Thursday, April 11, 2019

11/04/2019 Just around the garden.

Maximum temperature today 16C, minimum 5C.  Dry.   16 km/h North-easterly winds with gusts up to 36 km/h.
The temperatures drop again tomorrow, possible frost on Sunday!

Apologies for the long break in posts but I have had a really bad cold/flu and although I am almost feeling better, I still have very little energy and of course the cough is back again.  Meanwhile, Nigel is now in bed with the same problem plus continuous headaches.

Violas.

Acer tree - I have never discovered which type!

Ginkgo biloba.

Wild Violets.

A happy bee.

Speckled Wood - (Pararge aegeria).

Gendarme beetle or firebug  (Pyrrhocoris apterus).  There are already a lot here and I guess this means a few more!

Bay tree (Laurus nobilis) in flower.

Cherry blossom.

Mexican orange blossom (Choisya ternata [Sundance])

Tulips, and yes the bulbs came from Amsterdam.

 These last four photos were taken with the loan of a macro lens.  Guess I need lots of practice, but I am thinking it would be fun to get my own lens.
Bee...

As above.

A very tiny fly of some kind, maybe someone would be kind enough to ID it for me?

The stamens of a camellia flower.



See also my Bird blog 


28 comments:

  1. Your pictures always are beautiful Diane, but in this spring time they look stunning and love these bees and butterflies ! And teh tulips... beauty!

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    1. Thanks Gloria, it is good to see the insects back in circulation. Take care Diane

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  2. When I looked at the orange blossoms I actually smelled oranges. The pictures using the macro lens are wonderful.

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    1. Emma the macro lens is great fun but needs lots of practise. That orange blossom smells fabulous. Hope all is well Diane

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  3. Ahhh...beautiful! So relaxing to see the blooms and colours.

    Feel better soon, you two.

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    1. Thanks Marie, I just wish Nigel would get better quickly he has been feeling bad for a week now! Have a great weekend Diane

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  4. Change of season colds suck. Hope you both feel better quickly so you can go out and enjoy all these lovely blooms. Plus practice more macros.

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    1. Gaelyn this seems to ba a particularly bad bug, Nigel is really struggling with continual headaches as well. I have to get a macro lens before I can practise but it is on the books 😉 Hope you have a Really good weekend, Diane

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  5. Beautiful flowers. Glad you are feeling better. Cold, flu and cough very contagious. Hope you and Nigel will have a speedy recovery.

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    1. Thanks Nancy, I am slowly feeling better, Nigel is taking more time! Happy Weekend. Diane

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  6. Oh my gosh Diane, what a beautiful series of images, the macros are stunning especially the first of the bee shots, incroyable! I think a macro lens of your own would be a valuable investment. So sorry to hear you still aren't tip top yet, the cough is a nightmare, mine comes and goes. Hope Nigel feels better soon also, the warm weather can't come soon enough for you ✨

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    1. The macro takes quite a bit of getting used to, you have to get so close and things that sting I am very wary of especially as I have an allergy to bees! I hope I may get my own in the not too distant future. Hope you have a great weekend Diane

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  7. Great shots - especially the last two of the bee!

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    1. Thanks Pam it was fun using the macro lens, hopefully I will get one soon so I can get some practise in using it. Take care and enjoy the weekend Diane

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  8. I love that you always know the names of the critters you photograph! Beautiful shots. I have only weeded in part of a flowerbed so far. I am having issues finding the good feeling I used to get in working in my flowers or even just enjoying watching them come up. But...in hopes that will change soon.

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    1. You have had a very difficult few months it is going to take you some time to get back to feeling normal again I am sure. Just take care Diane

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  9. Outstanding photos Diane and your macros are amazing! So sorry you've been sick and do hope you and Nigel are feeling much better by now. Good health to both of you :)

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    1. Thanks Denise, I hope we will both be back to being healthy very soon, it seems to be taking a long time though. Enjoy your weekend Diane

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    2. Hi Diane, just came back to see how you were and hope by now your cold has exited the building so to speak :)

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  10. Great photos of the flowers with a narrow depth of field. Macro lens is a tricky one to learn. I have one but don't use it very much. However, I should practise more. It has a very narrow DOF and easy to get camera shake without a tripod. It can be used as an ordinary lens too. Some macro photographers say that the whole subject should be in focus, others say only a little part can be in focus. I guess it is up to the photographer what they prefer.

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    1. I don't know how you can use a tripod with the Macro lens if trying to take insect photos. They move quickly and you need to be millimetres from them. Stationary objects, yes it might be a lot easier. Thanks for the visit hope you are well, t'other Diane

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  11. Violas are such pretty little things. A beautiful collection of photos. Wishing you both a speedy recovery.

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    1. Thanks, it seems like recovery is slow, what I really hate is the return of my cough!! Have a good day Diane

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  12. Everything looks so pretty now, love the Spring☺

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    1. It is a pretty time of the year but still not quite warm enough for me!! Take care Diane.

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  13. Those blooms are absolutely stunning.

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    1. Thanks Monica, spring flowers I think are probably the best but sadly they do not last long. Cheers Diane

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  14. Nature really is quite striking when you look up close.

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