28/08/2017 Happy Anniversary and a beautiful caterpillar!

Maximum temperature 35C, minimum 19C.  4 km/h N wind with 8km/h gusts.  Dry.

It is going to get hotter tomorrow so it seems! 

28 August 1981 we were married in Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The hair situation has changed a bit since then!

Tonight's celebration - cheers.

Discovered this gorgeous caterpillar on the beans today....

It is a Common Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)

Just so pretty and I moved it around a bit for photos ...

but hopefully all is well and it will carry on its life cycle.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)

Wasp....

and also on the garlic chives.

Sweet potato flower.

French (green) bean salad - very yummy .

Pasta sauce.

20/08/2017 Another frantic day bottling!!!

Maximum temperature 24C, minimum 11C.   9 km/h SE wind with 17 km/h gusts.  Dry.

Baby common lizard just outside out front door, but then it dived under the door into the kitchen...

it was really very tiny as you can see by the egg cup I put nearby.

Bee, but not sure which one.

Butternuts in the garden are doing well.

Climbing rose....

this white rose is also on the same plant!

Grasshopper with one hopping leg but it seemed to be doing pretty well regardless.

Red Admiral. (Vanessa atalanta)

Now I thought this was a White Admiral but....

when it opened its wings there is orange along the lower wing so I am not really sure anymore!!!

Thanks Richard for identifying it as a Map (Araschnia levana).

Rose hips.

Viburnum.

Another 8, plus a small jar of bottled beans done today...

and they just keep appearing!!!!

16/08/2017 A few quick emergency shots in the garden. We have been running around, gardening and grass cutting.

Maximum temperature 27C, minimum 14C.   10 km/h NE wind with 30 km/h gusts.  1 mm rain measured this morning.

Three different Calendulas all next to each other...

as above...

as above.

Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album)

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)

Gatekeeper Female (Pyronia tithonus)

Thirsty bees.

and a wasp sunbathing!

A bumble bee seems happy on this fading zinnia flower.

Having just picked the beans this Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)came to investigate.

Californian poppy.

Hydrangea.

I am soon going to have my time cut out in the kitchen, the quince tree is loaded!!

09/09/2014 Still no news on my laptop. A few photos around the garden. Nigel makes Tarte Tatin (yum yum) and cuts the edges of the lawn.

Maximum temperature 26C. Still waiting for the rain that is forecast!