What morsels of wildflower goodness can I nourish you with today? Let me see, there's a few new-to-me finds and a few lesser noted ones. As ever, I'm no expect just an enthusiast so don't bank on me being 100% correct. Scabious to start off with
Common knapweed. It's such a lovely shade and the spent flowerheads are rather architectural.

Above. I previously thought this was red dead nettle going crazy but now I think it's black horehound.
Below, field bindweed which although is a pest, can't fail to make me smile with it's party tent/beach hut candy stripes.


More oxeye daisies?
More scabious.

Common mallow. A relative of the marsh mallow. There are some fabulous verges with common mallow and common poppy growing inamongst each other which you might think is gaudy but I love the bold mix of colours together. Pow!

Lesser burdock above with some ripe old dock seeds.
Perforate St John's wort looking a little shabby.

Aha! A new find, hedge bedstraw. I can't say I have noticed this at all before but they are quite a few sprays of it in ditches that have caught my eye in the last week. It's ever so airy and dainty.

Above... hmmm I don't know. What I call an invisible one. Nothing obvious or prominent about it.
Below, honeysuckle

I've not shared any nice shots of red campion (and this isn't nice either to be fair.
Below, herb bennett. It has a yellow flower akin to a sparse version of a buttercup.

Above, could be common centaury. Not one I've seen before!
Below, evening primrose which I hardly ever see.

I've abandoned hope of identifying unfellifous flowers along the cow parsley style. I just don't touch them in case they are hemlock.

We had just passed an enormous dragonfly (at speed, I was terrified it would get tangled in my mane and I'd have a hysterical breakdown) when C asked whether this seed head was from a giant dandelion. I don't know, but feel like I should
Spear thistle?.

Cleavers, though I call it sticky.
And lastly some trefoil.
Lovely.
Have you spotted anything different lately?
Take care,
Sophie

It's been fascinating to observe pond life over the last few months. When frogs started to arrive I felt like the pond has validated itself as the real thing. The next exciting moment was when the first water lily flower opened. It is a Princess Elizabeth (I think) and is a very pretty pink. It opened in the sun and closed up again in the dark (or shade) and I missed the opportunity to capture it in full bloom. Satisfied that this tiddler plant wasn't about to stage a pond takeover we ordered two other tiny water lilies which have been planted up and seem to be establishing.
Below is the flower pod I patiently checked each day to see whether it was opening.

Third extremely exciting event was the arrival of one, then two dragonflies and then for their 'meeting' I don't know whether they did or were able to mate but nevertheless it was wonderful to see them buzzing around on the plants in the pond.

There are less frogs visibly hanging out in the pond at the moment. I don't know whether this is because the waster is too warm, they just don't, they don't like the weed that keeps forming, they have been eaten by something or if numbers constantly fluctuate. Who knows? We have collected rainwater to top up the pond so it's not the 'wrong' water going in.
I like to see the blackbirds taking a bath in the pond. It's not often I can see it happen, more just hear it as they don't like to be watched.
It's certainly a focal point for the wildlife to flock to (and from) and I look forward to reporting back on how things go over the coming months.

Take care,
Sophie

Some joyful summer blooms for you today, in all colours.












Take care,
Sophie

A few snaps into our three minutes, 73 outfit picture endeavour C looked up from the viewfinder to ask me, uncharacteristically, what I hoped to show in these shots. Taken by surprise I blurted out that I wanted to look happy, smiley, like my tired face wasn't trying to implode or let the sun cause me to squint myself into one nose-centred ruffle. That I wanted to look like I was having fun and not trying to hold my bloat in. That my good hair day was evident.
Oh, he replied. I meant did you need to focus on your shoes?
Slightly crossed wires, though perceptive of C to think just because my shoes are new that they might be the pinnacle of today's outfit. I bought them as I've near enough trashed my others by wearing them for unbelievable hours on my corrosive feet and *ahem* haven't taken perhaps the care of them that they deserved.
So new boots it was. Super comfy.
I selected this spot as the massive rhododendron bush full of beautiful blooms behind provided a wonderful seasonal backdrop. What I also should have said to C is 'take a lot more steps back to actually fit some bush in the shots' as the purple flowers have scarcely made an appearance at all. Guys, I really try with the backdrops!

I have been wearing this thick casual shirt plenty this year, despite it not making much of an appearance here. Remember, I do wear clothes every day(!).
C did ask a couple of days ago I still post on the blog as he'd noticed a marked reduction in the frequency of photographs taken. I shrugged sadly and admitted not as often because I don't want to overwork myself just for the sake of it. Yes, I'd love to get back to five posts a week like clockwork if there's five worthy stories of content (and usually that wouldn't be a struggle) but you have to prioritise and sometimes you have to let things go or risk burnout.
There have been a number of times that I've considered calling it a day with blogging altogether but each time I feel glad to return after whatever hiatus. There's so much to say, share and store for the future. 1288 published posts currently still live on the blog - that's a lot of history!

Take care,
Sophie