A slight breeze ruffles my long golden locks. Best then head into town to get my hair cut, lest I turn into one of those hippies we young hip-cats make fun of. But before hand, as it is a glorious morning, I think we should go down to Samphire Hoe to check on the orchids. To many people who live here, it comes as a surprise to learn that Kent is home to many of Britain's orchids. And one of the earliest orchids is the Early Spider Orchid. See what they did there with it's name? That and the fact it has eight legs and spins webs to catch flies or small aeroplanes.
Anyway, we head down to Samphire Hoe, finding that closer to the sea, a thick sea mist is rolling in. And indeed down on the Hoe, even the tops of the cliffs were out of view in the banks of fog. We parked up and headed out to the path along which the orchids will soon be seen. Last year, the Early spiders started to bloom at the beginning of May. And so I thought this was going to be a check on how the flower spikes were coming along. We walked along the path, and in time I saw a small spike, and thought i saw a small dark blob: surely not a bloom? But yes, there was a small orchid, happily showing its colours in the sea mist.
Further along the path we came along more and more orchids about to burst into flower. It was such a surprise to find them so far along. I lay on the ground and took many shots. What a great start to the day.
Instead of going for a walk along the beach, we headed back to the car so I could get to the barbers early in the day so I could do other stuff for the rest of the day. And to be honest, best start the day with a little abuse. And I go for the usual short back and sides and find I have ears once again.
Next up to head up the Elham Valley to check on some of the other early orchids. And on the way we could stop at the tearooms in Elham for breakfast. You will note this was breakfast, not second breakfast, as we had left the house without eating.
We find a parking place and go in and both order the set breakfast. It is a measure of how healthy we are becoming as i get guilty feelings tucking into the bacon, eggs, sausages and poached eggs. It is also worth noting that most of it was grilled, poached or microwaved. So not that unhealthy. He said, hopefully.
We drive up the valley and park up in the layby next to the down. We walk up the down (keep up non-Kentish people) but find little evidence of orchids, no rosettes, no spikes. However, in the third paddock, a part which was in the lea of a small rise, there were many rosettes of Early Purples. I took some shots, then we head back to the car, not before I head up the lane to check the small wood, which is covered, or the floor of it was, with thousands of wood anemones and a few very early bluebells.
I take shots, many shots. The happy with that, I head back to the car and we drive home.
The afternoon was taken with the joy of listening to the football on the radio. I say joy. This is meant as sarcasm, as Norwich had another dreadful day at the office, slipping to another defeat, this time at home to WBA. Which is about as bad as it gets. Until next weekend when we will lose to Fulham. Relegation seems to be inevitible, but stranger things have happened. Nothing comes to mind as to what that strange thing was at the moment, but when it does, I'll let you know.
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