Big Butterfly Count

 

I am sure many of you take part in the Summer Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count.  I usually try and do 4 or 5 each year in the garden.  I did try once to do one at Packwood but there were that many "white" butterflies about I lost count.

I've done two so far this year and with the weather the way it is I suspect I won't do anymore this summer.

The first was on the 25th July and I saw the following

Large White x 2

Gatekeeper x 1

Speckled Wood x 1

Red Admiral x 1

Comma x 1

The second I did on 29th July and spotted

Red Admiral x 1

Comma x 1

Small White x 2

You might know just after I'd started the sun went behind the clouds!

I might try and do one at the caravan if we visit while the count is still running. Edit Just realised it finishes this weekend so that won't be possible :(

The last few strawberries picked from the garden.

We have a lot of Cat's Ear plants on the first lawn.

We have quite a few scabious in the mini wild flower "meadow" - worryingly though I haven't seen any Knapweed this year or many Wild Carrots and usually we get loads.

Cut and Come Again Lettuce

Potatoes are growing well after being "earthed up".  David has grown the vegetables this year like last year as to be honest B has completely lost interest in the garden due to what is happening next door and the fact that we shall have to move. 

While looking for some sort of box to send D's laptop back for repair I found a storage box under the bed full of Teddies including my Aston Villa bear!

I hope everyone is staying safe and well.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - thanks)

Another Week

Another week of glorious weather and I've been stuck indoors or in the garden! I still haven't plucked up the courage to go for a walk outside the house and life is getting a trifle claustrophobic! Don't get me wrong I know I have a lot to be grateful for with a roof over my head, a garden and all of us at home but sometimes I have a bad week.


The Wildflower area is looking glorious this year. Sadly though I can't see any signs of Ox-eye Daisy or St John's Wort this year but perhaps they will still appear?

Yellow Rattle - much loved by bees!

Cuckoo spit is starting to appear. It is formed by the larva of a froghopper who ejects sap from its rear end to protect itself from predators!

Honeysuckle

Foxgloves are starting to flower - there are at least 7 plants around the arch on the second lawn and many others scattered throughout the garden.

Pyracantha flowers

Sowthistle seedhead

Bistort

After weeks Wall Pennywort seeds have germinated! I am going to have to transplant them into bigger pots at some stage which may well require some delicacy!

I put the moth trap out last Friday night.
Min temp was 9.6
A lot of moths escaped while I was trying to pot them but I did identify

Heart and Dart x 14

Brimstone Moth x 1 - no photo it was too lively a shame as they are pretty little yellow moths

Common Swift x 1 - not the best of photos the moths were all moving around too much and in fact I had to chase several round the kitchen.

Cinnabar x 2

Small Magpie x 1

A carpet I couldn't identify as it wouldn't open its wings!

Possible Common Pug? Pugs are difficult to identify - so many similar looking ones and this is not the best of pictures.

I did put the trap out last night before the weather goes cooler and possibly wetter but I'll write about the moths in the next post.



Baking

We tried two more recipes from Mary Berry's Fast Cakes

E made Peanut Butter Cookies and

I made Royal Ginger Squares which look a bit messy as I cut them before the icing had set!

When D and I went to Gladstone Pottery Museum last year he bought an oatcake mix and decided to try making some last weekend. They were delicious :)

I've been carrying on with the little Journal

The first Small Tortoiseshell of the year was seen earlier this week.

D is on holiday for a couple of weeks and we have re-commenced going through the boxes and boxes of slides we bought home from my mother's house. I think the box we did yesterday probably belonged to my grandfather.

A few of the slides were labelled and and a few places I recognised but I owe thanks to many on twitter who helped me identify some of the places. The slides are about 60 years old - and here are just a few of them.

Tintern Abbey

Monnow Bridge, Monmouth

Hereford Cathedral

My paternal father was born and lived in Hereford and, although he moved to Birmingham and then Kingsbury when he got married, we used to spend many days visiting Herefordshire.

Ledbury

The Dingle Shrewsbury

Weobley

Eardisland

Ludlow

My paternal grandmother came from Burford, near Tenbury Wells, and we often used to visit so she could place flowers on family graves. This is Burford Church.

When we can eventually go the caravan I will re-visit the church as it is only about 15 minutes away. B and I did once go years ago but I couldn't find the family graves! I will try again!

St Mary, Clumber Notts

Major Oak, Sherwood Forest

Trent Building, University of Nottingham

My grandparents did get about a lot! But when I was little we used to go out with them every Sunday (yes all 6 of us in one tiny A40 as Dad didn't have a car until I was about 11) visiting places of interest or just going into the countryside

The tall girl on the left is my cousin holding my brother's hand and I am on the right!

I hope everyone is staying safe and well. Take care.



First set of photos taken by me with Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera

Scanned slides taken I think by my grandfather although they could of course be my father's. I know Dad bought home my grandfather's slides when he passed away but unfortunately they were stored in the identical brown wooden boxes to my fathers! Now we are finally making progress going through them I am rather regretting that I didn't bring all the boxes home. Some were left in the garage and one of the wardrobes as I had got to the stage where I couldn't face bringing one more black plastic sack home!