The Green Times

 My blog witterings have always been very instinctive and reflect the mood I'm in when I decide to write a new post. It would make more logical sense to follow through chronologically, but somehow it's more liberating to take a more lucky dip approach sometimes. Thus my intended subject will keep for another day and instead I'd like to bring you along on some of the green gentle meanderings that I've taken over the past week or so. The upshot of David's treatment means that we can't currently go far at the beginning of the week because he's tired, but we're blessed to have some beautiful green spaces on our doorstep that we can access easily and in which small beauties await. Sometimes he's come with me and other times I've taken myself off.

Walking out from ours I discovered this beautiful purple field. I've been seeing this lilac crop increasingly over the past couple of years, but have only recently discovered that it is Phacelia [aka Scorpion Grass]. I've missed it at its peak this time, but I'm sure that a return visit will be on the cards next summer. It's grown by farmers as a green fertiliser and to attract pollinators. 

Although it's not the best time of year for bird watching [that will be my nature fix over the winter] there are still plenty of wild flowers out for me to admire and try to remember the names of. Some I'm very confident of year on year whilst others I have to look up time and time again yet still their names escape me! You might be forgiven for thinking that this exotic looking one is some type of orchid, but think again. This is the common or garden Hedge Woundwort which pops up as a 'weed' in many people's gardens. Certainly worth a second closer look I'd say.

With the flowers come the butterflies and my what a year it's been for them. I honestly don't think I've seen so many in years. Usually we're lucky to get a couple of types on our Buddleia, but I came down one morning and counted five different types all in one go. Correctly identifying caterpillars is not in my wheelhouse, but the one I can definitely be sure of is this stripey little number of which I've seen a-plenty on the Ragwort blooms this year...the exotic scarlet and black Cinnabar moth.

And to finish with a small tale from my one small garden. I am a natural early bird so it's not unknown for me to be awake during the early morning as the first light of the day breaks through. Lying in bed I could hear a strange hissing noise through the open window. Intrigued to find out I peeked out through the curtain to see a naughty hoglet sitting in the snack bowl and literally hogging all the food whilst Mum and its sibling looked on. Mama 🦔 was not impressed and was giving it a right telling off. I knew that I was feeding an individual as it rocks up for its dinner at about 10.30 every night, but I had no idea that I also had a family of prickles visiting. I have upped my game and increased the contents of the bowl. Am beyond thrilled at this new discovery.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Arilx