Friday 6th June 2025

So, home alone for four days, and also with custody of the car, so I could do whatever, wherever I wanted.

But then there is the weather.

The forecast said there would be a good chance of rain after nine or so, and increasingly likely through the day. So, if I wanted to see orchids, I would have to get up early.

Which is why I was up at half five, feeding the cats and making coffee.

And on the road before half six, traffic was light and no other traffic was heading where I was going.

I drove to the Hythe turn off, then up Stone Street, before turning off and heading cross-country to a secret site for one of our rarest orchids, but a Kent speciality.

On a nondescript lane, I park up, grab the camera, hop over the style and make my way through undergrowth, up a back to the foot of a down.

I could see Common Spotted and Pyramidals already even ow down, but further up there would be something much more special.

I know where to look, so half way up I sotted the first Late Spider spike, and in a few metres, four more. I have so many shots of them already, but I take shots of most of the spikes.

Further up they were under cages, so I inspect each and decide if I should take shots.

This colony have always been highly variable, and so it proved, but none with obvious signs of hybridisation or unusual colouring, but anyway, I rattled off 220 shots very easily.

All the way to the top of the down, then down the other side of the field, more LSOs and plenty of CSOs too.

I am done by half eight. The weather had held and the bright sunlight lit the down.

What now?

Well, breakfast.

I climbed down the down, hopped back over the fence and threw my stuff into the car, and it was at this point I saw that the lane was a rat-run for the school run, with a stream of Range Rovers going by.

I leave and retrace my way back to Stone Street, then down to the crossroads where there is a greasy spoon.

I had a sausage and bacon French stick, and a brew, and ate standing beside the road as rush hour ended.

"What's the plan for today", the guy in the van asked. I'm retired, nothing much.

And then back to the usual, with me going via the Alkham valley to Whitfield to get the shopping in. Seemed right as I was already out, and the store was pretty empty, so I got round in half an hour or so.

And back home at half ten, got the bins in, filled up the feeders and put the shopping away.

Meaning I had some 11 hours to fill before bedtime.

After doing stuff online, I found Who do you Think you Are on the i player, and watched three more episodes until just before three.

Jools called: she was fine, rain woke her at half four that morning, and was then at Bluewater as "it was raining."

I made a brew and filled my time before six and the quiz.

But the makers of Zoom had updated the program, and we couldn't send messages in a way that time stamped messages in order, so in a first, it was cancelled.

I watched Wales v Lichtenstein on the i player, sampled the new whiskey and ate curry peanuts.

Life is good.