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

18/06/2018 In the garden again.

Maximum temperature today 23C, minimum 14C.    Rainfall 1 mm; 9 km/h North Westerly winds with up to 30 km/h gusts.

Total rainfall since 1st January; 645 mm.  Rain was around a bit this morning, but it has cleared up now and we have been promised a good week, hope the forecast is right!

My first agapanthus in flower.  We used to have masses of them in the garden in Africa so I am happy to see this one in France.

Beefly, bombylius species.

Plenty of young figs on the two trees.

The hazelnut tree is loaded.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

Medlars, or Nefle as they are called here. (Mespilus germanica).  It makes fabulous jelly, but a bit of a hassle to do.  Guess though I will be making it this year as the quince tree appears to only have one fruit on it!!!  The medlar jelly tastes quite similar.

Mushrooms on the lawn plus spider...

Think this fly was being quite brave, on the other hand, I think the spider thought it might have been a bit big though it did move in 😉

Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)...

As above...

As above.

Mrs Sparrow on the stone owl...

(Passer domesticus).

Just after 10 pm last night, the setting sun and the crescent moon.

N.B. My bird blog is updated  HERE 

Part 13 of the birds seen in Africa.

07/09/2016 Just one of those days! Gardening, cooking etc.....

Maximum temperature 32C, minimum 11C.  39 km/h SW wind. Very Dry.

Californian Poppy and bug.

Common Blue female.

Pampas grass.

Hazel nuts.  Just over 3 kg gathered from the floor.

Petunias.

Green-bottle on the fallen fruit.

Ugh not my favourite beast. Think it may be Genus Tegenaria.

Figs dehydrating.

30/08/2016 Not a good day for photos, not much life in the garden today.

Maximum temperature 28C, minimum 11C.  21 km/h NE wind. Very Dry.

Not the best photo as it only stopped for a fleeting moment!

'Small Heath' butterfly.

Hey just look at my long toes :-)

The bees are still at the pumpkin flowers.

Wild Cuckoo Pint seeds from the Arum family.  These attractive red to orange berries are extremely poisonous.

Seed head from the Love in a Mist.

I think these are the same family as dandelions but the flower is very much smaller.

The first bucket of hazel nuts to be collected this year 1.7 kg. Still more on the tree.

09/08/2016 A trip to Soyaux to see the tax man! A few photos in the garden.

Maximum temperature 24C, minimum 13C.  26 km/h NE wind. Light rain this morning that did not register in the rain gauge.

Crossing the Touvre River en route to Soyaux. 

At the so-called springs of Touvre, an underground river emerges from the foot of a cliff, the second largest phenomenon of its kind in France after the Fountain of Vaucluse near Avignon. 

A close up of the 3 fishermen in the river.

 

and looking the other way.

The Californian poppies are still magnificent.

Bee.

Figs.

Gatekeeper.

Hazel nuts.

Rhubarb crumble.