26/04/2021 Still in lockdown!!

   Maximum temperature here today 23⁰C, minimum 12⁰C.  Dry though rain was forecast!!   14km/h  North-Easterly winds with gusts up to 30 km/h.    Looks like the chill returns again next week after a week of summer-like temperatures!

The garden is going to be in shock again next week as the temperature drops.  There is also rain forecast, but if it is anything like today we will not see it!  We need rain as the garden is very dry.

Sunset last week.

Common Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon).  

As above...

As above...

As above...

As above.

The first of the peonies to open,

Small White (Pieris rapae)...

As above.

A near perfect Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Around the garden. Top: Choisya ternata, Camellia, Pansy. Middle: Black Tulip, Pansy, Spanish Bluebells,. Bottom: Wilds Bluebells. Peony and Pansy.

Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).

This bee has got me stumped so far still trying to find ID...

As above.

European Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata)...

)

As above. Very destructive!!

Love is definitely in the air.

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis).

Take care everybody, keep well and stay safe.

My local list of wildflowers. (90 Species 23/08/2020).

See also my

 Bird blog

Joining up with My Corner of the World.

17/02/2018 A walk around the garden and a few inside photos.

Maximum temperature today 12C, minimum 4C.  12 mm of rain measured last night. North Easterly winds; 6 km/h with up to 16 km/h gusts. 

Snow drops.

Orchid.

Kalanchoe.

Prickly cactus!

Hellebore.

Common Black bird (Turdus merula)

Eurasian Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

European goldfinch  (Carduelis carduelis).

Bergenia Cordifolia.

Rain drop.

The crocuses are struggling with the weather this year! 

One lone pansy.

House sparrow, male (Passer domesticus).

You can see how saturated our lawn is here!!!

If you should be interested after an 18 month break from my blog 'My Life Before the Charente'  I have at last added a new post 😊

03/11/2017 Birds to the rescue with photos once more.

Maximum temperature 20C, minimum 11C.  11km/h SW winds, 21km/h gusts. Dry.

Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) checking out the water...

think this might be a bit too deep for a little bird like me...

That's much better....

Hey is that me down there 😉 ...

Splish, splash...

Great cleaning session!

Mr Sparrow (Passer domesticus) looking on...

Hey clear the landing strip, I am coming in to land.

The mayor's office on the left in Chasseneuil...

and an old deserted factory building on the outskirts of town.

I bought a packet of pansy seeds, but I seem to have what I would call violas, the flowers are the size of my thumb nail!!

Golden skies this evening...

as above.

For those following our South African holiday part 7 is now HERE

03/06/2016 Busy day again a few random shots around the garden. Also FIL's tea party for his 95th bithday.

 Maximum temperature  21C, minimum 10C.  26 km/h NE winds. 1 mm rain measured.

An almost identical photo taken last year of the Hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum). First one to be seen this year.

Californian Poppy.

Viviparous lizard or common lizard, (Zootoca vivipara) [formerly Lacerta vivipara]

Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

As above.

Green bottle  and not sure what the little insect is next to it!

The third time this year that the Japanese quince has flowered, think it is more that a little confused by the weather! (Chaenomeles japonica).

Love in a Mist. (Nigella damascena)

Pansy

Viola.

Bumble Bee.

This photo, and the 3 following photos of my FIL's 95 birthday tea party today with thanks to Cynthia Crocker.

Looks like a good time was had by all.

I have had endless trouble with Google and my blog over the last couple of days.  Apologies for any errors due to frustration.