09/07/19 Just around the garden. Plus one photo out on the road.

Maximum temperature today 28C, minimum 17C.  Dry.  21km/h North-easterly winds with gusts up to 47 km/h.  No sign of rain in the forecast for the next week so lots of watering!!

We saw this stunning sight while out on the road.

Back home bumblebee on the sage.

Crane-fly on the Californian poppies.

Bubblebee on the cotoneaster.

Bee on the cotoneaster.

Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina) on the lavender.

Hopper on a Calendula.

European Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis).

Bombylius species on the lavender.

Gendarme beetle or firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus).

Web spinning garden spider, possibly a Cross Spider (Araneus diadematus).

Hydrangeas.

Raspberry,

The flower of the succulent Echeveria, not that pretty but interesting.

Quinces.

Hazel nuts.

and last but not least another wall lizard. (Podarcis muralis).

See also my Bird blog 

and My life In the Charente

17/07/18 Photos from the garden today,

Maximum temperature today 26C, minimum 16C.  7mm rain measured yesterday; 13 km/h North-westerly winds with up to 33 km/h gusts. 

Still working on the weeks holiday photos!!

Poppy after a light shower of rain....

with a bumblebee...

and a few more.

The mixed flower garden.

Cornflower.

Not sure what this is but it was from a mixed seed packet.

Echeveria flower still in bud.

My favourite in the garden at present - 'Star Gazer' that was given to me a number of years back by our French neighbour.

A closer look.

N.B. My bird blog is updated  HERE 

Part 17 of the birds seen in Africa.

24/06/2018 Home and the garden.

Maximum temperature today 26C, minimum 14C.   Dry; 17 km/h North Easterly chilly winds with up to 40 km/h gusts. 

A couple of days back the bees took a liking to our roof, it seems that they have now moved in.  Unfortunately, the roof is quite new and not easily moved, so not sure how the Bee man is going to move them.  Could be an expensive exercise!!

Bumblebee.

Bud of the Echeveria cactus.

Agapanthus.

Day Lily.

A European hornet came to visit us in the house, these are our ceiling beams! (Vespa crabro)

Hydrangea.

Kalanchoe.

Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis)

as above

Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina).

Potato flowers.

Red Robin shrub.

Climbing rose.

Small white (Pieris rapae), bee and lavender.

Mrs House sparrow. (Passer domesticus)

Wasp in the greenhouse.

N.B. My bird blog is updated  HERE 

Part 13 of the birds seen in Africa.

13/06/2018 A walk in the garden.

Beefly - Bombylius species...

They fascinate me - especially the back legs 😊...

They really love the lavender...

As above.

Bumblebee on the cotoneaster...

as above.

Carnation and bud with a tiny insect.

Day Lilies

Bee Beetle (Trichius fasciatus) on the cotoneaster...

Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata) on the cotoneaster.

Trichodes alvearius and yes, also on the cotoneaster!

Bumble bee.

Small White butterfly (Pieris rapae) on the lavender.

Californian poppy and the smallest spotted beetle ever.  I have no idea what it is!

Echeveria coming into bud. I generally get one or two flowers, but this year there are a dozen or more.

Daddy longlegs; I think it is (Pholcus phalangioides).

N.B. My bird blog is updated  HERE 

Part 13 of the birds seen in Africa.