16/02/2020 I went for a walk yesterday......

Maximum temperature in the Charente today 19C, minimum 9C. Rain measured this morning Nil.  24km/h south-westerly wind with gusts up to 51 km/h.

I went for a walk yesterday while the weather was fair, it gets colder as the week goes on if the forecast is right.  I took too many photos, so this will be only the first part of the walk.  Our slow connection just cannot cope with as many as 30 photos in one blog!!

Camellia in our neighbour's garden.  Ours are still in tight bud!

Cotoneaster also in another neighbour's garden, ours have already dropped their berries!

Looking across the fields.

Long-leaved Lungwort (Pulmonaria longifolia). Thanks to Susan for the ID.

As above.

Cowslip (Primula veris).

Dandelion.

Rose hips with rose bedeguar galls caused by the wasp (Diplolepis rosae). The female lays up to 60 eggs within each leaf bud. The grubs develop within the gall.

Speedwell.

Common Brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) on a cowslip.

Under observation....

As above.

Eurasian Crane (Grus grus) migrating North...

As above.

Hoverfly on Viburnum.

Lambs in our neighbour's field.

See also my

 Bird blog

09/03/2019 Only flowers today - it seems too cold for the insects again

Maximum temperature today 14C, minimum 7C.  4mm rain measured this morning; as I type this we are having a mixture of more rain on and off.  20km/h North-westerly winds with gusts up to 45 km/h.

So far this year we have had 85 mm,  compared to 320 mm last year, and 158 mm in 2017.  We may though have messed up January as we were not here, and we took the reading of what was in the rain gauge on our return which was only 16mm.

The only surviving plant from our trip to Amsterdam in 2015.  I have just repotted it so I hope I have not killed it off now!  Our roofing guy says it looks like 'un lapin' 😉 (a rabbit).

Bergenia cordifolia.

Camellia.

Daffodils.

Hyacinth.

Rosemary.

Viburnum.

Japanese quince.

Crocus.

Bellis perennis

See also my Bird blog 

and My life In the Charente

10/02/2019 Spring must be in the air but I am sure it will not last...

Maximum temperature today 12C, minimum 5C.  2mm rain measured this morning;  rain on and off today not measured as yet.  32km/h North-westerly winds with gusts up to 78 km/h. 

  

A walk around the garden.

Snowdrop.

Bergenia Cordifolia.

Cotoneaster.

Crocus...

As above.

Holly.

Choisya ternata.

Viburnum in bud.

Winter broccoli from the garden.

Something I rarely see... sunrise.

I have updated my bird blog HERE.

02/02/2018 Yesterday's photos today! We had a glimmer of sunshine so I headed out into the garden.

Maximum temperature today 7C, minimum -3C. Misty and heavy frost  North Westerly winds; 7 km/h with up to 17 km/h gusts.

We had 7 mm of rain yesterday which brought January's total rain fall to 206 mm.

Hellebore.

Bergenia Cordifolia

Hazel catkins.

Cotoneaster.

Crocus.

Snowdrops with a camellia bud on the far right.

Viburnum.

Fennel.

Parsnips straight from the garden.

04/11/2017 A walk in the garden seeing what is still there before tomorrow's chilly temperatures arrive!

Maximum temperature 16C, minimum 10C.  6km/h NW winds, 24km/h gusts. Dry

Bergenia Cordifolia, 

Bumblebee on the lavender which I have never seen flowering so late in the year!

As above.

Catkins still on the hazel nut tree, note the fluff from the pampas.

Coriander flower.

Cotoneaster berries.

Lawn daisy plus fly...

As above but note the little bug as well!

Marigolds.

Climbing rose.

Viburnum - I have never noticed the perfume from this before but it was remarkably strong today.

Viola.

Zinnia with traces of the pampas as well.

Sparrow love at first sight.

Fish pie before going in the oven.  Sorry I wanted to finish the blog before dinner!!

Fish Pie recipe here it is delicious.