Sunday 26th June 2022

Day two of the laid back weekend.

I say laid back as I have been busy, busy, busy. Or felt like it.

So, the only plan was to go to Temple Ewell Down to check on the chalk fragrants and see what elese was about.

So, Jools has discovered she has torn her achilles heel, so has to rest, I would be going on my own.

I arrived at half seven, parked at theedge of the wood, and walked through, then up to the first meadow. It would have been fine except for the endless stream of dogwalkers bringing their pooches to a walk off the lead. Dog owners to all reserves should keep their dogs on a 2m lead. Hardly any do. Many's the time I have been snapping an orchid or butterfly only for some dog come wandering over.

Oh, he's very friendly.

Never mind what I was doing.

And that's nothing when two "friendly" dogs meet and a dogfight breaks out.

If a dog cannot be controlled by vocal command, it should not be off the lead. There should be areas where non-dogowners and nature can be left alone. And what better place than a nature reserve?

That over with, I can report that Chalk Fragrants are now fasing fast, but there were some vivid purple pyramidals showing well, and on top of that there was Dyer's greenweed, Eyebright, Yellow-wort among other plants in flower. But do due to the strong breeze, there were no butterflies, sadly.

I wasn't going to see much more had I have gone further on, and with my back grumbling, I walk back down to the car. No point going to see the Bees at the council offices, as they would be over now. So, I drive home for breakfast and more coffee.

Once we had eaten fruit and yogurt, we went into the garden for some deadheading of flowers that had gone over. That took and hour. We watered some of the beds.

Phew.

So, we had an ice cream sitting on the patio, looking at the magnitude of our works. And it was good.

Lunch was Caprese. Again. What can I say, we loves it. We had beers. Or beer and cider.

So, the afternoon was filled with not falling asleep, or trying not to.

The afternoon passed slowly.

I got a phone call from John saying the former church in Ham had suffered a fire.

First question was to find out if the owner was OK. He was, but the church is badly damaged. I said I would go out to take some shots.

So I did.

The building is now surrounded by chain link fencing, with warning signs saying to stay out. I was asked by the owner of the house next door if he could help. I explained I had shot the building before and was known to the owner. He was happy with that.

But I went back to the car, and then through the maze of narrow lanes headed back home.

Should we have another ice cream?

Maybe not.

We had cheese and the remainder of the bread for supper. And that was your weekend.

Just time to upload shots for #wildflowerhour, then it was time to go bed.