The maximum temperature in the Charente today is 26⁰C; the minimum tonight is 15⁰C! 18km/h S winds with 35km/h gusts. Rain is forecast but so far we only have a cloudy sky. The garden is still bone dry!
House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) Le Moineau domestique having fun.
I just loved this cloud formation; what can you see? I spot two dragons and an elephant!
A Berry or Sloe Bug (Dolycoris baccarum) La punaise des baies ou pentatome des baies, on a double cosmos.
As above but a close up.
This appears to be a (Cosmos bipinnatus) Double Dutch Rose. It came out of a mixed seed of Cosmos. I have no idea what it is in French other than Le cosmos double rose.
White zonal geranium flowers (Pelargonium × hortorum). Le géranium zonal.
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), l'Hibiscus de Syrie.
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) La tomate.
More House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) Le Moineau domestique.
Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) Le Lézard des murailles...
As above.
Mallow (Malvaceae) La famille de la mauve.
A garden rose which I have no idea of its identity! I love it though.
Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) Le Lézard des murailles taking a drink.
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) La Mésange bleue.
Sunset.
August 19, my 83rd birthday with Nigel.
(Andrena) Bee. They are called "mining," "burrowing," or "sand-dwelling" bees... Dites "minières", "fouisseuses" ou "des sables". Seen on Mallow...
As above.
Yellow Harlequin Moth (Acontia (Emmelia) trabealis) L'Arlequinette jaune, on Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) Pourpier maraîcher. All parts of the plant are edible, raw or cooked.
Pink Rose Yarrow (Achillea roseo-alba Ehrend) Achillée rose pâle,
Four o'clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa), also known as marvel of Peru or La Belle de nuit.
Sweet Mint (Mentha suaveolens) Menthe odorante.
The same unknown rose as above!
Narrow-leaved bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus tenuis) Le Lotier à feuilles étroites.
28 August our 45th wedding anniversary. Same restaurant as above.
30 August the first rain in about 4 months! Still waiting for more!
I just liked this shot of our neighbours.
Hello Diane, your photos are absolutely stunning! And I love the photos of your birthday and anniversary with Nigel! You both look amazing, dear friend! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Linda for your very kind comment. I love sharing, but time always seems ro run away but I am getting closer to catching up 😊 Keep well, cheers Diane.
DeleteSuch beautiful photos. I do love the cloud shot too. I can see one elephant and one dragon. Actually the dragon looks like the lion in the lion dance for Chinese New Year. You and Nigel are looking great for your 45th Anniversary. Happy Anniversary to you both. I'm assuming that Nigel has now retired from his job in the UK and is with you full-time in France.
ReplyDeleteThanks Penny. Oh wow, Nigel retired about 15 years ago now and has been living here in France ever since we sold up completely in the UK. After moving from RSA we struggled to enjoy living in the UK, we could not get out fast enough. I had the pleasure though of summers in France for several year while Nigel was still working. We bought here in 2005... If we had of met earlier in life we might have been coming up to 60 years but we were both divorced when we met. Ye s the one dragon does look a bit like the lion dance. I hope you are well, cheers Diane
DeleteI can't believe it was 15 years ago because it just seemed like a few years ago wgen you were still separated due to his working. Well time really foes fly.
DeleteTime flys by when you are having fun!!!
DeleteCongratulations to both your wedding anniversary and birthday, Diane. We will finally get some rain today! The water level of Rhine river has been so low that almost all the activities stop. Hope you get some rain soon too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Angie for the comment. Yes, this has been a difficult year and normally we have home grown vegetables all year. This year was a disaster, and apart from a few tomatoes that I managed to keep watered we had nothing. I have not had to buy a potato in over 15 years, but this year we had none. With water restrictions the vegetable garden just burnt up. We had 16mm of rain last night but all to late to help. Hope things are better next year!! Keep well, Diane
DeleteI continue to be both impressed and delighted, Diane, that you feature the names of the organisms in English, French and always with the scientific name. That alone makes your posts a pleasure to read, and the stunning photographs add to the joy. You are looking stunning! I can see that regular quaffing is what is needed to look great forever. I plan to follow your course of action to the end! I will probably not look good, but I’ll be damned happy! Happy belated birthday and big hugs and kisses, gros bisous and all my very best wishes. Je reste toujours ton ami canadien. David
ReplyDeleteThanks David for your good wishes, and your kind comments make me try harder :-) Not really regular quaffing, but when there is something good to celebrate!!!!! We generally (unless we go out for a meal) keep wine for Friday and the weekend only, though Saturday often allows us a tot of Cognac!! I thank my Mum for making me look after my skin from a very young age, which helps me feel younger.
DeleteDe la part de ton amie sud-africaine/française, bisous Diane
Flowers look good considering your heat and drought. Nice to see your smiling faces.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gaelyn, the wild flowers were not too bad especially those under trees, The pot lants I managed to keep watered, but the main flower beds do not exist this year other than the cosmos which seem to survive regardless. Thanks for the visit always good to hear from you. Keep well, all the best D and N
DeleteHello Diane,
ReplyDeleteNice pictures!! Wonderful to see all these nice flowers. Fantastic!!
And what a great shot with the figures of the clouds. That's for everyone different to see something like animals. I think it's Santa with three of his reindeer..hihi..!!
And congratulations with your birthday and wedding anniversary. That's a long time.
Many greetings,
Marco
The flowers have had a hard time this year and only a few with extra care have survived. Interesting that you see Santa and reindeers, I love expressive clouds. Thanks for your good wishes, appreciated. Have a great weekend Diane
DeleteAh rain! I have just come back from some time in Switzerland, Austria and Italy and was glad that things had cooled down a bit. A great selection of pictures as ever, but those sheep at the end are great!
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
We are still so very dry and temps mostly still in the high 20sC.The sheep are great to have around, but I just wish they would keep their flies, they stop sending them to visit us! Have a good Sunday, cheers Diane
DeleteGorgeous! The Sloe Bug on the cosmos is a winnder.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Thanks very much, a few days a go a saw another one, and got some more photos, which will eventually arrive on my blog :-) Thanks so much for the visit and the comment. Diane
DeleteMaravilloso reportaje, me encantaron todas las fotografías, especialmente donde se te ve a ti y tu marido, estáis guapísimos. Muchas felicidades. Abrazos.
ReplyDeleteMuchísimas gracias Teresa por tu amable comentario. Te lo agradezco mucho. Besos, Diane.
DeleteWhat a lovely collection of garden photos, especially the little lizard taking a drink and the cloud formation. I can see how much there is to notice when you take the time to look closely at nature. Belated happy birthday and happy 45th anniversary to you both.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Melody. Yes, if you watch carefully there are so many creatures that you can easily miss. Thanks for the good wishes. Cheers Diane
DeleteWow you two look amazing for being in your eighties. Well done. The photos are super as usual. The unknown rose is a beauty.
ReplyDeleteHaha, not both of us in our 80s, N is 4.5 years behind me. Thanks for the kind words though. I hope all is well, t'other Diane
ReplyDelete