canon bridge - luckily he was carrying the camera and not me!
We spent a few days in North Yorkshire last week so will do a few blog posts over the next week or so starting with Harrogate.
9 comments:
Love the butterfly with such contrasting colouring and amazing shaped wings. Great photos and a shame you missed getting a load of blackberries. A significant weed in many areas of Oz and I have a patch in a regen area we work that we have to keep poisoning and digging out.
Oh, dear I'm glad you weren't hurt falling down the badger hole. Lovely to see the Commas, I seem to have missed the blackberries too and haven't seen many this year. Look forward to hearing more of your stay in North Yorkshire:)
Ian - Thanks Ian. I do love the Comma butterfly and it was good to see so many about yesterday as this year generally seems to have been poor for butterflies. Blackberry is pretty invasive - was it introduced to Australia?
Rosie - Thanks Rosie. I did panic when I fell because I was about half a mile from the car and for about 10 minutes couldn't put any weight on it! Just a bit sore today as is my knee and back where I jarred it!! I should have looked where I was going! :) We have some blackberries in the garden ripening so may pick some of those :)
I too found some very succulent looking blackberries on the boundary of where I was playing cricket yesterday; they too were over. Most disappointed! The expert blackberry pickers clean up round here, it's hard to get a look in!
Simon Douglas Thompson - Thanks Simon - yes, I spotted your photo :) I don't think there were very many last year either perhaps ought to go in August next time!
Like so many of our problem plants, blackberries were brought from England by the early settlers, with the first recorded plantings in the 1830s. Completely understandable when you taste apple and blackberry pies:)
Ian - thanks for the reply Ian. There have been so many species introductions round the world that have caused such havoc for native wildlife! I was reading the other day about New Zealand and the problems of mammals being accidentally or deliberately introduce causing havoc for the native flightless birds :( Agree about apple and blackberry combinations - managed to salvage enough blackberries to make a crumble for pudding tonight! :)
Lovely photos of the comma on the blackberries. I've been watching a comma on them here, too although the blackberries don't seem very big here this year. I'm sorry you lost so many after your fall and hope you haven't hurt yourself too much.
Wendy - Thanks Wendy. I think I saw more comma's on those blackberries than I've seen the rest of the summer! I am fine thanks so much - I really should have been more careful because I know that particular path is riddled with holes and lots of tree roots!
Post a Comment