Morning comes oh so soon. It seems to have been such a long week, with the visa problems, travelling to Denmark and then the meetings audits. And the travelling back, the working late at nights. Sigh. I know you don't feel much sympathy, I know we all have to earn our crusts any which way we can in order to pay our bills, keep the banks from our door. And so on.
But Friday rolled round and outside the sun shone down from a clear blue sky, barely a breath of wind could be felt, and there was I inside writing e mails, filling in forms, submitting forms, updating spreadsheets. Lunchtime came and went. Over in sunny Denmark it was a holiday, prayer day or something, so once my in-box was dealt with, and all my tasks were done, I thought it only right with the hours done this week, that I too switch my computer off and head out into the sunshine.
It was two in the afternoon, right at the hottest part of the day. There was just the one thing on my mind: orchids. I drive up to Folkestone and take the road up one of the valleys leading up into the downs. I turn off and head up a couple of narrow lanes, turn left at the triangular green, down the hill, past the midden and through the wood which had now replaced it's carpet of bluebells and anemones with wild garlic. The air was heavy with the smell, but I drove on to the small lay by at the bottom of the hill. I grab my camera and head into the first paddock.
The Early Purples are all but gone, already turning over into shrivelled spikes looking all the world like they have been burned. A couple are worth snapping, just to say they were there. I press on looking for any sign of the next orchid in the season, and sure enough I begin to see a scattering of pink, purple and white, marking where the wonderfully rare Monkey Orchids were showing. Unlike most other orchids, these open from the top, looking unspectacular at first as a few blooms open, but as the days pass more and more open.
I walk to the far end of the site, but fail to see any of the Fly which I know are there, but my next call I would see enough of them to satisfy.
It is a short drive of three or so miles to the next chalk bank, and I find the parking spot at one end of the site empty, well, apart from the felt roofing rubbish that had been fly-tipped there. As if it was less trouble driving all the way out here to dup it rather than use the council tip! Some people are so stupid.
I walk into the reserve, and take the wrong turning. Good job I did as I find a glade with half a dozen splendid lady Orchids growing away, looking wonderful. I snap each of them in turn, and head off looking for my real target here, the fly.
I make my way back onto the right path, and see many Fly beside the path. I decide to walk right to the other side of the site, and when I walk back count each Fly spike and see how many I can find. In the end I count 20 or 21 spikes, not deciding whether the best spike counts as one or two spikes, but with it's six open blooms and three more yet to open, it was worth travelling out just to see this alone.
I try my best to ignore the Brimstones and Green Hairstreaks that flitter across the glade, today is all about orchids! I look at my watch, half four, time enough to get to Canterbury to pick up Jools before we head to the best bank of them all the marvel at the collection of Lady Orchids which proliferate.
After collecting Jools from the estate office, we head back into the Kentish countryside, down a very little used lane and park at the end. A short walk along we turn off and head into the reserve, and I see once again I have the lace to myself,at least for a while. If it were just the orchids here, hardly anyone would make the effort to come, but as the country's rarest butterflies like to breed and live here, there is always a small crowd of people, stamping over the orchids on display, just to get a shot of The Duke.
I have snapped him before, so concentrate on the orchids, apart from the Lady I see Greater Butterfly, White Heliborines, Heath and Common Twayblades. I am sure I missed others, but my orchid lust was satisfied.
We get in the car and head home to feed the cats and have dinner.
At eight we head back out to go to westcliffe to look at the sun setting and the colours in the landscape. It might seem a simple thing, but it seemed the perfect way to end the day. Shadows lengthened, colours faded to pastel shades and the sun sank behind the hill.
It was a good day.
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