The final photos from September

  Maximum temperature here today 19⁰C, minimum 13⁰C.  Dry at the moment.  Since the end of September we have though measured just over 100 mm of rain!! 12km/h South-westerly winds with gusts up to 28 km/h.  

A number of people who normally comment seem to have missed my last post.  Maybe because the last two started off with sunsets it caused confusion and it was thought to be the same post!

Autumn daffodils (Sternbergia lutea).

Sedum.

Topinambour flowers (Jerusalem Artichoke) (Helianthus tuberosus).

Pampas grass and cosmos.

Not too sure what this little fellow is other than a caterpillar of some sort.

Common Blue butterfly - female (Polyommatus icarus).

Speckled Wood butterfly  (Pararge aegeria).

As above

Puffball fungi.

Not sure what this fungi is maybe Conocybe???

As above...

As above with a fly.

Bumble bee on the last of the lavender...

As above...

As above.

Rosemary beetle (Chrysolina Americana),...

As above on the Rosemary.  Very pretty but sadly a pest.

I am often asked what lens I use for my photos.  I do not have a macro lens and all above photos are taken using a TAMRON Megazoom - 18-400 mm on my Nikon D3500 camera.  I have a Nikon Fitting but they also make the same lens with a Canon fitting.  

My local list of wildflowers. (90 Species 23/08/2020).

See also my

 Bird blog

Joining up with My Corner of the World.

Photo competition running until 31 December - colourful photos.

B u n t

Let us all join in, great fun.

 

02/02/2020 Spring has sprung.........

Maximum temperature in the Charente today 18C, minimum 10C. Rain measured this morning 3mm but we have a blue sky today. 111mm of rain so far this year.  23km/h South-Westerly wind up to 43 km/h.

I say spring has sprung, but I suspect it might be short-lived as the temperatures drop again in the middle of the week.  If the forecast is right though, they then go back up again......

Photos were taken today on a walk in the garden.

We have not been without roses at all this year so far - amazing.

Moss and Lichen.

Common Speedwell - A pretty weed.

The first crocus.

Buds on the Red Robin. (Photinia Fraseri).

The first snowdrop. (Galanthus nivalis).

Buds on the Viburnum (Viburnum tinus).

The return of the fly!!!! Also Viburnum tinus)

Gendarme beetles or firebug, (Pyrrhocoris apterus).

As above -African masks!

Fairies a the bottom of the garden... no, I cannot identify it!

In the house, buds on the orchid...

The Christmas poinsettia is still thriving..

and cheating with a fridge magnet

See also my

 Bird blog

26/10/2017 Some of yesterday's photos as promised, and some from the garden.

Maximum temperature 24C, minimum 13C.  7 km/h SW winds, 14 km/h gusts. Dry.

Arrival at Domaine des Etangs...

The largest 5 star resort in mainland France, with a a fully renovated 11th century château.

If you want to read more about it see here....

 it expands over 1000 hectares of protected natural surroundings, a mixture of forests, grassland and ponds....

I presume this is meant to represent a family looking across the lake at the cattle beyond...

Looking upwards at one of the wonderful old trees...

A different view of the lake and grounds....

and what appears to be a religious cross.

If you would like to stay here, and you have to ask the price, then you can't afford it!

We went there to book for a special dinner coming up next month.

Back home, toadstools in the garden, maybe where the faeries live 😉

Zinnias still opening but it looks like the cold arrives tomorrow so......

Another zinnia well past its best, but the bumblebee seems happy enough.

20/09/2017 More wood cutting and only a few garden shots.

Maximum temperature 20C,  minimum 8C.  7 km/h SE wind with 17 km/h gusts. Dry and quite pleasant :-) 

An unusual positional shot of a Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

As above.

This common wall lizard does not look comfy but it seemed quite happy posing on the edge of the compost bins

The Peacock butterfly looks so dull with closed wings...

Here is is again being bombed by a bee...

After about the sixth bombing the butterfly gave up and moved....

here to give me a beautiful shot. (Aglais io)

There are fairies and elves living in our garden.

Le gendarme beetle on the lavender (Pyrrhocoris apterus).

Rose bud.

Pumpkin.

Sweet potatoes, carrots (yellow and orange) and tomatoes.  The largest sweet potato weighed in at 1.11 kg (2.3 lbs)!!