04/11/2018 An odd collection of photos.....

Maximum temperature today 16C, minimum 6C.  Dry; 19km/h South-Easterly winds with up to 38 km/h gusts. 

We have had a few cold and damp days so the fire has been working overtime.

Indoors the Christmas cactus has got the months a bit muddled, but it is good as we will be away for Christmas anyway.

We are both Porsche fans as you can see.  I made this garage many years back in South Africa as a present for Nigel.

House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Eurasian collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto)

Common crane (Grus grus), also known as the Eurasian crane.  They were milling around in the sky yesterday getting into bigger groups ready to fly South for winter.

Look what the bit of sun brought out...

Bee as above...

and a bumblebee.

The holly is starting to look very pretty.

Petunias after a shower of rain a couple of days back.

Still some roses around.

And for those of you that could not see what I could in the clouds....

Does this help 🎠😉

I have at last updated my bird blog HERE

04/10/2018 All photos taken at home.

Maximum temperature today 24C, minimum 10C.  Dry; 15km/h North-easterly winds with up to 36 km/h gusts. 

Still struggling to keep up.  N is off to the UK tomorrow for a week so I intend spending time catching up with other jobs while he is away.  If I have time to blog I will, but if I go AWOL do not be surprised 😉

Autumn daffodils/crocus (Sternbergia lutea).

Cosmos and Carpenter bee (Xylocopa violacea).

As above.

Petunias.

Violas.

Common toad (Bufo bufo) happily sitting in one of our well-watered pot plants!

As above.

Sunset in front of me...

and looking back over my shoulder.

My bird blog

has been updated HERE

17/09/2018 We are back........

Maximum temperature today 31C, minimum 12C.  Dry; 15km/h South-westerly warm winds with up to 36 km/h gusts. 

Just to let you know that we are back and I will visit you all as soon as I can.  Over 800 photos to go through, I will never learn!!  These are a few I took at home today before I start on the marathon!

Thank you for all the kind comments on the last post, as always appreciated.

And down came a spider and sat down beside her...

Cosmos.

Autumn daffodil/crocus (Sternbergia lutea) with bee.

As above minus bee!...

They are all over and so beautiful.

White cosmos.

Californian poppies.

Lonely little petunia.........

Comma Butterfly (Polygonia c-album).

The return of the Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). A sure sign that Autumn is/has arrived we never see them in summer here.

Rub a dub dub, 6 men in a tub - House sparrow (Passer domesticus).

The common blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) on the sedum.

As above.

My bird blog

has been updated HERE

20/10/2017 Overcast and no bugs around! The garden seems to have got confused with the weather though.

Maximum temperature 20C, minimum 14C.  14 km/h Southerly winds, 28 km/h gusts. 1 mm of rain measured over night.

Choisya ternata, think this is the third time this has flowered this year!

Zinnia.

The Azalea is in bud...

and so is the camellia.

Marigolds in flower...

and a petunia.

I think this is a hoverfly, the only bug I saw today on the flowering fennel.

Eurasian Collared-Doves (Streptopelia decaocto)

Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus)

All the pumpkins have been harvested, but the plants which are still there are flowering again!!

Common speedwell flowering in the lawn!

I was too late for the sunset it vanished as I took this photo.

For those following our South African holiday, Part 6 is now online HERE

26/08/2017 A busy day sorting out my other blog so a few garden photos.

Maximum temperature 31C, minimum 17C.  4 km/h SE wind with 15 km/h gusts.  Dry.

My favourite rose.

Sedum with bee.

as above.

Viburnum.

Autumn crocus/daffodil.

Petunia.

Californian poppy.

Longhorn beetle on the sedum.

Think this is a kind of bee on the flowers of the garlic chives.

Rosemary beetle on the sage and a pest!

Another kg plus of beans and this is only the first lot of tomatoes today!!

N.B. If you are interested - Part 2 of out trip to South Africa and Botswana is HERE