05/03/2020 Playing with frames.....

Maximum temperature in the Charente today 12C, minimum 6C. Rain all day not measured as yet.  I am guessing that we are now over 200 mm this year.  36km/h North-westerly wind with gusts up to 86 km/h.  

Because the weather is so bad I have been trying to take a few photos of flowers that are not too beaten up and I have been playing with frames for them.  Something different!!

Cowslips (Primula veris).

I think this is wild Sea Mayweed (Tripleurospermum maritimum).

Gorse (Ulex europaeus).

House orchid (Cymbidium).

Wild buttercup (Ranunculaceae).

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivali).

Unknown blossom in the neighbour's orchard.

Wild Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea).

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus).

Japanese quince ( Chaenomeles japonica).

Hyacinth (Hyacinthus).

Camellia.

See also my

 Bird blog

01/04/2019 No April Fool - just yesterday's walk 6 kms.

Maximum temperature today 20C, minimum 7C.  Dry, but light rain forecast for later.  11 km/h North-easterly winds with gusts up to 22 km/h.

The temperatures drop again tomorrow with possible rains forecast.

Just before my walk, seen in the garden. Little Owl (Athene noctua). More photos to go on next weeks bird blog

Cowslips (Primula veris) everywhere in the fields and the roadsides.

Unknown tree with spring shoots.

Sun Spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia). ID thanks to Susan.

Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea)

Peacock butterfly (Aglais io)

Twins growing up....

Some of the younger lambs...

Is it really that much easier to kneel???

Winter wheat.

Fields of yellow, a mixture of celandine, buttercups, dandelions and cowslips.

I would love to amble down this leafy path but it is on private property!

Mallards on the dam at Russas.

The Chateau at Russas, the pigeonnier on the right...

A closer look at the pigeonnier. (Pigeon house).

Horses in the field at Russas.

The hedge is hawthorn blossom,  but the flowering trees behind I am not sure about.

A closer look at the hawthorn,

Poppies outside someone's house...

More poppies in a very overgrown flower bed.

I have taken photos of this little pony before, he is barely two and a half foot high. (7.2 hh in equine language)...

nearly as broad as he is high!

This cow was keeping a wary eye on me.

Last, but not least, this Bank Vole (Myodes glareolus) was stealing some of the bird seed when I got back home. ID also thanks to Susan.

See also my Bird blog 

and My life In the Charente

27/05/2017 A walk down the road and around the garden. I took a lot of photos so they will spread into tomorrow as well!

Maximum temperature 28C, minimum 13C.  11 km/h SE wind with 16 km/h gusts.   Dry.

Walking down the road I see the farmers have been busy...

Wild stitchwort...

the ferns are looking healthy...

A hoverfly (I think) in the cow parsley...

Dog rose...

Daisy...

Buttercup...

and Californian poppies, plus a couple of small bugs.

Back home a bee on the cotoneaster

A Black-veined White butterfly in the sage... 

A Carpenter Bee in the sage...

as above...

A green Lizard in hiding under the sage looking for grub...

watch out Hummingbird Hawkmouth you may end up as lunch!!!