Monday, June 6, 2022

06/06/2022 Trying to catch up..........

 The maximum temperature here today is 22⁰C, minimum 13⁰C. Rain most of the afternoon, 50% forecast for today and 90% for tomorrow!   South-Westerly winds of 10km/h with gusts up to 25 km/h.

Apologies for the long break but just to let you know that I am still in the land of the living.  The garden has been very demanding and we are redecorating the house.  Our nephew from Australia arrives on the 21st for a few days and it must be finished before he arrives!!!  I still have the photos of the apes to finish and these photos only bring me up to mid-May.  Download on the computer seems to be getting slower and my frustration is getting worse.  I will visit when I can but time is not on my side at the moment.

April, out walking, lupins as far as the eye can see.

and rape flowers also everywhere - April.

April - Early-purple_Orchid_(Orchis_Mascula).

Common Wall Lizard, (Podarcis Muralis).

Ending April off with a grey sunset which I quite liked!

The flowers of May appearing - Azalea...

Snowball bush (Viburnum opulus)...

Top: Left - Rose, Centre - toadstool. Right Geranium.
Center: Left - Californian Poppy. Centre - Choisya Ternata. Right - Violas
Bottom: Left - Peony. Centre -Borage. Right - Pansy

Love-in-a-mist, (Nigella damascena)

Peonies (genus Paeonia)

Caterpillar of the Lackey Moth (Malacosoma neustria)...

As above,
 A few moths appeared in May, hopefully I have the ID correct

Pale Oak Beauty (Hypomecis punctinalis)

Spider Zilla Orbweaver (Zilla diodia)..

Scarlet Lily Beetle (lilioceris lilii).

Brimstone moth (Opisthograptis luteolata).

Butterfly -Pearl-bordered fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne)...

As above.

White Ermine Moth (Spilosoma lubricipeda)

A Footman moth (family Erebidae)

Maiden's Blush - (Cyclophora punctaria).

Pale Tussock  (Calliteara pudibunda)

A Prominent moth - not sure which one (family Notodontidae).

Bumble bee.

Iris with a tiny Iris weevil.....

Iris weevil (Mononychus vulpeculus).

Western Whip Snake (Hierophis viridiflavus). This guy shot across about a foot in front of me on the lawn, I saw it for about 5 seconds before it vanished into the pampas grass. I cannot believe how lucky I was that I had the camera in my hand turned on as I had just taken a photo of some peonies. It was all of 1.5 metres long and so close I could not fit it all into the photo. I was so thrilled to see it, and even more so to have caught it in action.

My local list of wildflowers. (91 Species 02/12/2021).

See also my


28 comments:

  1. Hello Diane, happy to see yours lovely pictures again!! Hope you are ok hugs

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    1. Hi Gloria, thanks for the visit and the kind comment, sorry I am not visiting but I hope to catch up soon. Hugs to you as well and keep safe Diane

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  2. Lots of beautiful shots. Love the fields of blooms and the individual blooms too. You always manage to get the most interesting insect photos too. And who doesn’t love a snake?…lucky shot…

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    1. Thank you so much Marie, I feel bad that I am not keeping up with blogs but just too much going on. I am sure there are lots who do not like snakes but I for one (so long as I can identify them safely) quite like snakes. They have always been part of my life since my Dad bought a 12foot Indian python in the UK when I was only about 6 or 7!!! This was a very lucky shot. Keep safe and take care will visit when I can, Diane

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  3. Hi Diane - those are all gorgeous shots ... and I'm so pleased you're able to identify most of the subjects you give us ... I love that. Oh your grey April with its rather pretty light through the tree really brightens up the montage of cloud. Your snake - amazing to see ... and yes pleased for you - you were able to 'catch' him in images ... my Dad used to breed presumably grass snake egg pouches from the compost heap in the house - I was never a fan!!! I wonder if my thoughts would have been different if they'd been pythons! What a thought ... so pleased to see you - cheers Hilary

