' Summer Past too Quick '

Tuesday 14^th August  -  Pair of ‘hoverflies’  mating in mid-air trying to follow the sun , I told them to "carry-on" ~  whilst the weather was fine. 

Wednesday 15th  August  -  Weather  just got worse with bucket fulls of ‘Rain’.  Can't see out of windows!.......this is bad but at least the pollinators had early pickings when the sun was proving a good start.

I’d gone to see who’d survived the morning ‘Storm’......

'Bumblebee'

It  returned too quick for  a solitary Green Veined ‘Butterfly’  and a  lonely ‘Bee’ whose only hope of any food was to stay outside.  A  solitary ‘Swallow’  was sweeping the gusts.

This is now Saturday 18^th August  ~  Have been indoors all week due to the torrential rain.

Theres a keen 'male' White Butterfly mating with all the 'females', who are awaiting their turn....upon the 'privet' leaves since the 'sun' came out  'quickly does it' as theres a dark cloud moving this way.

They are definitely down in numbers. Link: http://www.countrylife.co.uk/news/article/530323/Tough-year-for-butterflies.html

 Sunday 19^th August  -  Gives us ‘Rain’   Could it get any wetter outside "No" the ground gives a squelch and a splash up one's legs and fills your wellies up to the brim on a bike L

Monday 20^th August  -  An influx of ‘Butterflies’ this sunny morn  - Whites, Meadow Browns, Peacocks, Red Admirals, Tortoiseshells galore on our buddleias.

Butterflies taste with their feet. A butterfly's sense of taste is coordinated by chemoreceptors on their tarsi (lowest part of leg) and works only on contact. It is used to determine whether an egg-laying insect's offspring will be able to feed on a leaf before eggs are laid on it.

                    

                   

After lunch ..... A journey of exercise upon the 'psychedelic bike' found all the holes, with it's uneven road  lumps and bumps, the speedy tyres showering me from head to foot in mud.

Tuesday 21^st August  -  I seek amongst the shrubs for ‘butterflies’ this morn, they've gone into hiding from a cold breeze and damp sky.

10.57 a.m   Two white ’butterflies’ move through the rain whilst the sun saw a gap,  then hid out of sight 'like the other species within our garden' ohh !

It was nearly midnight on closing the bedroom curtains when my ‘eye’s caught  a ‘Barn Owl’ fly  the centre road, about three feet up, quite a sight!

'Ffion' 

  

It’s now Thursday 23^rd August  -  The morning song of ‘birds' just told me that September has arrived already with a crisp cold breeze * brrrrr

Saturday 25^th August  -  Saturday raindrops fall upon the ground, so heavy it tears the shrubs apart, hope the wildlife is ok as  can’t hear any ‘birds’ singing their ‘songs’ L

Sunday 26^th August  -  Well, well after All that nasty rain the 'Sun' arrived in All it's glory.....smiles for a good start !

Within a  shrub,  from a distance one can’t see the ever flurry of insects lives.  Often  taken for granted...the many forms of pollinators, their lives are short compared to our’s. Unyet the time they’re given to master their work creates the many foods we eat.

And later...... Link: http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=icarus  

'Common Blue'

We’d been working round the ‘camp’ within our ‘woodland’ to remove the old and unwanted, overgrown ‘nettles’.....as they’d taken over the ‘potato’ patch which would make digging them up a tad difficult to find.

After pulling old nettles up entwined amongst straggled brambles bare of fruit, am left with a fizzing knee after the thorns catapult ouch!

We sat to rest a while, then took a walk upon the ‘top field’ and found a couple of good sized ‘Toads’ which squeaked when handled......I guess they disapproved., so our Son carefully reassured them their freedom.

They don't like being handled or disturbed beneath the tin sheets upon our field.  Our Son tucked their bottoms carefully back beneath the brambles., they're there each day to say hello, in their way.

And whilst the garden was free of beings the ‘butterflies’ sunbathe along the bark paths....a pleasant sight to see...smiles.

The many Butterflies left the ground in flurries, full of  psychedelic  ‘wonder’ as I slowly walked the path.

