Alice bought me this gorgeous peacock bauble this year!
I wish you all a happy and healthy new year and apologise for not being around for the past few days. We developed a fault on our land phone line just before Christmas and were told it couldn’t be repaired until the 28th December. Our internet gradually got weaker and weaker until it virtually disappeared but, as you can see, all is well again and we can communicate with our friends and relatives and I can find out what everyone else has been up to! I had got behind-hand with my blog and post reading even before we discovered the fault on the line because my daughter’s lap-top had to be repaired and so she borrowed mine. I don’t own a smart-phone and I couldn’t keep up!
I will be visiting all your blogs in the next few days and will be acknowledging all your kind comments too.
The weather in May was changeable; cold, wet and windy for a few days then a couple of days of warmth and sunshine then back to cool and damp. The beginning of June wasn’t much different.
These first photos were taken towards the end of May in our garden or within a short walk of home.
Pond Water-crowfoot (Ranunculus peltatus) has two sorts of leaves; the submerged leaves are thread-like but the floating leaves have rounded lobes. I found this plant in the pond at the front of the house. It is a relative of the buttercup and appeared here for the first time this year.
Alderfly (Sialis lutaria) In this country we have just three species of alderfly and they are virtually indistinguishable from each other. One (this one I believe) favours still or slow-moving water and the other two prefer running water.
Adult alderflies are weak-flying insects and never move far away from water. The two or three weeks they spend as an adult are almost entirely taken up with looking for a mate. Most don’t bother feeding but some may nibble a little pollen or algae if they are in need of sustenance.
Mining bee
Mining bee
I think this Mining bee is a Communal mining bee (Andrena scotica). The females share a tunnel entrance but have separate nests underground. They prefer slightly open ground and so are often found near paths. I discovered this one while I was weeding and I think I had probably disturbed her nest. She was making a lot of noise; I am sure she was very cross!
I was being helped in my task by a friendly Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
ooOOoo
Richard had noticed some orchids on the grass verge of a lane near us so we set off to walk to where they were growing. I took a couple of photos on the way.
Lots of Red Campion (Silene dioica)
A Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris). I had to zoom as far as my camera was capable to enable me to get this rather grainy shot.
Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula)
Early Purple Orchid
Early Purple Orchid
We walked past a field full of Jacob sheep on the way back home
They are more like goats than sheep and the lambs are very endearing and inquisitive.
ooOOoo
At the very end of May we visited one of our local seaside resorts, Southwold, on a very cool and windy day.
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside!
The sea was rough…
…but this couple were happy to be there watching the waves together. Note how well wrapped up they were!
I like this weather vane on top of the Southwold Sailor’s Reading Room
These flowers caught my eye
Thrift (Armeria maritima)
ooOOoo
Within a day or so of our trip to Southwold the sun came out again and I was able to find insects to photograph.
Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
Male and female Azure damselflies
Male Four-spotted Chaser dragonfly (Libellula quadrimaculata)
My field guide says these dragonflies are rather dull but I don’t find them so.
Male Oedemera nobilis. A beetle that feeds on pollen; only the males have the swollen hind-legs.
ooOOoo
Just a few photos I took towards the middle of June.
And finally a slideshow of a field of Common Poppies (Papaver rhoeas) I saw from the road at Ilketshall St. John this summer. I wished I could get closer to it! I think you may also appreciate this link. It is a wonderful description of where I live and also has praise in it for our Rector who will be retiring next August.
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My music today is from the Beatles. Many of you will know why I have chosen this today (though I am a couple of days late as usual!). I was a student living in Liverpool at the time and heard the news of John’s death as I made my toast for breakfast on the 9th of December. Thirty-six years ago! I was surprised later to hear he had been shot on the 8th of December but I had forgotten the time difference. Listen to the superbly melodic bass playing!
Ok, so please don’t hear this as a Scrooge rant… and please please don’t hear this as anything like a ‘how can you celebrate this early?’ post… So just to make sure this is heard: CHRISTMAS IS AMAZING!! I AM ALREADY BEGINNING TO CELEBRATE!! IN FACT I CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR!!
But at this time we do some more obvious things… Advent calendars are out- check, Advent candle is on the table- check, planning Christmas services has started- check (no, its not finished yet, at last count I am involved in 17 events…), yes yes yes, however…
I’m wondering at how far we’ve gone from the origins of Christmas- whether you go into the Christian origins (celebrating the birth of Jesus as the ultimate expression of God’s love for humanity and the restoration of relationship between God and humanity that it demonstrates and brought about) or the…
A Suffolk Lane 