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    1. Thanks Hilary, I really liked that sunset, a bit unusual and I am surprised I actually noticed it! I was bubbling after having got that photo of the snake so much luck was involved. I had a fabulous photo of me with the python but with all the moves we have made it seems to have vanished. I still think it must be somewhere, I do have a newspaper cutting though. I am hoping that I might be able to catch up soon, the rest of this month is a right off.
      I hope you are well, take care and I will visit your blog soon. Diane

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  4. No apologies needed, Diane. We are all glad to hear from you again and to know that all is well. You obviously have been busy and life gets in the way of blogging sometimes, especially when you only have prehistoric WIFI! The snake is very attractive and new to me. I am happy that you were able to get a picture to share. As always, I am impressed with the impeccable way you ID your subjects. Gros bisous de ton ami canadien - David.

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    1. Thanks David for the kind comment and I am happy to hear from you. We have just far too much going on at present, I am hoping next month might be better! Unfortunately, it is going to take a lot longer than a month for the WiFi to improve!!!!!!!! I was over the moon having seen the Western Whip Snake, the last one I saw was only a baby.
      Keep well and hugs from France, Diane

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  5. Such lovely photos, Diane, so much going on in the garden now with the excitement of early summer. Hope you enjoy the visit!
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Thanks Amelia I am sure we will enjoy the visit, we have not seen him for a very long time. Thanks so much for the comment.

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  6. A delightful series of photos Diane. How wonderful your nephew is visiting. I wish you all a marvelous visit.

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    1. Thanks Denise, we so enjoyed his visit thought sadly it was not long enough. Cheers Diane

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  7. Hi Diane. It's really good to see you back in Bloggerland again - and with such a gloriously illustrated post too! I have to say that I was most impressed, however, by you capturing that Whipsnake image so perfectly - thay do move very quickly dont't they! - what a beauty!

    Sorry for the late visit - just catching up as I come out of Covid. Fortunately Lindsay and I didn't get it too badly and Lindsay's now fine. I still have a chesty cough and am testing positive, but otherwise feel fine too now.

    Best wishes to you and Nigel - - - - - Richard

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    1. Hi Richard, so sorry to hear your news, I suspect though that we will all get it in the end, no matter how careful we are. Glad that neither of you got it too badly though.

      The Whip snake I gather is the fastest of the French snakes, We had a baby on the verandah last year and that also moved like lightning! I have to say this one is the biggest I have seen here, it was a beauty.

      I will get back to viewing blogs hopefully next month, but this month is just taking up every minute of my day, and time at the computer is more than just limited. Even if we had fast WiFi I would not be keeping up at the moment.

      Take care and recover fully. I have friends in S.Africa who have both just had it despite all precautions. He is fully recovered, but she is struggling, lack of energy and very lethargic, so time is of the essence I believe.

      Cheers and best wishes to you both. Diane

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  8. These are such pretty sights from your corner of the world.
    Have a lovely week. :)

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    1. Thanks very much comment appreciated. Diane

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  9. I am trying to catch up too, but don't have an good excuse for as busy as you. Plus all the amazing shots.

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    1. Thanks Gaelyn I just seem to be getting further and further back rather than going forward ! Cheers Diane

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  10. Incredible photography!
    Loved all those gorgeous shots.

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    1. Thank you for the very kind comment, much appreciated. Diane

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  11. Fabulous photos as usual. Renovating is a busy time. I would like to sneak into your nephew's bag and come too. The snake has a pretty pattern but they still give me the heebie jeebies.

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    1. Thanks Diane, It would have been good if you could visit. We enjoyed his visit though it was far too short. I will look in on your blog very soon. Cheers t'other Diane

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  12. You always take the most gorgeous photo's. I've missed you. <3

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    1. Thanks Sally, I am just so short of time these days. I am never going to catch up me thinks!!!!! Hope all is well Diane xx

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  13. I love your collection of flower pics. And, thanks for the name - had no idea those purple ones were called lupin.

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    1. Thanks so much for looking in. One day I will have time to catch up with my life. Glad that you learnt something here 😊😊 Cheers Diane

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