The maximum temperature in the Charente today is 17⁰C, minimum 11⁰C. 25 to 54 km/h West/South/West winds. 34% chance of rain. Last week we had temperatures up to 38⁰C, what is going on??
The last photos I blipped locally from home were on 11 January, then South Africa took over. Lots of catching up to do, but little time as the garden is being very demanding!
The neighbours' lambs 13/01/2026
24/01/2026 Eurasian nuthatch, wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) Sittelle torchepot.
25/01/2026 European Starling (Sturnus Vulgaris) Sturnidés.
01/02/2026 the last photo I took at home before leaving for South Africa.
Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis).
Returning home 08/04/2026 this is what our lawn looked like!!! Also, the reason I have had little time to catch up with other things!
Common poppies (Papaver rhoeas) Le pavot. Daffodils on each side.
Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis) Le Lézard des murailles.
Top left -
Cowslips (Primula officinalis),
Top Centre -
Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta).
Top right -
Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosa Ranunculaceae).
Bottom left -
Common lawn daisy (Bellis perennis) and Sweet violet (Viola odorata).
Bottom Centre -
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum).
Bottom Right -
Sweet violet (Viola odorata).
Bladder campion, White Cockle or maiden tears (Silene vulgaris). Le Silène enflé.
Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) Le Tircis.
Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) La jacinthe d’Espagne.
Green-veined white
(Pieris napi) Piéride du navet.
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) Le Cuivré commun ou
Bronzé.
There seems to be
some confusion, as in English it is a Small Copper while in French it appears to
be a Large Copper!!
One of the garden wasps, but I just liked the shadow!
Bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) la
renoncule bulbeuse.
Dove's-foot crane's-bill (Geranium molle) Le Géranium à feuilles molles.
Black or Common Redstart Female. I cannot decide which!!
This brings me to the end of April. May will happen when I have more time, but now June has already arrived!!
Hello Diane, how lovely to see your post. Beautiful photos. ❤️ Poppies are among my favourite flowers. Thank you so much for sharing, and I hope you have a lovely weekend ahead. 😊
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda, I also love poppies, they grow wild all over the place here, I also have a lot of Californian poppies. Hopefully the weekend will be a bit warmer than it has been this week. Last week we had a heat wave, the weather is very odd! Take care and I hope you also have a good weekend. Diane
DeleteThat lizard is a beauty! I have never seen an European starling here...gorgeous feathers. We had a very hot week last week, now back to usual...raining and chilly at the early morning.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of starlings here, especially when the figs start to ripen!! They are beautifully marked. The weather is weird, either too hot or too cold, nothing normal! Have a great weekend. Diane
DeleteDiane - I think you should leave the garden in its post RSA mode. It is a veritable wild meadow, a centre of biodiversity, a study zone for the local university. No doubt they will wish to name it in a suitable manner - Diane’s Dell, perhaps. It will become a test plot with controlled observation and intense examination. Relationships will be discovered, synergism hitherto unknown revealed. Papers will be published. Fame will accrue to the Charente and you will become renowned. I will brag to all my friends that I am exchanging hugs and kisses with you! Bisous chérie - David
ReplyDeleteHaha. If I did that my vegetable garden and flowerbeds would disappear with all the seeds flying around. There are far more weeds in the lawn than grass anyway I think. N keeps trying to dig them out, but they seem to multiply faster than he can get rid of them. His back just about copes with weeding over short periods!
DeleteI hope all is well there with both of you, Bisous mon ami, Diane
Lots of beautiful photos Diane. Lots of work in the garden. I'm like Nigel. My back will only cope with weeding or gardening for that matter, for very short periods of time. Take care and hopefully you and N can keep up with the weeds.
ReplyDeleteHello Diane,
ReplyDeleteThe temperatures are currently about the same as ours here in the Netherlands. 20 C.
Great pictures!! Wonderful to see how you have photograph these wonderful birds.
And so nice all these flowers, nice with the visitors on it.
So cute these lambs. Nice post Diane!!
Many greetings,
Marco
It seems as the heat wave my return next week!! Thanks for the kind comment. I so miss my African animals, but I look for birds and insects in our garden now instead. The farm land around us, when I have time, the garden is very demanding, also often has interesting animals. Greetings and keep well, Diane
DeleteLovely photos, Diane. I'm always amazed how much life there is in a garden is we stop to look.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Thanks Amelia. I agree if you just take a few moments to take a look it is surprising what turns up. xx
DeleteSo many great shots! The little lambs are adorable.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam, i do love out little neighbours in the early part of the year. It is sad though when I think where they may end up ! I hope all is well.
DeleteThe little lambs are so cute. Your temps are all over the place but we have heard that it is quite hot in Europe. The flowers are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Diane, the temps are weird. Yesterday morning it was 9C and today we are over 30C. I am sure it is not healthy!! I also love the lambs. Cheers, I hope all is well over there, t'other Diane
DeleteYour local photos are fabulous! I have enjoyed looking at each one of them and will be looking again before I leave. Happy weekend to you Diane :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Denise, sorry about the slow reply but so busy here sorting out the garden. Now we have a heat wave and everything is dying - sigh. Cheers Diane
DeleteYou take amazing photos and then frame them beautifully. I've missed seeing your part to the world Many times in these past months I've wished I could run away from home to somewhere like this. Thanks for sharing and being such a good friend for so long! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteThanks Diane for the comment and I am glad that you are starting to 'live' again. Take care and one step a day will slowly get you there. Thinking of you, and a big hug, t'other Diane
Delete