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.

05/05/2018 In the garden today.

Maximum temperature today 23C, minimum 9C.    Dry; 9km/h North Easterly winds with up to 24 km/h gusts.

Our bush has been killed off by chafer larvae eating the roots, the only branch that has survived is this small one with two snowball flowers on it!

The last of the apple blossom.

Bumblebee in the rosemary.

Common lizard,

Medlar (nèfle) blossom. (Mespilus germanica)

Rosemary beetles in love.

Californian poppy.

Cetonia cuprea or aurata.  Not certain which.

Oxythyrea funesta plus ant. The beetles are all munching away on the flowers of the Red Robin.

Trichodes alvearius.

Dog rose.

Irises.

Peony.

Thirty-eight potatoes planted, more to go when we get the other bed ready.

N.B. My new bird blog is updated  HERE 

Part 7 of the birds I saw last year in Africa.

27/09/2017 Another day in the kitchen so low on photos.

Maximum temperature 22C,  minimum 12C.  6 km/h SE wind with 13 km/h gusts. 3mm of rain  measured this morning. 

I was waiting for Nigel to return from a quick trip to town and I saw this beetle on the barn wall, possibly a leaf beetle but I do not know which one.

While I was waiting I thought I would have a look at the neighbour's garden (they are away) a pretty rose...

and a yellow daisy but not an insect anywhere in sight!

Back home a wasp in the laurel hedge...

A small heath in the greenhouse (Coenonympha pamphilus)

this little lizard with a mouthful, goodness know what it had, but I only had one shot at it and it vanished into the wood stumps.

Calendula

So many medlars, very tasty but a pain to work with, they need to rot first!!!

Also lots of quinces...

Today was more quince jelly and bottled fruit.

We are out at sparrow tomorrow morning and I do not know what time we will be home.  If I miss a day I will catch up on Friday.

For those that are interested Part four of our trip to Botswana and Southern Africa is HERE

25/07/2017 Another trip around the garden and a different butterfly today!

Maximum temperature 25C, minimum 13C.   17 km/h NW winds with 27 km/h gusts. Dry

Clouded Yellow (I think) (Colias crocea) There are two of them very similar!!

Large White (Pieris brassicae)

The same Gatekeeper as yesterday, the damaged wing is easily identifiable. (Pyronia tithonus)

Well camouflaged - a little hopper!

Shield bug (Syromastes rhombeus) (I think)

Lots of pollen in the pumpkin flowers... Bee.

Calendula and unknown bug.

Banded snail.

Young butternut.

Medlars.

Quinces.

I cannot remember which apple this was, but it was an English apple!!

Granny-smith.