'Red Admiral'

‘Ffion’ is an eighteen year old Pony who we’ve been looking after for about three weeks now and today’s feed gave her a terrific blast of wind.  She is a gentle pony with much to love about., even if it is a whiff on occasion.

Monday Bank holiday  -  The Rain is not as naughty as the Gusts that blew every-which-way into your face, unexpected splats of wet.

Tuesday  28^th August  -  Onions plucked from the soggy ground, peeled off old jackets and trimmed, washed and drying in brilliant morning sunshine yippee – I call this a success !

Red-kite cruising just over our garden, a glimpse of it's genius flight, then disappears into the sun from where I cannot see, then reappears once more.

'Small Copper'

Well, the fluorescent flycatchers cycle top just came off, am pleased I wore it because I'm still here to tell you my tales...smiles.

And something you don't know "the cycle ride home wasn't so mud splattered" a way to go.... ‘no Fuel’ only ‘Being Juice'.

Am gonna say something you already know "Dock leaves really do take the nettle sting away" ! love you ‘Dock leaves’.

Around 5.20p.m   Returned from second bike journey to feed animals and missed the heavy rain spell but almost run off road by a car having not seen my  loud  yellow top!  Never assume other road users have seen you.

Some ‘butterflies’ are brilliantly coloured and look as though.... just been painted, others in tatters from the ‘storms’.

'Hemp Agrimony'
it's often called: Raspberries and Cream

<Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eupatorium_cannabinum

Wednesday 29^th August   -  We woke to the beating of the rain against  the window but all is not lost at least I rescued the ‘onions’ yesterday and are now drying-out in our open shed.

11. a.m  I was out amongst the garden digging with the worms when a ‘Robin’ sang his words of wisdom that Rain was on the way and indeed it did., I had listened to him and packed away my tools.

Thursday 30^th August  -  Our ‘Sea View’ had vanished with torrential rain and the two ‘Magpies’ gave-up chase with a solitary ‘Crow’, then a ‘Rainbow’ arrived...Hope!

Friday 31^st August  -  With the Autumn waft of decomposing leaf litter amongst the woodland floor and burning Ash it feels so christmassy.

Started up the WoodStove now that it's brrrrr!

6.p.m  OUR 14 yr old Son Rescued an elderly Lady from a group of teenage yobs, whilst in town.... who held her back and harrassed her in the most vile manner 'Hero of the Day' !

Saturday 1^st September  -  Morning stroll around the garden gave me many pleasant thoughts,  even if it started bad it t'wld clear those painful one's.

Spotted my first ever ‘Common Darter’ upon our top field within ‘woodland’.Link http://www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/species/common-darter

'Common Darter'

Sunday 2^nd Sept  -  Am afraid the weather has given us a rainy start with a struggling sun behind thick cloud.

Monday 3^rd Sept  -  A gaggle of ‘Geese’  just flew over our house, sounding off  their trumpets as they flew across the blue sky....it  was magical.  I'd heard them arrive a few fields away yesterday.

Tuesday 4^th Sept  -  8.l3 p.m  hanging out of top bedroom window to catch this beautiful pink sky...below

A sky that was eaten away by the dark night..... not long after the capture.

Moving onto Saturday 8^th Sept  -  The ‘Sun’ was up early,  until half-an-hour later it had vanished behind a sky full of ‘fog’........A lonely ‘Gull’ stood up straight with neck stretched up high looking around from the rooftop of a bungalow....probably couldn’t see it’s ‘mate’.....a few moments later another arrived and then a third.  The threesome flew off obviously something planned and then the ‘sun’ arrived with feathered ‘clouds’.

Taken Tuesday Evening: 4th Sept.

Sunday 9^th Sept  -  As I open the bedroom curtains..... The gusts do show massive strengths that it took a neighbour's plastic bag into the air so high, it was heading for the coast , annoying !

Monday 10^th Sept  -  A case of having to wear ‘Waterproof’ clothing today......And as I moved around the ‘Woodland’ gave out a swishing-sound which sadly frightened off any hope of viewing ‘Wildlife’.

