It won't be so hot here, of course. We live near the coast and up on the downs near to the cliffs, so we get our own unique weather, different even from Dover or Deal.
So, it won't be hot as that here, but maybe 30 on Wednesday, and so if there was any orchiding to be done, it would have to be done before then, which is why I was driving to Temple Ewell at half six Monday morning, wearing my new walking shoes and camera in the boot.
It was hot overnight, so despite needing more than six hours sleep, that would have to do, so after coffee I was up and out, while Jools said she had no intention of coming along.
The reason for going is that in good years there are thousands of Chalk fragant orchids up there. Plenty of Common spotteds too, as well as Pyramidal. And there is a chance of a hybrid between any of the them.
I parked behind the old George and Dragon, slung my camera round my neck, and began to climb the rough steps into the wood. At least I was only going up to Temple Ewell Down, not Lydden Down, which would involve a climb three times as far.
In the lower meadow, there was a host, hundreds, of Pyramidals. Something I have not seen before. But despite looking hard, I found no pure white ones, but plenty of light pink.
Up through the second wood and out onto the open downland, I climbed up the cuts made by sheep above the path Seeing plenty of Chalk fragrants on the way.
At the top there is a footpath that goes round the gentle summit in a graceful arc, and on the gently slopes there can be the thousands of Chalk fragrants.
Numbers well down this year, and many already starting to brown off, the CSOs were already just dried spikes, pointing to the sky. A few small Pyramidals were among them, but I saw no obvious hybrids, and with it being humid but cloudy, there were no butterflies on the wing.
Orchids are not the only plants up there. Eyebrights, Scabious, Ox-eye daises, Fairy flax and to my delight, close to the ground, Squinancywort.I have no idea how to pronounce it either.
So, I turned back down the slope to the pat, through the gate and back down to the lower meadow and to the car.
I drove home, Jools was going to take the car and run chores, while I had a brew and then breakfast.
I spent the morning preparing and baking a Limoncello and Grappa tart, something I make this time every year. It has 12 egg yolks, three punnets of raspberries, ground almonds, zest and juice of three lemons. And the booze too, and is a king among tarts.
As that cooked, I had to go into town for an injection. First in a series of six injections in fact.
My last blood test showed very low levels of vitamin B12, so I have to have injections on three days over two weeks.
I drive to Morrison's, park there and walk to the surgery.
Once I was called, the nurse asked me how I was, then told me the jab would hurt as the dose was like a syrup.
I looked away, she jabbed.
And that was it.
See you in two days, I say.
I walk back to Morrison's, get some ciders for Jools as their offers are so good, then drive back home where Jools had turned the oven off once the tart was cooked.
I sat in the garden to read. Something caught my eye, and there was a pigeon.It had rings on each foot, and seemed tameish.
It would not fly away, just hung round, walking up and down, pecking at the ground looking for food.
I came inside to look on Google about what to do with a racing pigeon. It said give it food and will probably fly off. as well, approach the bird, slowly, throw a towel over it and read the numbers on the rings and report to the society.
I tried, and freaked the pigeon out with the throwing a towel.But it came back, so I put some seed out, and it happily pecked and ate.
Problem was that the cats were very interested in it, and tried to catch it several times. Maybe it will fly off after being fed?
Maybe.
We tried a slice of the tart for supper, along with a brew, just for QC purposes. Good news is that it passed the test.
Argentina on the tellybox in the evening, with the boy Messi scoring two more goals.
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