Sunday 27th June 2021

Quid pro quo.

I was asked for some information regarding orchids, and offered something in return. I would have told him anyway, but still.

I was given a grid reference.

And so on Sunday morning, after coffee and breakfast of fruit, we set off for a new location for orchiding, not sure if it was a wild goose chase or not.

Once we were off the main roads, we came across a scene on a country lane; a woman was trying to herd a sheep. Is herd the right word? Anyway, the sheep, was quite happy eating from the hedgerow, but the woman was trying get the sheep back with its flock in the field. I couldn't get past, so we stopped and we both tried to help.

None of us had a sheepdog, which was a shame.

The sheep was now nervous, and ran back and forth as we tried to block its way. It tried to get back in the field, it had clearly jumped a wooden stile, but wouldn't jump back. It then ran back into the lane and tried to get past me. One way it went, then back the other, each time quicker than I could move until it managed to jump past and ran free into the village, which, the last time we saw it, was grazing a well manicured lawn of some millionaire's mansion.

We drove on.

We parked in a small lay by a few miles on, and there was a clear track leading off onto the downs. I got my camera and we went through the gate, then up the track, going ever upwards. Round a bend, and an amphitheatre opened up, and our way was to one side.

Somewhere here were orchids, and not the CSOs we had seen on the track.

I followed one of the "ledges", and there, happily gorwing was one of the country's rarest plants: a Late Spider Orchid. A new site, and one of the least known, I only heard of it myself the day before.

I searched some more and found several more plants at the same level, and more in the ledges above. Most were clearly Late Spiders; right shape, right pattern and with the upturned lip.

I searched more up the down, and to one side, I found a new species: Bee. A close relative, but different.

A lot more Bee in fact.

What I was looking for was the hybrid between the two. It is the last week in June, very late for Ophrys, and only because the season has been so late and cold there was anything to see at all. And then, at the very last, a faded spike, with a lip shape, similar, but different. Was this what I cad come to find?

Probably.

I took lots of shots, with and without flash, then as the mist closed in and rain began to fall, we beat a retreat back down the down to the car, and as the rain got heavier, we drove back down to the main road and home.

By the time we got home the rain was falling steadily, and really did not stop until dusk. A good steady rainfall that gardeners love and will do the garden good as well as filling up the water butts.

There would be no more going out that day, no gardening, just listen to music, write, have lunch and get ready for the next pair of games in the Euros.

Holland v the Czech Republic; you'd think Holland would walk it, but they struggled, then had a player sent off, and the bouncing Czechs pounced, scoring one from a corner, then another on a break away to win 2-0 and send the Dutch home.

Later, Belgium played Portugal, really the tie of the round, but with so much resting on the game, it wasn't good as football, was was compelling. Portugal were physical, overly so, really, but Belgium scored the only goal just before half time, and held on.

That was ten in the evening, the house was in darkness and outside therewas thick sea fog once again