Tuesday 11^th Sept  -  In-between hand-washing and looking out to the bottom of the garden, a ‘Robin’ sat surveying the garden,  he was lying in wait for a ‘Tortoiseshell Butterfly’ who had landed just above where he was and took an immediate leap-up to catch it between his beak......a fail L   He actually touched the wing as it repelled against his nip and this is why you’ll see a ragged ‘butterfly’ with ‘torn wings’.  Have never witnessed this before amongst the hydrangeas., I can see the ‘Robins’ tactics could have worked as he almost made a meal of one.

Friday 14^th Sept  -  A nice bright start to the day, even the ‘privet’ is dancing in the breeze,  thank you day!

Sunday 16^th Sept  -  This mornings adventures were all about ‘wildlife’ eating and the dried leaves gave away the position of a bird or mammal amongst the brambles in the ‘Woodland’.

'Common Toad'

Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Common_Toad

Taiji ~  When the 'Call of the Wild' has gone silent and the Seas and Oceans are sparse of all species, who will we question ~ those of all greed!

Link: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-849970  < this still goes on today....it's so wrong to kill a sentient species!  Please Sign petition: http://www.takepart.com/cove/takeaction?cmpid=tpnews-eml-2012-08-28-rncRveryone

Tuesday 18^th September  -  It's Common Green Shieldbug - Palomena prasina > http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Pentatomidae/palomena_prasina.html

'Common Green Shieldbug'

Wednesday 19^th Sept  -  Brought a beautiful blue sky with ‘Robin’ telling everyone so....

I’d spent some of my day sorting out videos of ‘Wildlife’ and decided to put them out on ‘Youtube’.....

A sudden warmth came across the garden enticing many ‘insects’ which in-turn brought ‘Robin’ and his chums out to ‘feast’.  A ‘Blue Tit’ was dangling upside-down on an overgrown ‘bramble’ whilst ‘Robin’ was having an eating spree.....hopping and bobbing from one plant pot to another, they were all enjoying this time, except those being the ‘catch’.

‘Robin’ has chosen our garden as his territory due to an abundance of insects and worms amongst our plants and vegetables.   If you'd seen him with his chums, ‘blue tit’ ‘Great Tits’ ‘Wren’  So funny together, Blue tit swinging on overhanging brambles upsidedown, whilst Robin hopped and bopped along catching insects., seemed to be some kind of 'team-work' going on.

Thursday 20^th Sept  -  It rained  but it gave me the chance to see which ‘Wildlife’ arrived whilst not outside.  The ‘Birds’ seem to manage a way around  all this wet.  Whilst the garden was free of ‘beings’........’Robin’ brought his chums once again and I’m viewing from out of an upstairs window... Two juvenile  ‘Great Tits’ following one another from different nettles, Bird house was given a survey and both peeped inside the once used ‘nesting box’.   ‘Blue Tits’ swinging on the overhanging ‘brambles’ again, collecting the odd insect and a cute little ‘Wren’ making just a couple of appearances during their lunch time collections.

Saturday 22^nd Sept  -  The ‘Blackbirds’  have something to say about today  "it's blinking gorgeous outside" !

'Connie' who walks amongst us...could be for 'food'

Wednesday 26^th Sept  -  The Male ‘Chaffinch’ flaunts his brilliant flash of white amongst the dark, drab garden on this wet stormy morn, to give us a happy display.

'Small Tortoiseshells'

Saturday  29^th Sept  -  Arrived back from walking horses and three ‘Tortoiseshells’, already wrapped-up their wings... “Will you be stopping the night...Tortoiseshells”?  of course they didn't stay,  as a little exposed.

   'Blackbird' video I put together:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQlp-vNUjEg&feature=g-upl  < it was raining with patches of mist.


And of course I couldn't leave 'Robin' out of this blog......
             
                 

Autumn feels more like Winter,

With sky of Northerly gusts,

If this is Autumn, what will winter bring?

Few days are sunny nowadays,

It is surely missed,

And as the early evening is about to close,

The lengthy shadows cast their spells

For those night creatures to explore before dark.

'SomeOnes been snacking' Connie



I'll leave everyone here till next time

Appreciate you calling

xXx