03/03/2021 Gosh it is March already........

 Maximum temperature here today 18⁰C, minimum 6⁰C.  Dry but very grey skies.  15km/h South-Easterly winds with gusts up to 30 km/h.  If the forecast is right it turns cold again next week and the birds, bees and butterflies are going to have a shock!

Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros)...

As above...

As above.

Early tulip.

Snowdrops.

Daffodils.

Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosa Ranunculaceae).

Crocus.

Sweet violet (Viola odorata), this year we seem to have white, this pale colour and dark blue.

Western Honey Bee  (Apis mellifera).

Bumblebee.

Carpenter bee (Xylocopa violacea).

Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria).

and the return of the Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros)...

As above.

Hoverfly (Eristalis tenax).

Western Honey Bee  (Apis mellifera).

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.

14/04/2020 Flowers in the garden at present, some wild others planted.

Maximum temperature here today 18⁰C, minimum 8⁰C (but felt like 3⁰C !). Dry today but 4 mms rain Sunday night.  23km/h North-easterly icy cold wind with gusts up to 51 km/h. 

Wallflowers.

Vinca

Calendula.

Lawn Daisy and wild violets.

Orange poppies.

Flag Iris.

Apple blossom.

Ground ivy, a weed but I think the little flowers are very cute.

Quince blossom.

Spanish bluebells.

A single flowering peony.

Wild bluebells.

Black tulips.

Violas.

Californian poppy.

Gorse.

No flowers but little figs appearing.

See also my

 Bird blog

09/02/2020 A bit more of spring in the garden.

Maximum temperature in the Charente today 13C, minimum 7C. Rain measured this morning nil, but it is forecast for later today.  30km/h South-Westerly wind up to 61 km/h.

We went out for lunch on Thursday, these photos are just to tide you over until I edit them all.  I took a lot, as we were trying to plan a route to have lunch with friends. David, watch out for the cheeseboard 😏

Bergenia Cordifolia.

Rose.

Crocus

Snowdrop.

Chaenomeles japonica,

As above

Crocus that does not want to open on a colder day.

Kalanchoe.

Viburnum tinus.

Buttercup which Google seems to think looks better turned on its side!

Lawn daisy - (Bellis perennis)

Wild Violets - (Viola canina)

Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus).

Great tit (Parus major)

See also my

 Bird blog

26/04/2019 A walk in the garden - again!

Maximum temperature today 17C, minimum 7C.  4mm of rain measured this morning.  22 km/h North-westerly winds with gusts up to 49 km/h.  We had some hail yesterday!

Interesting note that this year we have only had 180mm of rain total to date.  The same date last year we had 442mm, in 2017 we had 210mm and in 2016 we had 486mm.  We are obviously way down at the moment.  The garden may well suffer.

Bee on the Rosemary.

Wild Violets. Probably Dog Violet (Violaceae riviniana).

The lambs are growing up. I noticed that the ram was running in the field with these ewes.  Getting ready for next year!

Spotted Crane flies I believe (Nephrotoma appendiculata).

Two bugs in the centre of the Peony.

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis Muralis).

Californian poppies and Bluebells.

Calendula with a beetle I believe to be Mylabris variablis.

Apple blossom with a Robberfly. 

Red robin in flower.

Rose - the only one to date.

Cherries.

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis Muralis).

Orchids seen at our local Brico depot, very pretty, I think it is one of the Butterfly orchids.

See also my Bird blog 

and My life In the Charente