Its no longer possible for me to excuse lack of posting by claiming too busy, but I promise that Francis and I will try and avoid constant reference to what seems to fill most media space at present.
We are both fortunate to have access to gardens and exercise through walking locally. So back to some simple truths and the basics of our joy in the countryside.
Spring has been rushing forward with only short pause for some pretty hard frosts, with the first wave of white and yellow wild flowers.
Early blooms are at least a food source for the early mergers of the insect world, bees and overwintering butterflies in particular. In some ways these early flowers are often ignored, unless they are part of a mass display of primroses or cowslips, because they don’t really contrast in colour against the grass.
Overwintering butterflies like Peacock, Tortoiseshell, Cooma and Red Admiral are all on the wing when the wind drops.
Survivors like these show their age with worn or faded colours but have can have the advantage breeding early. Just as likely that the weather can catch them out and if they don’t find a sheltered spot will perish.
Bees are a lot harder to photograph but we will try, as the variety is amazing and in my garden the mimics, fly species, are also active often following true bees around presumably waiting for an opportunity to parasitise their host species.
Stay safe and get back to basics, find a little joy in the small local things wherever you are.